Abstract

Tropical forest ecosystems harbor several species of small mammals. Diversity and abundance of small mammals in these forests reflect the quality and diversity of the ecosystems. The current study was carried out to assess abundance and species composition of small mammals (rodents and shrews) in three habitat types (Pterolobium, Juniperus and Cadia habitats) in Hugumburda forest, a dry afromontane forest in the Tigray region of North Ethiopia. The habitat types were selected based on the floristic compositions (plant species diversity) and level of human disturbance. All together, 179 individual small mammals belonging to seven rodent and one insectivore species were captured in 4,320 trap nights. The rodent species, with their relative abundance, were Stenocephalemys albipes, 55 (30.7%); Mastomys awashensis, 53 (29.6%); Arvicanthis dembeensis, 26 (14.5%); Lophuromys flavopunctatus, 22 (12.3%); Mus (Nannomys) setulosus, 14 (7.8%); Arvicanthis abysinicus 4 (2.2%); Dendromus mystacalis, 3 (1.7%) and the insectivore Crocidura olivieri, 2 (1.1%). There was significant variation in the small mammal abundance among the habitat types (χ²=29.45, P= 0.009), with more individuals caught in Pterolobium habitat, which has relatively highest plant species composition and lowest human disturbance than the other two habitats. The highest small mammal species diversity was also recorded in this habitat (H’=1.76). Vegetation diversity and level of human interference are likely the major factors affecting small mammal abundance and composition in Hugumburda forest.