Harvesting of papyrus biomass plays a significant role in regulating ecosystem services of which one of them is nutrient uptake and cycling. Despite Lake Victoria’s wetlands being important, little is understood about its role in nutrient uptake and removal. Although there have been studies done in these wetlands, there is inadequate understanding on the implication of unselective biomass harvesting on the water quality of Lake Vitoria. At the same time, these wetlands are threatened by livelihood-related pressures which are driven by extreme hydrological regimes. This study focused on Nyando floodplain wetland located in the Eastern part of the shores of Lake Victoria which is a lifeline to many rural communities living around the lake. Papyrus biomass harvesting was assessed in two study sites of Nyando wetland and at different seasons in order to determine its implication on nutrient regulating services. Participatory tools, field survey, observation, field measurements and laboratory analysis were used. Harvesting of papyrus removed 530.6 Kg N/g DM/ha/day and 97 Kg P/g DM/ha/day in Ogenya while 771.2 Kg N/g DM/ha/day and 109.2 Kg P/g DM/ha/day were removed in Wasare. However, addition of nutrients to the wetland may lead to the problem of eutrophication especially at the site where interaction of wetland and lake water occurs. Understanding the role of papyrus harvesting patterns is crucial for better planning and management of this complex resource in a changing environment.
纸莎草生物量的收获在调节生态系统服务中起着重要作用，其中之一是养分吸收和循环。尽管维多利亚湖的湿地很重要，但人们对它在营养吸收和去除中的作用知之甚少。虽然对这些湿地进行了研究，但对非选择性生物量采集对维多利亚湖水质的影响认识不足。与此同时，这些湿地受到极端水文制度造成的与生计有关的压力的威胁。本研究的重点是位于维多利亚湖东岸的Nyando洪泛平原湿地，这是许多生活在湖周围的农村社区的生命线。在Nyando湿地的两个研究点和不同季节对纸莎草生物量进行了评估，以确定其对养分调节服务的意义。采用参与式工具、实地调查、观察、实地测量和实验室分析。在奥根雅收获的纸莎草除去530.6 Kg N/g DM/ha/day和97 Kg P/g DM/ha/day，而在Wasare收获的纸莎草除去771.2 Kg N/g DM/ha/day和109.2 Kg P/g DM/ha/day。然而，向湿地添加营养物可能导致富营养化问题，特别是在湿地与湖水相互作用的地方。了解纸莎草收获模式的作用对于在不断变化的环境中更好地规划和管理这一复杂资源至关重要。
{"title":"Implications of Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.) Biomass Harvesting on Nutrient Regulation in Nyando Floodplain Wetland, Lake Victoria, Kenya","authors":"P. Rongoei, S. Kariuki","doi":"10.4236/oje.2019.910029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2019.910029","url":null,"abstract":"Harvesting of papyrus biomass plays a significant role in regulating ecosystem services of which one of them is nutrient uptake and cycling. Despite Lake Victoria’s wetlands being important, little is understood about its role in nutrient uptake and removal. Although there have been studies done in these wetlands, there is inadequate understanding on the implication of unselective biomass harvesting on the water quality of Lake Vitoria. At the same time, these wetlands are threatened by livelihood-related pressures which are driven by extreme hydrological regimes. This study focused on Nyando floodplain wetland located in the Eastern part of the shores of Lake Victoria which is a lifeline to many rural communities living around the lake. Papyrus biomass harvesting was assessed in two study sites of Nyando wetland and at different seasons in order to determine its implication on nutrient regulating services. Participatory tools, field survey, observation, field measurements and laboratory analysis were used. Harvesting of papyrus removed 530.6 Kg N/g DM/ha/day and 97 Kg P/g DM/ha/day in Ogenya while 771.2 Kg N/g DM/ha/day and 109.2 Kg P/g DM/ha/day were removed in Wasare. However, addition of nutrients to the wetland may lead to the problem of eutrophication especially at the site where interaction of wetland and lake water occurs. Understanding the role of papyrus harvesting patterns is crucial for better planning and management of this complex resource in a changing environment.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"48 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116364513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Laisa Madureira da Silva, F. Feitosa, M. Montes, A. Otsuka, Flávia M. P. Saldanha-Corrêa, C. Noriega
The aim of the current study was to evaluate the productive capacity of the phytoplankton community and other environmental variables in the estuarine area of Suape; while considering the constant morphological, sedimentological and hydrological changes, the site has been facing due to the implementation and expansion of an industrial and port complex. The study comprised 6 campaigns: 3 in the dry season and 3 in the rainy season. Water samples were collected from the surface layer of the internal and external portions of the estuarine bay during low spring tides. The salinity ranged from 32.20 to 37.10, the water temperature ranged from 26.60°C to 29.40°C, and the oxygen saturation rate ranged from 58.5% to 114.5%. There was significant seasonal variation. The nitrite concentration was higher during the rainy season, whereas the ammonia concentration was higher during the dry season; the higher ammonia concentration helped increase chlorophyll-a levels and rates of primary productivity, which ranged from 0.02 - 2.45 mg·m−3 and from 0.34 to 4.32 mg·C·m−3·h−1, respectively. Chlorophyll-a < 20 μm was the fraction of biomass most commonly present in the estuarine ecosystem, accounting for 88.6% of the chlorophyll-a-containing biomass, and this reflected the low nutrient content in the water and indicated that the area was free from eutrophication processes. The decrease of rainfall during the sampling months and the anthropogenic changes in the environment led to reduced continental contributions, increased marine interference, nutrient dilution and loss of phytoplankton production capacity in Suape Bay, which severely damaged other trophic links in the ecosystem.
{"title":"Phytoplankton Productivity and Hydrology in an Impacted Estuarine Complex in Northeastern Brazil","authors":"Laisa Madureira da Silva, F. Feitosa, M. Montes, A. Otsuka, Flávia M. P. Saldanha-Corrêa, C. Noriega","doi":"10.4236/oje.2019.910030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2019.910030","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of the current study was to evaluate the productive capacity of the phytoplankton community and other environmental variables in the estuarine area of Suape; while considering the constant morphological, sedimentological and hydrological changes, the site has been facing due to the implementation and expansion of an industrial and port complex. The study comprised 6 campaigns: 3 in the dry season and 3 in the rainy season. Water samples were collected from the surface layer of the internal and external portions of the estuarine bay during low spring tides. The salinity ranged from 32.20 to 37.10, the water temperature ranged from 26.60°C to 29.40°C, and the oxygen saturation rate ranged from 58.5% to 114.5%. There was significant seasonal variation. The nitrite concentration was higher during the rainy season, whereas the ammonia concentration was higher during the dry season; the higher ammonia concentration helped increase chlorophyll-a levels and rates of primary productivity, which ranged from 0.02 - 2.45 mg·m−3 and from 0.34 to 4.32 mg·C·m−3·h−1, respectively. Chlorophyll-a < 20 μm was the fraction of biomass most commonly present in the estuarine ecosystem, accounting for 88.6% of the chlorophyll-a-containing biomass, and this reflected the low nutrient content in the water and indicated that the area was free from eutrophication processes. The decrease of rainfall during the sampling months and the anthropogenic changes in the environment led to reduced continental contributions, increased marine interference, nutrient dilution and loss of phytoplankton production capacity in Suape Bay, which severely damaged other trophic links in the ecosystem.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132529319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sumaira Yasmeen, F. Perveen, I. Ullah, Xiaochun Wang
To find out the optimum conditions of growth in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica), we analyzed the radial growth response relationship to climate factors in boreal forests. We present growth response from 3-sites Mg (Mangui), KYH (kheyihe), NM (Nanmu) from central Daxing’an mountains. Drought observed in 1920s-1930s years. We analyzed growth response from 1920-2016. Results specified that growth of scots pine did not vary with variation in sites. We measure the influence of vapour pressure and mean maximum and mean minimum diurnal temperature have been shown by correlations of different growing seasons. Most of warm temperature during June to September and growth of Scots pine show a significantly positive increase during winter season. Overall inconsistency in climate conditions of Daxing’an mountains due to Atlantic and Pacific oceans, affects the Asian moon soon and alternatively changes the local temperature and precipitation and vapour pressure and increases the drought severity.
为了找出蒙古松(Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica)生长的最佳条件，分析了北方针叶林生长对气候因子的径向响应关系。研究了大兴安岭中部3个位点Mg(满桂)、KYH(赫伊河)、NM(楠木)的生长响应。在20世纪20年代至30年代观测到干旱。我们分析了1920年至2016年的增长响应。结果表明，苏格兰松的生长不随地点的变化而变化。我们测量了蒸汽压和平均最高、平均最低日温对不同生长季节的影响。6 ~ 9月大部分地区气温偏暖，冬季苏格兰松生长呈显著的正增长。由于大西洋和太平洋的影响，大兴安岭气候条件整体不一致，很快影响到亚洲月，并交替改变了当地的温度、降水和蒸汽压，增加了干旱程度。
{"title":"Climate Factors of Vapour Pressure and Diurnal Temperature Influenced on Radial Growth of Scots Pine in Northeastern Mongolia","authors":"Sumaira Yasmeen, F. Perveen, I. Ullah, Xiaochun Wang","doi":"10.4236/oje.2019.99026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2019.99026","url":null,"abstract":"To find out the optimum conditions of growth in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica), we analyzed the radial growth response relationship to climate factors in boreal forests. We present growth response from 3-sites Mg (Mangui), KYH (kheyihe), NM (Nanmu) from central Daxing’an mountains. Drought observed in 1920s-1930s years. We analyzed growth response from 1920-2016. Results specified that growth of scots pine did not vary with variation in sites. We measure the influence of vapour pressure and mean maximum and mean minimum diurnal temperature have been shown by correlations of different growing seasons. Most of warm temperature during June to September and growth of Scots pine show a significantly positive increase during winter season. Overall inconsistency in climate conditions of Daxing’an mountains due to Atlantic and Pacific oceans, affects the Asian moon soon and alternatively changes the local temperature and precipitation and vapour pressure and increases the drought severity.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124366302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
It is commonly accepted that the current global warming is caused by humans, especially by anthropogenic emission of carbon dioxide. It is justifiably considered to be one of the biggest threats for life on the planet and human civilization. However, since millennia humans have been changing the climate locally and globally. Especially after the development of agriculture and animal husbandry people have been progressively increasing the albedo of the planet. The cooling of the climate that took place since the Neolithic Revolution and lasted until the onset of the Industrial Revolution corresponds better with the growth of human population than with any other factor. The current global warming threatens with drought, hunger, migrations and inundation of coastal areas. However, throughout the human history, it was the cooling that was related to drought and hunger. The cooling and drought that occurred about 4.2 thousand years ago (the 4.2 ky event) were the most severe. It resulted in the collapse of all Neolithic civilizations. Its reason is still not explained. This paper presents a hypothesis how people could unwillingly cause change in monsoons’ strength and direction as well as global climate catastrophe that occurred 4.2 thousand years ago.
{"title":"The Gutian Invasion in the Middle East as a Possible Anthropogenic Trigger Factor in the Development of the 4.2 ky Event","authors":"T. Szczęsny","doi":"10.4236/oje.2019.99024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2019.99024","url":null,"abstract":"It is commonly accepted that the current global warming is caused by humans, especially by anthropogenic emission of carbon dioxide. It is justifiably considered to be one of the biggest threats for life on the planet and human civilization. However, since millennia humans have been changing the climate locally and globally. Especially after the development of agriculture and animal husbandry people have been progressively increasing the albedo of the planet. The cooling of the climate that took place since the Neolithic Revolution and lasted until the onset of the Industrial Revolution corresponds better with the growth of human population than with any other factor. The current global warming threatens with drought, hunger, migrations and inundation of coastal areas. However, throughout the human history, it was the cooling that was related to drought and hunger. The cooling and drought that occurred about 4.2 thousand years ago (the 4.2 ky event) were the most severe. It resulted in the collapse of all Neolithic civilizations. Its reason is still not explained. This paper presents a hypothesis how people could unwillingly cause change in monsoons’ strength and direction as well as global climate catastrophe that occurred 4.2 thousand years ago.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"85 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132812763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In spite of its small area, Palestine (27,000 km2) is home to more than 500 species of ornithofauna, inhabiting all types of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The Gaza Strip (365 km2), which represents 1.5% of Palestine, has a considerable number of ornithofaunistic species as well. Al-Mawasi ecosystem (14 m2), which lies in the far south-west of the Gaza Strip, has never been orinthologically studied. Thus, the current study comes to survey the ornithofauna prevailing at Al-Mawasi ecosystem as a natural to semi-natural environment. Ornithofauna were monitored using direct observations and binoculars for the lasted ten years (2009-2018). A total number of 135 ornithofaunistic species, belonging to 45 families and 17 orders were encountered at Al-Mawasi ecosystem. Passeriformes was the largest order and comprised 57 (42.2%) of the recorded species, while the non-passerines constituted the remaining 78 species (57.8%). Muscicapidae was the largest among the recorded families; represented by 13 species (9.6%), and followed by 10 species of Scolopacidae, (7.4%), 8 species of Ardeidae and Fringillidae (5.9%) for each and 7 species of Accipitridae (5.0%). Aquatic ornithofaunistic species represented 44 (32.6%) of the total species recorded, while the terrestrial ones represented 91 (67.4%). The Palestine Sunbird (Nectarinia osea) is a common endemic Palestinian species in Al-Mawasi ecosystem. The Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) has become an actual source of financial income for its catchers, and as a result, it is extensively hunted in vast areas of the Gaza Strip. Finally, the study recommends carrying out more research on ornithofauna inhabiting the natural, agricultural and urban environments of the Gaza Strip. The establishment of a specialized center dealing with bird surveys and conservation is very essential in the Gaza Strip, which is an actual hot spot experiencing an escalating environmental degradation.
{"title":"Ornithofauna Prevailing at Al-Mawasi Ecosystem of the Gaza Strip, Palestine","authors":"A. Rabou","doi":"10.4236/oje.2019.99025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2019.99025","url":null,"abstract":"In spite of its small area, Palestine (27,000 km2) is home to more than 500 species of ornithofauna, inhabiting all types of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The Gaza Strip (365 km2), which represents 1.5% of Palestine, has a considerable number of ornithofaunistic species as well. Al-Mawasi ecosystem (14 m2), which lies in the far south-west of the Gaza Strip, has never been orinthologically studied. Thus, the current study comes to survey the ornithofauna prevailing at Al-Mawasi ecosystem as a natural to semi-natural environment. Ornithofauna were monitored using direct observations and binoculars for the lasted ten years (2009-2018). A total number of 135 ornithofaunistic species, belonging to 45 families and 17 orders were encountered at Al-Mawasi ecosystem. Passeriformes was the largest order and comprised 57 (42.2%) of the recorded species, while the non-passerines constituted the remaining 78 species (57.8%). Muscicapidae was the largest among the recorded families; represented by 13 species (9.6%), and followed by 10 species of Scolopacidae, (7.4%), 8 species of Ardeidae and Fringillidae (5.9%) for each and 7 species of Accipitridae (5.0%). Aquatic ornithofaunistic species represented 44 (32.6%) of the total species recorded, while the terrestrial ones represented 91 (67.4%). The Palestine Sunbird (Nectarinia osea) is a common endemic Palestinian species in Al-Mawasi ecosystem. The Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) has become an actual source of financial income for its catchers, and as a result, it is extensively hunted in vast areas of the Gaza Strip. Finally, the study recommends carrying out more research on ornithofauna inhabiting the natural, agricultural and urban environments of the Gaza Strip. The establishment of a specialized center dealing with bird surveys and conservation is very essential in the Gaza Strip, which is an actual hot spot experiencing an escalating environmental degradation.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128421027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The purpose of this study was to examine specimens of the Jamaican Ball sponge Cinachyrella kuekenthali, collected from two proximal locations approximately 10 km apart on the North Coast of the island at comparable depths of 10 - 17 m. The locations represented two distinctly different environments—a silty bay area in proximity to a shipping channel (Columbus Park, Discovery Bay) in contrast to a pristine, clear reef wall (Rio Bueno, Trelawny). Two individuals were collected in a preliminary study in which cholesterol was found to be the main constituent of both extracts. Five individuals were collected from Columbus Park while six individuals were sourced from Rio Bueno. The specimens were extracted separately with dichloromethane to afford gum-like substances. From the results of the study, the masses of the Columbus Park specimens were higher (average: 97.22 g) than that of the Rio Bueno-sourced organisms (42.57 g) but the quantities of the dichloromethane extracts were lower (2.06% vs. 3.81%), suggesting that the Columbus Park sponges were more focused on survival than metabolite production.
{"title":"The Investigation of the Ball Sponge Cinachyrella kuekenthali from Two Different Environments on Jamaica’s North Coast","authors":"W. Gallimore","doi":"10.4236/oje.2019.99022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2019.99022","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study was to examine specimens of the Jamaican Ball sponge Cinachyrella kuekenthali, collected from two proximal locations approximately 10 km apart on the North Coast of the island at comparable depths of 10 - 17 m. The locations represented two distinctly different environments—a silty bay area in proximity to a shipping channel (Columbus Park, Discovery Bay) in contrast to a pristine, clear reef wall (Rio Bueno, Trelawny). Two individuals were collected in a preliminary study in which cholesterol was found to be the main constituent of both extracts. Five individuals were collected from Columbus Park while six individuals were sourced from Rio Bueno. The specimens were extracted separately with dichloromethane to afford gum-like substances. From the results of the study, the masses of the Columbus Park specimens were higher (average: 97.22 g) than that of the Rio Bueno-sourced organisms (42.57 g) but the quantities of the dichloromethane extracts were lower (2.06% vs. 3.81%), suggesting that the Columbus Park sponges were more focused on survival than metabolite production.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"77 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115731120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D. Goza, P. Zisadza-Gandiwa, C. Mashapa, N. Muboko, E. Gandiwa
Wildlife reintroduction regulations require feasibility assessment to inform planning. The study aims to contribute to the existing knowledge on northern Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), southeastern Zimbabwe, prior to the black rhino re-introduction project. The study objective was to assess browse availability and suitability for black rhino re-introduction in northern GNP. We stratified the study area into two strata, i.e. north and south of Runde River in GNP. A total of 96 sample plots measuring 20 m × 30 m (i.e., 48 plots in each study stratum) were randomly placed across the study strata, between March and April 2011. Woody plant variables recorded are: shrub height, shrub canopy diameters, evidence of browsing on woody plants, number of shrubs and woody species. Principal browse frequency of occurrence and proportional quality of woody species were categorized and analyzed in combination with knowledge on the woody species’ value to black rhino diet. Preferred woody species were determined using browse suitability/electivity index. A total of 3201 woody plants were recorded across the study strata. Woody species diversity and black rhino’s browse suitability/electivity value significantly (p = 0.001) differed across the study strata. However, there were no significant differences in shrub density, shrub canopy volume and density of browsed plants. Common principal forages were recorded and included: knob thorn Acacia (Acacia nigrescens), small-leaved sickle-bush (Dichrostachys cineria) and tamboti (Spirostachys africana). The study suggested that black rhino’s browse suitability, preferred browse woody species, woody species diversity and proportional browse availability, as selected attributes are favorably more pronounced in the northern side of the Runde River in GNP, suggesting it is more suitable as a sanctuary for the black rhino re-introduction programme. It was recommended that black rhinos could be re-introduced in the northern GNP area provided other important factors such as law enforcement are taken into consideration.
野生动物重新引入法规要求进行可行性评估，以便为规划提供信息。这项研究的目的是在黑犀牛重新引入项目之前，对津巴布韦东南部的戈纳雷州国家公园(GNP)北部的现有知识做出贡献。研究的目的是评估黑犀牛在国民生产总值北部重新引入的可用性和适用性。我们将研究区划分为两个地层，即GNP中润德河的北部和南部。2011年3月至4月，在研究层中随机放置96个20 m × 30 m的样地(即每个研究层48个样地)。记录的木本植物变量包括:灌木高度、灌木冠层直径、食食木本植物的证据、灌木数量和木本种类。结合对木本物种对黑犀牛饮食价值的认识，对木本物种发生的主浏览频率和比例质量进行了分类分析。利用浏览适宜性/选择性指数确定首选木本树种。整个研究层共记录到木本植物3201种。不同研究层间木本物种多样性和黑犀牛的浏览适宜性/选择性值差异显著(p = 0.001)。灌木密度、灌木冠层体积和被掠植物密度差异不显著。常见的主要牧草有:棘金合欢(Acacia nigrescens)、小叶镰刀灌木(Dichrostachys cineria)和柽柳(Spirostachys africana)。研究表明，黑犀牛的浏览适宜性、首选浏览木本物种、木本物种多样性和比例浏览可用性，作为选择属性，在GNP的润德河北岸更为明显，表明它更适合作为黑犀牛重新引入计划的保护区。有人建议，如果考虑到执法等其他重要因素，可以在北部国民生产总值地区重新引入黑犀牛。
{"title":"Assessment of Browse Availability and Suitability for Black Rhino’s Re-Introduction in Northern Gonarezhou National Park, Southeastern Zimbabwe","authors":"D. Goza, P. Zisadza-Gandiwa, C. Mashapa, N. Muboko, E. Gandiwa","doi":"10.4236/oje.2019.99023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2019.99023","url":null,"abstract":"Wildlife reintroduction regulations require feasibility assessment to inform planning. The study aims to contribute to the existing knowledge on northern Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), southeastern Zimbabwe, prior to the black rhino re-introduction project. The study objective was to assess browse availability and suitability for black rhino re-introduction in northern GNP. We stratified the study area into two strata, i.e. north and south of Runde River in GNP. A total of 96 sample plots measuring 20 m × 30 m (i.e., 48 plots in each study stratum) were randomly placed across the study strata, between March and April 2011. Woody plant variables recorded are: shrub height, shrub canopy diameters, evidence of browsing on woody plants, number of shrubs and woody species. Principal browse frequency of occurrence and proportional quality of woody species were categorized and analyzed in combination with knowledge on the woody species’ value to black rhino diet. Preferred woody species were determined using browse suitability/electivity index. A total of 3201 woody plants were recorded across the study strata. Woody species diversity and black rhino’s browse suitability/electivity value significantly (p = 0.001) differed across the study strata. However, there were no significant differences in shrub density, shrub canopy volume and density of browsed plants. Common principal forages were recorded and included: knob thorn Acacia (Acacia nigrescens), small-leaved sickle-bush (Dichrostachys cineria) and tamboti (Spirostachys africana). The study suggested that black rhino’s browse suitability, preferred browse woody species, woody species diversity and proportional browse availability, as selected attributes are favorably more pronounced in the northern side of the Runde River in GNP, suggesting it is more suitable as a sanctuary for the black rhino re-introduction programme. It was recommended that black rhinos could be re-introduced in the northern GNP area provided other important factors such as law enforcement are taken into consideration.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116389645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The wild camel (Camelus ferus) is a critically endangered large ungulate, surviving in just three distinct populations located in the Taklamakan Desert, China; deserts near Lop Nuur, China; and in China and Mongolia within and adjacent to Mongolia’s Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area (GGSPA). The population surviving in Mongolia remains poorly researched, but as few as 500 individuals may survive, although its distribution has remained relatively constant over the past 30 - 50 years. This study aimed at identifying potentially important environmental factors that influence the distribution of wild camels in Mongolia and predicting seasonal movement. We predicted distribution by season using presence only data and selected environmental predictors, including land surface temperature, normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVI), water sources, vegetation and soil. Model predictions revealed that land surface temperature in summer correlated significantly with wild camel distribution, with camels occurring in cooler areas. Abundance of biomass did not significantly correlate with camel distribution. Camels occurred in areas with intermediate levels of NDVI in most seasons, implying that they may base foraging decisions on forage quantity, not quality. Positive correlations of camel distribution with higher NDVI in summer (P = 0.03) suggests that they may prefer herbaceous species that appear after rainfall. Models indicate distance to water sources may be critical for camel distribution in all seasons. Camel occurrence correlated with areas containing shallow mountain soils in summer. Camels displayed no significant habitat correlations in other seasons, yet ranges differed among all seasons. Camels used a common region in spring, summer and autumn that we believe represents the core of the species’ annual range. Wild camel distribution during winter varied significantly from other seasons. Our modelling led to a predicted distribution range that was consistent with ranges described by previous research, indicating consistency between survey data and satellite tracking data.
{"title":"The Seasonal Distribution of Wild Camels (Camelus ferus) in Relation to Changes of the Environmental Conditions in Mongolia","authors":"Adiya Yadamsuren, O. Daria, Shaochuang Liu","doi":"10.4236/oje.2019.98021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2019.98021","url":null,"abstract":"The wild camel (Camelus ferus) is a critically endangered large ungulate, surviving in just three distinct populations located in the Taklamakan Desert, China; deserts near Lop Nuur, China; and in China and Mongolia within and adjacent to Mongolia’s Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area (GGSPA). The population surviving in Mongolia remains poorly researched, but as few as 500 individuals may survive, although its distribution has remained relatively constant over the past 30 - 50 years. This study aimed at identifying potentially important environmental factors that influence the distribution of wild camels in Mongolia and predicting seasonal movement. We predicted distribution by season using presence only data and selected environmental predictors, including land surface temperature, normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVI), water sources, vegetation and soil. Model predictions revealed that land surface temperature in summer correlated significantly with wild camel distribution, with camels occurring in cooler areas. Abundance of biomass did not significantly correlate with camel distribution. Camels occurred in areas with intermediate levels of NDVI in most seasons, implying that they may base foraging decisions on forage quantity, not quality. Positive correlations of camel distribution with higher NDVI in summer (P = 0.03) suggests that they may prefer herbaceous species that appear after rainfall. Models indicate distance to water sources may be critical for camel distribution in all seasons. Camel occurrence correlated with areas containing shallow mountain soils in summer. Camels displayed no significant habitat correlations in other seasons, yet ranges differed among all seasons. Camels used a common region in spring, summer and autumn that we believe represents the core of the species’ annual range. Wild camel distribution during winter varied significantly from other seasons. Our modelling led to a predicted distribution range that was consistent with ranges described by previous research, indicating consistency between survey data and satellite tracking data.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"128 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124224800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Conservation of tropical rainforest is an important aspect of climate change mitigation, and baseline information through inventories of forests is paramount so as to enable the putting in place of proper management strategies. This study was aimed at evaluating the plant species diversity, and distribution and to investigate the forest cover change of the Kedjom Keku forest. Five plots were located at irregular intervals (100 m × 50 m) along a line transect and spread throughout the study area using 10 m × 10 m. Land cover/Land use changes were evaluated using remote sensing and GIS, while semi structured questionnaires were used to assess the anthropogenic activities. A total of 107 species of plants including 74 trees, 28 shrubs and 5 lianas, belonging to 83 genera and 58 families were identified. Rubiaceae (10 species) and Asteraceae (5 species) were the most represented tree and shrub families respectively. Species with the highest important value index were Schefflera mannii (31.9) and Piper capense (16.9) for trees and shrubs respectively. This forest is diverse, with Shannon-Wiener diversity index values of 3.55 for trees and 3.07 for shrubs. Seven land cover classes were distinguished within the years 1986, 2003 and 2018. There was a drastic increase in built up/settlement from 0.63% in 2003, to 20.46% in 2018. Dense vegetation increased within 2003 to 2018 after a drastic drop from 151.86 ha−1 to 119.88 ha−1 between 1986 and 2003. Infrastructure, over-grazing and expansion of farmland were reported as the direct factors influencing degradation, while land right, land tenure and equitability were the most cited indirect factors. The prominent factor that encouraged degradation was the fertile nature of the soils. We propose that sensitization campaigns be carried out to educate inhabitants on the rich biodiversity of Kedjom Keku forest and explain to them the importance of sustainable management of the resources therein.
保护热带雨林是减缓气候变化的一个重要方面，通过森林清查获得的基线信息至关重要，以便能够制定适当的管理战略。本研究的目的是评价kejom Keku森林的植物物种多样性和分布，并调查森林覆盖的变化。五个样地沿样线不规则间隔(100 m × 50 m)分布，并以10 m × 10 m分布在整个研究区域。利用遥感和地理信息系统对土地覆盖/土地利用变化进行评价，并利用半结构化问卷对人为活动进行评价。共鉴定植物107种，其中乔木74种，灌木28种，藤本植物5种，隶属58科83属。杉木科(10种)和菊科(5种)分别是最具代表性的乔木科和灌木科。重要值指数最高的树种分别是乔木和灌木中的曼氏雪蚤(31.9)和花椒(16.9)。林分多样，乔木的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数为3.55，灌木为3.07。在1986年、2003年和2018年划分了七个土地覆盖等级。新建/定居的比例从2003年的0.63%急剧增加到2018年的20.46%。密集植被在1986年至2003年从151.86 ha - 1急剧下降到119.88 ha - 1后，在2003年至2018年期间有所增加。基础设施、过度放牧和农田扩张被认为是影响退化的直接因素，而土地权利、土地权属和土地公平是被引用最多的间接因素。促使土壤退化的主要因素是土壤的肥沃性。我们建议开展宣传活动，教育居民了解kejom Keku森林丰富的生物多样性，并向他们解释可持续管理其中资源的重要性。
{"title":"Floristic Diversity, Distribution and Analysis of Forest Cover Change in the Kedjom Keku Forest, NW Cameroon","authors":"Patrick Tsitoh, E. Bechem","doi":"10.4236/oje.2019.98020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2019.98020","url":null,"abstract":"Conservation of tropical rainforest is an important aspect of climate change mitigation, and baseline information through inventories of forests is paramount so as to enable the putting in place of proper management strategies. This study was aimed at evaluating the plant species diversity, and distribution and to investigate the forest cover change of the Kedjom Keku forest. Five plots were located at irregular intervals (100 m × 50 m) along a line transect and spread throughout the study area using 10 m × 10 m. Land cover/Land use changes were evaluated using remote sensing and GIS, while semi structured questionnaires were used to assess the anthropogenic activities. A total of 107 species of plants including 74 trees, 28 shrubs and 5 lianas, belonging to 83 genera and 58 families were identified. Rubiaceae (10 species) and Asteraceae (5 species) were the most represented tree and shrub families respectively. Species with the highest important value index were Schefflera mannii (31.9) and Piper capense (16.9) for trees and shrubs respectively. This forest is diverse, with Shannon-Wiener diversity index values of 3.55 for trees and 3.07 for shrubs. Seven land cover classes were distinguished within the years 1986, 2003 and 2018. There was a drastic increase in built up/settlement from 0.63% in 2003, to 20.46% in 2018. Dense vegetation increased within 2003 to 2018 after a drastic drop from 151.86 ha−1 to 119.88 ha−1 between 1986 and 2003. Infrastructure, over-grazing and expansion of farmland were reported as the direct factors influencing degradation, while land right, land tenure and equitability were the most cited indirect factors. The prominent factor that encouraged degradation was the fertile nature of the soils. We propose that sensitization campaigns be carried out to educate inhabitants on the rich biodiversity of Kedjom Keku forest and explain to them the importance of sustainable management of the resources therein.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121972301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marina Silva-Opps, Joshua Mailhiot, S. Opps, Javier Sánchez
We explored the effects of land-cover configuration, body size and trophic diversity in determining avian species richness on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Data on avian species richness were obtained from the Maritime Breeding Bird Atlas data. Prince Edward Island was divided into 97 sampling cells of 10 × 10 km. Land-cover metrics were calculated using a forest inventory database, Fragstats and ArcView version 8.1. The relationships between avian species richness and explanatory variables were explored using correlation analysis, mixed forward-backward stepwise analysis, generalized linear models and Akaike’s information criterion. Models predicted between 27% and 63% of the variability in species richness, attributing substantial explanatory power to both the average body size and the range of body size spanned by the avian community. The body-size frequency distribution showed that avian communities were dominated by species weighing between 50 and 80 g. Habitat metrics associated with forests were more important to the avifauna than those related to agriculture. Avian species richness also decreased with both the fragmentation and isolation of wetlands. The total area covered by the human infrastructure land-cover and its subdivision were also important. Clearly, body size plays a key role in determining the diversity of birds on Prince Edward Island. In particular, species weighing 50 - 80 g appear to have sufficient resources to be successful on Prince Edward Island’s landscapes. Our findings also highlighted the importance of controlling the expansion of human infrastructure and both the fragmentation and reduction in size of wetlands to maintain avian species richness patterns.
{"title":"Exploring the Effects of Land-Cover Configuration, Body Size and Trophic Diversity on the Avifauna Richness of Prince Edward Island, Canada","authors":"Marina Silva-Opps, Joshua Mailhiot, S. Opps, Javier Sánchez","doi":"10.4236/OJE.2019.97018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/OJE.2019.97018","url":null,"abstract":"We explored the effects of land-cover configuration, body size and trophic diversity in determining avian species richness on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Data on avian species richness were obtained from the Maritime Breeding Bird Atlas data. Prince Edward Island was divided into 97 sampling cells of 10 × 10 km. Land-cover metrics were calculated using a forest inventory database, Fragstats and ArcView version 8.1. The relationships between avian species richness and explanatory variables were explored using correlation analysis, mixed forward-backward stepwise analysis, generalized linear models and Akaike’s information criterion. Models predicted between 27% and 63% of the variability in species richness, attributing substantial explanatory power to both the average body size and the range of body size spanned by the avian community. The body-size frequency distribution showed that avian communities were dominated by species weighing between 50 and 80 g. Habitat metrics associated with forests were more important to the avifauna than those related to agriculture. Avian species richness also decreased with both the fragmentation and isolation of wetlands. The total area covered by the human infrastructure land-cover and its subdivision were also important. Clearly, body size plays a key role in determining the diversity of birds on Prince Edward Island. In particular, species weighing 50 - 80 g appear to have sufficient resources to be successful on Prince Edward Island’s landscapes. Our findings also highlighted the importance of controlling the expansion of human infrastructure and both the fragmentation and reduction in size of wetlands to maintain avian species richness patterns.","PeriodicalId":265480,"journal":{"name":"Open Journal of Ecology","volume":"82 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129117327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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