Diversity of Rodents (Rodentia: Mammalia) in the Kandolo Forest Reserve (Maniema Province, DR Congo)

Our work entitled: Diversity of Rodents (Rodentia: Mammalia) in the Kandolo Forest Reserve (Maniema Province, DR Congo) aimed to assess the biodiversity of Rodents in the Kandolo Forest Reserve while comparing the specific diversity during two capture sessions and in the two prospected habitats (Mixed primary forest (FPM) and Gilbertiodendron dewevrei primary forest (FPG) Finally, assess the distribution of Rodents in the two habitats (FPG and FPM) prospected by sex. These objectives have been achieved. To achieve this, only one method was used in the field, the only in-line trapping using two types of traps including Sharmen and Pitfall. Two habitats were explored (primary mixed forest and primary forest at Gilbertiodendron dewevrei) during 2 capture sessions. After processing the data, the results presented 153 captured Rodents synthesized as follows: For a total of 153 individuals captured in the two habitats prospected during the two capture sessions, the first capture session carried out in the FPM, totaled 40 individuals of Rodents including: Praomys cf. jacksoni is the most represented with 22 individuals captured or 55 %. In contrast, Graphiurus lorraineus, Lophuromys luteogaster and Saccostomus campestris are the least represented with a score of an individual captured, 2, 5 %. On the other hand, during the second session which took place in the FPG, it emerges the following: For the 113 individuals captured, Praomys cf. jacksoni is the most represented with 69 individuals captured, or 61, 06 %. Lophuromys dudui, on the other hand, is the least represented with a score of one specimen, ie 0, 88 %. In comparison with habitats and capture sessions, the following is concluded: the FPG is the best represented quantitatively and qualitatively (113 specimens, TS = 7, 06 %, Ep = 1600 trap nights and 10 species) with Praomys cf. jacksoni which ranks first with 69 individuals out of 113 carcasses captured. Unlike the FPM which occupies the second position (40 specimens, TS = 2, 5 %, EC = 1600 trap nights,) with 9 species caught. But for the indices of specific diversity, it appears that, in the two habitats there is the probability of randomly drawing 2 individuals to have 2 different species because Simpson tends towards1 everywhere. And in the two habitats, the species are not evenly distributed (E tends towards 1). Also, the specific richness evaluated at the level of the two different habitats reveals that there is not a significant difference between the populations of Rodents (Kuskal-Walis test, H = 2, 802; p = 0, 09055). Finally, taking into account the sex distribution of the Rodents caught in the two habitats during the two sessions, it has been shown that, the Rodents sampled are marked by the dominance of the males in percentage as the females. Thus, in the FPM the dominance of the males is expressed at 70 % against 30 % of the females and in the FPG 69, 91 % of the males against 30, 09 % of the females.