Imakando, Christopher, Fernandez-Grandon, G. Mandela ORCID: 0000-0002-2993-390X , Singleton, Grant R. and Belmain, Steven R. ORCID: 0000-0002-5590-7545 (2023) Vegetation cover and food availability shapes the foraging activity of rodent pests in and around maize fields. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment, 347:108363. ISSN 0167-8809 (doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2023.108363)

Preview

PDF (AMM) 38487_BELMAIN_Vegetation_cover_and_food_availability_shapes_the_foraging_activity_of_rodent_pests.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (242kB) | Preview

Abstract

Evidence-based information for smallholder farmers on where and when to conduct rodent management is vital given that most are resource poor and depend on agriculture for food and income. However, there is scarce information on how the foraging activity of rodent pests changes over agricultural cropping seasons. We used the concepts of giving-up-density (GUD) and landscape of fear to monitor how the foraging activity of rodent pests changes in and around maize (Zea mays) fields over the cropping season. We tested the hypothesis that the foraging activity of rodent pests will be influenced by vegetation cover, perceived predation risk and food availability. Mastomys natalensis was the dominant species in all maize fields (n = 3, 87.05% of the total captures). We observed that the foraging activity of rodents was influenced by vegetation cover and food availability. During the germination stage, rodent activity in the natural habitat and along the border was higher than inside the maize fields. During land preparation, planting, weeding, maize tasselling, maturity, and post-harvest stages, there was no difference in the foraging activity in and around the maize fields. During the harvest stage, the foraging activity was higher in the maize fields than along the border and in the natural habitat. These results can be used to guide smallholder farmers where and when to focus rodent control measures during different stages of the cropping season. An additional approach would be to develop strategies that could potentially increase rodent fear perceptions in cropping landscapes.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	rodent pests; Mastomys natalensis; foraging activity; maize field; giving-up-density; landscape of fear
Subjects:	Q Science > QL Zoology S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Agriculture, Health & Environment Department Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Pest Behaviour Research Group
Last Modified:	28 Jan 2024 01:38
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/38487

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads