Forest disturbance impacts the demography of an endemic rodent within the Eastern Arc Mountains

Though information on the population dynamics and reproduction of the endemic delectable soft-furred mouse, Praomys delectorum, abound, the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on these parameters is still not known. This study investigated the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on the breeding pattern, population structure, and sex ratios of P. delectorum. The capture-mark-recapture technique was used to trap rodents from June 2018 to February 2020 in the Ukaguru Mountains within the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania, where four 60 m × 60 m grids were set, two in intact sites and two in disturbed sites. More significant males were trapped in intact forests (χ2 = 10.71, df = 1, p = 0.001) compared to disturbed forests. The population density of P. delectorum varied temporally with peaks attained in the wet season in both habitats. Population structure showed few juveniles in most months and sub-adults accounted for the population increases in the wet seasons in all habitats. The proportion of reproductively active individuals varied temporally in both disturbed and intact forests while habitat disturbance showed no effect on the breeding activity of this species. Overall, these results suggest season as a factor responsible for the varying reproductive activity and population structure of P. delectorum in the landscape.