Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 11 (2), pp. 001-003, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Short Communication

Comparison of parasitic helminth infection between the different age groups of Clarias gariepinus from Asa dam Ilorin, north-central Nigeria

Ayanda, Opeyemi Isaac

Department of Biological Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 07 September, 2019

Abstract

A total of 160 specimens of Clarias gariepinus comprising three age groups – juveniles (standard length 10.0 – 29.9 cm), sub-adults (fish length 30.0 – 39.9 cm) and adults (fish length 40.0 – 59.9 cm) were collected over a period of 8 months from Asa dam, a major river in Ilorin. The fish length and weight ranged from 12.5 to 41.0 cm and 152 to 597 g respectively. They were subjected to parasitological examinations. two cestode types - Amonotaenia sp and Polyonchobothrium clarias; two nematode types - Paracamallanus sp and Procamallanus laevionchus and one acanthocephalan – Neoechino-rhynchus rutili were detected. Eighty-eight parasites were recovered. 27.5% of all fish examined showed parasitic infection. Helminth infection was found in juveniles and sub-adults only. Infection rate was higher in sub-adults than in juveniles.

Key words: Parasite, helminths, Clarias gariepinus, Ilorin.

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 11 (2), pp. 001-010, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Mineralogical and geochemical study of mud volcanoes in north Moroccan atlantic margin

N. Alaoui Mhammedi¹, B. El Moumni¹, A. El Hmaidi², A. Raissouni¹, and A. El Arrim¹

¹Laboratory of Environment, Natural Resources and Ocean (LEORN), Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Abdelmalek Essaadi, P. O. BOX 416, Tangier, Morocco.

²Faculty of Sciences, University My Ismail, P. O.BOX 11201, Meknes Morocco.

Accepted 18 August, 2019

Abstract

The gulf of Cadiz is one of the most interesting areas to study mud volcanoes and structures related to cold fluid seeps since their discovery in 1999. In this study, we present results from gravity cores collected from Ginsburg and Meknes mud volcanoes and from circular structure located in the gulf of Cadiz (North Atlantic Moroccan margin) during the cruise TTR14 in 2004 on board of the R/V Logachev. The clay mineralogical analysis by XRD shows a difference in clay mineral amounts mainly in smectite between the different studied structures. Ginsburg MV shows high percentage of smectite with an average of 44% whereas Meknes MV displays illite rich clay association, smectite average percentage is about 16%. In circular structure, amount of smectite is about 13%. This variation in clay mineralogy association between the mud volcanoes suggests different nature and depth of parent layers and fluids feeding the mud volcanoes in gulf of Cadiz.

Key word: Mud volcano, clay mineralogy, geochemistry, mud breccias, North Moroccan Atlantic margin.

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-011, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Metal tolerant species distribution and richness in and around the metal based industries: Possible candidates for phytoremediation

Anoliefo, G. O¹, Ikhajiagbe, B², Okonokhua, B. O³, Edegbai, B. O¹ and Obasuyi, D. C¹.

¹Department of Botany, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

²Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Abuja, Nigeria.

³Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Accepted 14 October, 2019

Abstract

Plant species growing in and around 38 metal welding workshops in Benin City, Nigeria, were surveyed. Eragrostis tenella occurred most frequently in all the sites, followed by Amaranthus spinosus, Eleusine indica, while Cucurbita pepo occurred least. The family Poaceae, was identified in all the sites visited. The frequency of occurrence of any particular plant species was used as an indicator of tolerance to heavy metals. Margalef index (R₁) showed the richest locations in the study to be workshops at Ekenwan Road Quarters with a value of 2.87, followed by those at Ikpoba Hill (2.75). Shannon -Weiner’s diversity index (H) which reveals the location with the most species diversity, showed that Ekenwan Road gave the most diverse with a value of 2.43, followed by Ikpoba Hill (2.17). Wire Road was least diverse in plant species (1.33) . Ugbowo quarters had the highest evenness index of 0.96, followed by Sapele Road (0.95), with Wire Road being the location with least evenness (0.82). Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) occurred in soil samples obtained from the sites. Six of the ten locations (Ekenwan, Plymouth, Siluko, Sapele, Sakponba and Ikpoba Hill Road Quarters) had elevated cadmium in soil samples obtained outside the workshops, with the highest concentration of 1.2 mg/kg detected at Ikpoba. Lead concentration was highest at Ugbowo (53 mg/kg). Metal-tolerant plants obtained in the present study are suggested as possible phytoremediating agents.

Key words: Welding workshops, metal tolerant plants, cadmium, lead, phytoremediation.

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-007, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Indigenous knowledge of field insect pests and their management around lake Victoria basin in Uganda

M. Mugisha-Kamatenesi^1*, A. L. Deng², J.O.Ogendo², E. O.Omolo², M. J.Mihale³, M. Otim⁴, J. P. Buyungo¹ and P. K. Bett²

¹Department of Botany, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062. Kampala, Uganda.

²Departments of Biological Sciences and Crops, Horticulture and Soil Sciences, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536 Egerton, Kenya.

³Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University of Tanzania, P.O. Box 31608, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

⁴National Crops Resources Research Institute, Namulonge, P.O. Box 7084, Kampala, Uganda.

Accepted 16 September, 2019

Abstract

Food security and poverty alleviation has remained the primary agenda in the Eastern Africa regional food policies, and Uganda is no exception. Field pests that attack crops are among the greatest threat to increased food production. The subsistence farmers in the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) rarely use synthetic pesticides in the field due to the high cost and availability issues. Therefore, some rely on the use of botanical pesticides and other natural methods of pest control. However, this indigenous knowledge (IK) on botanicals has remained largely unexploited with limited regional research and resources committed and these are the premises upon which this ethnobotanical fieldpests management survey was launched and conducted. Most of the respondents were women (59%). The study findings revealed that the major field pests reported by farmers in declining order of importance, included banana weevil, bean fly, cereal stem borers, pod feeders, grain moth, rodents, moths, termites, birds, aphids and cutworms. The anti-pest plants documented included, Capsicum frutescens, Tagetes spp, Nicotiana tabacum, Cypressus spp., Tephrosia vogelii, Azadirachta indica, Musa spp, Moringa oleifera, Tithonia diversifolia, Lantana camara, Phytollacca dodecandra, Vernonia amygdalina, Aloe spp., Eucalyptus spp., Cannabis sativa, Cofea species and Carica papaya. The study has demonstrated that usage of botanical pesticides in field pest management is normal around Lake Victoria basin for the subsistence farmers since all the 117 respondents had ever tried or used botanical pesticides. We recommend more specialized studies in the usage of the plant-based pesticides to ensure safety and effectiveness that will enhance food security and environment protection. In addition, appropriate recommendations generated on the issues investigated will be advanced as leads for further research, extension and regional industrial endeavors in the LVB.

Key words: Indigenous knowledge, field pests, pesticide plants, Uganda, Lake Victoria Basin.

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Does African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) affect rice in integrated rice-fish culture in Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya?

Joseph Rasowo^1*, Elmada Auma², Grace Ssanyu³ and Moses Ndunguru⁴

¹Department of Biological Science, Moi University, BOX 1125, Eldoret, Kenya.

²Department of Seed, Crop and Horticultural Sciences, Moi University, Box 1125, Eldoret, Kenya.

³Department of Biological Sciences, Kyambogo University, BOX 1, Kyambogo, Uganda.

⁴Institute of Development Studies, Mzumbe University, BOX 83 Mzumbe, Morogoro, Tanzania.

Accepted 09 June 2019

Abstract

An experiment was conducted for 98 days in the Lake Victoria Basin to investigate the interactions of fish and rice growth performance in rice paddies. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design, with rice cultivar as the main plot and method of rice-fish culture as the sub-plot. Treatments consisted of two levels of rice-fish culture and three cultivars of rice. Rice cultivars used were; ITA, BR 11 and IR 2793-80- 1 obtained from the National Irrigation Board (NIB), Kenya. Clarias gariepinus, (15 ± 0.4 g) were stocked at 6 m^-2 and given supplementary diet containing 35% crude protein and 7% lipids at 2× maintenance level. There was significantly less incidence of stem-borers in rice-fish polyculture compared to rice monoculture (P< 0.05). Rice- fish polyculture gave significantly higher rice yield than rice monoculture (453 ± 1.0 gm^-2). The seed yield differed significantly (P< 0.05) between the rice cultivars with ITA giving the highest yield followed by IR and BR. There were significant differences in growth performance of C. gariepinus in the treatments (F = 4.518,df = 2, P = 0.014) with best growth recorded in the Fish-ITA and least in Fish-BR. Mean net annualized fish production was highest (3,767 ± Kgha^-1yr^-1) in the ITA-Fish plots with no statistical differences recorded between BR-Fish and IR - Fish plots. Fish survival ranged from 79.9 to 82.6 percent in Fish-IR, Fish-BR and Fish-ITA respectively.

Key words: African catfish, rice-fish culture, rice yield, fish yield.

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-009, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of land use practices on livelihoods in the transboundary sub-catchments of the Lake Victoria Basin

Albinus M.P¹. Makalle, Joy Obando² and Yazidhi Bamutaze³

¹Institute of Human Settlements Studies, Ardhi University, P. O. Box 35124, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

²Department of Geography, Kenyatta University, P. O. Box 43844, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya,

³Department of Geography, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala Uganda.

Accepted 16 October, 2019

Abstract

The Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) is experiencing changes in land use due to both anthropogenic and natural drivers which are critical to the sustainability of the resources and livelihoods of the communities. Indeed the resultant land use practices and decisions made by the communities on the use of the land rely on the changes in the basin. This paper presents an analysis of the land use practices in the Lake Victoria Basin using two sub-catchments of Mara River (Tanzania) and Sio River (Kenya-Uganda) as case studies. Collection of mainly socio-economic and environmental data involved in-depth interviews of 679 respondents from the midstream and downstream zones of the sub-catchments. The findings reveal conspicuous changes in community livelihoods as a result of expansion of cultivation, overgrazing on the river banks, increased use of wetlands areas, the disappearance and extreme fragmentation of forest, bush land and appearance and the diminishing of settlements. The hitherto common resources have become scarce forcing farmers to try intensifying and diversifying their farm production with little success due to poor traditional farming practices. Although local initiatives are leading to change, there is need for integrated approaches of indigenous knowledge, technical agricultural research, economic analysis, and policy studies and reforms.

Key words: Land use practices, livelihoods, Indigenous knowledge, Lake Victoria basin.