SMALL MAMMAL SPECIES DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT ASSOCIATION AS INFLUENCED BY TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL IN SOME SELECTED VEGETATION IN UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN PREMISES, SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Small mammals play significant roles in the ecological balance or imbalance of a habitat. Although studies have shown their presence at the University of Ibadan (UI), information on their ecological distribution is not well documented. This study was designed to determine small mammal distribution and habitat association in selected vegetation in UI. Six locations within UI were purposively selected and small mammals sampled monthly for 3 consecutive nights between November, 2019 and October, 2021. Each location had twenty live traps set along 100m line transects. Distribution, habitat preference, and percentage trap success were determined using standard methods. Monthly temperature and rainfall data were obtained from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan. A total of 113 individuals (body-weight: 51.33±3.22-3620.00±0.00g) belonging to 5 families were encountered namely Nesomyidae, Muridae, Thryonomyidae, Sciuridae, and Soricidae. It comprised 8 individual species namely Cricetomys gambianus. Arvicanthis niloticus, Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus, Lemniscomys striatus, Thryonomys swinderianus, Funisciurus anerythrus, and Crocidura olivieri. Muridae accounted for highest species (4). Cricetomys gambianus was the most widely distributed species and habitat generalist. The mean trap success (%) was considerably low (7.85). There was significant variation in the mean morphological parameters of the species when compared with their corresponding standard values (p < 0.05). Temperature (28.3-36.2˚C) and rainfall (2.0-24.7mm) influenced the abundance of the small mammal species in the study area. There was low trap success of small mammals in the University of Ibadan. Family Muridae accounted for the highest number of species. Cricetomys gambianus was the most widely distributed species and habitat generalist.