Cultural and socio-economic perspectives of the conservation of Asanting Ibiono Sacred Forests in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
November 2013
Culturally, sacred forests have been an integral part of many Africa traditional societies for centuries. For decades, these traditions have encouraged community driven nature conservation attitudes and have ensured the conservation of native biodiversity, supplying non-timber forest products (NTFPs), supporting ecological, religious, cultural and socio-economic functions. This long standing tradition is on the decline...
Meristic and morphological characterization of the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium macrobrachion (Herklots, 1851) from the Mono River – Coastal Lagoon system, Southern Benin (West Africa): Implications for species conservation
November 2013
The freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium macrobrachion is one of the shrimp’s species that contribute to the fisheries in the Mono River – Coastal Lagoon water system of the Southern Benin, where major causes of environmental degradation that affect species integrity and survival, are hydro electrical dam, bridges, mangrove destruction, water hyacinth invasion, dumping of domestic wastes from...
Forest bird diversity and edge effects on three glade types at Mount Meru Game Reserve, Tanzania
November 2013
This study examined the edge effects on forest bird diversity in five man-made, five upper natural and 15 lower natural glades in the Mount Meru Game Reserve, Tanzania from September 2005 to November 2005. Bird species composition differed significantly between the three glade types. Mountain Greenbul and Common Bulbul were indicators of forest edge habitat for upper natural and man-made glades, respectively. Bird total...
The abundance of five rare tree species in forests on limestone hills of northern Vietnam
November 2013
Rare tree species may become endangered as a result of forest conversion and disturbance. The availability of reliable ecological information on such tree species may help in conservation efforts, but such data is often limited. We studied the abundance of five red-listed tree species in an old-growth forest growing on limestone hills in northern Vietnam and identified potentially relevant ecological factors. Three of...
Wildlife crop damage valuation and conservation: conflicting perception by local farmers in the Luangwa Valley, eastern Zambia
November 2013
Wildlife conservation in Luangwa Valley depends on perception by local communities, and is affected by wildlife crop raiding. Perception of local farmers were elucidated between 2006/7 and 2008/9 farming seasons. Data collection was done using prescribed forms and semi-structured questionnaires by trained field assistants. The case study findings confirm that firstly, perceived and actual crop losses differed by 49.49...
On-farm Musa germplasm diversity in different agro-ecologies of Burundi
November 2013
Burundi is part of the secondary centre of diversity for the east African highland bananas (Musa AAA-EA). However, Musa diversity in Burundi has declined in the past two decades due to pests, diseases and civil unrest. A Musa germplasm diagnostic survey carried out in three provinces- Gitega in Central, Kirundo in Northern and Cibitoke in north-western Burundi, assessed...
Using odonates as markers of the environmental health of water and its land related ecotone
November 2013
The study of Odonata communities along wetlands requires the basic understanding of the abundance, distribution and number of species present. As habitat conditions change, they also exhibit changes in their diversity and distribution. Odonata assemblages were surveyed along the Densu River at Atewa Range Forest Reserve (ARFR) and Nsawam in the Eastern Region of Ghana and Weija in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Of...
Genetic divergence analysis of garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.)
November 2013
The D2 analysis allowed the 49 garden cress accessions to be classified into seven distinct clusters. Cluster 1 included 16 accessions that mature and flower early. Cluster 2 contained 11 accessions, which had the higher mean values for both numbers of primary and secondary branches, harvest index and seed yield/plant. They also showed higher number of seeds per plant and per plot than the overall mean value....
Genetic variation of barley germplasm from Turkey assessed by chloroplast microsatellite markers
November 2013
Five chloroplast DNA microsatellite loci were tested to analyze cytoplasmic variation in a set of 94 barley accessions; 23 Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum (wild) from Southeastern Anatolia, 47Hordeum vulgare ssp.vulgare landraces and 24 Turkish barley cultivars. Fifteen (15) haplotypes were detected. Within wild barley, two of the five loci were polymorphic with two or three alleles and four haplotypes...
Species diversity and abundance of Avifauna in and around Hombolo Wetland in Central Tanzania
November 2013
This study assessed the species composition, relative abundance and species diversity of avifauna found in wetland and terrestrial habitats in and around Hombolo Lake. Transect walk, point transect and direct observation methods were deployed for birds’ survey. Sampling sites were established following the established transect on the terrestrial area and on the edge around the lake, with an interval of 200 m...
Cropland bird community of rain fed region in India: Abundance, activity pattern and susceptibility to pesticide use
October 2013
The activities of cropland birds in an agricultural land are most likely unpredictable in the rain fed region of Maharashtra, India, and therefore the exposure to risk of pesticides application by cropland bird species cannot be sufficiently categorized. The pattern of abundance, territorial, foraging and other activities of cropland avian species was examined at two croplands in Amravati District of Maharashtra State...
Plant diversity in tropical deciduous forests of Eastern Ghats, India: A landscape level assessment
October 2013
A landscape level plant diversity and population inventory was made in northern portion of eastern Ghat region of India comprising mostly dry deciduous and moist deciduous forests. A total of 444 transects of 0.5 ha (5 × 1000 m) area each was used for enumerating trees. Diversity and density of herbs, shrubs, lianas and regeneration of tree species were assessed from 5 x 5 m size plots within transects....
Heavy metals (Cd, Ni and Pb) pollution effects on cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)
October 2013
The response of crops to heavy metals is important to plant breeders working on marginal environments. Environmentalists need such knowledge for environmental quality assessment. Consequently, a study was carried out to determine the effect of heavy metals (Cd, Ni and Pb) stress on cassava in a greenhouse. The treatments comprised five improved cassava varieties (TME 419, TMS 98/0505, TMS 98/0510, TMS 98/0581...
A survey of rice farmers’ farming practices posing threats to insect biodiversity of rice crop in the Punjab, Pakistan
October 2013
During a survey and through face to face interviews of rice farmers, their attitudes and substandard farming practices were investigated as threats to insect biodiversity associated with rice crop agroecosystem. Excessive and increasing use of agrochemicals (78.7%) and rice straw burning (68%) along with animal grazing were explored as major threats. Rational use of agrochemicals and legislation about bans of...
Genetic similarity among Caesalpinia echinata trees and their ex situ conservation
October 2013
Brazilwood (Caesalpinia echinata Lam) is a tree native to the Atlantic rainforest. It has been exploited since the Brazilian colonial period and the remaining natural populations of C. echinata have been reduced to small forest fragments, or are conserved in arboreta and ecological parks. This study aimed to identify the degree of genetic diversity present within brazilwood trees from three...
Morphometric characterization of Nigerian indigenous sheep using multifactorial discriminant analysis
October 2013
Adequate knowledge of diversities within and between animal populations will not only help in reducing misidentification in animal husbandry but also aid conservation of many important endangered alleles. A total number of 1195 animals comprising 380 Yankasa sheep, 414 Uda sheep, 224 Balami sheep and 177 West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep were sampled from Osun and Oyo states, South Western Nigeria. Yankasa and...
Hymenopteran diversity in a deciduous forest from South India
October 2013
Hymenoptera diversity was investigated in a deciduous forest from South India during July 2009 to June 2010. Among the 38 collected species, the identified 36 species belong to 21 genera and nine families. The dominant families include Vespidae, Apidae, Formicidae, Sphecidae and Megachilidae, respectively. In the present study, the hymenopterans like the carpenter bees, honey bees, leaf cutter bees and ants...
Migratory status of the goral, Naemorhedus goral (Hardwicke) (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) in Kohistan, Pakistan
October 2013
The Himalayan goral, Naemorhedus goral (Hardwicke) (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) is classified as endangered internationally and vulnerable in Pakistan. Its migratory status was determined from 24thMay to 10th July, 2010 in the Pattan and Keyal Valleys, Kohistan, Pakistan. The 165 questionnaires were filled in 15 study sites (Pattan, eight study sites; Keyal, seven study...
Glade use by common warthog, African buffalo, mountain reedbuck and bushbuck in Mount Meru Game Reserve, Tanzania
October 2013
Glade use by common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), mountain reedbuck (Redunca fulvorufula) and bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) was studied in five man-made, five upper natural and 15 lower natural glades in Mount Meru Game Reserve, Tanzania. Direct observations were made on glade use by each species on four different days; 200 and 300 observation periods for warthogs (mornings and...
Media coverage of nature conservation and protection in Nigeria National Parks
October 2013
Low level of knowledge and awareness of the conservation efforts and activities of Nigeria National Parks in wider Nigerian public have been observed and prompted this study. Five print media (newspapers) and four electronic media (television and radio) were sampled. The print media were The Punch, Nigerian Tribune, The Nation, The Vanguard and The Guardian newspapers while the electronic media were Edo...
Sustainable agriculture productivity through restoration of tank irrigation system with stakeholder decision : Case study in rural tank eco system
October 2013
The tank irrigation system have provided support for the livelihood of the rural communities and have to be restored and conserved as an economic assets, especially for the poor and marginalized communities in the under developed areas. The tank irrigation system has a special significance to the marginal and small-scale farmers who make a very large number essentially depending on tank...
Diversity of macrofungi at the University of Dar es Salaam Mlimani main campus in Tanzania
October 2013
Macrofungi play important roles in nutrient cycling, forestry, pharmacology industry, production of cultivated fungi in the food industry, as well as their vital role in biodegradation and biodeterioration. Information about the diversity, community organization, and variations in time and space of macrofungi community belonging to the Basidiomycota and Ascomycota at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)...
Pollinator biodiversity in Uganda and in Sub-Sahara Africa: Landscape and habitat management strategies for its conservation
October 2013
Previous pollinator faunistic surveys conducted in 26 different sites indicated that farmlands of central Uganda supported more than 650 bee species, 330 butterfly species and 57 fly species. Most crop species grown in Uganda are pollinator-dependents. There is also a high dependency of rural communities on pollination services for their livelihoods and incomes. The annual economic value attributable to...
Use of ethnobotanical criteria for conservation assessment of plants used for respiratory diseases in Lake Victoria region, Tanzania
October 2013
The focus of the paper was to use an ethnobotanical approach to identify for conservation, priority medicinal plants used for respiratory diseases in Lake Victoria region of Tanzania. Recent incidences of respiratory diseases profoundly affect plant diversity as they lead to selective consumerism of plant species. Trend of respiratory diseases in Lake Victoria region is alarming due to highest HIVprevalence....
‘Biodiversity conservation of Himalayan medicinal plants in India: A retrospective analysis for a better vision’
September 2013
Ever-increasing demand of herbal medicines in the world market has put alarming threats to the existence of Himalayan medicinal plants, reported to be the richest source of active bio-molecules. Due to overexploitation, majority of these bear threatened status while some have become extinct. Variousin-situ and ex-situ conservation efforts have been made by the Government of India through...
Variability and trends of air temperature and pressure at Port Said, Egypt, 1978-2008
September 2013
The climatologically records of hourly surface air temperature and pressure collected at Port Said weather land stations during the period from 1978 to 2008 are used to study the long term variability of both parameters. January, December and February were considered the coldest months through the years of the whole period with occurrence of about 65.5, 13.8 and 20.7% values, respectively. In the opposite side, August...
Registration of “Dibanneeâ€, a newly released linseed variety for Bale Highlands, Ethiopia
September 2013
Dibanee (CI-1525x CDC 1747/21), a medium height brown seed variety of linseed was selected anddeveloped by Sinana Agricultural Research Center, eastern Oromia, Ethiopia. The variety was released in 2009 for Bale highlands and similar agro-ecologies. This variety was selected from the variety trial tested together with 15 other test genotypes and checks (local cultivar and the previously released variety for...
Diversity analysis in Plectranthus edulis (Vatke) Agnew collection in Ethiopia
September 2013
Thirty six (36) accessions of Plectranthus edulis were evaluated to assess the extent of genetic diversity within the collected accessions using 16 characters. Analysis of variance for each characters indicated highly significant (p<0.01) variation among the accessions for all characters except tuber length. The accessions under study were grouped into six clusters. Clusters I and II contained...
Evaluation of pesticide tolerant strain of Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on maize stem borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe)
September 2013
Field evaluation of pesticide tolerant strain of Cotesia flavipes Cameron, a gregarious larval endoparasitoid of the maize stem borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) was carried out and the economics of such evaluation was worked out. Releases of the pesticide tolerant parasitoid strain, prior to application of pesticide or after application resulted in significantly higher net returns and...
The impacts of humans and livestock encroachments on the habitats of mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) in Munessa, Ethiopia
September 2013
Measuring the extent of humans and livestock encroachments on the habitats of the endangered mountain nyala is crucial to ensuring effective conservation, but empirical evidence is lacking. In order to examine the risk-disturbances hypothesis, we assessed and quantified the impacts of humans and livestock encroachments on the habitats utilized by mountain nyala in Munessa, Ethiopia. We estimated the activity...
Conservation and cultivation of threatened and high valued medicinal plants in North East India
September 2013
Medicinal plants exploration in North Eastern India has been carried out in the various forests including Crude drugs markets up to the range wherever medicinal plants produce are sold in the markets. Various attempts have also been made for the acclamatisation through cultivation of medicinal plants from one zone to another in the Region. The crude drugs produce from the region are traded in the markets of...
Wild edibles of Murari Devi and surrounding areas in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, India
September 2013
The wild edibles served as a dietary supplement and medicine for thousands of years, particularly in the tribal and rural areas of the Himalayas. A total of 43 wild edibles, representing 33 genera and 25 families were reported. Maximum number of species were reported in the altitudinal zone, 700 to 1800 m followed by >1800 m altitudinal zone. Forty species were found in dry habitat followed by...
Informative microsatellites for freshwater and marine shrimp species
September 2013
Marine and freshwater shrimp are overexploited worldwide due to their high commercial value being usually fished in a predatory manner. The concern about conserving the stocks for economical or ecological reasons has been threatened by the absence of molecular markers for the majority of these species. In this work, we described ten anonymous microsatellites isolated from an enriched-library with magnetic...
Medicinal Plants Scenario in Forest Vegetation of Baikunthpur (District-Koria) Chhattisgarh (India)
September 2013
The State of Chhattisgarh has about 44% of its geographical area covered with forests. The Koria district in Chhattisgarh lies between 22°58’ to 23°49’ North latitudes and 81° 33’ to 82°45’ East longitude. The average rainfall is 121.36 cm. The forest area is 81.23% of total district Area. The district Koria has a very rich flora exhibiting diversity especially of...
Towards sustainable financing of protected areas: A brief overview of pertinent issues
August 2013
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) now known as the World Conservation Union (IUCN), a protected area refers to a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values. The recognition of the role of protected...
Mangrove forests of river estuaries of Odisha, India
August 2013
A clear and current picture of the mangrove forests extant in different river estuaries of the Odisha state of the Indian sub-continent have been provided in this communication. Apart from their role in upgrading the state’s economy, the other features exploited by the local inhabitants have been highlighted in brief. Effective measures for the conservation of these rare and unique ecosystems have also...
Potent anticancer compounds from the ocean
August 2013
Over 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by oceans, and it is an established fact now, that life originated in the oceans. Additionally, the oceans are also the source of matchless natural products that are mainly accumulated in living organisms. Several bioactive compounds of therapeutic interest have been isolated from marine invertebrates, and some of them have been reported to be of microbial...
Knowledge and attitude of peasants towards birds in church forests in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia
August 2013
Residents who have lived in the same area for extended periods can provide valuable insights into changes that have taken place in the diversity and abundance of local wildlife. Birds are among the best known parts of the earth’s biodiversity. This study was conducted in three selected church forests located in different agroclimate zones (“Kola”, “Weyna Dega” and...
Prevalence and seasonal periodicity of endophytic coelomycetous fungi in Tamil Nadu, India
August 2013
The present study reports 2,644 endophytic isolates; only 74 different morphospecies of coelomycetes have been isolated and identified from 14,400 segments of healthy tissues such as leaves (4,800), stem (4,800) and bark (4,800). Each plant tissue with 300 segments was studied in a Petri dish containing 10 segments; totally, 30 plates were studied with four seasons. Totally, 74 coelomycetes...
Linking population size to conservation needs of the Grey Parrot in Cameroon
August 2013
Unsustainable exploitation of the wild Grey Parrot is a complex and challenging phenomenon for governments and international organizations to tackle. The need to reverse the negative impacts of exploitation on the Grey Parrot population and to conserve it for future generations formed the basis of this study. Population data on the Grey Parrot in Cameroon were obtained using the point count method with two counting...
The folk biology of South American-native shrub, Mimosa pigra L. [Leguminosae] and its invasive success in Rwanda
August 2013
Although, the probability of an alien plant species to become invasive in natural or semi-natural habitats is relatively low, the introduction of new taxa should always be regarded as a sensitive issue because the effects of an insertion of an invasive species are likely to be prohibitive as well as external. Ideally, plant species with an invasive potential should not be allowed to enter a country and,...
Local vulnerability, Forest communities and Forest-carbon conservation: case of southern Cameroon
August 2013
The mechanism for reducing carbon emissions through forest conservation is dominating climate policy processes in many tropical forests countries. However, there are concerns about the implications of these activities on forest-dependent communities, who are vulnerable to climatic stresses. Reconciling local vulnerability, adaptive capacity and forests carbon conservation initiatives is necessary but...
Studies on biodiversity of fleshy fungi in Navsari (South Gujarat), India
August 2013
Mushrooms have created great excitement because of their presence especially after the down pour during the monsoon season. So a detailed survey was made in and around Navsari, south Gujarat, from July to September, 2010, to understand the morphological variability in their population which has not been done earlier. The region is a habitat of well distributed micro flora and fauna. Navsari is located between...
Herpetofauna of Thummalapalle uranium mining area, Andhra Pradesh, India
August 2013
The present study on herpetofauna in Thummalapalle uranium mining area resulted in a collection of 52 species belonging to 17 families. Snakes were the dominant group with 20 species. Most species recorded are in the least concerned and not assessed categories, and only two species (Geochelone elegans and Lissemys punctata) were in the lower risk - least concern category and one species...
Genetic variability and association between agronomic characters in some potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes in SNNPRS, Ethiopia
August 2013
Thirteen (13) potato genotypes were evaluated for genetic variability and association of agronomic characters among themselves and tuber yield. The study aimed to find out the genetic variability, and interrelationships among different characters in potato. The plot design used for the experiment was a randomized complete block design with three replications. The analysis of variance showed that the...
Diversity of fishes in relation to physcio-chemical properties of Manakudy estuary, Southwest coast of India
July 2013
Present study deals with fish diversity and physico-chemical properties of Manakudy estuary. Thirty-eight (38) species of fin and shell fishes of commercial importance were recorded during the study period (February 2010 to January 2011), higher than that of previous observations. Average fish catch in these estuary ranged from 80 to 280 kg/day, comprising mainly Etroplus suratensis (Pearl...
Seasonal variations in seagrass biomass and productivity in Palk Bay, Bay of Bengal, India
July 2013
Seagrass meadows are valuable habitats having economic and ecological importance in coastal ecosystem. The major seagrass meadows in India exist along the southeast coast of India, particularly in Palk Bay region. The dominant seagrass species of this region was Cymodocea serrulata andSyringodium isoetifolium and these two species were taken for the survey. In this study, a survey was...
Efficacy of chilli Capsicum oleoresin guns usage by local hunters as African elephant repellent from crop raiding in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia
July 2013
Chilli Capsicum oleoresin guns have been utilised by local hunters in Luangwa Valley, Zambia in the recent years as Community Based Conflict Mitigation (CBCM) for human-elephant conflict (HEC) situations. Through use of C. oleoresin guns, transformation of local hunters from elephant poachers to sustainable agriculturalists has been a milestone for conservation efforts. In this study,...
Traditional beliefs and conservation of natural resources: Evidences from selected communities in Delta State, Nigeria
July 2013
The role of traditional beliefs systems in the conservation of natural resources in some selected communities in Delta State, Nigeria, have been studied. Methodology of study involves the use of personal interview, literature review, group discussion, and site visitation carried out by the authors between April 2011 and March 2012. Findings show that traditional natural resources management in the selected...
Fish muscle protein highest source of energy
July 2013
The proximate biochemical composition and seasonal variation in proteins of small indigenous fish species such as Salmostoma sardinella, Cirrinus reba, Garra mullya, Rasbora daniconius andPuntinus conchonius were analyzed. The proximate composition was found to vary among the species. Protein was estimated in S. sardinella (25.64%), C. reba (24.19 %), G....
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