Community structure of small mammals in an upland evergreen forest
Effects of forest disturbance (logging and mining) on spatio-temporal variation
and community structure of small mammals in an upland evergreen forest
Bearbeitung: Prof. Alexandra-Maria Klein (Univ. Freiburg) Prof. Dr. Nina Farwig Dr. Anne-Christine Mupepele PhD student Eric Adjei Lawer | Laufzeit: 2017 - 2021 Finanzierung: DAAD Ghanaisches Bildungsministerium (MoE) |
Anthropogenic activities such as logging and mining play important roles in the economies of many countries worldwide. However, the benefits derived come at a detrimental cost to ecological integrity of forest systems. The impacts are often severe in developing countries where logging and mining occur pervasively and illegally especially in protected forest areas. Traditional methods of mining, i.e. without the use of heavy machinery or equipment (e.g. excavators) are still practiced in some parts of the world. This method of mining referred to as ‘galamsey’ in Ghana is purported to cause less damage to the vegetation by removing less flora compared to commercial mining. Nevertheless, not much work has been done to assess its impacts along with artisanal logging on fauna assemblages in tropical forests. |
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In this research, I will examine the response of small mammal communities to artisanal logging and mining (i.e. galamsey) in a highly biodiverse forest located in Ghana. Small mammals are ideal for this study because they are sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances and are known to contribute significantly to ecosystem functions (e.g. seed predation and dispersal). Additionally, they are an important source of food protein in many homes globally (e.g. Africa, Asia, etc.). The investigation will be achieved using a combination of live trapping protocols established at multiple locations per disturbance category within the Atewa forest. Furthermore, an investigation will be conducted to assess the recovery of small mammals under different restoration schemes using meta-analytical approaches. Overall, this research will seek to address the following questions below:
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Publikationen
- Lawer, E.A., Mupepele, A.C., Love Darkoh, E., Farwig, N., Oware, S., Asiedu Larbi, J., Esslaw-Quayson, G. & Klein, A.M. (2022): Logging effects on parasitic infections in a swamp rat (Malacomys edwardsi) in West Africa. Journal of Mammalogy 103: 383–393. Link
- Lawer, E.A., Mupepele, A.C. & Klein, A.M. (2021): Artisanal mining impacts small mammals while chainsaw milling is a more sustainable practice in Ghana. Biodiversity and Conservation 30: 295-310. Link
- Lawer, E.A., Mupepele, A.C. & Klein, A.M. (2019): Responses of small mammals to land restoration after mining. Landscape Ecology 34: 473-485. Link