Summary
Dry season densities of small non-fossorial rodents in five different savanna habitats ranged from 11 to 41 animals ha-1 with corresponding live weights ranging from 310 g to 1557 g ha-1. Average biomasses of small frodents in two representative savanna types, Burkea and Acacia savanna, were 912 g ha-1 and 816 g ha-1 respectively. These biomasses were similar to or even exceeded biomasses of other important consumers (birds, cattle, impala, and grasshoppers) in the savanna. Due to allometric relationships 1 kg of small savanna rodents is equivalent in energy consumption to 8 kg of impala (Aepyceros melampus) or 12.7 kg of cattle. The potential effect of small rodents on the savanna is therefore much larger than previously thought and needs further investigation.
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Korn, H. Densities and biomasses of non-fossorial southern African Savanna rodents during the dry season. Oecologia 72, 410–413 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377572
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377572