The thermal comfort of pedestrians in the outdoor spaces of urban areas has deteriorated due to the urban densification. The street being a major outdoor space that can promote physical activity, and especially with the emerging concept of walkable cities, thermal comfort in streets should be given utmost importance. Thermal comfort for pedestrians is the absence of any sense of discomfort when interacting with the outdoor thermal environment. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of various landscape measures (trees and pavements) to enhance pedestrian thermal comfort on sidewalks. The study has adopted the quantitative approach and used the simulation and questionnaire survey as methodological tools to meet its objectives. The study was conducted on both sidewalks of Durbarmarg, one of the dense and busy streets of Kathmandu. The microclimatic modeling software ENVI-met 5.03 lite was used for the simulation. The results of the simulation showed that increasing the leaf area density (LAD), tree canopy size and height can reduce the air temperature by 0.2°C and Mean radiant temperature by 4.86°C. Among the various pavement materials in various scenarios for the simulation, the light concrete pavement showed the highest decrease in terms of the air temperature (0.579°C) however the mean radiant temperature was highest (7.22°C) for the same material. Hence, high reflective surfaces reduce the surface /air temperature but it increases the mean radiant temperature and hence they might not be appropriate for the thermal comfort of pedestrians. The paving materials which showed a decrease in both air temperature and mean radiant temperature were porous concrete, flagstone, and brick pavers. The study concludes that proper selection of pavement materials and high leaf area density of trees can enhance the thermal comfort for pedestrians on the sidewalks of Kathmandu.
{"title":"Sidewalk Landscape Structure to enhance Pedestrian Thermal Comfort in Kathmandu Metropolitan City","authors":"Arpana Shakya, Sanjaya Uprety, Barsha Shrestha","doi":"10.3126/jes.v9i1.56474","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v9i1.56474","url":null,"abstract":"The thermal comfort of pedestrians in the outdoor spaces of urban areas has deteriorated due to the urban densification. The street being a major outdoor space that can promote physical activity, and especially with the emerging concept of walkable cities, thermal comfort in streets should be given utmost importance. Thermal comfort for pedestrians is the absence of any sense of discomfort when interacting with the outdoor thermal environment. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of various landscape measures (trees and pavements) to enhance pedestrian thermal comfort on sidewalks. The study has adopted the quantitative approach and used the simulation and questionnaire survey as methodological tools to meet its objectives. The study was conducted on both sidewalks of Durbarmarg, one of the dense and busy streets of Kathmandu. The microclimatic modeling software ENVI-met 5.03 lite was used for the simulation. The results of the simulation showed that increasing the leaf area density (LAD), tree canopy size and height can reduce the air temperature by 0.2°C and Mean radiant temperature by 4.86°C. Among the various pavement materials in various scenarios for the simulation, the light concrete pavement showed the highest decrease in terms of the air temperature (0.579°C) however the mean radiant temperature was highest (7.22°C) for the same material. Hence, high reflective surfaces reduce the surface /air temperature but it increases the mean radiant temperature and hence they might not be appropriate for the thermal comfort of pedestrians. The paving materials which showed a decrease in both air temperature and mean radiant temperature were porous concrete, flagstone, and brick pavers. The study concludes that proper selection of pavement materials and high leaf area density of trees can enhance the thermal comfort for pedestrians on the sidewalks of Kathmandu.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81288218","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}
Various forest management strategies are in place for the conservation of forest ecosystems across the globe. Nepal is also implementing different forest management and restoration practices and has various impacts on vegetation characteristics. This study aims to compare the richness and diversity of woody plant species, and variability in abundance of woody species assemblages in different forest management stands, viz. restored stands inside Buffer Zone Community Forest (BZCF), natural stands of BZCF and core stands of Parsa National Park. Thirty sampling plots of 30 m × 30 m were laid on each stand, maintaining at least 50 m distance between the plots, where woody plant species having height 1.5 cm was identified and their DBH measured. Species composition was assessed comparing Importance Value Index (IVI) of woody plant species across the forests. Similarly, species diversity and structural diversity across stands were determined using Shannon Diversity index and basal areas of the plant species were calculated. The study showed Shorea robusta and Lagerstroemia parviflora with highest frequency (>80%) in all the sites, and the species diversity was highest in the core stands inside the national park followed by the natural stands of BZCF, and the restored stands of BZCF. Basal area of overall species and density of S. robusta were, however, highest on the restored stands of BZCF, whereas overall density was highest in the natural stands of the BZCF. The study revealed that the forest management practices need improvement in enhancing the plant species diversity of the ecosystems. We recommend to assess the functional attributes of the different forest management stands to evaluate the effectiveness of forest management strategies.
为保护全球的森林生态系统，制定了各种森林管理战略。尼泊尔还在实施不同的森林管理和恢复做法，并对植被特征产生各种影响。本研究旨在比较不同森林经营林分(即缓冲带群落林内恢复林分、缓冲带群落林内自然林分和Parsa国家公园核心林分)木本植物物种丰富度和多样性，以及木本植物物种组合丰度的变异。每个林分布置30个样地，样地间距至少为50 m，样地面积为30 m × 30 m，鉴定出木本植物种高1.5 cm，并测量其胸径。采用重要值指数(IVI)评价了林内木本植物的物种组成。利用Shannon多样性指数确定林分间的物种多样性和结构多样性，计算植物物种的基底面积。研究结果表明，在所有样地中，红杉树和小花紫薇的分布频率最高(>80%)，物种多样性以国家公园内的核心林分最高，其次为林分自然林分，恢复林分次之。在恢复林分，总种基面积和密度最高，而在自然林分，总密度最高。研究表明，在提高生态系统植物物种多样性方面，森林管理措施有待改进。我们建议通过评估不同森林经营体系的功能属性来评价森林经营战略的有效性。
{"title":"Woody species diversity and assemblage in different forest management stands of central Nepal","authors":"Pradeep Ghimire, R. Sapkota, K. Rijal","doi":"10.3126/jes.v9i1.56476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v9i1.56476","url":null,"abstract":"Various forest management strategies are in place for the conservation of forest ecosystems across the globe. Nepal is also implementing different forest management and restoration practices and has various impacts on vegetation characteristics. This study aims to compare the richness and diversity of woody plant species, and variability in abundance of woody species assemblages in different forest management stands, viz. restored stands inside Buffer Zone Community Forest (BZCF), natural stands of BZCF and core stands of Parsa National Park. Thirty sampling plots of 30 m × 30 m were laid on each stand, maintaining at least 50 m distance between the plots, where woody plant species having height 1.5 cm was identified and their DBH measured. Species composition was assessed comparing Importance Value Index (IVI) of woody plant species across the forests. Similarly, species diversity and structural diversity across stands were determined using Shannon Diversity index and basal areas of the plant species were calculated. The study showed Shorea robusta and Lagerstroemia parviflora with highest frequency (>80%) in all the sites, and the species diversity was highest in the core stands inside the national park followed by the natural stands of BZCF, and the restored stands of BZCF. Basal area of overall species and density of S. robusta were, however, highest on the restored stands of BZCF, whereas overall density was highest in the natural stands of the BZCF. The study revealed that the forest management practices need improvement in enhancing the plant species diversity of the ecosystems. We recommend to assess the functional attributes of the different forest management stands to evaluate the effectiveness of forest management strategies.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90086511","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}
Assessment of drinking water quality is being crucial especially in school institutions since children spend most of the time in school premises. The aim of this study was to assess bacterial contamination of the selected schools of Tokha Municipality. Total of 17 water samples from Ward 1, 2 and 3 were sampled and membrane filtration (MF) technique was used to analyses total coliform and fecal coliform incubated for 37 °C and 44 °C respectively. Multiple drinking water sources were found in the study area such as natural springs, piped-line system, bottled water and private wells. Almost all of the water samples exceeded WHO guideline and National Drinking Water Standards which implied none of the water samples are safe for drinking. Very few schools were found to adopt purification measures while other used to supply directly. Water samples of school were even not tested once in many schools for microbial analysis. Therefore, school management need to be responsible in coming days to ensure safe drinking water not just for children, for the wellbeing of the society and Nation.
{"title":"Assessment of Bacterial Contamination in Drinking water of Schools of Tokha Municipality, Kathmandu","authors":"G. Shrestha, M. Shrestha, R. Byanju","doi":"10.3126/jes.v8i1.53656","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v8i1.53656","url":null,"abstract":"Assessment of drinking water quality is being crucial especially in school institutions since children spend most of the time in school premises. The aim of this study was to assess bacterial contamination of the selected schools of Tokha Municipality. Total of 17 water samples from Ward 1, 2 and 3 were sampled and membrane filtration (MF) technique was used to analyses total coliform and fecal coliform incubated for 37 °C and 44 °C respectively. Multiple drinking water sources were found in the study area such as natural springs, piped-line system, bottled water and private wells. Almost all of the water samples exceeded WHO guideline and National Drinking Water Standards which implied none of the water samples are safe for drinking. Very few schools were found to adopt purification measures while other used to supply directly. Water samples of school were even not tested once in many schools for microbial analysis. Therefore, school management need to be responsible in coming days to ensure safe drinking water not just for children, for the wellbeing of the society and Nation.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83677771","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}
Kenisha Shrestha, P. Pradhan, Prakash Chandra Wagle, Prashansha Pokharel
Water scarcity has been a major problem of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC). Different interventions are being attempted to solve this problem including the highly discussed Melamchi Drinking Water supply project. Thus, so rainwater harvesting (RWH) could be a promising approach to satisfy water to some extent. The study has aimed to assess the status of rainwater harvesting practices in KMC and to examine its effectiveness in overcoming the water shortage. A total of 244 households were surveyed covering 32 wards of KMC through random sampling method and semi structured questionnaire forms were laid for the data collection. The annual rainfall data of interval 30 years (1990-2019) of KMC, collected from department of Hydrology and Meteorology for trend analysis. Study revealed 58.2% of households are practicing RWH and among them 63.2% installed RWH system more than five years ago. About 63% of households are practicing roof top harvesting which is found to be more convenient in terms of cost and space. Strong positive correlation (R2=0.876, r=0.942) was observed among amount of water harvested and space occupied by RWH system and was statistically significant (P <0.05). Harvested water is found mainly used for household’s chores, flushing toilets and watering the garden. Majority (95.8%) of respondents did not prefer harvested water for drinking due to its poor water quality, high contamination and bad odor and taste. About 73.2% of the respondents decontaminate harvested water before using and filtration (63%) is found to be most common and effective method for decontamination. Despite of challenges like leakages of storages and gutters, about 87.3% of respondents are strongly satisfied with RWH system as it reduced the municipal water supply bill and provides excess water for the sanitation. Furthermore, the trend analysis showed increment of rainfall in the area by 1.21 mm per annum. Study regarding governmental incentives for the installation of RWH system, availability and accessibility of quality products, training on installation and sanitary management of RWH system would help to shed further light in the aspects of RWH.
{"title":"Rainwater Harvesting Practices and Its Effectiveness in Kathmandu Metropolitan City","authors":"Kenisha Shrestha, P. Pradhan, Prakash Chandra Wagle, Prashansha Pokharel","doi":"10.3126/jes.v8i1.53652","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v8i1.53652","url":null,"abstract":"Water scarcity has been a major problem of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC). Different interventions are being attempted to solve this problem including the highly discussed Melamchi Drinking Water supply project. Thus, so rainwater harvesting (RWH) could be a promising approach to satisfy water to some extent. The study has aimed to assess the status of rainwater harvesting practices in KMC and to examine its effectiveness in overcoming the water shortage. A total of 244 households were surveyed covering 32 wards of KMC through random sampling method and semi structured questionnaire forms were laid for the data collection. The annual rainfall data of interval 30 years (1990-2019) of KMC, collected from department of Hydrology and Meteorology for trend analysis. Study revealed 58.2% of households are practicing RWH and among them 63.2% installed RWH system more than five years ago. About 63% of households are practicing roof top harvesting which is found to be more convenient in terms of cost and space. Strong positive correlation (R2=0.876, r=0.942) was observed among amount of water harvested and space occupied by RWH system and was statistically significant (P <0.05). Harvested water is found mainly used for household’s chores, flushing toilets and watering the garden. Majority (95.8%) of respondents did not prefer harvested water for drinking due to its poor water quality, high contamination and bad odor and taste. About 73.2% of the respondents decontaminate harvested water before using and filtration (63%) is found to be most common and effective method for decontamination. Despite of challenges like leakages of storages and gutters, about 87.3% of respondents are strongly satisfied with RWH system as it reduced the municipal water supply bill and provides excess water for the sanitation. Furthermore, the trend analysis showed increment of rainfall in the area by 1.21 mm per annum. Study regarding governmental incentives for the installation of RWH system, availability and accessibility of quality products, training on installation and sanitary management of RWH system would help to shed further light in the aspects of RWH.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88818839","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}
Rara Lake is situated in mountain ecoregion serves as staging post for the long range migratory wetland birds. The lake ambient forest bears the restricted range and globally threatened species. Bird species in the park is reported as unrecorded while habitat quality of the Rara lake providing the refuge to migratory and native bird species is degrading. Adherence to the statement, study was carried to gather the descriptive and evidence- based information on bird species and habitat quality was carried to understand bird status, its activities and habitat quality. Bird count was carried through line transect. Bird behavior, activities, stay-length and lake riparian habitat was noted through direct sighting. Water quality was assessed following American Public Health Association water quality test guideline. The study counted a total of 2415 bird individuals from listed 104 species including 16 migratory Waterfowls, 13 wetland dependent birds and 75 forest birds. The observed bird species ranged from frequent to very uncommon winter visitor stop in Rara lake primarily for fueling during migration. Observed that most of time birds were foraging at shallow water but merely outside lakes. Discarded trashes in the roosting and foraging site and around the lake circuit trail triggering threats to waterfowls and aquatic biodiversity while higher human movement through the trail causing disturbance to waterfowl. Water quality assessment revealed that Phosphorous and ammonia concentration in Rara lake were higher than the recommended level for freshwater/aquatic ecosystem connoting lake in the process of eutrophication and acute ammonia toxicity affecting aquatic life. Regular assessment of water quality is required preventing aquatic life from detrimental effects. Continuous monitoring to study their migratory behavior and habitat qualities would be essential to inform conservation policies also linking with eco-tourism activities.
{"title":"Ornithological Survey and Habitat Quality Study in Rara Lake, Nepal","authors":"M. Shrestha, K. Nepal, T. G. Magar, D. Rijal","doi":"10.3126/jes.v8i1.53650","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v8i1.53650","url":null,"abstract":"Rara Lake is situated in mountain ecoregion serves as staging post for the long range migratory wetland birds. The lake ambient forest bears the restricted range and globally threatened species. Bird species in the park is reported as unrecorded while habitat quality of the Rara lake providing the refuge to migratory and native bird species is degrading. Adherence to the statement, study was carried to gather the descriptive and evidence- based information on bird species and habitat quality was carried to understand bird status, its activities and habitat quality. Bird count was carried through line transect. Bird behavior, activities, stay-length and lake riparian habitat was noted through direct sighting. Water quality was assessed following American Public Health Association water quality test guideline. The study counted a total of 2415 bird individuals from listed 104 species including 16 migratory Waterfowls, 13 wetland dependent birds and 75 forest birds. The observed bird species ranged from frequent to very uncommon winter visitor stop in Rara lake primarily for fueling during migration. Observed that most of time birds were foraging at shallow water but merely outside lakes. Discarded trashes in the roosting and foraging site and around the lake circuit trail triggering threats to waterfowls and aquatic biodiversity while higher human movement through the trail causing disturbance to waterfowl. Water quality assessment revealed that Phosphorous and ammonia concentration in Rara lake were higher than the recommended level for freshwater/aquatic ecosystem connoting lake in the process of eutrophication and acute ammonia toxicity affecting aquatic life. Regular assessment of water quality is required preventing aquatic life from detrimental effects. Continuous monitoring to study their migratory behavior and habitat qualities would be essential to inform conservation policies also linking with eco-tourism activities.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90802001","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}
B. Baral, Sunita Shrestha, Dipak Raj Basnet, G. Magar, Parashuram Bhandari, Jeevan Rai, Sudeep Bhandari
The endangered red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is endemic to the Himalayas, including Jajarkot. Forest-dependent agro-pastoralists in Jajarkot rely on natural resources for their livelihoods in prime red panda habitats. This paper describes how agro-pastoralists perceive prevailing climate change threats and how they together with endangered red panda are sustaining in spite of these threats based on personal interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observation methods. The results of the study revealed that the perceptions of the agro-pastoralists correspond with the increasing trend of temperature and the changing (both increasing and decreasing) trends of precipitation. Moreover, the agro-pastoralists have perceived the decrease in snowfall and reported the appearance of new forage and pasture species in the red panda habitat. The findings will be useful to understand the impact of climate change in the red panda range and devising adaptation strategies in these areas.
{"title":"Transhumance Herders' Perceptions Towards the Change in Temperature and Precipitation in Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens Cuvier 1825) Habitats in Jajarkot, Karnali Province, Nepal","authors":"B. Baral, Sunita Shrestha, Dipak Raj Basnet, G. Magar, Parashuram Bhandari, Jeevan Rai, Sudeep Bhandari","doi":"10.3126/jes.v8i1.53657","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v8i1.53657","url":null,"abstract":"The endangered red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is endemic to the Himalayas, including Jajarkot. Forest-dependent agro-pastoralists in Jajarkot rely on natural resources for their livelihoods in prime red panda habitats. This paper describes how agro-pastoralists perceive prevailing climate change threats and how they together with endangered red panda are sustaining in spite of these threats based on personal interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observation methods. The results of the study revealed that the perceptions of the agro-pastoralists correspond with the increasing trend of temperature and the changing (both increasing and decreasing) trends of precipitation. Moreover, the agro-pastoralists have perceived the decrease in snowfall and reported the appearance of new forage and pasture species in the red panda habitat. The findings will be useful to understand the impact of climate change in the red panda range and devising adaptation strategies in these areas.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83752053","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}
Sacred groves (SG) play crucial roles in maintaining vegetation diversity and storing carbon. In Nepal, there is relatively little information about the carbon sequestration potential of SGs compared to other forest types. To address this research gap, this study analyzed the vegetation assemblage and carbon stock in three SGs, namely Bajrabarahi, Mhepi, and Swayambhu forests, located in the Kathmandu Valley. Systematically distributed square plots (15 m × 15 m) were used as sampling units. Above-ground tree biomass and below-ground tree biomass were estimated by using the allometric equation of trees, considering the diameter, height, and specific gravity of wood. A total of 479 individuals of woody species belonging to 37 species were recorded from the three SGs. Species diversity and species richness were relatively higher in Swayambhu SG. Based on the importance value index, Celtis australis, Schimawallichii, and Neolitseacuipala were dominant in Mhepi, Swayambhu, and Bajrabarahi SGs, respectively. Total biomass and carbon stock were highest in the Bajrabarahi Forest and lowest in the Swayambhu Forest. The average biomass and carbon stock in the three urban SGs were approximately 405 ton/ha and 191 ton/ha, respectively. The findings of the present study suggested that maintaining vegetation assemblage, biomass, and carbon stock in SGs might have important contributions to sequestering carbon, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing the aesthetic values of the religious areas.
圣林在维持植被多样性和储存碳方面发挥着至关重要的作用。在尼泊尔，与其他森林类型相比，关于SGs固碳潜力的信息相对较少。为了弥补这一研究空白，本研究分析了位于加德满都谷地的Bajrabarahi、Mhepi和Swayambhu三个SGs森林的植被组合和碳储量。采用系统分布的方形样地(15 m × 15 m)作为采样单位。利用树木异速生长方程，综合考虑木材直径、高度和比重，估算树木地上生物量和地下生物量。共记录到37种木本植物479个个体。Swayambhu SG的物种多样性和丰富度相对较高。根据重要值指数，在Mhepi、Swayambhu和Bajrabarahi地区，Celtis australis、Schimawallichii和Neolitseacuipala分别占主导地位。总生物量和碳储量在Bajrabarahi林最高，在Swayambhu林最低。3个城市绿地的平均生物量和碳储量分别约为405吨/公顷和191吨/公顷。研究结果表明，维持宗教区域的植被组合、生物量和碳储量可能对宗教区域的固碳、保护生物多样性和提高宗教区域的审美价值有重要贡献。
{"title":"Vegetation Assemblage and Carbon Stock in the Sacred Groves of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal","authors":"H. Sapkota, N. Dhital, R. Manandhar, R. Sapkota","doi":"10.3126/jes.v8i1.53649","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v8i1.53649","url":null,"abstract":"Sacred groves (SG) play crucial roles in maintaining vegetation diversity and storing carbon. In Nepal, there is relatively little information about the carbon sequestration potential of SGs compared to other forest types. To address this research gap, this study analyzed the vegetation assemblage and carbon stock in three SGs, namely Bajrabarahi, Mhepi, and Swayambhu forests, located in the Kathmandu Valley. Systematically distributed square plots (15 m × 15 m) were used as sampling units. Above-ground tree biomass and below-ground tree biomass were estimated by using the allometric equation of trees, considering the diameter, height, and specific gravity of wood. A total of 479 individuals of woody species belonging to 37 species were recorded from the three SGs. Species diversity and species richness were relatively higher in Swayambhu SG. Based on the importance value index, Celtis australis, Schimawallichii, and Neolitseacuipala were dominant in Mhepi, Swayambhu, and Bajrabarahi SGs, respectively. Total biomass and carbon stock were highest in the Bajrabarahi Forest and lowest in the Swayambhu Forest. The average biomass and carbon stock in the three urban SGs were approximately 405 ton/ha and 191 ton/ha, respectively. The findings of the present study suggested that maintaining vegetation assemblage, biomass, and carbon stock in SGs might have important contributions to sequestering carbon, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing the aesthetic values of the religious areas.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82240099","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}
Phytochemicals are naturally synthesized in all parts of the plant body. Lyonia ovaliafolia (Wallich) has been used in a traditional medicine for the treatment of skin diseases such as scabies and itching by different local communities of Nepal. The study was done to analyze the active phytochemicals present in alcoholic extract of its leaves. The sample was random collection along the road, from Namobuddha. A range of chemical tests were adopted for analyzing the types of phytochemical compounds and toxicity test based on OECD guideline. The results showed that the active phytochemicals present were saponin, flavonoids, tannin, steroids and cardiac glycosides in adequate amount. The toxicity present in the leaves finds scope to be experimented as botanical pesticides in agriculture farm as an alternative of chemical rodenticides.
{"title":"Extract of Lyonia ovalifolia (Wall.) Drude as a Potent Rodenticide","authors":"Sabina Shakya, Sushma Upadhayay, B. Devkota","doi":"10.3126/jes.v8i1.53658","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v8i1.53658","url":null,"abstract":"Phytochemicals are naturally synthesized in all parts of the plant body. Lyonia ovaliafolia (Wallich) has been used in a traditional medicine for the treatment of skin diseases such as scabies and itching by different local communities of Nepal. The study was done to analyze the active phytochemicals present in alcoholic extract of its leaves. The sample was random collection along the road, from Namobuddha. A range of chemical tests were adopted for analyzing the types of phytochemical compounds and toxicity test based on OECD guideline. \u0000The results showed that the active phytochemicals present were saponin, flavonoids, tannin, steroids and cardiac glycosides in adequate amount. The toxicity present in the leaves finds scope to be experimented as botanical pesticides in agriculture farm as an alternative of chemical rodenticides.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80566627","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}
Being a major devastating hazard, the study of landslides in Nepal Himalaya is very essential. For controlling and mitigate measures, understanding the behaviors and distribution of landslides over the temporal and spatial range is indispensable. The current study is carried out in the Rangun Khola watershed of western Nepal which spreads from Mahabharat Range (2,500m) to Dun valley covering an area of 489.39 km2. Polygon-based landslide inventory within the temporal range of 18 years (2003 to 2020 AD) was prepared by using temporal series of Google Earth Pro, Sentinel-2 images, and Landsat images, which were verified during the field visit. The number of landslides and area covered in different spatial units and temporal intervals were analyzed using the Q-GIS. In total, 494 landslides were identified and the area covered by the landslide was 0.47% of the total study area. Landslides in this area are highly dynamic with different activity states and temporal fluctuation. The number of landslides were highest, i.e., 143, in 2005 and the Upper Siwalik region consist of a large number of landslides making them highly prone to landslide events. The presence of thrust and faults was also found to be influencing the landslides and size distribution. The study will be useful for further researches to map susceptibility and hazard and also for policymakers to understand landslide status to reduce the risk.
作为一个重大的破坏性灾害，尼泊尔喜马拉雅地区的滑坡研究是非常必要的。在控制和缓解措施中，了解滑坡在时空范围内的行为和分布是必不可少的。目前的研究是在尼泊尔西部的Rangun Khola流域进行的，该流域从Mahabharat山脉(2500米)延伸到Dun山谷，面积为489.39平方公里。利用谷歌Earth Pro图像、Sentinel-2图像和Landsat图像的时间序列，编制了基于多边形的滑坡清单，时间范围为18 a (2003 - 2020 AD)，并在实地考察中进行了验证。利用Q-GIS分析了不同空间单元和时间间隔的滑坡数量和覆盖面积。共发现滑坡494个，滑坡覆盖面积占研究区总面积的0.47%。该地区滑坡具有高度动态性，具有不同的活动状态和时间波动。2005年滑坡数量最多，为143次，上西瓦里克地区滑坡数量多，极易发生滑坡事件。逆冲断层的存在也影响了滑坡的大小分布。该研究将有助于进一步研究滑坡的易感性和危险性，也有助于决策者了解滑坡的状况以降低风险。
{"title":"Distribution and Dynamic Behaviors of Landslide in Rangun Khola Watershed of the Western Nepal","authors":"L. Pathak, K. Devkota","doi":"10.3126/jes.v8i1.53653","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v8i1.53653","url":null,"abstract":"Being a major devastating hazard, the study of landslides in Nepal Himalaya is very essential. For controlling and mitigate measures, understanding the behaviors and distribution of landslides over the temporal and spatial range is indispensable. The current study is carried out in the Rangun Khola watershed of western Nepal which spreads from Mahabharat Range (2,500m) to Dun valley covering an area of 489.39 km2. Polygon-based landslide inventory within the temporal range of 18 years (2003 to 2020 AD) was prepared by using temporal series of Google Earth Pro, Sentinel-2 images, and Landsat images, which were verified during the field visit. The number of landslides and area covered in different spatial units and temporal intervals were analyzed using the Q-GIS. In total, 494 landslides were identified and the area covered by the landslide was 0.47% of the total study area. Landslides in this area are highly dynamic with different activity states and temporal fluctuation. The number of landslides were highest, i.e., 143, in 2005 and the Upper Siwalik region consist of a large number of landslides making them highly prone to landslide events. The presence of thrust and faults was also found to be influencing the landslides and size distribution. The study will be useful for further researches to map susceptibility and hazard and also for policymakers to understand landslide status to reduce the risk.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82014872","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}
Prativa Budhathoki, ChandraPrakash Thakur, Madan Mohan Sandilya, Basu Dev Poudel
The Wetland flora of Jagdishpur Reservoir has been studied in the year 2021. This study was conducted to document the wetland flora found on foot trails around the Jagdishpur reservoir, Kapilvastu District. 70 species belonging to 67 genera of 37 families were recorded from the study area.13 species were invasive which seems that the wetland is under threat. Thus; this study provides baseline information about the wetland flora of the reservoir which might help in further research and in the conservation of wetland flora.
{"title":"Wetland Flora of Jagadishpur Reservoir, Western Nepal","authors":"Prativa Budhathoki, ChandraPrakash Thakur, Madan Mohan Sandilya, Basu Dev Poudel","doi":"10.3126/jes.v8i1.53659","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v8i1.53659","url":null,"abstract":"The Wetland flora of Jagdishpur Reservoir has been studied in the year 2021. This study was conducted to document the wetland flora found on foot trails around the Jagdishpur reservoir, Kapilvastu District. 70 species belonging to 67 genera of 37 families were recorded from the study area.13 species were invasive which seems that the wetland is under threat. Thus; this study provides baseline information about the wetland flora of the reservoir which might help in further research and in the conservation of wetland flora.","PeriodicalId":87298,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environment and health sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74723738","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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