Influence of environmental factors on small mammal communities along an altitudinal gradient of Mount Rungwe in South Western Tanzania

The study aimed to investigate the effects of environmental factors on the small mammal community in Mount Rungwe, Tanzania. To achieve this, three habitats low-, mid-mountainous forests at 1700-2000 and 2000-2400 m a.s.l., respectively, and bushland habitats at 2400-2800 m a.s.l. were sampled. Animal samples were collected during the wet and dry seasons in year 2020 and 2021 using live traps. A total of 12 species of small mammals were collected, comprising of nine rodents and three shrews. During the wet season, nine species were recorded, while 10 species were recorded during the dry season. Small mammals were more diverse and richer in the mid-montane forests than in the low-montane and bushland habitats. Furthermore, bushland habitats had significantly lower species composition than low- and mid-mountain forests. In addition, low-mountain forest exhibited high degrees of dominance and low level of evenness. The observed spatio-temporal patterns of small mammals in terms of composition, richness, diversity, evenness and dominance are related to differences in habitat structure and seasonal variations. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended to monitor forest communities to ensuring sustainable biodiversity conservation, with a particular focus on protecting habitats to increase small mammal diversity under changing environmental conditions.