Ecological effects of oil spill on pelagic and bottom dwelling organisms in the riverine areas of Odidi and Egwa in Warri, Delta State
December 2016
The ecological effects of oil spill on environmental media and organisms (pelagic, bottom dwelling organism) in the riverine areas of Odidi and Egwa in the Niger Delta ecological zone of Delta State was investigated approximately six months after the spill. The content of petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals (lead, copper, zinc, iron and chromium) in the water, sediment, fish (Clarias gariepinus) and snail...
Avian species richness and diversity at the Dschang Municipal Lake, Cameroon: Implications of site management for conservation and ecotourism
November 2016
This study was carried out to examine avian species richness and diversity at the Dschang Municipal Lake and to determine the effects of ecotourism infrastructural development on the avifauna distribution. The habitat around the lake was stratified into the undeveloped eastern part with natural/farm bush vegetation cover and the infrastructural developed western part with buildings and carpet grass lawns. A total of six...
Floristic diversity of Vallikkaattu Kaavu, a sacred grove of Kozhikode, Kerala, India
October 2016
Flora of Vallikkaattu Kaavu, a sacred grove of Kozhikode District, Kerala, India with their botanical name, family, conservation status, endemic status, medicinal status and habit has been presented in detail. This sacred grove associated with the Sree Vana Durga Bhagavathi Temple located 20 km north of Kozhikode at Edakkara in Thalakkalathur Panchayat, is the largest sacred grove in Kozhikode District with an extent of...
Comparison of plant communities between primary and secondary tropical forests of Mount Oku, Cameroon
October 2016
Globally, human populations are rapidly converting large blocks of tropical old-growth forests into small forest patches, embedded within human-modified landscapes, consisting mostly of agricultural fields and pasture lands. Mount Oku commonly known as Kilum-Ijim, situated at the North-western Cameroon is recognized as a globally important center of endemism and a hotspot for biodiversity conservation but now undergoes...
Population-based theories as an approach to natural resources management in developing countries: A narrative review of Machakos District in Kenya
October 2016
Many human societies across the world have collapsed or almost gone into extinction because of the scarcity of natural resources. Others however, have survived by either migrating to seek for natural resources elsewhere or by transition and/or adaptation to new environmental conditions. This narrative review paper examines how a society of Machakos District in Kenya has managed to escape from a potential collapse driven...
Nest Characteristics for the Conservation of the Grey Parrot in Cameroon
September 2016
The study was initiated to gather data on nest preferences of the Grey Parrot in Cameroon. Knowledge on nesting preferences of the parrot can be implemented in the field and captivity to improve on the breeding of Grey Parrots. The Kom National Park-Mengame Gorilla Sanctuary complex was chosen as a representative site in the country. A total of 40 sample plots of size 200 m x 200 m were randomly established and...
Effects of microhabitat and large-scale land use on stream salamander occupancy in the coalfields of Central Appalachia
September 2016
Large-scale coal mining practices, particularly surface coal extraction and associated valley fills as well as residential wastewater discharge, are of ecological concern for aquatic systems in central Appalachia. Identifying and quantifying alterations to ecosystems along a gradient of spatial scales is a necessary first-step to aid in mitigation of negative consequences to aquatic biota. In central Appalachian...
Implication of participatory forest management on Duru-Haitemba and Ufiome Forest reserves and community livelihoods
August 2016
The fate of the forest is usually connected with forest management systems, societal demands as well as exposure to major disturbances such as wildfires, heavy browsing animals. Since the early 1990s, Tanzania have adopted participatory forest management (PFM) approaches, namely Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) and Joint forest management (JFM) to effectively and adequately protect the forests. In Manyara region...
Phytoplankton diversity and abundance in water bodies as affected by anthropogenic activities within the Buea municipality, Cameroon
July 2016
The importance of phytoplankton in fresh water environment cannot be over emphasized. This study was designed to determine the phytoplankton diversity and abundance in water bodies exposed to different anthropogenic pressures. Water samples were collected from 19 water sources in four categories: Car wash, Municipal wastes, Car wash + Municipal wastes and Drinking water. Phytoplankton species were determined following...
Assessing contribution of local community in biodiversity conservation at Laharepauwa of Rasuwa, Nepal
June 2016
The Tamang community is one of the poor groups living in Middle Mountain of Nepal. It pre-dominantly resides in Buffer Zone of Langtang National Park, located in north-central Nepal. The Buffer zones is areas of settlements and agriculture surrounding the core area set aside for wildlife habitats and rare flora. Access on buffer zone programs depends greatly on their representation on local institutions. There are three...
Floristic composition and plant community types of Agama Forest, an “Afromontane Forest†in Southwest Ethiopia
May 2016
Tropical Afromontane forests are among the most species-rich ecosystems on earth and comprise exceptional species richness and high concentrations of endemic species. The natural forest of Agama, an Afromontane forest, was studied with the objectives of determining its species composition, diversity and community types. Systematic sampling design was used to collect vegetation data. Soil samples were taken from each...
Assessment of types of damage and causes of human-wildlife conflict in Gera district, south western Ethiopia
May 2016
Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) exists in different forms all over the world and is experienced more in developing countries. The conflict between human and wildlife ranks among the main threats to biodiversity conservation and has become frequent and severe in different parts of Africa. In the author s’ previous study, five species of wildlife were identified as the main crop raiding species in Gera, southwestern...
Bumpy road to improved mangrove resilience in the Douala Estuary, Cameroon
May 2016
Mangrove stands in the Western and Central African countries especially that of Cameroon are declining due to diverse drivers. Actually, Rhizophora racemosa stands in the Cameroon Estuary have been degraded through over-exploitation for fish smoking, pole-wood extraction and fuel wood harvesting by local people in the midst where there is no specific law protecting this ecosystem. Recently, community-based mangrove...
Community knowledge, attitude and practice towards black crowned crane (Balearica pavonina L.) conservation in Chora Boter district of Jimma Zone, Ethiopia
April 2016
The black crowned crane is one of the six crane species found in Africa with population declining and considered as vulnerable species. Understanding the knowledge, attitude and practices of local people is important in conservation of black crowned crane. A survey study was conducted in Jimma zone, Chora Boter district in southwestern Ethiopia between February to November 2015 with the aim to investigate knowledge,...
Soil carbon store and storage potential as affected by human activities in the natural forestË—savanna zone of Northern Ghana
April 2016
Anthropogenic activities have the potential to thwart efforts towards enhancing the full carbon (C) sink potential of savannas in the context of mitigating the effects of global warming. The understanding of the induced effects of human pressures on the carbon budget of forestË—savanna ecosystems is therefore a valuable tool to better evaluate and predict the current and future effects of human activities on the...
Soil organic carbon stocks in Mount Cameroon National Park under different land uses
March 2016
Increasing effects of climate change has led to an urgent need for reliable estimates of the soil carbon pool (SOC) which is one of the carbon sinks in the world. This is especially true in Africa where there is lack of basic data. This study conducted in the southern part of Mount Cameroon National Park (MCNP) seeks to determine SOC patterns and estimate CO2 equivalence from SOC pool following land-use changes. Nine...
Impact of the presence of subterranean termites Macrotermes gilvus (Termitidae) to physico-chemical soil modification on the rubber plantation land
March 2016
A study on the existence of subterranean termites nest Macrotermes gilvus (Hagen) and its effect on soil circumtance around the nest were conducted in a rubber plantation land managed using organic fertilizers and without the use of pesticides. The study aimed to determine the impact of the presence of the termites nesting on land to the quantity of soil nutrients, as nitrogen (N-total), phosphate (P-available),...
Microorganisms associated with dump sites in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria
February 2016
A total of ten soil samples were collected from four different dump sites in Port Harcourt Metropolis. The samples were examined for temperature, pH, total heterotrophic bacterial and fungal counts. The mean temperature values of the soils ranged from 27 to 28°C while the mean pH values ranged from 6.5 to 7.8. The total heterotrophic bacterial population ranged from 2.4 × 107 to 1.2 × 108 cfu/g while...
Using ecological niche modelsto plan conservation in a changing environment: A case for the plant Chasmanthera dependens Hochst (Menispermaceae) in West Africa
January 2016
Climatic envelope modeling techniques implemented in two algorithms, Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Production (GARP) and bioclimatic variables (BIOCLIM) were used to assess effects of climatic conditions on distributions of plants and anticipate how climate would have delimited their distribution under future conditions using a liana species Chasmanthera dependens as a case example. In all, 120 geo-referenced plant...
Soil organic carbon stock estimation in range lands of Kumrat Dir Kohistan KPK Pakistan
November 2015
The present study was carried out in two grass land of Kumrat Dir Kohistan, North Hindukush regions of KPK Pakistan. Locally these two grass land are known as Roshi Dab and Bothore Dab. The area of these two Dabs is about 400 hectare. The elevation of these two Dabs ranges from 7665 feet to 7954 feet while the geographic location of the study site was N 35° 33.249’ and E 72° 12.258’. Stratified...
An inventory of plant species found in gravel borrow pit around Gaborone, Botswana
November 2015
This study sought to establish an inventory of plant species established at three gravel borrow pits around Gaborone, Botswana. At each, plant data were collected from randomly selected 10 x 10 m quadrats within and up to 30 m away from the borrow pits. Species of Acacia were the most numerous in the pits, while more non-woody than woody species were established within the pits. Most woody species within the pits were...
Non-timber forest products and their contributions on the income of local residents in the Douala- Edea Wildlife Reserve of Cameroon
October 2015
The Douala-Edea Wildlife reserve rich in biodiversity is a reservoir for the collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). These products are involved in the management of natural resources by providing additional income to households. This study examines the effect or contribution of NTFPs in household incomes of local residents in the reserve and has as objective to identify and evaluate the marketing of these...
The impacts of climate change on African continent and the way forward
October 2015
This paper reviews several studies on the impacts of climate change on developing countries in Africa, one of the most vulnerable continents due to lack of financial, technical and institutional capacity to cope with the impacts of climate change. Due to various anthropogenic activities, greenhouse gases are increasing in the atmosphere at an alarming rate which leads to extreme temperature and flooding, loss of soil...
An integrated approach to delineation of the eco-climatic zones in Northern Nigeria
September 2015
This study derived eco-climatic indices; a moisture quality index, onset and cessation dates, hydrologic growing season and Aridity Index all for the period (1950-2006), in addition to using National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration an Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer images to derive a Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index map. These derived eco-climatic parameters were integrated using Geographic...
Determination of cyanide level in Igun Reservoir and in tissues of fishes and activity of cyanide-detoxifying enzymes in these tissues
August 2015
The physicochemical properties of water from Igun gold mine reservoir in Southwestern, Nigeria were assessed to estimate the impacts of human activities on the water and the level of cyanide-detoxifying enzymes in fish species were investigated. This was with a view to studying the survival of the fish species in the reservoir despite its high level of pollution. These werewith a view to studying the survival of the...
Salinity effects on growth of four Artemia franciscana (Kellogg, 1906) populations, cultured in laboratory conditions from Yucatan Peninsula
July 2015
The aim of is study was to determine the growth performance of Mexican A. franciscana Yucatan Peninsula strains in different salinity tests. Four populations from different habitats were studied: Real de las Salinas (RSAL), Cancun (CAN), San Crisanto (CRIS) and Celestun (CEL). Nauplii from each population were inoculated in 200 L plastic tanks with 160 L of dissolved rock salt water at 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 g L-1. The...
Drought, desertification and the Nigerian environment: A review
July 2015
Drought and desertification are twin global environmental problems. Nigeria is faced with rapid desert encroachment affecting fifteen northernmost states from moderate to severe rate. Out of the 909,890 km2 of the country’s land area, about 580,841 km2 accounting for 63.83% of total land is impinge on by desertification. Climatic variability and anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, extensive...
Floristic composition and structural analysis of Gelesha forest, Gambella regional State, Southwest Ethiopia
July 2015
The study was conducted on Gelesha Forest, Godere District and Gambella Regional State, Southwest Ethiopia to determine floristic composition and structural analysis of the forest. Systematic sampling method was used to collect vegetation data from 60 plots (20 m × 20 m) for trees and shrubs, 5 m x5 m for seedlings and saplings and 1 m × 1 m for herbaceous plants. Vegetation classification was performed...
The reproductive and feeding ecology of rodents in Sekoru district, Southwest Ethiopia
June 2015
A study on reproductive and feeding ecology of rodents was conducted in agricultural areas of some selected kebeles (the smallest administrative unit in Ethiopia) of Sekoru district from February 2014 to December 2014. Rodents were captured by snap trapping using rat traps. During the whole study period, four rodent species, namely, Rattus rattus, Mastomys natalensis, Arvicanthis dembeensis and Lemniscomys barbarus were...
Densities, spatial distribution and community structure of plankton of Odot Stream
June 2015
The plankton of Odot Stream, Niger Delta, Nigeria were investigated between June and August, (wet season) and October - December, 2014 (dry season) using standard analytical procedures. The data generated were subjected to descriptive statistics and community structure analysis. A total of 37 species of Phytoplankton belonging to four taxa were identified in ascending order as follows: Xanthophyceae (4.7%),...
Phytoplankton community structure and physico-chemical characteristics of streams flowing through an agro- plantation complex in Tiko, Cameroon
May 2015
Large scale rubber, oil palm and banana plantations have replaced pristine coastal ecosystems in Tiko, Cameroon, through which freshwater flows. Agrochemical inputs into aquatic systems have the potential to influence phytoplankton community structure through adjustment of physico-chemical characteristics of water. Since plantation establishment in Tiko, Cameroon, no studies on the impacts of the agro-chemicals used on...
Influence of current land use and edaphic factors on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) hyphal abundance and soil organic matter in and near Serengeti National Park
May 2015
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are important microbial symbionts for plants especially when soil phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) are limited. Little is known about the distribution of AM hyphae in natural systems of tropical soils across landscapes and their association with different land uses. We studied mycorrhizal hyphal abundance in a wildlife grazed system, a livestock grazed system and under cultivated soils...
Levels of tannins in fruit diet of grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus ugandae, Groves) in Lake Victoria Basin forest reserves
May 2015
Tannins are known to have anti-digestive properties among primates and undoubtedly influence food selection among grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus ugandae) living in Mabira and Lwamunda forest reserves. During the 24 months study, we observed the feeding behaviour of three groups of mangabeys in forests with different levels of degradation and management histories. Results indicated that mangabeys selected fruits...
Impact of invasion: A case study on the ecological and socioeconomic impact of Lantana camara (L.) in Abay Millennium Park (AMP), Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
May 2015
This study was carried out to quantify ecological distribution, abundance and effects of Lantana camara on different land uses and to assess the perception of local community concerning its impacts on environment and biodiversity of the study area, Abay Millennium Park, Bahir Dar. To do so, 20 m x 20 m (trees) inside which is 5 m x 5 m nest plots (shrubs and saplings), and 2 m x 2 m (seedlings) were laid....
Earthworm population in relation to different land use and soil characteristics
May 2015
Earthworms are regarded as the bio-indicators of soil quality. Also, due to several beneficial ecosystem services provided by earthworms, focus has been given to earthworms in agriculture management. So, there is need of knowing the distribution of earthworms, factors affecting their distribution and modification of soil environment due to them. With the aim of characterizing earthworm distribution in Panchase area,...
Post-White-nose syndrome trends in Virginia’s cave bats, 2008-2013
April 2015
Since its 2009 detection in Virginia hibernacula, the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans causing White-nose Syndrome (WNS) has had a marked impact on cave bats locally. From 2008-2013, we documented numeric and physiologic changes in cave bats through fall swarm (FS), early hibernation (EH), and late hibernation (LH) capture and banding surveys at 18 hibernacula in western Virginia. We coupled active surveys...
Isolation of heterotrophic thiosulfate-oxidizing bacteria and their role in a conserved tidal flat in the Ariake Sea, Japan
April 2015
Intolerable sulfide emission was spotted at several areas in tidal flats of the Ariake Sea, Japan. Sulfide is naturally produced in tidal flats and rapidly oxidized by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB). This makes them important players in controlling released sulfide by sulfate-reducing bacteria. A part of SOB can grow heterotrophically and we isolated them from a conserved muddy tidal flat in the Midorikawa Estuary,...
Forest composition and productivity changes as affected by human activities in the natural forestË— savanna zone in Northern Ghana
April 2015
Assessing the impact of anthropogenic activities on forest ecosystems dynamics is valuable in managing and maintaining the long-term productivity of forests and ensuring forest ecosystem sustainability and ecological balance. In view of this, the objective of this study was to evaluate the induced effects of anthropogenic activities on the forestË—savanna zones in Northern Ghana. The study assessed the impacts on the...
A study on ecological distribution and community diversity of spiders in Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary of Kashmir Himalaya
March 2015
The present study was an attempt to assess and evaluate the distribution, diversity and occurrence of spider community in Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary. India has 59 of the 110 spider families and at least, 1442 formally described species of the 39,000 known worldwide. Documenting spider assemblages assumes greater importance in the context of current rate of loss and degradation of forests which is known to have...
Institutional pluralism, access and use of wetland resources in the Nyando Papyrus Wetland, Kenya
March 2015
Wetlands support livelihoods of communities living around them as in the Nyando Papyrus Wetland in Kenya. The Nyando Papyrus Wetlands provide multiple resources hence there are multiple uses and users who often overlap spatially and seasonally causing conflicts. More claims are being exerted on these wetland resources from different sides and institutional levels with different actors. The actors involved refer to...
Emperor Jahangir’s method of observation and approaches to investigation of Kashmir ecology: An appraisal of his ‘deep sense of sensitivity’ towards nature
March 2015
Historically speaking, ‘ecology’ today is an interdisciplinary as well as complex science. Modern ecology characterises more facts than possibly known. Any ecologist is today a specialist, with favourite and specialised questions. And hence, there are different sub-disciplines in ecology with its own set of concept(s) and all try to unify looking only at ‘ecology’. Moreover, it is now an...
Vegetation regeneration in formerly degraded hilly areas of Rwampara, South Western Uganda
March 2015
Rwampara hills located in South Western Uganda have long been subjected to intensive degradation due to increased human activities. The hills have been left bare as a result of vegetation clearing for agricultural land, charcoal burning and grazing. In 1998, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) attempted to restore the degraded hilly areas with the aim of establishing the restoration potential. With...
Assessment of land use/cover impacts on runoff and sediment yield using hydrologic models: A review
February 2015
Human activities have modified the environment over the years. Urbanization, agriculture lumbering, mining and other land uses have substantially altered the Earth’s surface. Land use and the resultant change in land cover have significant effects on ecological, environmental and hydrologic systems and processes. An understanding of past and present land-cover change, together with an analysis of potential future...
Promoting tertiary education through ecotourism development
February 2015
In general, this study was to encourage students to pursue, environmental science, biology and tourism programmes at tertiary level by embarking on educational tour with tertiary students to the study area, while at the same time, the paper performs its functions such as finding out how residents were empowered in funding, capacity building and conflict resolution skills in tourism development. Specifically, the study...
Threat reduction assessment approach to evaluate impacts of landscape level conservation in Nepal
February 2015
Major challenges to the landscape level conservation intervention are to monitor and evaluate the conservation impacts in an accurate and cost-effective manner. Threat reduction assessment (TRA) has been proposed as a method to measure conservation success and as a proxy measurement of conservation impacts and monitoring threats. We conducted TRAs to evaluate the effectiveness of Nepal’s Terai Arc Landscape (TAL)...
Effects of municipal and industrial discharges on the quality of Beressa river water, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
February 2015
The problem of environmental pollution is not simple and easy to ignore because it affects the survival and normal functioning of an ecosystem by changing the overall healthy interaction between its components and after once it occurs, will be difficult to control. Fortunately, in the town of Debre Berhan (Tebasie), it is a common phenomenon due to the discharge of untreated liquid and solid wastes from industrial and...
Carbon stock in Adaba-Dodola community forest of Danaba District, West-Arsi zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia: An implication for climate change mitigation
January 2015
Forests can capture and retain enormous amount of carbon over long period of time. Their role in carbon emission balance is also well documented. However, especially in developing country, wide spread deforestation and forest degradation is continuing unknowingly and deliberately. This study was conducted to estimate carbon stock in dry Afromontane forest type of Danaba community forest (CF) of Oromia Regional State of...
Abundance and diversity of major cultivable fungal flora of River Jhelum in Kashmir Himalaya
January 2015
The present work was carried out in the in river Jhelum of Kashmir Himalaya to assess the density and diversity of fungal flora, to isolate and identify the fungi from the water along with some physical parameters like pH and temperature which was carried out between June-November, 2011 at four sites differing from each other markedly in terms of biotic and abiotic factors. During the study, a variety of fungal strains...
Population structure of rodents in Alage, Southern Ethiopia
January 2015
An ecological study on population structure of rodents was conducted in Alage, Southern Ethiopia. Sherman live traps were used to capture rodents in four habitats and trapping sessions. A total of 684 rodents that represented 11 species were captured. Regarding population size and density, Mastomys natalensis was the dominant species followed by Arvicanthis dembeensis while the least was observed in Graphiurus murinus...
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...
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