The Effect of Ecological Factors on the Distribution of Myormoph Rodent Pest Species Infesting the University of Eldoret Farms, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2200/aerj.v5i2.265Keywords:
Arvicanthis niloticus, Mastomys natalensis, Lemniscomys striatus, Relative Abundance, Population Distribution, Ecological FactorsAbstract
Rodents are recognized ecologically as one of the most important pests of cereals. Rodents occur in a wide range of terrestrial habitat, they are diverse and form an integral part of ecosystem functioning. Rodents are pests of concern in Kenya, as they cause considerable damage to cereal crops before and after harvest and therefore affect food security by impacting on both food availability and safety. However, knowledge of the factors that affect their population and distribution in Kenya is limited. The objective of the research was to determine the effect of ecological factors namely rainfall, relative humidity and temperature on the incidences and distribution of gender, type of species and population myomorph rodent pests infesting maize and wheat farms at University of Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Grids of 70 m x 70 m crop cuttings was done in commercial fields of maize and wheat both locally woven live traps and Sherman’s live traps were used to capture rodents with peanut butter and sun dried Omena (Rastrineobola argentea) used as baits. The ecological factors of rainfall, relative humidity and temperature data were obtained from the metrological station based at Eldoret international airport. Three types of myomorph rodent pest species were captured and identified being Mastomys natalensis, Arvicanthis niloticus and Lemniscomys striatus. A Pearson correlation indicated a very weak positive correlation between rainfall and gender (males and females) distribution (r = 0.171, P = 0.001). A very weak linear positive correlation was observed between relative humidity and gender (r = 0.198, P = 0.001) that was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Rainfall and relative humidity had an effect on distribution of gender (males and females). However, there was a very weak positive correlation between temperature and gender in year one and two (r = 0.056, P=0.225; r =0.093 =0.214) and weak negative correlation in year three (r = -0.046, P=0.449) with no statistically significant difference of temperature on gender distribution (P > 0.001). Pearson correlations between ecological factors of rainfall, relative humidity and temperature showed a linear weak correlation with species distribution (r =-0.001, P= 0.986).The ecological factors rainfall, relative humidity were shown to influence species and gender distribution but temperature did not have any notable influence on species distribution during the present study.
References
Bekele, A., & Leirs, H. (1997). Population ecology of rodents of maize fields and grassland in central Ethiopia. Belgium Journal of Zoology 127: 39–48
CIDP (2018). County Integrated Development Plan, Uasin Gishu county.
Desoky, A. S. S. (2018). Rodent Damage in maize fields and their control. Acta Scientific Agriculture 2.7 (2018):53-54.
Kumar. A. (2008). A text book of environmental science.Amazon.com. https://books.google.co.ke
Kumar, A. (2020). 5ecological factors that constitute the environment of an Organism.
Environmental pollution article.
Linzey, A. V., & Kesner, M. H, (1997). Small mammals of a woodland- savannah ecosystem in Zimbabwe.I. Density and habitat occupancy patterns. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. AGRIS. Issue1, volume 243.
Massawe, A. W., Mulungu, L. S., Makundi, R. H., Dlamini, N., Eiseb, S. J., Kirsten, F., ... & Belmain, S. R. (2011). Spatial and temporal population dynamics of rodents in three geographically different regions in Africa: implication for ecologically-based rodent management. African Zoology, 46(2), 393-405.
Massawe, A. W., Mrosso, F. P., Makundi, R. H., & Mulungu, L. S. (2008). Breeding patterns of Arvicanthis neumanni in central Tanzania. African Journal of Ecology, 46(3), 320-324.
Mayamba, A. (2020). Ecology of major rodent pest species in maize and rice cropping systems in Eastern Uganda. PhD Thesis of Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.
Mayamba, A., Byamungu, R. M., Broecke, B. V., Leirs, H., Hieronimo, P., Nakiyemba, A., ... & Mulungu, L. S. (2020). Factors influencing the distribution and abundance of small rodent pest species in agricultural landscapes in Eastern Uganda. Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 69(2), 20002-1.
MoALF (2017). Climate Risk Profile for Uasin Gishu County. Kenya County Climate Risk Profile Series. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MoALF), Nairobi, Kenya.
Monadjem, A, P. J., Taylor, C., Denys, F. P. D., & Cotterill (2015). Rodents of Sub-Saharan Africa: a biogeographic and taxonomic synthesis. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & CoKG. ISBN: 978-3-11-030166-3
Pandey, P., & Pandey, M. M, (2015). Research Methodology: Tools and Techniques. © Bridge Center, 2015. ISBN 978-606-93502-7-0
Schober, P., Boer, C., & Schwarte, L. A. (2018). Correlation Coefficients: Appropriate Use and Interpretation. Anesthesia & Analgesia 2018: 126:1763–8.
SERAS (2003). Standard Operating Procedures. Small Mammal Sampling and Processing. Scientific Engineering Response and Analytical Services. U.S. EPA Contract EP-W-09-031
Shurchfiesd, S. (1997). Community structure and habitat use of small mammal in Grassland of different successional age. J. Zool.Lond. 242, 519 -530.
Spinks, A. C., Jarvis, J. U., & Bennett, N. C. (2000). Comparative Patterns of Philopatry and Dispersal in Two Common Mole-Rat Populations: Implications for the Evolution of Mole-Rat Sociality. Journal of Animal Ecology, Vol. 69, No. 2. British Ecological Society Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2647436
Taylor, K. D., & Green, G. (1976). The influence of rainfall on diet and reproduction in four African rodent species. J. Zool., Lond. 180: 367-389.
