Small Rodent Populations in Selectively Felled and Mature Tracts of Kibale Forest, Uganda

Live trapping of small rodents was conducted in two adjacent tracts of tropical evergreen forests, selectively felled (K14) and relatively undisturbed mature forest (K30). Small rodents representing 14 species were examined. With the exception of Hybomys univittatus Peters in K14, two species, Praomys (Hylomyscus) stella Waterhouse and Praomys jacksoni de Winton, were the most abundant species in both types of forest during 1977-1978. Most rodent species were represented in both K14 and K30, but those normally associated with forest edges and Savanna habitats such as Lophuromys flavopunctatus Thomas were more abundant in selectively felled than in mature forest. Rodent density ranged from 0.7 to 26 rodents/ha in K14 and from 0.7 to 21.3 rodents/ha in K30. Both rodent species richness and diversity were higher for plots located in selectively felled than in uncut mature forest. Furthermore, rodent species diversity was positively highly correlated with the estimated percent ground vegetation cover (which was also significantly higher in K14 than K30), whereas rodent species richness was inversely correlated with tree species richness. Seasonal fluctuations in rodent populations were similar in both types of forest but were of greater magnitude in the selectively felled forest than in the mature one.