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Human activities affecting lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) habitat in Momella lakes, Tanzania
Get PDFThis research article was published by Taylor & Francis, 2024Land use/land cover (LULC) change, caused by human activities, can strongly affect wildlife species and their habitats. Yet, human impacts onto lakes and associated indicator bird species such as the lesser flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor) have rarely been investigated. We used remote sensing images from 1989 to 2019, with additional interviews and focus group discussions to investigate how LULC change and agricultural activities adjacent to the Momella lakes, Tanzania, have affected the flamingo habitat. Agricultural areas increased strongly over time, and most respondents earned their living through crop farming. The use of synthetic fertilizers, and limited knowledge about fertilizer effects on environmental health, were evident. We highlight that LULC data combined with socio-economic assessments is essential to understanding the dynamics and impacts of human activities on wildlife. We recommend training for sustainable farming practices around areas of high conservation values and integrating land use changes and socio-economic dynamics into conservation efforts
A Mathematical Model for Transmission of Taeniasis and Neurocysticercosis
Get PDFThis research article was Published in the Computational and Mathematical Methods, 2024In this study, we present a mathematical model for the codynamics of taeniasis and neurocysticercosis and rigorously analyze it.
To understand the underlying dynamics of the proposed model, basic system properties such as the positivity and boundedness of
solutions are investigated through the completing differential process. The basic reproduction number was calculated using the
next-generation matrix method, and the analysis showed that when R0 < 1, the disease in the community eventually dies out,
and when R0 > 1, the diseases persist. Local stability of the equilibria was analyzed using the Jacobian matrix, and Lyapunov
function techniques were used to determine the global analysis, which showed that the endemic equilibrium point was globally
stable when R0 > 1. On the other hand, the disease-free equilibrium was determined to be globally stable when R0 < 1. To
identify the most influential parameters of the proposed model, partial correlation coefficient techniques were used. The
numerical results depict that the model aligns well with the transmission dynamics, which goes through two populations:
humans and pigs, whereby the model system stabilizes after some time, showing the validity of the proposed model.
Furthermore, the simulations of the proposed model revealed that the shedding habit of infected humans with taeniasis and the
bad cooking habit or eating of raw or undercooked pork products have a higher impact on the spread of neurocysticercosis and
taeniasis in the community. Hence, this study proposes that in order to control taeniasis and neurocysticercosis, effective disease
control measures should primarily prioritize hygienic behaviour and proper cooking of pork meat to the required temperature
Characterization of morpho-agronomic traits and powdery mildew resistance in mung bean (Vigna radiata)
Get PDFThis research article was published by research square, 2024Background: Exploring genetic variation and screening for disease resistance is an important step in crop breeding initiatives but is lacking for many bean varieties including mung bean. The present study evaluated the diversity of 42 morpho-agronomic traits and screened mung bean genotypes for resistance to powdery mildew disease. A total of 132 mung bean and rice bean (R200) genotypes (as checks) were evaluated in an augmented incomplete block design across two cropping seasons. Pivot tables were used to analyse qualitative data, whereas the variation of 13 quantitative traits was examined using the generalized linear model (PROC GLM), agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC), and principal component analysis (PCA).
Result: The genotypes displayed a wide variation for the majority of traits evaluated and significant differences were observed among genotypes, block effect, and between seasons. Similarly, the effects due to checks, genotypes, and genotypes and controls were significant. One mung bean (G32) genotype and one rice bean (R200) exhibited resistance to powdery mildew under field conditions. Principal component analysis revealed that the first four PCs explained 59.77% of the total variation among the genotypes studied. In addition, cluster analysis grouped all the genotypes into four major clusters.
Conclusion: The trait variation recorded and resistance to powdery mildew disease provide valuable insight for developing breeding strategies especially with respect to reducing losses in mung bean and rice bean to powdery mildew
Fish predation affects invertebrate community structure of tropical temporary ponds, with downstream effects on phytoplankton that are obscured by pesticide pollution
Get PDFthis research article was published by ElsivierAquatic biota of tropical temporary ponds typically experience a wide range of stressors that can drive the structure and dynamics of natural communities. Particularly in regions with intense agricultural activity, aquatic biota may not only experience predation pressure but also stress from pesticides that inadvertently enter the ponds. We increasingly understand how these different sources of stress affect classic model taxa under controlled laboratory conditions, but how predators and pesticides may jointly affect pond invertebrate communities is still unclear, particularly for tropical systems. Here, we conducted an outdoor mesocosm experiment to study how fish predation combined with exposure to an environmentally relevant concentration of the commonly used insecticide cypermethrin (0.8 ng/L) affects the structure of invertebrate communities, and its potential effects on leaf litter decomposition and invertebrate grazing efficiency as measures of ecosystem functioning. A total of seven invertebrate taxa were recorded in the mesocosm communities. Fish predation effectively lowered the number of invertebrate taxa, with fish mesocosms being dominated by high densities of rotifers, associated with lower phytoplankton levels, but only when communities were not simultaneously exposed to cypermethrin. In contrast, cypermethrin exposure did not affect invertebrate community structure, and neither fish predation nor cypermethrin exposure affected our measures of ecosystem functioning. These findings suggest that predation by killifish can strongly affect invertebrate community structure of tropical temporary ponds, and that downstream effects on phytoplankton biomass can be mediated by exposure to cypermethrin. More broadly, we contend that a deeper understanding of (tropical) temporary pond ecology is necessary to effectively manage these increasingly polluted systems
Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Infection Among Blood Donors in the Western Zone of Tanzania
Get PDFA research article was published by Research Square 2024Background
In the western zone of Tanzania, there is limited information for the prevalence of hepatitis B infection. In this study, we analyzed the dataset of blood donors to determine seroprevalence and socio-demographic factors related to Hepatitis B Virus infection among blood donors in the western regions of Tanzania.
Material and Methods
The study was a cross-sectional retrospective hospital-based. Data were retrieved from blood donor dataset given at the Zonal Blood Transfusion Center. Information analyzed from the dataset includes reported Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTIs) including Hepatitis B, donor demographics, donor status, donor type, donation place, and the year of donation. This study focused on five years period from January 2018 to December 2022. The seroprevalence rates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were determined, and the univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to determine association between infection and demographic risk factors under STATA version 15.1.
Results
A total of 9604 retrospective blood donors were screened. Majority (93.3%) were men, and most were under 45 years (89.6%). The overall, seroprevalence for HBsAg was 6.9% (661) in this study, with Katavi (7.8%) being relatively high in the study area. The highest HBsAg seroprevalence of 8.2%, was found to be in age group range of 35 to 44 years. In addition, Polygamist 9.5%, and drivers at 17.1% were shown to have relatively high seroprevalence in this case. Using multivariate analysis, the results indicate blood donors who were drivers (OR 5.44, 95% CI; 2.43 12.20, p < 0.001), and the first-time donors (OR 5.19, 95% CI 2.56 = 10.52, P 4 < 0.001), were highly associated with an increased chance of hepatitis B infection.
Conclusion
The findings demonstrate that; there is a high seroprevalence of HBV in western regions. These findings bring to the attention of more advocacy for HBV immunization for all persons at high risk, as it is the most effective way to prevent HBV infection
Climate-smart solutions for tropical mountain environments
Get PDFThis journal article was published by Frontiers, 202
Evaluating Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium species as potential biocontrol agents for root rot fungi in soybean seedlings
Get PDFThis research article was published by Technology in Agronomy, 2024Soybean (Glycine max) is among the legumes which are highly prone to soil-borne pathogens which causes root-rot diseases limiting the growth
and development resulting to low yield of plants. This study was conducted to test the ability of three rhizobia strains, Rhizobium sp. TZSR12C,
Rhizobium sp. TZSR25B and Bradyrhizobium sp. TZSR41A, in comparison with the commercial biocontrol (Trichoderma harzianum in suppressing
the growth of root rot fungal pathogens (Fusarium solani, Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxyporum, and Macrophominaphaseolina) under in vitro
and greenhouse conditions. The rhizobium cell filtrates were used in testing their activities against fungal pathogens under in vitro while the solid
biofertilizer formulations containing the respective rhizobia inoculants were used to inoculate the soybean seeds sown in pathogen
contaminated soil under greenhouse conditions. Results showed that all rhizobia isolates and T. harzianum were capable of suppressing the
fungal pathogens both under in vitro and greenhouse conditions with the highest inhibition zone (8.3 mm) and colony diameter (25.0 mm) being
in Rhizobium sp. TZSR25B against F. oxyporum under in vitro conditions. Under greenhouse experiment, Rhizobium sp. TZSR12C had the highest
performance in inhibiting the infection of plant up to 27.78% with severity of 5.56% in roots and 0.00% infection in foliage against the
combination of F. solani, R. solani, F. oxyporum, and M. phaseolina. We found that, on their performance, the tested rhizobia strains can potentially
be utilized as biocontrol agents against the fungal pathogens in the rhizosphere of soybean plant
Tree demographics and soil charcoal evidence of fire disturbances in an inaccessible forest atop the Mount Lico inselberg, Mozambique
No full textThis research article was published in the Journal of Plants, People, Planet, Volume 7, Issue 1, 2024Societal Impact Statement
Highland forests of Mozambique have been strongly modified by human activities for millennia. Some highlands have sheer rock cliffs and are highly inaccessible to people and appear relatively undisturbed. Evidence from the forest and soils of inaccessible Mount Lico show that the fire regime has changed over the recent millennia. As climate and fire regimes continue to change, management of highland ecosystems will be crucial to sustain the high biodiversity and mountain-water resources that provide key ecosystem services to people living close to these forests.
Summary
The sheer rock cliffs of the Mount Lico inselberg, northern Mozambique, is relatively inaccessible to people. A 0.57 km2 forest covers the top of the isolated mountain, and the tree demographics and soil offer an opportunity to investigate the long-term fire ecology of the forests of the western, leeside of the mountain and potential for changing regional hydroclimate of the Late Holocene.
On the western side of the mountaintop, a 20 × 20 m plot was surveyed for tree taxa, heights and bole diameters. A 220 cm deep pit was dug into the forest soil and analysed to describe the soil texture and carbon content. Charcoal was quantified on sieved subsamples and classified into charcoal morphologies that were then grouped by how readily entrainable on an index score. Three radiocarbon dates were collected from pieces charcoal.
The forest is a combination of montane and woodland tree taxa that differed from the older, more mesic eastern side and reflected differential disturbance patterns. The reddish loam soils dated to the Middle Holocene. Charcoal was present in all soil subsamples and varied little until increasing consistently during the past millennium. The charcoal morphologies suggested a combination of locally derived charcoal and charcoal derived from the surrounding lowlands with the latter increasing in the past centuries.
Few Holocene paleoenvironmental records have been developed from tropical soils in Africa and are useful in locations that do not host lakes and wetlands. Both tree demographics and soil charcoal suggest that changing forest disturbance regimes began during the past millennium. An understanding of history informs future conservation and appropriate management of these special places
Correlating food and nutritional patterns with cancers in the pediatric oncology population at two specialized hospitals in Tanzania
Get PDFThe research article was published by BMC Nutrition Volume 10, article number 10, (2024)Background
This study of nutritional patterns in relation to cancers among pediatric oncology population in Tanzania was motivated by the lack of up-to-date information about the nutritional practices, the controversy around the importance of nutritional support and the lack of consistent nutritional criteria among pediatric oncology populations.
Methods
A survey study in two cancer referral hospitals of children diagnosed with any cancers, aged between 1 and 17 years inclusive and being eligible for enteral feeding included 131 children. Their demographic, nutritional, feeding and cancer profiles were analyzed descriptively through mapping and other approaches as well as inferentially using multinomial regression models to understand different aspects of nutrition for children suffering from cancers.
Results
The majority (15% or higher) of pediatric oncology population originated from the lake zone. Between 7 and 12% of pediatric oncology population originated from the Western zone. The top-three cancers with their percentages in the brackets were: Wilms Tumor (32%), Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (26%) and Retinoblastoma (13%). About 69% of the pediatric oncology population ate foods that are rich in energy but poor in protein such as rice (21.5%), porridge (19.3%), banana (11.7%) and potatoes (10.2%). On the other hand, only 17.5% ate foods that are generally protein-rich such as meat (8.0%), fish (5.3%) and chicken (4.2%); and 12.7% ate milk (4.2%), beans (3.4%), vegetables (2.7%), eggs (1.9%) and fruits (1.5%). Cancers impacted food intake in about 60% of all children with cancers and affected appetite in 18.3% of them. Cancers caused vomiting in 16% and diarrhea in 6.1% of children. The majority of children with cancers (61.8%) took at least one meal while 34.4% took just snacks (p < 0.001).
Conclusions
The majority of pediatric oncology population had erratic nutritional patterns and took foods high in energy and poor in proteins. There is a two-way interaction between cancers and nutrition in which cancers affect general nutritional intake which could affect the cancer treatment outcomes in return. Therefore, it is important to consider these interactions while managing pediatric oncology populations in this and similar settings
Successful domestication of Neonothopanus Hygrophanus (Mont.) De Kesel & Degreef and Lentinus Squarrosulus Mont., indigenous saprophytic edible mushrooms from Kibira National Park in Burundi
Get PDFThis research article was published in the CABI Agriculture and Bioscience,Volume 5, article number 7, 2024Background Mushroom cultivation in Burundi provides an excellent way to diversify agricultural production
although domestication of mushroom species is at an infancy stage. The country is endowed with indigenous forests
that harbour a wide diversity of mushrooms with potential for domestication. This study was undertaken to explore
opportunities for domestication of saprophytic wild edible mushrooms from the Kibira National Park (KNP) in Burundi.
Methods Samples of Lentinus squarrosulus Mont. and Neonothopanus hygrophanus (Mont.) De Kesel & Degreef were
collected from the field, and tissue cultured on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium. Spawn production and develop-
ment was performed on sorghum grains and lignocellulosic substrates respectively and the parameters of mycelial
growth and mushroom yield were determined.
Results The germplasm of L. squarrosulus and N. hygrophanus was successfully isolated with an average tissue
culture incubation time of 6.4 ± 0.54 days and 7.6 ± 0.54 days for L. squarrosulus and N. hygrophanus, respectively.
Spawn production incubation time on sorghum grains was 12.6 ± 0.89 days and 14.8 ± 0.83 days for L. squarrosulus
and N. hygrophanus, respectively. For full colonization of lignocellulosic substrates, spawn production time ranged
between 19 ± 1 and 21 ± 1 days for L. squarrosulus and between 17 ± 1.22 and 18 ± 1.22 days for N. hygrophanus. Both
species successfully produced fruiting bodies and mushrooms yielded at a rate of 18.24 ± 9.76 to 22.85 ± 9.16% for L.
squarrosulus and 12.66 ± 8.95 to 15.3 ± 8.94% for N. hygrophanus which is here reported for the first time to be success-
fully domesticated. For both species, the cottonseed hulls substrate comparatively showed the best yield followed
by the combination of maize cobs/soybean straws (MC + SBS) (50:50), the combination of rice straws/soybean straws
(RS + SBS) (50:50) and the maize cobs substrate respectively, while the rice straw showed the least. The combinations
of MC + SBS (50:50) and RS + SBS (50:50) showed a yield close to that of cottonseed hulls.
Conclusions For the first-time, this study presents successful domestication of N. hygrophanus and L. squarrosulus
from KNP. It is concluded that the substrates combinations used in the study give good yields, and therefore recom-
mended for use as cost-effective and efficient alternative substrates