Dietary Habits of Indian Gerbil Tatera indica Inhabiting Agro-Ecosystem of Pothwar Plateau, Pakistan

The Indian gerbil Tatera indica occurs in the Pothwar Plateau and is associated with agro-ecosystem of the area. No particular scientific studies have been focussed on dietary habits of this species in particular Plateau. Therefore, the focal aim of the current study was to investigate the dietary habits of Indian gerbil by using micro-histological analysis of stomach contents in croplands of the Pothwar Plateau and to study the variation in its food composition during cropping and non-cropping seasons. A total of 30 specimens were trapped by using snap traps in wheat, groundnut and adjacent non-crop habitats. Results showed that the gerbil rat was chiefly omnivore; feeding on wheat-groundnut plants and grains as the crops approached maturity, wild flora (viz: herbs, grasses, seeds and tubers) invariably amongst crop stages and seasons. During spring season, wheat was the most frequently consumed cereal. But during winter, as groundnut crop approached towards maturity/harvested, gerbils consumed mainly nuts and grains, while in autumn and summer (non-crop periods), the rat species switched its diet to wild flora, and consumed most frequently Ziziphus nummularia (Beri) followed by Cynodon dactylon (Khabbal grass), Desmostachya bipinnate (Baron dhab), Artemisia dubia etc. along with some fodder crops like Sorghum bicolour (Sorghum), Zea mays (Maize), Brassica campestris (Mustard) etc. The summer diet (non-crop season) was comparatively less diversified than the diet of the cropping season (spring) and there was a significant difference in the diets of this rat species during cropping and non-cropping period. The gerbil also supplemented its diet with insects (animal matters) in higher quantities highlighting its positive role as biological control of insect pests of croplands. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) later followed by Least Significance Difference (LSD) revealed significant differences during cropping season winter (wheat) and non-cropping season autumn (F = 1.88, df = 18, P < 0.05). The frequency of different food items of cropping and non-cropping season (summer and monsoon) showed the significant difference (F = 1.15, df = 18, P < 0.05) and the remaining unidentified food items were non-significant to each other (F = 1.10, df = 18, P > 0.05). The study concludes that Indian gerbil has got a beneficial role for sustainable agriculture practices.