Abstract: Urban vegetation stands as a pivotal ecosystem for the provision and support of ecosystem services in towns and cities leading to the attainment of SDG 11: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” In pursuit of this goal, this study aimed at determining the present urban tree species richness, diversity and carbon stock potential in Lilongwe City, Malawi. Six distinct urban forest types were identified: Cemeteries, Institutional lands, Par...
Abstract: Previous vegetation studies and their ecosystem services have concentrated largely on natural ecosystems, with less emphasis on managed areas like agricultural systems. Moreover, the protection and conservation of vegetation would be not only successful in protected areas alone but also in the agriculture environment and surrounding it. More recently, human-altered ecosystems such as conventional agroforestry like agri-silviculture have become increasingly conscious of their abilit...
Abstract: A survey of the abundance of larvae and pupae of Gonometa postica Walker and their host plants....(continue from the attached pdf)
Abstract: Abstract Under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) countries have sovereign rights over their genetic resources. Agreements governing the access to these resources and the sharing of the benefits arising from their use need to be established between involved parties [i.e. Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)]. This also applies to species collected for potential use in biological control. Recent applications of CBD principles have already made it difficult or impossible to col...
Abstract: Fourth instar Bombyx mori silkworm larvae were fed on mulberry leaves to which royal jelly had been added. The impact on the larval, cocoon, shell and pupal weight, shell ratio percentage, filament length and weight, and the number of breaks during reeling were examined. The results indicate that royal jelly-enhanced diet significantly increased larval, cocoon and pupal weights, but had no significant effect on shell weights and denier. Similarly filament length, weight and filamen...
Nigeria boasts a very rich biome which places the Nation amongst the few Nations with an almost complete Natural diversity. However, this diversity has not been protected as supposed in recent years, and this article exposes the many potentials and challenges faced by the Nigerian Biodiversity, in relation to National Development. It is common knowledge that the Nigerian biome hosts a large proportion of the world's biodiversity and this means that the circumstances of the Nigerian biome beco...
Abstract In October 2007 CITES Secretariat Willem Wijnstekers issued a statement in response to numerous requests calling for CITES to intervene in the trade of live dolphins. Mr. Wijnstekers stated in his response that CITES had not been presented with any evidence demonstrating that the required NDF’s were inadequate for such exports. Furthermore, he stated that CITES had not been furnished with evidence to show that such exports were having a detrimental impact on wild dolphin population...
ABSTRACT Abundance and distribution of Fiddler crabs of genus Uca, were examined along the environmental gradient at Pangani estuary. Physiochemical parameters, abundance and distribution of Uca crabs were measured and observed respectively. Data were collected during a low spring tide through field observation and comparisons, were made along estuary river mouth (close to the sea), intermediate (at the middle between the sea and river) and upstream (close to the river). The results of physi...
ABSTRACT This study examined the implementation of Revenue Sharing policy at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park towards improvement of people’s livelihood and support for conservation. Bwindi is a world heritage site and a home of almost 50% of the World Mountain Gorillas. Distributive, procedural, recognitive and contextual dimensions of equitable benefit sharing were explored and analysed. Revenue Sharing policy implementation was regarded as the independent variable while community livel...
ABSTRACT The sustainability of many lake ecosystems in the world including Lake Babati is threatened by the ongoing degradation due to anthropogenic activities. A study was carried out to assess the effect of anthropogenic activities on the degradation of Lake Babati shores based on specific objectives: (1) to identify institutions and institutional arrangements responsible on the management of lake ecosystem, (2) to identify drivers leading to the lake shores degradation, (3) to assess the e...
Abstract Devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is a geophyte that occurs mainly in Central, East and South eastern Namibia where it was previously regarded as a nuisance due to its fruit-claws getting caught on sheep and other livestock. The species has been exploited due to its medicinal properties leading to concerns regarding its sustainability. Efforts to conserve it have been tried in order to understand conditions suitable for its management but there are still poor results in the g...
ABSTRACT Species diversity, richness and composition of fish in bottom-trawling were investigated off the Namibian coast between Oranjemund and Henties Bay. Sampling followed a systematic transects design, along latitude gradients (28-22oS) at different seafloor depths (100-500m). In total 18 transects were sampled containing 105 stations. At each trawled station the whole catch was sorted into species type and the total body mass (kg) of each fish species was recorded. A total of 91 fish spe...
ABSTRACT The impact of heavy metal pollution on vegetation and communities of ground-dwelling invertebrates was investigated at Kombat Mine tailings dump in Namibia. Sixteen transect lines were marked around the dump. Plots, 15m x 15m, were marked at 50m intervals along each transect. Top soils in the demarcated plots were sampled and analysed for concentrations of heavy metals and total sulphur. Woody plant species were identified, counted and heights measured. Herbaceous plants were identif...
ABSTRACT Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench is the fifth most important cereal crop in the world, and in Namibia, sorghum is the second most important. The genetic resources of sorghum remain unexplored in Namibia. This could lead to a loss of genetic diversity as wild relatives and foreign varieties could interbreed with landraces, resulting in an undesired alteration of its genetic make-up. This study was conducted to evaluate the genetic diversity among the Namibian Sorghum bicolor accessions sto...
ABSTRACT Fleas and other ectoparasites infesting small mammals were studied from December 2005 to June 2006 at Waterberg Plateau Park, Namibia. The main aim of this study was to investigate seasonal occurrence of fleas and other ectoparasites on small mammals at selected sites at Waterberg Plateau Park. Small mammals were live-trapped, marked and released. Ectoparasites were collected (by brushing) from these small mammals before they were marked and released. Fleas, ticks and lice were store...