Ecological study on the impact of mariculture fish cage site on the physico-chemical characteristics of Lagos Lagoon, South Western Nigeria
December 2014
A six months investigation on the environmental impact of fish cage culture on surface water and sediment of the Lagos lagoon were studied monthly from February 2011 to July 2011. Samples were collected from three stations, 1 (upstream of cage culture site), 2 (cage culture site) and 3 (downstream of cage culture site) between 07:00 and 11:00 h. During this period, the surface water ranged between 23.34 ± 3.39...
Phytoplankton composition and water chemistry of a tidal creek (Ipa-Itako) part of Lagos Lagoon
November 2014
The composition and diversity of planktonic algae in a sluggish tidal freshwater/brackish mangrove dominated creek (Ipa Itako) part of the Lagos lagoon was investigated for twelve months (February 2010 - January 2011). The surface water pH varied between 6.5 (December 2010) and 8.6 (August 2010) indicating a slightly acidic to alkaline nature of the creek. The salinity was higher during the dry months (November- April)...
Treatment test of oil mill effluents by a Pistia stratiotes L., 1753 (water lettuce) pond based system, in Maroua (Far-North, Cameroon)
November 2014
In the developing countries in general, industrial effluents are discharged into the rainwater evacuation channels, on the street, or in nature, without treatment, causing immense environmental damages. This work aimed to propose, at a pilot scale, a test treatment, based on a Pistia stratiotes L., 1753 pond system, to purify wastewater from the Cotton Development Company of Cameroon (CDCC) oil mill, in Maroua...
Biofuel potential and land availability: The case of Rufiji District, Tanzania
November 2014
Africa’s attractiveness to potential biofuel investors is based on the assumption that there is plenty of unused land available for investment in different countries of the continent. However, their postulations are not based on any concrete studies on land available at country, regional or local level. This study investigates land availability for potential biofuel investment at the local level, using Rufiji...
Regulation of usages and dependency on indigenous fruits (IFs) for livelihoods sustenance of rural households: A case study of the Ivindo National Park (INP), Gabon
October 2014
The dependency of many rural people on restricted access and use of natural resources of national parks for livelihoods sustenance is poorly acknowledged and detailed surveys clarifying usages and dependency on forest resources by local people are often lacking, especially for regulations and laws improvement purposes. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to six villages of 252 households (152) in close and...
Assessing the diversity and intensity of pesticide use in communal area cotton production in Zimbabwe
October 2014
A survey was conducted in Checheche, Nemangwe, Sanyati and Tafuna areas of Zimbabwe to assess the level of insecticide use and use of protective clothing in smallholder cotton production areas where the Cotton Research Institute conducted cotton experiments. Compliance with the closed season legislation, the Plant Pest and Diseases Act, Chapter 19, Section 8 of 1988 was checked because of its role in seasonal pest...
Density and distribution of bongos (Tragelaphuseurycerus) in a high forest zone in Ghana
September 2014
This research was undertaken at Kakum Conservation Area (KCA) in the Central Region of Ghana, from October 2011 to September 2012. The aim was to determine the population density and factors affecting distribution of bongos (Tragelaphuseurycerus) for management planning and conservation of the bongo as well as tourism promotion. The methodology involved a field study of sampled plots that represented three habitat...
Floral hosts and pollen calendar of Asian giant honeybee, Apisdorsata Fabricius at Southern Karnataka, India
September 2014
Observations were made during 2011 and 2012 to record the floral hosts of Asian giant honeybee, Apisdorsata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) by following standard methods at arid, semi-arid and malnad regions of southern Karnataka, India. These regions are enriched with 252 foraging plant species which belong to 74 families with trees (49.3%), herbs (23.5%), shrubs (21.7%) and climbers (5.5%), supplying both pollen and nectar...
Characterization and classification of soils along the toposequence at the Wadla Delanta Massif, North Central Highlands of Ethiopia
September 2014
The knowledge of soil properties and availability of reliable soil data play vital role in understanding the soil environment and its services. This study was conducted with the objective of characterizing and classifying soils of Wadla Delanta Massif, North Central Highlands of Ethiopia. Twelve representative soil pedons (profile pits) were opened on various landscape positions, described in the field and horizon-wise...
Impacts of different drains on the seawater quality of El-Mex bay (Alexandria, Egypt)
September 2014
El Mex Bay area received domestic, industrial and agricultural waste water from the surrounding area. The need to pay much attention to the potential effects of anthropogenic inputs upon the hydrochemical characteristics of the bay is an emergency. Several water samples have been analyzed for physico-chemical characteristics during 2010/2011: Seven samples from El Mex bay and 4 samples from drains. The study revealed...
Assessment of indigenous Bradyrhizobia spp. population levels in low phosphorus soils of southern Cameroon using cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) as trap crop
September 2014
This study used three cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) varieties, (DschMMBr, Vyuniebe and 58-77) as trap crops to estimate the population of indigenous Bradyrhizobia spp. Soil samples were collected in two sites (Nkoemvone and Nkometou) of Southern Cameroon known to accommodate acid soils with low phosphorus (P) levels, and the population of the indigenous rhizobia was determined using the most probable number (MPN)...
Macro invertebrates fauna group and their relationship with environmental variables in River Benue at Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria
September 2014
Indiscriminate dumping of wastes into rivers without control measures is widely practiced in the developing nations of the World as it is observed in River Benue at Makurdi. To ascertain the health status and integrity of River Benue at Makurdi, water samples and sediments were collected monthly from five different locations on the shoreline of the river for a period of two years (July 2011-June 2013). The...
Spatio-temporal variation of the zooplankton community in a tropical wetland (Bhoj Wetland), Bhopal, India
September 2014
Bhopal, the capital city of the state of Madhya Pradesh, India is famous for its numerous lakes. The Bhoj Wetland is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar Site). In the two years of study period, a total of 82 zooplankton species were recorded from February 2008-January 2010. Out of which 66 species were recorded in the 1st year (2008-2009), and 70 species documented during the 2nd year (2009-2010). The...
Ethnic-based diversity and distribution of enset (Ensete ventricosum) clones in southern Ethiopia
July 2014
Enset cultivation in southern and south-western Ethiopia is practiced mainly in densely populated areas. A survey covering 280 farm households and seven districts was conducted in seven zones of southern Ethiopia with the main objective of assessing the diversity and distribution of enset clones. Interviews using structured and semi-structured questionnaires were conducted to generate data. A total of 218 enset clones...
Length-weight relationship and Fulton’s condition factor of Carasobarbus luteus (Heckel, 1843) in Hoor Al-azim wetland
July 2014
Length-weight relationship and Fulton’s condition factor of Hemeri (Carasobarbus luteus) in Hoor Al-azim wetland (Khuzestan provinces, Iran) were investigated. During this study, from 2012 to 2013 more than 460 specimens' of C. lutus were measured. Mean±S.D length values for this species were 228±15 respectively and maximum and minimum total length were 118 and 362 mm respectively. Mean...
Comparison of the trees regeneration at different distances from Alang Dareh forest roads considering tourist pressure
July 2014
Natural regeneration is the most important factor in survival and sustaining forest parks. This study was conducted to compare the regeneration frequency of trees species at distances of 15, 40 and 80 mfrom roads considering tourist pressure in Alang Dareh forest park. Results show that number of high seedling in low tourist pressure area was more than that of area with severe tourist pressure. Moreover, total number of...
Restoration of spent oil degraded soil with bio and inorganic fertilizers using Manihot esculenta Crantz as a test crop
July 2014
This study was carried out on spent oil degraded soil using bio and inorganic fertilizers to attempt its restoration using Manihot esculenta Crantz., as test crop under Screen House conditions. Nine (9) kg of spent oil contaminated and uncontaminated soils were each crushed and weighed into 10 L plastic pots with Camry Premium Scale (Model J100/2839). All pots were perforated at the base to drain excess water. The pots...
Hybridization between non-indigenous Oreochromis niloticus and native Oreochromis species in the lower Kafue River and its potential impacts on fishery
June 2014
In the Kafue floodplains, Zambia, a study was done to determine whether meristic and/or other morphological metrics could distinguish putative hybrids (based on color patterns) between non-indigenous Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) and two native species of Oreochromis andersonii (three spot tilapia) and Oreochromis macrochir (green head tilapia) from the pure parental strains. We also surveyed local fishermen to...
Community Structure of Montane forest along the Altitudinal Gradient in Garhwal Himalaya, India
June 2014
The present study was done in sub-tropical and temperate Himalayan Forest of Saikot Reserve Forest, Kedarnath forest division in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand to understand the community structure and effect of altitudinal variation on structure and composition of the vegetation and to record the floristic diversity of the plants in the study area. The study area was categorized into four forest types on the basis of...
Land degradation assessment of agrarian soils in Ebonyin State for sustainable production
June 2014
The experiment was conducted to assess land degradation in agrarian soils of Ebonyin State. Ten farmers’ fields were selected based on land use and landscape positions across the three zones in the state. Physical and socio- economic information were obtained from the farmers and extension agents. Surface and sub-surface soil samples were collected for physical and chemical analysis. The soils at the upland were...
Study of the influence of environmental factors on the occurrence of Balantidium coli cysts in an urban aquatic system in Cameroon
June 2014
Balantidium coli is an enteropathogenic cosmopolitan ciliate which causes balantidiasis in humans. There is a high interest in studying it’s occurrence in developing countries because of the vulnerability of the population to infectious diseases. The present study was carried out in order to characterise the cysts of the parasite and to evaluate the influence of environmental variables on their dispersal in an...
Diversity of Vepris heterophylla (Engl.) Letouzey morphotypes in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon
May 2014
Vepris heterophylla (Engl.) Letouzey (Rutaceae) is a useful and threatened plant of Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. However, its description is not clear. This study aims to evaluate morphological variations among ten populations to delimitating the V. heterophylla morphotypes in the zone. Two hundred and fifty (250) individuals belonging to 10 populations were assessed by morphological descriptors including eight...
Status of Hagenia forest in the Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda: A review of historical records
May 2014
Hagenia-shaped habitat is an important element in conservation of world’s only population of mountain gorillas surviving in the wild. In fact, in the Parc National des Volcans (henceforth PNV), gorillas spend most of their life time in the nutritious herbaceous habitats near or within the Hagenia-Hypericum zone. Unfortunately, populations of Hagenia abyssinica in this park have been reported to be ageing. Using...
Exploration of climate influences on the abundance of galls on red willow (Salix laevigata) across two riparian communities in Southern California
May 2014
In Southern California, the red willow (Salix laevigata Bebb) hosts a variety of gall-inducing parasitic insects. However, little is known about the ecology of these parasites, particularly the characterization of their microclimate preferences. This study explores the relationship between microclimate and gall frequencies in S. laevigata in the Ballona Wetlands and Temescal Canyon, and gall count correlated with biotic...
Recent limnological changes and their implication on fisheries in Lake Baringo, Kenya
May 2014
Water samples for physico-chemical analysis for this study were collected monthly for five years between April 2008 and March 2013. Conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH was measured in situ using a Surveyor II model hydrolab. Chlorophyll-a concentration was determined using a Genesys 10S Vis spectrophotomer. Nutrients were determined using standard methods and procedures. Analysis of...
Prospects and potentials of Kakum Conservation Area, Ghana
May 2014
The Kakum Conservation Area (KCA) is a protected remnant semi-deciduous forest of Ghana’s fast dwindling portion of the Upper Guinea Forest. The prospects and potentials for sustainable conservation and their challenges were the main concern of this study; that is whether there is the opportunity for KCA to increase tourism drive as a means of ensuring self-funding for sustainable conservation in the long term. In...
Plankton diversity in Krishna River, Sangli, Maharashtra
April 2014
Quantitative assessment of plankton was carried out in distinct sites of the river Krishna, district Sangli during January 2011 to December 2012. Phytoplankton diversity was observed in five groups, that is, Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Hydrocharitaceae and Desmidiceae including 53 species. Among them, Chlorophyceae was dominating with 22 species. Diversity of zooplanktons included, Cladocera,...
Macroinvertebrates (oligochaetes) as indicators of pollution: A review
April 2014
Macroinvertebrates formed an important constituent of an aquatic ecosystem and had functional importance in assessing the trophic status as the abundance of benthic fauna mainly depends on physical and chemical properties of the substratum and thus the benthic communities respond to changes in the quality of water and available habitat. This review discussed the occurrence, compo-sition and distribution of...
Molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in Lake Victoria Basin of Kenya
April 2014
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a key role in land reclamation, sustaining soil fertility and cycling of nutrients, which in turn increases plant vigour and productivity. AMF differ in both structural characteristics and global distribution, which is strongly correlated with the respective functional role. This study investigated the molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in selected...
Residues of diazinon in Ab-bandans supplied by Babolroud, Talar and Siaroud Rivers, Iran
April 2014
In this http://www.wessex.ac.uk/components/com_forme/uploads/ study, diazinon, as an organophosphorus pesticide, was measured in nine Abbandans (man-made wetland) in Mazandaran Province: Kharajisha, Ramenet, Esmaeelkola, Kordkola, Shrag-e-Larim, Anarmarz, Roshandan, Galeshkola and Langoor from April 2010 to March 2011. A total of 216 samples were taken from nine abbandans of the South Caspian lowland. Samples analyzed...
Statistical analysis of hydrological properties and genetic toxicity of Maheshara Lake
April 2014
The purpose of this study was to assess the water qualities and genotoxicity of Maheshara Lake situated near Gorakhpur, India. The lake receives many types of pollutants from two industries, agricultural run-off and domestic sewages. A total of five sampling stations were established for measurement of water pollution and the measurement of cytogenetic alterations in vivo is considered an initial step in the risk...
Effect of rainfall season on the chemical properties of the soil of a Southern Guinea Savanna ecosystem in Nigeria
April 2014
Investigations were carried out on the effect of rainfall pattern on some soil chemical properties during 2011 in the Southern Guinea savanna ecosystem in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Oro Forest Reserve in Kwara State of Nigeria. Twenty plots were randomly selected for soil sampling at for different seasons namely: January (dry season), May (beginning of rains), September (peak of rains) and November (end of...
Visible near infra-red (VisNIR) spectroscopy for predicting soil organic carbon in Ethiopia
March 2014
Over the past few decades, the advantages of the visible-near infra-red (VisNIR) diffuse reflectance spectrometer (DRS) method have enabled prediction of soil organic carbon (SOC). In this study, SOC was predicted using regression models for samples taken from three sites (Gununo, Maybar and Anjeni) in Ethiopia. SOC was characterized in laboratory using conventional wet chemistry and VisNIR-DRS methods. Principal...
Impact of climate change in Bangladesh: Role of two governments
March 2014
Bangladesh is a very low energy consuming country; it is pursuing a low carbon growth path, while building its resilience to climate change, and reducing the risk of climate change, which represents national development. Bangladesh is one of the top 10 nations; mostly vulnerable to climate change and by the end of the century, Bangladesh is set to disappear under the waves. Both Bangladesh and India are parties to the...
Phytosociological features and threat categorization of A. heterophyllum Wall. ex Royle and A. ferox Wall. ex Ser. in Kumaun Himalaya
March 2014
Alpine and subalpine regions of Kumaun Himalaya were surveyed qualitatively and quantitatively for the population study to determine the status of Aconitum ferox and A. heterophyllum. Low population density across the surveyed populations and restricted distribution to specific pockets indicates poor availability of the species in the study area. Illegal and over exploitation of these species pose threat to their...
Species and breeding population of waterbirds on four islands in Kore Mosa in Persian Gulf in 2003 and 2012
March 2014
The research was conducted in Ghabre Nakhoda, Nedelghar, Dara and Boneh islands in Khore Mosa Ramsar site in the Persian Gulf from May to December 2003 and 2012. Total count method was used to obtain the census of the nests and breeding population of waterbirds on the Islands. Thirty three (34) species of waterbirds were identified, of which eight species were breeders. The maximum breeding population of Lesser Crested...
Carbon stocks of Hanang forest, Tanzania: An implication for climate mitigation
March 2014
The study assessed carbon stocks of Hanang mountain forest, Tanzania. Thirty-four sample plots (40 × 50 m) were established along an altitudinal gradient. All trees with diameter at breast height ≥10 cm were identified and measured, and herb species and soil were sampled from four 1 × 1 m quadrats within 10 × 10 m subplots. Mean carbon stock was 48.37 and 0.26 t C ha-1 for tree and herb species,...
Effect of passive acoustic sampling methodology on detecting bats after declines from white nose syndrome
February 2014
Concomitant with the emergence and spread of white-nose syndrome (WNS) and precipitous decline of many bat species in North America, natural resource managers need modified and/or new techniques for bat inventory and monitoring that provide robust occupancy estimates. We used Anabat acoustic detectors to determine the most efficient passive acoustic sampling design for optimizing detection probabilities of multiple bat...
Endangering the endangered: Are protected areas save havens for threatened species in Cameroon? Case of Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary, South Western Cameroon
February 2014
A hunting survey was conducted in the Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary and support zones to estimate bushmeat off-take as a means to understand the current conservation status of protected species in that important area of biodiversity in Cameroon. A total of 756 protected animal carcasses with a total biomass of 6,815 kg, in six taxonomic groups constituted 24% of the total off-take of animals killed or captured by two...
Overhead shading and growth of young longleaf pine
February 2014
A study to determine the effects of environmental conditions on the growth of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) was initiated in 1969 on the Escambia Experimental Forest near Brewton, Alabama, USA. This study sample consisted of forty young naturally regenerated, even aged longleaf pine seedlings evenly divided between two soil types. At the beginning of the study, the seedlings were 14 years from seed and ranged in...
Fine-scale spatial distribution of biomass using satellite images
February 2014
Spatial information on the distribution of biomass is an important issue for monitoring and managing the environment. It is a prerequisite for successful forest fire management and for predicting fire intensity and fire behaviour, but estimates of biomass are time consuming and expensive and need to be done depending on size classes. We propose a method that takes into account the contemporary use of an allometric...
Differential Resource allocation of black mustard plants (Brassica nigra L.) with proximity to black walnut trees (Juglans californica L.) in a Southern California Riparian ecosystem
February 2014
The invasive forb Brassica nigra (black mustard) and the native tree Juglans californica (black walnut) are allelopathic species that suppress the growth of neighboring plants. This study evaluates how allocation to root, reproductive, and photosynthetic biomass in B. nigra was affected with proximity to J. californica. We hypothesized that a joint suppressive effect would lead to lower root biomass allocation in...
Diel variations in limnological characteristics of Omkareshwar reservoir of Narmada river, India
January 2014
The present study was carried out to ascertain the magnitude of seasonal diel variations in physicochemical and biological variants with reference to phytoplankton, zooplankton and primary productivity at newly formed Omkareshwar reservoir on the river Narmada for the year 2012. Diel variations in physicochemical parameters such as temperatures, pH, transparency, total alkalinity, total hardness, chloride content,...
Brick kiln emissions and its environmental impact: A Review
January 2014
Brick manufacturing is the fastest-growing industrial sector in many countries (like china, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan) and among the top three sectors, along with vehicle exhaust and resuspended road dust, contributing to the air pollution and health problems in Dhaka (Bangladesh). The total emissions from the brick manufacturing in the Greater Dhaka region, to produce 3.5 billion bricks per year has been estimated...
The impact of water quality on species diversity and richness of macroinvertebrates in small water bodies in Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya
January 2014
This study was carried out in small water bodies (SWBs) within Uasin-Gishu and Siaya Counties of Kenya to investigate the effects of water quality on species diversity and richness of macroinvertebrates in these areas. The water quality of the SWBs was assessed in two dams in Uasin-Gishu County (Kesses and Kerita) and the other two in Siaya County (Mauna and Yenga) within Lake Victoria Basin. Water samples for total...
Assessment of water quality of traditionally protected and unprotected rivers, streams and ponds in the Niger Delta, Nigeria
January 2014
Water quality of some traditionally protected water bodies (Obi Pond, Abua Lake, Usede Lake, Atochi Stream and River Ethiope (Source) and unprotected water bodies (Ame-Oghene Pond, Oguta Lake, Omoku Pond, Tenmako Lake and Ikarama Lake) that commonly serve for domestic and drinking purposes in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria have been studied. The purpose of this study was to compare the water quality of traditionally...
Fish-habitat relationships in the Tonawanda and Johnson Creek Watersheds of Western New York State, USA
December 2013
Warm water stream fish assemblages (2005) and habitat variables (2004 and 2005) were examined from May to September at 108 sites in the Tonawanda and Johnson Creek Watersheds of Western New York. Seventy species and > 27,500 fishes were identified; ~98% were from Families Cyprinidae, Centrarchidae, Catostomidae and Percidae. Data were analyzed at 16 spatial scales using best subsets and backward stepwise multiple...
The physiological mechanisms of calcium chloride application on broad bean plants grown under salinity stress
December 2013
Salinity stress decreases the dry mass of shoot and root, the percentage of this decrease varied between the two plant organs. Roots seemed to be more salt sensitive than shoots. This was accompanied with a lower Na+ content in the shoots than roots. The organic cytosolutes (soluble carbohydrates, soluble proteins and proline) were much higher in shoots than roots. Treatment plants with CaCl2 retarded the Na+ and...
Agroforestry typology of some cocoa based agroforests in the Mbam and Inoubou division: The importance for local population livelihoods
December 2013
In order to estimate agroforestry typology of concerned cocoa based agroforests, a study was carry out in the Mbam and Inoubou division, Centre region of Cameroon. It focalized on farmer’s agroforests diversity strategies and the relationship between these systems and associated fruit trees planted to raise the revenues. To achieve this goal, 26 sampling plots of 100 x 40 m has been establish in cocoa based...
Physico-chemical behavior of three different water bodies of sub tropical Himalayan Region of India
December 2013
This research paper represents a brief analysis of physico-chemical characteristics of three different water bodies namely: earthen pond, cemented pond and lake located at Bhimtal, Nainital, Uttarakhand during winter season. Air temperature, water temperature, pH, DO, free CO2, total alkalinity, total hardness, total nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, ammonium and silicate were the physico-chemical parameters...
Page 4 of 9, showing 50 records out of 408 total, starting on record 151, ending on 200
