Abstract: Objective:Empirical evidence on the potential of area exclosure in the restoration of severely degraded lands is crucially important. Thus, a study was conducted to examine the influence of exclosure age on vegetation structure, diversity, and biomass carbon stock in the central dry lowland of Ethiopia.Methods: Results:The result showed that 17 woody species which represent 9 families were recorded at exclosures and open grazing lands. Shannon-Wiener () diversity index ranged from 0.74 (open grazing land) to 2.12 (middle age exclosure). Shannon evenness () index was higher in the middle age exclosure (0.80). Woody species basal area and tree density significantly ( < 0.05) increased with increasing exclosure age. The Aboveground woody biomass significantly ( < 0.05) varied from 12.60 (open grazing land) to 68.61 Mg ha (middle age exclosure). Similarly, the aboveground biomass (AGB) carbon stocked was significantly ( < 0.05) higher in the middle (32 Mg ha) and old age exclosures (31 Mg ha).Conclusion:This study indicated that exclusion can restore the degraded vegetation and sequester and stock more atmospheric carbon dioxide in the aboveground biomass. Therefore, open degraded grazing land of the lowland areas can be restored into a promising stage through area exclosure land use management.
Abstract: Objective:This study aimed to assess the thermal comfort trend using a metrological parameter based on the Summer Simmer Index (SSI), for different climates of Iran between 1985 and 2014.Methods:This is a Time-series study. The new SSI was calculated using metrological data in a 30 year- period for illustrating the changes to the thermal comfort or discomfort level through summer months in different climates of Iran. Mann- Kendall test and Sen's Slope were used to compare the upward or downward trend of the index during this period.Results:The worst thermal condition was observed in the southern and central regions of the country. A few stations were put in comfort zone (77≤SSI
Abstract: Aims:The recent yellow fever outbreak in Delta State, especially in Ika North East local government, triggered the need for this study.Background:Diseases caused by Aedes are by far raising serious concerns in the world.Objective:To evaluate the larvicidal activity on the use of petroleum products in the control of Aedes mosquitoes.Methods:Mosquito species were collected using 350ml deep ladle and identified in the field using their resting positions in their local habitats. Larvae and pupae were separately exposed to 0.005, 0.01, and 0.02%ml of kerosene and petrol in single and mixed forms. The experimental sets were triplicated. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and Turkey’s test to compare mortality, and time of mortality. LC50 and LC95 were computed using Probit analysis.Results:Results revealed that all concentrations of treatment caused complete mortality in larvae except in 0.005%ml and 0.01%ml of kerosene alone and kerosene and petrol mixture at 50 minutes of exposure. All concentrations of treatment equally caused complete mortality in pupae except in 0.005%ml of kerosene (Mean= 10.00) at 30 minutes. The differences between mortality and time mortality records were significant (p< 0.05). Kerosene and petrol mixture and kerosene alone had the lower LC50 and LC95 0.0021 and 0.0088ml respectively in the larvae group. Kerosene and petrol mixture had lower LC50 and LC95 0.0037 and 0.0050, respectively.Conclusion:Therefore, scaling up this intervention on a large scale in endemic areas would reduce larvae density and disease outbreaks.
Open Access journal
[69 journals]
