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52. Population and breeding patterns of the pest rodent: Mastomys natalensis in a maize dominated agroecosystem in Lake Victoria crescent zone, Eastern Uganda

Author

Mayamba, Alex, primary, Byamungu, Robert Modest, additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, Moses, Isabirye, additional, Makundi, Rhodes H, additional, Kimaro, Didas N, additional, Massawe, Apia W, additional, Kifumba, David, additional, Nakiyemba, Alice, additional, Mdangi, Mshaka E, additional, Isabirye, Brian E, additional, and Mulungu, Loth S, additional

Published
2021
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53. Molecular detection and genomic characterization of diverse hepaciviruses in African rodents

Author

Bletsa, Magda, primary, Vrancken, Bram, additional, Gryseels, Sophie, additional, Boonen, Ine, additional, Fikatas, Antonios, additional, Li, Yiqiao, additional, Laudisoit, Anne, additional, Lequime, Sebastian, additional, Bryja, Josef, additional, Makundi, Rhodes, additional, Meheretu, Yonas, additional, Akaibe, Benjamin Dudu, additional, Mbalitini, Sylvestre Gambalemoke, additional, Van de Perre, Frederik, additional, Van Houtte, Natalie, additional, Těšíková, Jana, additional, Wollants, Elke, additional, Van Ranst, Marc, additional, Pybus, Oliver G, additional, Drexler, Jan Felix, additional, Verheyen, Erik, additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, Gouy de Bellocq, Joelle, additional, and Lemey, Philippe, additional

Published
2021
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55. Unravelling the evolutionary relationships of hepaciviruses within and across rodent hosts

Author

Bletsa, Magda, primary, Vrancken, Bram, additional, Gryseels, Sophie, additional, Boonen, Ine, additional, Fikatas, Antonios, additional, Li, Yiqiao, additional, Laudisoit, Anne, additional, Lequime, Sebastian, additional, Bryja, Josef, additional, Makundi, Rhodes, additional, Meheretu, Yonas, additional, Akaibe, Benjamin Dudu, additional, Mbalitini, Sylvestre Gambalemoke, additional, Van de Perre, Frederik, additional, Van Houtte, Natalie, additional, Těšíková, Jana, additional, Wollants, Elke, additional, Van Ranst, Marc, additional, Drexler, Jan Felix, additional, Verheyen, Erik, additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, de Bellocq, Joelle Gouy, additional, and Lemey, Philippe, additional

Published
2020
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57. Comparative assessment on rodent impacts and cultural perceptions of ecologically based rodent management in 3 Afro‐Malagasy farming regions

Author

CONSTANT, Natasha L., primary, SWANEPOEL, Lourens H., additional, WILLIAMS, Samual T., additional, SOARIMALALA, Voahangy, additional, GOODMAN, Steven M., additional, MASSAWE, Apia T., additional, MULUNGU, Loth S., additional, MAKUNDI, Rhodes H., additional, MDANGI, Mashaka E., additional, TAYLOR, Peter J., additional, and BELMAIN, Steven R., additional

Published
2020
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59. Habitat type impacts small mammal diversity in the Ukaguru Mountains, Tanzania.

Author

Ademola, Olaoluwa John, Massawe, Apia W., Mulungu, Loth S., Hieronimo, Proches, Makonda, Fortunatus B. S., and Makundi, Rhodes H.

Subjects
MAMMAL diversity, HABITATS, PRINCIPAL components analysis, SPECIES diversity
Abstract

We assessed the habitat association of the diversity and abundance of small mammals in the Ukaguru Mountains within the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania. An estimation of the vegetation parameters and live-trapping of small mammals for three consecutive nights per month for 21 months were carried out in farmland, disturbed and intact forests. A total of 1196 individual small mammals comprising 13 species were captured. Species diversity and evenness in intact forest were much higher compared to disturbed forest. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 87.7% of the variance with two factors. The study suggests vegetation and habitat disturbances are factors responsible for the observed diversity of small mammals in the Ukaguru Mountains. Mastomys natalensis, Mus triton and Praomys delectorum accounted for 90.0% of total captures. M. triton and M. natalensis were the most abundant in farmland with 46.8 and 42.8% of total captures respectively and associated with the herbaceous vegetation. P. delectorum correlated with litter depth and trees and accounted for 90.0 and 80.0% total captures in disturbed and intact forests respectively but the mean abundances in both habitats were not significantly different (p = 0.72). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2022
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60. Home ranges, sex ratio and recruitment of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas in Tanzania

Author

Mlyashimbi, Emmanuel C.M., primary, Mariën, Joachim, additional, Kimaro, Didas N., additional, Tarimo, Akwilin J.P., additional, Machang’u, Robert S., additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Isabirye, Moses, additional, Massawe, Apia W., additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, Mdangi, Mashaka E., additional, Belmain, Steven R., additional, and Mulungu, Loth S., additional

Published
2019
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61. Application of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to forecast rodent population abundance in smallholder agro-ecosystems in semi-arid areas in Tanzania

Author

Chidodo, Davis J., primary, Kimaro, Didas N., additional, Hieronimo, Proches, additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Isabirye, Moses, additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, Massawe, Apia W., additional, Mdangi, Mashaka E., additional, Kifumba, David, additional, and Mulungu, Loth S., additional

Published
2019
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62. Species composition and community structure of small pest rodents (Muridae) in cultivated and fallow fields in maize‐growing areas in Mayuge district, Eastern Uganda

Author

Mayamba, Alex, primary, Byamungu, Robert M., additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Kimaro, Didas N., additional, Isabirye, Moses, additional, Massawe, Apia W., additional, Kifumba, David, additional, Nakiyemba, Alice, additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, Mdangi, Mshaka E., additional, Isabirye, Brian E., additional, and Mulungu, Loth S., additional

Published
2019
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63. Home ranges, sex ratio and recruitment of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas in Tanzania.

Author

Mlyashimbi, Emmanuel C.M., Mariën, Joachim, Kimaro, Didas N., Tarimo, Akwilin J.P., Machang'u, Robert S., Makundi, Rhodes H., Isabirye, Moses, Massawe, Apia W., Leirs, Herwig, Mdangi, Mashaka E., Belmain, Steven R., and Mulungu, Loth S.

Subjects
SEX ratio, RATS, DATA management, CORN, RODENTS
Abstract

Investigation of home ranges, sex ratio and recruitment of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas of Tanzania was conducted in maize and fallow fields using the capture-mark-release (CMR) technique. The aim of this study was to generate useful data for the management of M. natalensis. The relative home range size of M. natalensis was significantly higher during the wet [544 m2 ± 25 standard error (SE)] than during the dry (447 m2 ± 18 SE) season, in males (521 m2 ± 23 SE) than in females (450 m2 ± 17 SE) and in adults (576 m2 ± 34 SE) than in juveniles (459 m2 ± 16 SE). However, there were no significant differences between habitats. Sex ratio was not significantly different (p = 0.44) between habitats. Recruitment was significantly higher (p = 0.000) in maize fields (mean = 0.43) than in fallow land (mean = 0.32) and differed significantly over time (p < 0.0001) with the highest recruitment recorded from April to July and the lowest from October to December. Management strategies should focus on managing rodents inhabiting maize fields using methods that affect their recruitment in order to reduce the population increase of M. natalensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2020
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64. Application of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to forecast rodent population abundance in smallholder agro-ecosystems in semi-arid areas in Tanzania.

Author

Chidodo, Davis J., Kimaro, Didas N., Hieronimo, Proches, Makundi, Rhodes H., Isabirye, Moses, Leirs, Herwig, Massawe, Apia W., Mdangi, Mashaka E., Kifumba, David, and Mulungu, Loth S.

Subjects
NORMALIZED difference vegetation index, AGRICULTURAL ecology, RODENT populations, POPULATION forecasting, PEARSON correlation (Statistics)
Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the potential use of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from satellite-derived remote sensing data for monitoring rodent abundance in semi-arid areas of Tanzania. We hypothesized that NDVI could potentially complement rainfall in predicting rodent abundance spatially and temporally. NDVI were determined across habitats with different vegetation types in Isimani landscape, Iringa Region, in the southern highlands of Tanzania. Normalized differences in reflectance between the red (R) (0.636–0.673 mm) and near-infrared (NIR) (0.851–0.879 mm) channels of the electromagnetic spectrum from the Landsat 8 [Operational Land Imager (OLI)] sensor were obtained. Rodents were trapped in a total of 144 randomly selected grids each measuring 100 × 100 m2, for which the corresponding values of NDVI were recorded during the corresponding rodent trapping period. Raster analysis was performed by transformation to establish NDVI in study grids over the entire study area. The relationship between NDVI, rodent distribution and abundance both spatially and temporally during the start, mid and end of the dry and wet seasons was established. Linear regression model was used to evaluate the relationships between NDVI and rodent abundance across seasons. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) at p ≤ 0.05 was carried out to describe the degree of association between actual and NDVI-predicted rodent abundances. The results demonstrated a strong linear relationship between NDVI and actual rodent abundance within grids (R2 = 0.71). NDVI-predicted rodent abundance showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.99) with estimated rodent abundance. These results support the hypothesis that NDVI has the potential for predicting rodent population abundance under smallholder farming agro-ecosystems. Hence, NDVI could be used to forecast rodent abundance within a reasonable short period of time when compared with sparse and not widely available rainfall data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2020
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65. Relationships between seasonal changes in diet of multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) and its breeding patterns in semi-arid areas in Tanzania

Author

Mlyashimbi, Emmanuel C.M., Mariën, Joachim, Kimaro, Didas N., Tarimo, Akwilin J. P., Isabirye, Moses, Makundi, Rhodes H., Massawe, Apia W., Mdangi, Mashaka E., Kifumba, David, Nakiyemba, Alice, Leirs, Herwig, Belmain, Steven R., Mulungu, Loth S., Mlyashimbi, Emmanuel C.M., Mariën, Joachim, Kimaro, Didas N., Tarimo, Akwilin J. P., Isabirye, Moses, Makundi, Rhodes H., Massawe, Apia W., Mdangi, Mashaka E., Kifumba, David, Nakiyemba, Alice, Leirs, Herwig, Belmain, Steven R., and Mulungu, Loth S.

Abstract

The diet and breeding patterns of Mastomys natalensis in semi-arid areas of Isimani division, Iringa region, Tanzania were investigated in maize fields and fallow land. The aim was to investigate the influence of diet on breeding patterns of M. natalensis. Removal trapping was used to capture rodents and analyse diet categories while Capture-mark-release trapping was used to investigate breeding patterns of female M. natalensis. Mastomys natalensis comprised 94%of the total capture, and the remaining 6% comprised of six other species. Statistical analysis of food preferences indicated that both vegetative materials and seeds were significantly higher in the overall diet of M. natalensis compared with other food materials. Significant differences in the proportions of vegetativematerials and seeds were found between seasons (dry, wet), but not between habitats (fallow, maize). There was a clear seasonal pattern in the proportion of reproductively active females with peaks in April and troughs in October. The proportion of vegetative materialswas highest during thewet season and correlated positively with reproductive activity, suggesting that vegetative materials contain certain compounds (e.g. 6-MBOA) that trigger reproductive activity in M. natalensis. The breeding activity of M. natalensis in semi-arid areas might, thus, be reduced by limiting access to fresh vegetative food (e.g. young sprouting grass).

Published
2018

66. Relationships between seasonal changes in diet of Multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) and its breeding patterns in semi-arid areas in Tanzania

Author

Mlyashimbi, Emmanuel C. M., primary, Mariën, Joachim, additional, Kimaro, Didas N., additional, Tarimo, Akwilin J. P., additional, Isabirye, Moses, additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Massawe, Apia W., additional, Mdangi, Mashaka E., additional, Kifumba, David, additional, Nakiyemba, Alice, additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, Belmain, Steven R., additional, and Mulungu, Loth S., additional

Published
2018
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68. Correction: A systematic review of rodent pest research in Afro-Malagasy small-holder farming systems: Are we asking the right questions?

Author

Swanepoel, Lourens H., primary, Swanepoel, Corrie M., additional, Brown, Peter R., additional, Eiseb, Seth J., additional, Goodman, Steven M., additional, Keith, Mark, additional, Kirsten, Frikkie, additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, Mahlaba, Themb’alilahlwa A. M., additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Malebane, Phanuel, additional, von Maltitz, Emil F., additional, Massawe, Apia W., additional, Monadjem, Ara, additional, Mulungu, Loth S., additional, Singleton, Grant R., additional, Taylor, Peter J., additional, Soarimalala, Voahangy, additional, and Belmain, Steven R., additional

Published
2017
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69. A systematic review of rodent pest research in Afro-Malagasy small-holder farming systems: Are we asking the right questions?

Author

Swanepoel, Lourens H., primary, Swanepoel, Corrie M., additional, Brown, Peter R., additional, Eiseb, Seth J., additional, Goodman, Steven M., additional, Keith, Mark, additional, Kirsten, Frikkie, additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, Mahlaba, Themb’alilahlwa A. M., additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Malebane, Phanuel, additional, von Maltitz, Emil F., additional, Massawe, Apia W., additional, Monadjem, Ara, additional, Mulungu, Loth S., additional, Singleton, Grant R., additional, Taylor, Peter J., additional, Soarimalala, Voahangy, additional, and Belmain, Steven R., additional

Published
2017
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70. Population and breeding patterns of the pest rodent: Mastomys natalensisin a maize dominated agroecosystem in Lake Victoria crescent zone, Eastern Uganda

Author

Mayamba, Alex, Byamungu, Robert Modest, Leirs, Herwig, Moses, Isabirye, Makundi, Rhodes H, Kimaro, Didas N, Massawe, Apia W, Kifumba, David, Nakiyemba, Alice, Mdangi, Mshaka E, Isabirye, Brian E, and Mulungu, Loth S

Abstract

Multimammate mice (Mastomys natalensis) are a key rodent pest species to cereal crop production in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed at generating information on the population fluctuation and breeding patterns of M. natalensisin a maize dominated agro-ecosystem in the Mayuge district, Eastern Uganda. The area is characterised by a bimodal rainfall pattern with rains in the periods March to May and August to November. A Capture–Mark–Recapture study was established in cultivated and fallow field habitats with, in each habitat, two plots of 60 m by 60 m with 49 evenly spaced trapping points. Trapping was conducted monthly for three consecutive nights, and the study extended from January 2016 to June 2018. A Generalised Linear Mixed Model analysis showed significantly higher population density estimates (β = 0.69, p< 0.0001) in fallow land compared to cultivated fields, and also significantly higher density estimates( β = 0.75, p= 0.006) in the first wet season and lowest in the first dry season. The percentage breeding females differed significantly across months (χ2= 27.05, df = 11, p= 0.003) and seasons (χ2= 17.64, p= 0.0003). Breeding females occurred throughout all the months of trapping, but with significantly higher percentages in the months of March to July (i.e. first wet season extending to second dry season) and generally lowest in the first dry months (i.e. January and February in 2017, and February 2018). The results of this study have important consequences for the timing of control efforts, and recommends that control should be initiated during the dry seasons prior to wet seasons to counteract potential damaging population build up in later wet seasons when crop planting is expected.

Published
2021
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74. Does exploratory behavior or activity in a wild mouse explain susceptibility to virus infection?

Author

Broecke, Bram Vanden, Mariën, Joachim, Leirs, Herwig, Hughes, Nelika K, Borremans, Benny, Makundi, Rhodes H, and Massawe, Apia W

Subjects
MASTOMYS natalensis, ANIMAL behavior, ARENAVIRUS diseases, PERSONALITY, PARASITISM, REGRESSION analysis
Abstract

Exploration and activity are often described as trade-offs between the fitness benefits of gathering information and resources, and the potential costs of increasing exposure to predators and parasites. More exploratory individuals are predicted to have higher rates of parasitism, but this relationship has rarely been examined for virus infections in wild populations. Here, we used the multimammate mouse Mastomys natalensis to investigate the relationship between exploration, activity, and infection with Morogoro virus (MORV). We characterized individual exploratory behavior (open field and novel object tests) and activity (trap diversity), and quantified the relationship between these traits and infection status using linear regression. We found that M. natalensis expresses consistent individual differences, or personality types, in exploratory behavior (repeatability of 0.30, 95% CI: 0.21–0.36). In addition, we found a significant contrasting effect of age on exploration and activity where juveniles display higher exploration levels than adults, but lower field-activity. There was however no statistical evidence for a behavioral syndrome between these 2 traits. Contrary to our expectations, we found no correlation between MORV infection status and exploratory behavior or activity, which suggests that these behaviors may not increase exposure probability to MORV infection. This would further imply that variation in viral infection between individuals is not affected by between-individual variation in exploration and activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2018
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75. Mus (Nannomys) minutoides Smith 1834

Author

Denys, Christiane, Lalis, Aude, Lecompte, Émilie, Cornette, Raphaël, Moulin, Sibyle, Makundi, Rhodes H., Machang, Robert S., Volobouev, Vitaly, and Aniskine, Vladimir M.

Subjects
Muridae, Mammalia, Mus, Animalia, Mus minutoides, Rodentia, Biodiversity, Chordata, Taxonomy
Abstract

Mus (Nannomys) minutoides Smith, 1834 Leggada minutoides Smith, 1834: 157. One individual was trapped by hand (out of any trap line) close to the village, two others in Lines C and D. They belong to a very small sized Mus species and show a brown back and white belly and a relatively long tail which places them into the M. minutoides or M. tenellus group in Kingdon's (1974) key to east African Mus. The upper M1/ has a very elongated prelobe and the upper M3/ is very reduced. In order to get more morphological criteria of discrimination we have performed skull measurements on karyotyped series of both species and some morphological analysis. The three KP specimens fit well with the karyotyped M. minutoides specimens from Matthey for their sizes, except the HF length, which is smaller, and under the minimum value of the karyotyped sample. Skull dimensions fit well into the M. minutoides variability (Table 13). From a chromosomal point of view, pygmy mice have a strong variability in their diploid and fundamental numbers as described by Matthey (1970a, b), Aniskin et al. (1998), Veyrunes et al. (2004) and Kan Kouassi et al. (2008). A molecular analysis (Verhuynes et al. 2005) has shown that the KP Mus (Nannomys) fits well within the M. minutoides group together with Guinean and South African specimens and this group diverges from M. musculoides (Kan Kouassi et al. 2008 ). The variation of diploid numbers observed here in KP results from Rb polymorphism often occurring in the species of the sub-genus Nannomys (Veyrunes et al. 2004) (Table 14, Fig. 17). By all karyotypic features these individuals belong to the " minutoides " group (Table 14). In both M. minutoides and M. musculoides, lineages polymorphism would be found and a contact or a gap zone would occur between both species either in central or north Tanzania., Published as part of Denys, Christiane, Lalis, Aude, Lecompte, Émilie, Cornette, Raphaël, Moulin, Sibyle, Makundi, Rhodes H., Machang, Robert S., Volobouev, Vitaly & Aniskine, Vladimir M., 2011, A faunal survey in Kingu Pira (south Tanzania), with new karyotypes of several small mammals and the description of a new Murid species (Mammalia, Rodentia), pp. 5-47 in Zoosystema 33 (1) on page 31, DOI: 10.5252/z2011n1a1, http://zenodo.org/record/4546753, {"references":["KINGDON J. S. 1974. - East African Mammals. An Atlas of Evolution in Africa. Volume 2, part B: Hares & Rodents. Academic Press, London: 343 - 704.","MATTHEY R. 1970 a. - Nouvelles donnees sur la cytogenetique et la speciation des Leggada (Mammalia- Rodentia-Muridae). Experientia 26: 102 - 103.","ANISKIN V. M., LAVRENCHENKO L. A., VARSHAVSKII A. A. & MILISHNIKOV A. N. 1998. - [Karyotypes and cytogenetic differentiation of two African mouse species of the genus Mus (Rodentia, Muridae)]. Russian Journal of Genetics 34: 80 - 85 (in Russian).","VEYRUNES F., CATALAN J., SICARD B., ROBINSON T. J., DUPLANTIER J. M., GRANJON L., DOBIGNY G. & BRITTON- DAVIDIAN J. 2004. - Autosome and sex chromosome diversity among the African pigmy mice, subgenus Nannomys (Murinae: Mus). Chromosome Research 12: 369 - 382.","KAN KOUASSI S., NICOLAS V., ANISKINE V., LALIS A., CRUAUD C., COULOUX A., COLYN M., DOSSO M., KOIVOGUI L., VERHEYEN E., AKOUA- KOFFI C. & DENYS C. 2008. - Taxonomy and biogeography of the African Pygmy Mice, subgenus Nannomys (Rodentia, Murinae, Mus) in Ivory Coast and Guinea (West Africa). Mammalia 72: 237 - 252.","VERHUYNES F., BRITTON- DAVIDIAN J., ROBINSON T. J., CALVET E., DENYS C. & CHEVRET P. 2005. - Molecular phylogeny of the African pygmy mice, subgenus Nannomys (Rodentia, Murinae, Mus): implications for chromosomal evolution. Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution 36: 358 - 369."]}

Published
2011
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77. Rodent outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Leirs, Herwig, Sluydts, Vincent, Makundi, Rhodes, Singleton, Grant, Belmain, Steve, Brown, Peter, and Hardy, Bill

Subjects
Biology
Published
2010

79. Effect of synthetic hormones on reproduction in Mastomys natalensis.

Author

Massawe, Apia W., Makundi, Rhodes H., Zhang, Zhibin, Mhamphi, Ginethon, Liu, Ming, Li, Hong-Jun, and Belmain, Steven R.

Subjects
MASTOMYS natalensis, RODENT reproduction, MASTOMYS, PEST control, ANALYSIS of variance
Abstract

Rodent pest management traditionally relies on some form of lethal control. Developing effective fertility control for pest rodent species could be a major breakthrough particularly in the context of managing rodent population outbreaks. This laboratory-based study is the first to report on the effects of using fertility compounds on an outbreaking rodent pest species found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Mastomys natalensis were fed bait containing the synthetic steroid hormones quinestrol and levonorgestrel, both singly and in combination, at three concentrations (10, 50, 100 ppm) for 7 days. Consumption of the bait and animal body mass was mostly the same between treatments when analysed by sex, day and treatment. However, a repeated measures ANOVA indicated that quinestrol and quinestrol + levonorgestrel treatments reduced consumption by up to 45%, particularly at the higher concentrations of 50 and 100 ppm. Although there was no clear concentration effect on animal body mass, quinestrol and quinestrol + levonorgestrel lowered body mass by up to 20% compared to the untreated and levonorgestrel treatments. Quinestrol and quinestrol + levonorgestrel reduced the weight of male rat testes, epididymis and seminal vesicles by 60-80%, and sperm concentration and motility were reduced by more than 95%. No weight changes were observed to uterine and ovarian tissue; however, high uterine oedema was observed among all female rats consuming treated bait at 8 and 40 days from trial start. Trials with mate pairing showed there were significant differences in the pregnancy rate with all treatments when compared to the untreated control group of rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2018
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80. Nonlinear scaling of foraging contacts with rodent population density.

Author

Borremans, Benny, Reijniers, Jonas, Hughes, Nelika K., Godfrey, Stephanie S., Gryseels, Sophie, Makundi, Rhodes H., and Leirs, Herwig

Subjects
RODENT populations, FORAGING behavior, MASTOMYS natalensis, ANIMAL sexual behavior, COMPETITION (Biology), RODENTS
Abstract

Density-dependent shifts in population processes like territoriality, reproduction, dispersal, and parasite transmission are driven by changes in contacts between individuals. Despite this, surprisingly little is known about how contacts change with density, and thus the mechanisms driving density-dependent processes. A simple linear contact-density function is often assumed, but this is not based on a sound basis of empirical data. We addressed this question using a replicated, semi-natural experiment in which we measured contacts at feeding stations between multimammate mice, Mastomys natalensis, across ten distinct, linearly increasing densities between 10 and 272 animals/ha. Unexpectedly, unique contacts increased not linearly but sigmoidally with density, which we attribute to the species' scramble competition mating system, small-scale dominance/avoidance and absence of territoriality. These results provide new insights into how species' characteristics can relate to density-dependent changes in contacts, and the unexpected shape of the contact-density function warrants that density-dependence in ecological models, such as parasite transmission models, must be parameterized with care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2017
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90. Does exploratory behavior or activity in a wild mouse explain susceptibility to virus infection?

Author

Vanden Broecke, Bram, Borremans, Benny, Mariën, Joachim, Makundi, Rhodes H, Massawe, Apia W, Leirs, Herwig, and Hughes, Nelika K

Abstract

Exploration and activity are often described as trade-offs between the fitness benefits of gathering information and resources, and the potential costs of increasing exposure to predators and parasites. More exploratory individuals are predicted to have higher rates of parasitism, but this relationship has rarely been examined for virus infections in wild populations. Here, we used the multimammate mouse Mastomys natalensisto investigate the relationship between exploration, activity, and infection with Morogoro virus (MORV). We characterized individual exploratory behavior (open field and novel object tests) and activity (trap diversity), and quantified the relationship between these traits and infection status using linear regression. We found that M. natalensisexpresses consistent individual differences, or personality types, in exploratory behavior (repeatability of 0.30, 95% CI: 0.21-0.36). In addition, we found a significant contrasting effect of age on exploration and activity where juveniles display higher exploration levels than adults, but lower field-activity. There was however no statistical evidence for a behavioral syndrome between these 2 traits. Contrary to our expectations, we found no correlation between MORV infection status and exploratory behavior or activity, which suggests that these behaviors may not increase exposure probability to MORV infection. This would further imply that variation in viral infection between individuals is not affected by between-individual variation in exploration and activity.

Published
2018
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94. Prevalence of haemoparasites, leptospires and coccobacilli with potential for human infection in the blood of rodents and shrews from selected localities in Tanzania, Namibia and Swaziland

Author

Katakweba, Abdul A.S., primary, Mulungu, Loth S., additional, Eiseb, Seth J., additional, Mahlaba, Themb’alilahlwa A., additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Massawe, Apia W., additional, Borremans, Benny, additional, and Belmain, Steven R., additional

Published
2012
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96. Experimental treatment-control studies of ecologically based rodent management in Africa: balancing conservation and pest management

Author

Taylor, Peter J., primary, Downs, Sarah, additional, Monadjem, Ara, additional, Eiseb, Seth J., additional, Mulungu, Loth S., additional, Massawe, Apia W., additional, Mahlaba, Themb'a A., additional, Kirsten, Frikkie, additional, Von Maltitz, Emil, additional, Malebane, Phanuel, additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Lamb, Jennifer, additional, and Belmain, Steven R., additional

Published
2012
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98. Spatial and temporal population dynamics of rodents in three geographically different regions in Africa: Implication for ecologically-based rodent management

Author

Massawe, Apia W., primary, Mulungu, Loth S., additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Dlamini, Nomfundo, additional, Eiseb, Seth J., additional, Kirsten, Frikkie, additional, Mahlaba, Themb’alilahlwa, additional, Malebane, Phanuel, additional, Von Maltitz, Emil, additional, Monadjem, Ara, additional, Taylor, Peter, additional, Tutjavi, Vassana, additional, and Belmain, Steven R., additional

Published
2011
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99. Differences in Diet between Two Rodent Species,Mastomys natalensisandGerbilliscus vicinus, in Fallow Land Habitats in Central Tanzania†

Author

Mulungu, Loth S., primary, Massawe, Apia W., additional, Kennis, Jan, additional, Crauwels, Dieter, additional, Eiseb, Seth, additional, Mahlaba, Themb'alilahlwa A., additional, Monadjem, Ara, additional, Makundi, Rhodes H., additional, Katakweba, Abdul A.S., additional, Leirs, Herwig, additional, and Belmain, Steven R., additional

Published
2011
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