Community ecology of the terrestrial small mammals of Zakouma National Park, Chad
2004
Granjon, Laurent | Houssin, Céline | Lecompte, Emilie | Angaya, Maho | César, Jean, Clairemond | Cornette, Raphael | Dobigny, Gauthier | Denys, Christiane | Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (UMR CBGP) ; Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [Occitanie])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro) | Origine, structure et évolution de la biodiversité (OSEB) ; Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Laboratoire de Recherches Vétérinaies et Zootechniques de Farcha (LRVZ) | Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)
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Show more [+] Less [-]English. The terrestrial small mammal community of the Zakouma National Park (Chad) was assessed by live trapping in various habitats during the dry season. Nearly 3000 trap-nights yielded 505 captures of nine rodent and two shrew species, making up a representative small mammal community for the Sudanian savanna biotic zone. Murine rodents of the genusMastomys dominated, withM. erythroleucus andM. cf.kollmannspergeri occuring at similar abundances. The former was widespread and especially abundant in habitats with high tree cover. The latter was more localized, predominantly in annually flooded habitats characterized by a clay-rich soil, often withAcacia seyal as the main vegetation. Population structure differed between the two species, suggesting distinct reproductive strategies possibly linked with habitat preferences: theM. erythroleucus population comprised mainly young, immature individuals, whereasM. cf.kollmannspergeri was represented by older individuals, a significant fraction of which had already reproduced.Taterillus congicus andTatera kempi (gerbilline rodents), together withLemniscomys zebra, were mainly found in more open habitats with sand-rich soils.Arvicanthis niloticus, Acomys cf.johannis, Mus mattheyi andXerus erythropus were the other rodents captured, whereas shrews were represented byCrocidura fulvastra andSuncus sp.
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