Impact of Ecological Manipulation on Rodent Population Inhabiting Croplands of District Chakwal
Impact of Ecological Manipulation on Rodent Population Inhabiting Croplands of District Chakwal
Saqib Mehmood1, Bushra Allah Rakha1*, Muhammad Sajjad Ansari2, Ali Akhter1, Nadeem Munawar1 and Tariq Mahmood1
ABSTRACT
Present study was designed to determine impact of ecological manipulation on rodent density inhabiting croplands in district Chakwal, Pothwar Pakistan. Rodent density and crop damage were assessed in treated and reference sites each of about 2.5 ha. Four rodent species was investigated in following order of dominance: Bandicota bengalensis > Nesokia indica >Tatera indica > Golunda ellioti. Maximum (P<0.05) rodent density was found in reference sites (2.03 ± 0.04 ha-1) as compared to treated sites (1.18 ± 0.05 ha-1). However, at each study sites, maximum activity (P <0.05) of rodents was recorded inside of the crop field (1.75 ± 0.02 ha-1) in relation to the boundary (1.46 ± 0.04 ha-1) of the field. 6.20%, 1.30% and 0.77% crop damaged was calculated at maturity, tillering and sowing stage respectively. Ecological manipulation has resulted in remarkable reduction (P<0.05) in the density of rodents in treated areas compared to reference sites. Present study concluded that removing cover from field boundaries control rodent population in subsequent growing stages of crops.
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