The Influence of Bush Encroachment on the Abundance and Species Richness of Rodents in a Mesic Savanna

Abstract

The study assessed the influence of woody plant encroachment on the diversity of rodents in mesic savannas at the Roodeplaat and Goss Farms in South Africa. Some 142 animals from six species were recorded in 1748 trap nights. The non-encroached habitat showed twice the species richness of encroached habitats, and three species were notably absent from encroached habitats. Strategies that reduce tree density in encroached savannas will benefit rodents while the inclusion of day-time sampling will improve the estimation of rodent abundance and diversity.