Environment and Natural Resources Research; Vol. 9, No. 3; 2019 ISSN 1927-0488 E-ISSN 1927-0496 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 41 Influence of Multiple Linear Infrastructure on Diversity of Small Mammals in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania Agnes Carol Kisanga 1 , Julius WilliamNyahongo 1 , Wambura M. Mtemi 2 & Eivin Røskaft 3 1. Department of Conservation Biology, The University of Dodoma (UDOM), P.O Box 338 Dodoma, Tanzania 2. Department of Natural Resources Management, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology (MJNUAT), P.O Box 976 Musoma, Tanzania 3. Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Realfagbygget, Gløshaugen, Høgskoleringen 5, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway Correspondence: Agnes Carol Kisanga, Department of Conservation Biology, The University of Dodoma (UDOM), P.O Box 338 Dodoma, Tanzania. Tel: 255-754-392-627, E-mail: carolagnes2011@gmail.com Received: May 20, 2019 Accepted: June 5, 2019 Online Published: June 29, 2019 doi:10.5539/enrr.v9n3p41 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/enrr.v9n3p41 Abstract The need for rapid development in developing countries has led to establishment of major public infrastructure even in biodiversity rich protected areas. Mikumi National Park in central Tanzania is traversed by five such major infrastructures namely an optic fibre, a busy public road, an oil pipeline, power lines and railways. We assessed diversity and abundance of small terrestrial mammals of the order Eulipotyphla and Rodentia as indicator groups in relation to impacts of such infrastructure. Animals were live trapped during wet (February-April) and dry (July- September) seasons in 2018 from three established plots along the three transects set perpendicular to each of the four infrastructures. In 10102 trap nights, we captured 453 small mammals of nine species of which Mastomys natalensis constituted 75.4 % of total catch. Diversity and abundance varied between seasons, infrastructure and plots location. Dry season had significantly higher diversity than wet season and the railway site had higher diversity than the other infrastructure. The intermediate plots (500 m from infrastructure) had significantly higher abundance of animals than immediate (0-50 m) and distant (1000 m) plots. The differences in these results can be attributed by seasonal fluctuations of animal populations, and intensity of disturbance in each infrastructure and plot. It is important to examine impacts of future infrastructure developments using small mammals. Keywords: Abundance, Diversity, Infrastructure, Mikumi national park, Small mammals 1. Introduction Infrastructure development is one of the factors affecting biodiversity in various parts of the world. In developing countries, the need for rapid development has led to establishment of public major infrastructure such as roads, railways, oil pipelines and power lines even in biodiversity rich protected areas (Costantinos, 2011). In Tanzania for example, a number of infrastructures have been established in protected areas such as public roads along the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, as well as Katavi, Serengeti, and Mikumi National Parks. In some cases like Mikumi National Park which is the focus of this study, there are five types of major infrastructures; namely an optic fibre, a public road, an oil pipeline, overhead power lines and railways. Some infrastructures were established prior to the establishment of Enviromental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations in the country. Sometimes, due to political motives and the economic urgency need of such infrastructure, some were established without conducting proper EIAs (Guilanpour & Sheate, 1997). Thus, failure of conducting an EIA might have led to paucity of baseline data which would be available for evaluation of short- and long-term effects of such infrastructure to the environment and particularly to wildlife, after their establishment. There is a number of recent literature reporting the effects of these infrastructure on wildlife. Trombulak and Frissell (2000) in their review concluded a high correlation between presence of roads with changes in species composition and population size. Coffin (2007) also gave an overview of ecological effects of roads including noise and other atmospheric pollution, barrier for animal movement and road mortalities, roads as habitats, corridors and conduit for wildlife and finally development of road ecology as a body of scientific enquiry. On the other hand, Laurance, Goosem and Laurance (2009) report effects of roads being more prominent in tropical