3.4 Temporal fluctuations in rodent and shrew abundance in Mabira (CFR)
Overall abundance of small mammals significantly varied across habitats (F2,33 = 5.68, p = 0.007). Adjacent habitats were characterized by the highest abundance (mean = 44.33±12.6), followed by primary forest interior (mean = 36.4±13.4) and the least abundance along degraded forest edges (mean = 27.4±10.8). Temporal fluctuations in abundance for four most abundant species indicates peaks forHylomyscus stella in September, December and May with least captures in March, Praomys jacksoni had peaks in September-November, February and May with least captures in December while Hylomyscus stella was at a peak (Figure 4). In adjacent forest habitats, Lemniscomys striatus had two peaks in September and March while L. stanleyi showed two major peaks in December and March (Figure 4). It was also observed that species sharing the same habitat alternate in dominance over time