Species diversity and ecology of murid rodents in forest and agricultural area along Mekhong riverbank, Amphoe Sangkhom Changwat Nhongkhai
1997
Greangsak Hamarit
Four habitat types nearby Mekhong river, Amphoe Sangkhom, Changwat Nhongkai were selected for these study. These areas had been seriously infested by immigrated murids across Mekhong river from Lao since June 1993. The study plots were located from agricultural area near riverbank upto old clearing, banana plantation and mixed deciduous forest consequently. At each site, quadrat of 7*7 trap station with space 10*10 meters were established. Live traps baited with sweet maize were set at each station. Traps were set once at each site for 4 consecutive nights. Each captured rat was ear-tagged and weighted, body size measured and species identified. All captured animals were immediatly released at their station of capture. Eight species were found during the samplings. The roof rat was the most abundance in all habitats especially during the first 2-3 months of this study. Afterwards it gradually declined until the end of the study. While other species maintained at low population level through out the study. The cultivated area had the most species diversity with the index of 1.3516. While the old clearing area, mixed deciduous forest and banana plantation had the index of 1.0826, 0.6699 and 0.6038, respectively,. By observation, domestic cat was the most frequency natural predator. Javan mongoose. Asian barred owlet, and rat snake were the common predators whereas common plam civet and the copperhead racer where quite rare.
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