Distribution and Diversity of Rodent Populations at Various Habitats in Sharkia Governorate توزيع وتنوع تعداد القوارض في بيئات مختلفة بمحافظه الشرقيه

Document Type : Original Article

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Plant Prot. Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Cent., Dokki, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

A survey of rodent species, their distribution and diversity, was carried out at three different habitats (i.e. urban houses, rural houses and drainage channels); in El-Ibrahemia District, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt; from December 2017 to November 2019. A total of 320 individuals, four species, of family Muridae, were trapped from the three studied habitats. Rodent species were: the roof rat, Rattus rattus (Linn.), the predominate species (114 & 96 individuals); followed by the Norway rat, R. norvegicus (Berk) (30 & 23 individuals); the Nile rat, Arvicanthis niloticus (18 & 15 individuals) and finally the house mouse, Mus musculus (Linn.) (11 & 13 individuals) during the 1st and 2nd years, respectively. The highest rodent population recorded in summer, followed by autumn, spring and winter. Males outnumbered females. The drainage habitat had the highest diversity indices; Shannon-Weaver index H′= 1.045 and 0.891; Simpson index D= 0.642 and 0.558 and evenness J′= 0.951 and 0.811; during the 1st and 2nd years, respectively. This was followed by the rural and urban houses habitats. In contrast, the highest number of individuals was captured from the urban house habitats (160 individuals) followed by drainage habitats (85 individuals) and rural house habitats (75 individuals). Previous information should help rodent control planners in adjusting and fine-tuning their control strategies and programs by using the proper control tools suitable for the existing species in their respective habitat.

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