Spatial analysis of vegetation and small mammals’ habitat for prediction of plague reservoirs and vectors in Lushoto District, Tanzania

Abstract: 
Vegetation habitats mapping were studied in Mavumo area, Lushoto District, Tanzania using Arc view software in order to determine the distribution and abundance of plague reservoirs and vectors. The land cover took into account forest (natural and planted), cultivation, settlement, horticulture, rocky and bare land within different landforms and altitudes. Shrerman, wirecage and pitfall trap were used for trapping small mammals. Fleas and mites were counted. Most of the small mammals prefered forest but not herbaceous habitat. Trap success was negatively correlated to total cover and location while positively correlated to altitude and vegetation species. Altitude affected fleas abundance.
La cartographie des habitats de végétation a été étudiée dans la région de Mavumo, district de Lushoto, en Tanzanie en utilisant le logiciel ArcView afin de déterminer la distribution et l’abondance de réservoirs et de vecteurs de peste. La couverture de terre a tenu compte de la forêt (naturelle et plantée), la plantation, la construction, l’horticulture, la terre rocheuse et la terre nue dans différentes formes de relief et d’altitudes. Le Shrerman, la cage de fer et le piège ont été employés pour attraper de petits mammifères. Des puces et les mites ont été comptées. La plupart des petits mammifères ont préféré la forêt mais pas l’habitat herbacé. Le succès de piège a été négativement corrélé à la couverture totale et à l’endroit tandis que franchement corrélé avec des espèces d’altitude et de végétation. L’altitude a affectée l’abondance de puces.
Language: 
English
Date of publication: 
2010
Country: 
Region Focus: 
East Africa
University/affiliation: 
Collection: 
RUFORUM Conferences and Workshops
Licence conditions: 
Open Access
Access restriction: 
Form: 
Printed resource
Publisher: 
ISSN: 
E_ISSN: 
Edition: 
Extent: 
1193-1198
Notes: 

About the RUFORUM 2010 Biennal Conference
"The 2010 RUFORUM Biennial Conference was the second in the series. The main objective of the Biennial conferences is to provide a platform for agricultural research for development stakeholders in Africa and beyond to actively exchange findings and experiences, while at the same time learning lessons towards improving performance of the agricultural sector and ultimately people’s livelihoods. The biennial conference is RUFORUM’s most comprehensive meeting for the diversity of stakeholders in agriculture. It is especially dedicated to graduate students and their supervisors, grantees in RUFORUM member universities and alumni. It is a platform for peer review, quality control, mentorship, networking and shared learning. This record contains an extended abstract accepted under the theme of Animal Science"