Determination of informant consensus factor and fidelity level of ethnomedicinal plants used in Misha Woreda, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia
December 2016
In developing countries, traditional medicines occupy a central place among rural communities since they contribute to provide health care to them. However, studies on the identification and documentation of medicinal plant (MP) species used for treatment of various ailments, plants parts used, remedies, preparation and administration of herbal drugs have been scarce, especially to determine the consensus factor among...
Diversity complex of plant species spread in Nasarawa State, Nigeria
December 2016
This research was carried out to assess the plant species diversity in Nasarawa State, Nigeria with a view to obtain an accurate database and inventory of the naturally occurring plant species in the state for reference and research purposes. This preliminary report covers a total of nine local government areas in the state. The work involved intensive survey and visits to the sample sites for this exercise. The...
Floral diversity of the littoral vegetation of Southeastern Nigeria
December 2016
An investigation of the floral diversity of the littoral vegetation of Akwa-Ibom State coastline of South eastern Nigeria was carried out using quadrat and transects techniques. The results revealed three (3) vegetation types viz: coastal/shoreline, mangrove and secondary forest vegetation. Although, the most encountered ecosystem was the mangrove yet, coastal vegetation had the highest flora diversity of 100 (47%) as...
Propagule emergence in topsoil from a high-altitude field and implications for bauxite mining area restoration
November 2016
The identification of factors that influence the timing of seedling emergence in topsoil is important to improve restoration strategies in former mining areas. The aim of this study was to determine the time of emergence of seedlings present in the topsoil of high fields in the Atlantic Forest on bauxite mines in the plateau region of Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, in both the dry and rainy seasons. The surface...
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) (Fabaceae) landrace diversity in Northern Ethiopia
November 2016
This study was carried out to identify and document the landrace (farmers’ variety) diversity and ethnobotany of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) (Fabaceae) in Northern Ethiopia. A total of 54 germplasm accessions and six representative voucher specimens of cowpea were collected from different geographical locations of Ethiopia ranging from 1260–2140 m a.s.l. within the grid references of 10o 00’...
Distribution of Lichens on few ancient monuments of Sonitpur district, Assam, North East India
November 2016
This preliminary investigation describes the diversity and distribution of lichens from the different archaeological monuments of Sonitpur district, located in the Eastern Himalayan region of India, which is a part of Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. It is a land of natural beauty and rich cultural heritage and it is well reflected in the number of archaeological sites and monuments of ancient time at this region....
Sorghum bicolor landraces: Selection criteria and diversity management in Ethiopia’s East-Central Highlands, 1992-2012
November 2016
The dynamics of sorghum on-farm landrace diversity in five North-Eastern, Central Highlands communities in Ethiopia have been investigated through 300 farmer interviews and surveys of their fields in each of the 1992/1993, 2000/2001 and 2011/2012 cropping seasons. Over the 20-years, farmers’ selection criteria increased from 10 to 28 and the landraces from 60 to 77. That 50 of the landraces were recorded in all...
Importance of non-timber forest production in sustainable forest management, and its implication on carbon storage and biodiversity conservation in Ethiopia
November 2016
Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are biological resources of plant and animal origin, harvested from natural forests, manmade plantations, wooded land, farmlands and trees outside forests or domesticated. These products are vital sources of income, nutrition and sustenance for many forest-based communities around the world. This study tries to review available and accessible literatures on role of NTFPs in sustainable...
The role of indigenous people in the biodiversity conservation in Gamo area of Gamo Gofa zone, Southern Ethiopia
October 2016
The Gamo indigenous people and their knowledge on the biodiversity conservation represent one of the oldest traditionally intensified systems in Ethiopia. Indigenous peoples and their socio cultural relationship with biological systems have largely been contributing to sustainable conservation of biodiversity. The main objective of this study is to analyze the role of indigenous peoples and their knowledge on...
Spatial and temporal phytoplankton species diversity in Southern Gulf of Lake Tana, northwestern Ethiopia
October 2016
To assess phytoplankton species biodiversity in the Southern Gulf of Lake Tana, water samples were collected twice a month from eight sites for six months, from October 2010 to March to 2011. Data were analyzed and compared with one another using SPSS version 16. There were significant differences between months in phytoplankton species composition (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference among sites...
The prevalence and impact of coffee arthropod pests in the gedeo indigenous agro forestry systems, Southern Ethiopia
October 2016
Coffee crop has been contributing a lion share to the Ethiopian economy. Despite of its economic significance, it suffers from many production constraints, of which arthropod pests influence both the yield and quality of coffee. The study was aimed to assess the prevalence of arthropod pests and indigenous management across two agro-climatic zones, in the Gedeo agroforestry systems. Twelve farmscapes were randomly...
Spatial and temporal dynamics of foraging habitat availability for reddish egrets in the Laguna Madre, Texas
October 2016
The reddish egret (Egretta rufescens) is the rarest heron in North America and much remains to be learned about in the ecology of the species. The reddish egret is a foraging habitat specialist and relies on shallow coastal ecosystems. There is a paucity of information on foraging habitat requirements and the availability of foraging habitat throughout the annual cycle. Characteristics of foraging habitat at locations...
Population size, habitat association and dietary composition of Boutourlini’s blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii) in Komto Protected Forest, Western Ethiopia
October 2016
A study on the population size, habitat association and dietary composition of Boutourlini’s blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii) was carried out from January, 2015 to September, 2016 in Komto Protected Forest. Data was collected for a total of 58 days encompassing both the wet and dry seasons. Scan sampling method was used to collect data on the diet and foraging behaviour of Boutourlini’s blue...
Species composition, relative abundance and habitat association of rodents in Yekoche Forest, East Gojjam, Ethiopia
September 2016
A study on species composition, relative abundance and habitat association of rodents in Yekoche Forest was carried out from September, 2014 to April, 2015 during both wet and dry seasons. Data were collected using live trap and snap trap. A total of 841 individual of rodents were trapped using both live trap and snap trap. Rodent species such as yellow spotted brush-furred rate (Lophuromys flavopunctatus) (24.5%),...
Structure and composition of the liana assemblage of Azagny National Park in the Southern Côte d’Ivoire
September 2016
The Azagny National Park represents one of the most important blocks of forest in Côte d’Ivoire, but its liana assemblage has never been characterized. Liana floristics, diversity, species composition and structure were evaluated. Fourteen plots of 1 ha (20 × 25 m) were established in different biotopes of the forest. All individual lianas of dbh ≥ 1 cm were identified, measured and marked. For each...
Conserving the caterpillar fungus [Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) G.H. Sung et al.]: A case study of habitat ecology and sustainability in district Pithoragarh, Western Himalaya, India
September 2016
The caterpillar fungus, Yartsa Gunbu (Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) G.H. Sung et al.), offers one prime example of the phenomenon, where a resource of immense economic value runs the risk of being over-exploited, more so when its exploitation remains a ‘common property resource’. The ever-increasing demand of the commodity in the international markets and concomitantly its ever-increasing price, hovering...
Diversity, stand structure and regeneration status of woody species, and spatial cover of herbaceous species in Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Southeastern Botswana
August 2016
Diversity of woody and herbaceous species, stand structure and regeneration status of woody species, spatial cover of the herbaceous species as well as nutritional values of woody and herbaceous species were studied in Mokolodi Nature Reserve (MNR), Botswana. Ten 1 ha quadrats were used to collect data, and in each quadrat, ten 1 m2 plots were used to estimate the spatial cover of herbaceous species. MNR exhibited high...
On-farm diversity of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and risks of varietal erosion in four regions of Burkina Faso
August 2016
Local sorghum varieties managed and cultivated by farmers contribute in a large part in crop production of Burkina Faso. The loss of local sorghum varieties were reported, but very few investigations have been made on it. This study was conducted to assess the status of 739 local sorghum varieties collected in four regions of Burkina Faso and to identify the threats factors of sorghum diversity. A sample of 159...
Black Crowned crane (Balearica pavonina L.) conservation guideline in Chora Boter district of Jimma zone: The case of Ethiopia
August 2016
This guideline has been developed to provide directions for people working and interested to work on the conservation of Black Crowned cranes to save the species from loss and extinction. The conservation guideline is developed in consultations with the local communities and stakeholders in Ethiopia, Jimma zone, Chora Boter district through: field survey, focused group discussions, community and multi-stakeholders...
Phenotypic variation in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) germplasm collection from Botswana
July 2016
Characterization of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) accessions is an important exercise in improvement of the crop. A total of 432 cowpea germplasm accessions collected from five agricultural districts of Botswana during 1972 to 1987 were evaluated under field conditions at the Department of Agricultural Research Station, Gaborone. The germplasm were assessed using 37 agro-morphological characters to determine the...
In vitro conservation of exotic potato genotypes through different Incubated temperatures, aerophilic and micro-aerophilic conditions
July 2016
The present study was carried out to study the in vitro conservation of potato genotypes at different temperatures and aerophilic and micro aerophilic conditions. A total of 31 genotypes were conserved at different incubated temperature ranging from 10 to 25°C. At lower temperature (10°C) plant growth was slowest as compared to plants incubated at high temperature (25°C). The results revealed that aerophilic...
Local perspectives on benefits of an integrated conservation and development project: The Annapurna conservation area in Nepal
July 2016
Integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs) have recently been criticized for their ignorance of community heterogeneity, mismatch between project output and expectations, and lack of connection between conservation and development initiatives. Using Nepal’s Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) as an example this paper examined how perceived benefits from one ICDP varied between stakeholder...
Review of policies, legislations and institutions for biodiversity information in sub - Saharan Africa
June 2016
Over the past three decades, most sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries have developed national policies, legislations, plans, and institutions that are geared towards biodiversity conservation and management. However, evidently lacking in these instruments is the mechanisms for the generation, processing and sharing of biodiversity information. This study reviews the current biodiversity policy and institutional...
Assessment of diversity and conservation status of plants at Mount Kenya University Medicinal Botanical Garden, Thika sub-County, Kiambu County, Kenya
June 2016
The studies on biodiversity of living organisms as well as the ecosystems which they are part of is essential for the assessment of species composition and setting priorities in conservation matters. The plant diversity assessment at Mount Kenya University Medicinal Botanical Garden was done over a period of three years using both individual observation and line intercept/point centered quadrant methods on five...
Population size estimates and distribution of the African elephant using the dung surveys method in Rubondo Island National Park, Tanzania
June 2016
A study to estimate population size and distribution of elephants in the Rubondo Island National Park (RINP) was conducted between March and July 2014. It involved elephant dung survey methods. In estimating elephant dung pile density, a total of 217 dung piles were enumerated in 58 transects (each 1 km). The on-site dung decay rate computed from 100 marked fresh dung piles was estimated to be 0.01542 per day. By...
Local perceptions and importance of endogenous beliefs on sacred groves conservation in South Benin
May 2016
Turning forests into sacred groves remains an effective strategy as far as conservation of forests is concerned. Nowadays sacred groves are eroded to a wide range of adversities. In this paper, the authors analyzed (i) perception of population on sacred groves dynamic and (ii) the effect of modern religion expansion on sacred groves conservation. To these end, data were collected using individual interviews on 458...
Plant diversity of Al- Balqa Governorate, Jordan
May 2016
Listing and describing plant diversity in terms of the status of flowering vascular plants in Al-Balqa Governorate (North West Amman/Jordan) has been evaluated. Collections of plant specimens have been made during the field trips that have been conducted, in order to study and evaluate the composition and the diversity of the flowering wild plants in Al-Balqa Governorate. A total number of 527 species belonging to 296...
How does the cost of raid influence tolerance and support of local communities for a wildlife reserve?
April 2016
This study was carried out to investigate local people’s tolerance to wildlife raids. This was done by estimating costs of raids and interviewing affected communities around Mole National Park in Ghana. Multiple regression was done to predict local people’s tolerance. Results revealed there was loss of tolerance with time mainly due to the effect of cost of raid acting in synergy with the number of farmers...
Hippotragus equinus (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1803) and Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa (Rüppell, 1835) diet in semi-captivity in the urban park Bangr-Weoogo (Burkina Faso)
April 2016
We have performed a study on the diet of Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) and Defassa waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa) from April to August 2006 in the urban park Bangr-Weoogo (Burkina Faso). The aim of this survey was to determine plant species that constitute the diets of these two animals in the park and to determine whether or not part of these diets was identical. To achieve this objective, we did a...
Prevalence of human – elephant conflicts in Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya: Current opinions of local community
March 2016
Elephants capture the affection of people due to its size, social behavior and its flagship role in tourism. But it also elicits animosity because of the damages and insecurity it causes to local communities. This paper examined the current opinions of local community on human – elephant interactions in Amboseli Area. Results indicated that local community participation in elephant conservation was low. However, a...
Woody plant species diversity in the last wild habitat of the Derby Eland (Taurotragus derbianus derbianus Gray, 1847) in Niokolo Koba National Park, Senegal, West Africa
February 2016
The Niokolo Koba National Park (NKNP) in Senegal is the last refuge of the critically endangered antelope of the subspecies Derby Eland (Taurotragus derbianus derbianus Gray, 1847). Woody plants, that provide shelters and forage for the Eland in NKNP, were assessed for their floristic diversity to characterize its confined habitat. Hence, 156 square plots of 20m x 20m were established randomly in the confined area of...
Raid range selection by elephants around Kakum Conservation Area: Implications for the identification of suitable mitigating measures
February 2016
The factors that influenced elephants raiding in some spatial ranges around Kakum Conservation Area (KCA), Ghana were investigated. Crops were the basis for range selection by the elephants and the most commonly raided crops were plantain, cocoa and cassava. However, oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations, bushes, crops at seedling and growing stages, or farms with active pepper fence never suffered any raid. It was...
Evolution of policies and legal frameworks governing the management of forest and National Parks resources in Gabon
February 2016
In the Congo Basin region, sustainable management of forests and protected areas is mostly biodiversity oriented while little is known about governance effectiveness of such forest resources, especially in Gabon. This paper assesses available policy, legislations and institutions to enhance the management of Gabonese forests and National Parks resources. Data was gathered through systematic review of literature and...
Field evaluation of naturally occurring mosquito repellents in Mt. Kenya Region, Kenya
February 2016
Malaria continues to claim about 2 million lives annually worldwide. In Kenya, malaria equally depicts a morbid picture. It poses a major threat to the lives and health of 20 million people in Kenya and is a major killer mainly of children under five years and expectant mothers. This research was aimed at identifying plants used by communities in repelling mosquitoes. Community meetings were held at the District Culture...
Medicinal plants used and the perception of plant endangerment by the traditional medicine practitioners of Nasarawa State, Nigeria: A pilot study
January 2016
The growing role of traditional medicine practice in the health care delivery system of most countries of the world cannot be over emphasized. Needless to say, more than 90% of the remedies used by the practitioners of traditional medicine are medicinal plant based. The growing demand for these plants for medicinal use and the subsequent unsustainable harvesting, livestock browsing and infrastructural development has...
Coexistence of human and hyena and associated impacts in Haramaya district of Eastern Ethiopia
January 2016
Coexistence of human and hyena, associated impacts, and feeding habit was studied in Haramaya district of Eastern Ethiopia from October, 2011 to December, 2013. A total of 110 households from four sub-districts (Tinike, Finkile, Kerensa and Bocheke) were selected randomly for interview. The questionnaire was designed to assess various parameters including eliciting information on the knowledge of local people about...
Birds of Seshachalam biosphere reserve, South-eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India
December 2015
The Seshachalam hill is the first declared biosphere reserve in Andhra Pradesh and is located in the southern Eastern Ghats of Chittoor and Kadapa districts. The vegetation comprises of a unique mix of the tropical southern dry mixed deciduous type. The study was carried out from August 2011 to February 2014. The study recorded 215 species of birds, which belong to 45 families. Among which 172 species (80%) were...
Inside the commons of ecotourism development in Ethiopia: Strategic communal empowerment or marginalization? Evidence from Wenchi community based ecotourism
November 2015
This paper examines the quest of empowerment and disempowerment, the way community based ecotourism created the marginalized community throughout its development phase in Ethiopia with evidence from Wenchi Ecotourism development. Descriptive research design was employed where as random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to determine the sample size. The sample representative for the study was 221...
Herpetofauna under threat: A study of Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve, Ghana
November 2015
The herpetofaunal species in Ghana are under serious threat from habitat loss and degradation, global climate change, disease and parasitism, introduced invasive species and unsustainable use. The herpetofaunal species of the Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve of Ghana were surveyed using two methods: refuge examination via direct searches, visual/audio surveys and interviews of local residents. Data were obtained during two...
Assessment of agro-morphological diversity and affinities in cocoyam species from Sierra Leone
October 2015
Lack of knowledge of genetic variation within cocoyam germplasm limits its effective utilization in developing ideotypes with desirable traits for various end-uses. An agro-phenotypic characterization study was therefore conducted at the Njala Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) experimental site, Sierra Leone. The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of diversity within cocoyam germplasm using factor, cluster and...
The dinoflagellate genera Ornithocercus Stein, Podolampas Stein and Pyrocystis Murray from the Grand-Lahou lagoon complex, Côte d’ivoire
September 2015
The present paper reports 8 species of the dinoflagellate genera Ornithocercus Stein, Podolampas Stein and Pyrocystis Murray from the Grand-Lahou lagoon complex. For Ornithocercus and Podolampas genera, dichotomous key for identification of species is presented. Diagnostic descriptions, illustrations and geographic distribution are provided for all taxa. Most species were neritic or neritic-oceanic and tropical or...
Will Ngorongoro Conservation Area remain a world heritage site amidst increasing human footprint?
September 2015
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is a World’s Heritage site and Biosphere Reserve in Tanzania. It is the only protected area with multiple land use where both wildlife conservation and limited human activities are allowed. Despite such an important status, the area is experiencing ecosystem changes resulting from increasing human population, diversified livelihoods and tourism activities. This study was...
Population structure of small mammals with different seasons and habitats in Arditsy Forest, Awi Zone, Ethiopia
August 2015
A study on the population structure of small mammals was carried out in Aridtsy Forest, Awi Zone from August 2011 to February 2012 incorporating both wet and dry seasons. Sherman live traps and snap traps in four randomly selected different trapping grids where distinct habitat types, namely, natural forest, bushland, grassland and farmland were employed. During this study a total of 468 individuals, including eight...
Growth and corallite characteristics of Kenyan scleractinian corals under the influence of sediment discharge
August 2015
Disturbances of terrestrial origin are important determinants in the growth, carbonate production and well- being coral reefs. In this study, coral growth (density, linear extension and calcification rates) and corallite (diameter and density) variables were determined for selected species from four Kenyan protected reef lagoons, with one receiving a pulse of sediment discharge. Variable coral growth responses were...
Threat of agricultural production on woody plant diversity in Tankwidi riparian buffer in the Sudanian Savanna of Ghana
July 2015
Riparian forest buffers (RF) are integrative part of the savanna agricultural landscape. However, they are under threat of deforestation from agricultural intensification. To ascertain the impact of the deforestation, this study used remote sensing techniques and field inventorying to assess riparian woody plant diversity on farmland (FA) and forest reserve (FR) along Tankwidi rivercourse in the Sudanian savanna of...
A preliminary study on fish fauna of the Passur River in Bangladesh
July 2015
The ichthyofauna, their occurrence and conservation status in the Passur River of Khulna district have been studied for a period, from November 2011 to April 2012. A total of 95 finfish species contributing to 14 orders, 45 families and 77 genera were identified. The most dominant fish order was Perciformes with 38 species in 35 genera. Maximum number of species were recorded under the family Gobiidae (14 species)...
Valuing the recreational benefits of wetland biodiversity
June 2015
Loss in biodiversity of wetlands is a worldwide problem in maintaining the ecosystem of the earth. Thus, environmental valuation studies have performed benefit calculations to show the value of biodiversity. Here, few studies use the revealed preference methods due to the lack of data on wetland biodiversity. To solve this issue, this paper presented an approach to create data using expert judgment. Data on total...
Assessment of plant diversity, regeneration status, biomass and carbon stock in a Central Himalayan cypress forest
June 2015
The present study assessed population structure, biomass, carbon stock, phytosociociological and regeneration status of a Central Himalayan cypress forest of India. A total of 36 plant species (07 trees, 08 shrubs and 21 herbs) were recorded from the study site. Total tree density ranged from 460 to 600 tree ha-1 and total basal area ranged from 19.11 to 58.20 m2 ha-1. The total biomass of trees across all the sites...
Property rights regimes, resource utilisation and biodiversity conservation in Eastern and Southern Africa
May 2015
Natural resources degradation threatens persistence of biological resources in many parts of Eastern and Southern African regions. In these regions, property rights regimes intractably influence resource utilisation and biodiversity conservation. Hitherto, the underlying causes of varied performances of property rights regimes are rarely collated. Consequently, resource policies are often flawed, resulting in pervasive...
Assessment of changes in provision of forest ecosystem goods and services and benefit sharing mechanisms in the Ugalla-Masito Ecosystem: A case of Ilagala and Karago villages in Kigoma Region, Tanzania
May 2015
This paper presents results of the assessment of changes in provision of forest ecosystem goods and services in the Ugalla-Masito Ecosystem, using a case study of Ilagala and Karago villages in Kigoma Region, where REDD is being piloted. Various data collection methods were employed. These included focused group discussions, key informants’ interviews, in-depth interviews using structured questionnaires and...
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