Biotic homogenization in the Niger Delta (Nigeria): evidence from small carnivores in bushmeat markets

Onuegbu, GC, Akani, GC, Luiselli, L, Petrozzi, F, Dendi, D, Fa, Julia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1572-9828, Ugbomeh, AP and Georgewill, I (2020) Biotic homogenization in the Niger Delta (Nigeria): evidence from small carnivores in bushmeat markets. African Journal of Ecology, 58 (3). pp. 577-581. ISSN 0141-6707

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Abstract

Carnivores are indicative of ecosystem health and integrity, and can potentially affect food web and community structure of lower trophic levels. Several studies of sympatric African carnivore species have demonstrated that ecological separation is primarily related to dietary differences (Ray & Sunquist, 2001). As specialisation and resource selectivity is generally stronger in small carnivores than large ones, they may serve as useful indicator species of the state of an ecosystem. Thus, understanding the changes taking place in the assemblage and abundance of carnivores may allow the determination of the state of conservation of a particular habitat.