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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Experimental treatment-control studies of ecologically based rodent management in Africa: Balancing conservation and pest management
Wildlife Research, Volume 39, No. 1, Year 2012
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Description
Context. Rodent pests severely affect crop production, particularly in monocultures where one or two rodent pest species dominate. We predict higher species richness of native small mammal species in more heterogeneous mosaic (cropfallowbush) subsistence agro-ecosystems in Africa. Conservation and agro-ecological imperatives require that such diverse natural communities should be maintained and may benefit crop protection through limiting domination of pest species. Ecologically based rodent-management alternatives to rodenticides are urgently required and one such method (community trapping) is herein advocated. Aims. To provide baseline information on rodent and shrew communities in agro-ecosystems in three African countries and to demonstrate efficacy of ecologically based rodent management (EBRM) in Africa (e.g. community household trapping). Methods. Removal-trapping in a variety of agro-ecological habitats provided accurate small-mammal species lists. Intensive kill-trapping by rural agricultural communities was carried out experimentally where the efforts of communities were scientifically monitored by kill-trapping to measure impact on rodent numbers and the levels of post-harvest damage to stored grains. Key results. Our study revealed a high diversity of endemic species in agricultural habitats in Tanzania and Namibia (but not Swaziland) and the existence of undescribed and possibly rare species, some of which may be at risk of extinction from unchecked habitat transformation for agriculture. Treatment-control studies showed that communities in three African countries could effectively reduce pest rodent populations and rodent damage by intensive trapping on a daily basis in and around the community. Conclusions. Community trapping reduced pest rodent populations and damage to stored grains. Unlike the use of indiscriminate rodenticide, this practice is expected to have a negligible effect on beneficial non-target rodent and shrew species. Implications. Ecologically based rodent management approaches such as community trapping will conserve beneficial non-pest rodent communities and ultimately improve crop protection. © CSIRO 2012.
Authors & Co-Authors
Taylor, Peter John
South Africa, Thohoyandou
University of Venda
South Africa, Durban
School of Biological and Conservation Sciences
Downs, S. L.
South Africa, Durban
School of Biological and Conservation Sciences
Monadjem, Ara
Swaziland, Mbabane
University of Eswatini
Eiseb, Seth J.
Namibia, Windhoek
National Museum of Namibia
Mulungu, Loth S.A.
Tanzania, Morogoro
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Massawe, Apia W.
Tanzania, Morogoro
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Mahlaba, Themb'Alilahlwa A.M.
Swaziland, Mbabane
University of Eswatini
Kirsten, Frikkie
South Africa, Pretoria
Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria
von Maltitz, Emil F.
South Africa, Pretoria
Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria
Malebane, Phanuel
South Africa, Pretoria
Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria
Makundi, Rhodes H.
Tanzania, Morogoro
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Lamb, Jennifer M.
South Africa, Durban
School of Biological and Conservation Sciences
Belmain, Steven R.
United Kingdom, Chatham
Natural Resources Institute
Statistics
Citations: 34
Authors: 13
Affiliations: 7
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1071/WR11111
ISSN:
10353712
Study Locations
Eswatini
Namibia
Tanzania