Small mammal community structure (Rodentia: Muridae) in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa : Causes and consequences

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dc.contributor.advisorMidgley, Jeremy Jen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorKeith, Marken_ZA
dc.contributor.authorScholtz, Rheinhardten_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2017-10-12T08:22:02Z
dc.date.available2017-10-12T08:22:02Z
dc.date.issued2008en_ZA
dc.date.updated2017-03-09T12:58:46Z
dc.description.abstractThe population dynamics of small mammal populations in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa was investigated with respect to community size and structure, seed predation and dispersal of several trees. Species populations, community structure and habitat attributes were measured at six sites comprising of 3 habitat types (2 sites per habitat); namely Acaciagrassland, North-facing and South-facing sloped sites. Seasonal variation was investigated at the Acacia sites during late summer (April) and winter months (July). Five habitat attributes were measured; percentages of total cover and herbage, plant litter depth (cm), height of dominant vegetation type measured (m) and edaphic condition were recorded at 15 randomly selected traps per site. Almonds (Prunus dulcis), baobabs (Adansonia digitata), mopane (Colophospermum mopane), and Acacia tortilis seeds were used in the predation and dispersal experiment. North- and South-facing sites were dominated by Aethomys sp. while Acacia sites were dominated by Mastomys natalensis. Seed predation was high at the North-facing slopes, with a significant difference in predation on A. tortilis seeds. Seed dispersal activity was low; no , scatter hoarding was identified; only larder hoarding was observed by Aethomys sp. and M. natalensis at North-facing sites and Acacia sites respectively. Trampling by megaherbivore activity impacted vegetation structure and has negatively affected rodent population and ground activity, particularly at the Acacia sites.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationScholtz, R. (2008). <i>Small mammal community structure (Rodentia: Muridae) in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa : Causes and consequences</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25596en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationScholtz, Rheinhardt. <i>"Small mammal community structure (Rodentia: Muridae) in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa : Causes and consequences."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25596en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationScholtz, R. 2008. Small mammal community structure (Rodentia: Muridae) in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa : Causes and consequences. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Scholtz, Rheinhardt AB - The population dynamics of small mammal populations in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa was investigated with respect to community size and structure, seed predation and dispersal of several trees. Species populations, community structure and habitat attributes were measured at six sites comprising of 3 habitat types (2 sites per habitat); namely Acaciagrassland, North-facing and South-facing sloped sites. Seasonal variation was investigated at the Acacia sites during late summer (April) and winter months (July). Five habitat attributes were measured; percentages of total cover and herbage, plant litter depth (cm), height of dominant vegetation type measured (m) and edaphic condition were recorded at 15 randomly selected traps per site. Almonds (Prunus dulcis), baobabs (Adansonia digitata), mopane (Colophospermum mopane), and Acacia tortilis seeds were used in the predation and dispersal experiment. North- and South-facing sites were dominated by Aethomys sp. while Acacia sites were dominated by Mastomys natalensis. Seed predation was high at the North-facing slopes, with a significant difference in predation on A. tortilis seeds. Seed dispersal activity was low; no , scatter hoarding was identified; only larder hoarding was observed by Aethomys sp. and M. natalensis at North-facing sites and Acacia sites respectively. Trampling by megaherbivore activity impacted vegetation structure and has negatively affected rodent population and ground activity, particularly at the Acacia sites. DA - 2008 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2008 T1 - Small mammal community structure (Rodentia: Muridae) in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa : Causes and consequences TI - Small mammal community structure (Rodentia: Muridae) in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa : Causes and consequences UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25596 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/25596
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationScholtz R. Small mammal community structure (Rodentia: Muridae) in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa : Causes and consequences. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2008 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25596en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherBotanyen_ZA
dc.subject.otherHabitat attributesen_ZA
dc.subject.othersmall mammalsen_ZA
dc.subject.othermegaherbivoresen_ZA
dc.subject.othervegetation structureen_ZA
dc.subject.otherseed predationen_ZA
dc.subject.otherseed dispersalen_ZA
dc.titleSmall mammal community structure (Rodentia: Muridae) in Punda Maria, Kruger National Park, South Africa : Causes and consequencesen_ZA
dc.typeBachelor Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelHonours
dc.type.qualificationnameBSc (Hons)en_ZA
uct.type.filetype
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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