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Item Strategy to Overcome Barriers of Rainwater Harvesting, Case Study Tanzania(Scientific Research Publishing, 2016-09-12) Burton, Mwamila Tulinave; Young, Han Moo; Katambara, ZachariaThere are Socio-Technological Challenges Towards Extension of The Application of Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) Practicesin Developing Countries. an Attempt to Ad- Dress this was Done Using the Mnyundo Primary School, Tanzania, as A Study Area For Evaluating the Technical, Economic, and Social Challenges of RWH Practices. A Sto- Rage Water Level Monitoring Gauge was Used so as to Simplify Rainwater Quantity Con- Trol and Utilization Strategy. Basic Quality Control Components Such as First Flush Tank Were Incorporated so as to Reduce the Particle Load Flowing Into The Storage. Cost Re- Duction Strategies Such As The One (1) Company One (1) Community Campaign Were Applied To Address The Cost Implication. To Enhance Ownership, Participatory Ap- Proach Of The Beneficiaries In All Stages Including Planning, Designing And Imple- Mentation Was Adopted. In Order To Ensure Project Sustainability, Training On How To Operate And Maintain Were Provided As Well As A Maintenance Manual To Impart A Sense Of Ownership. For The Challenges Of Imparting RWH Practices In Tanzania, 19 Solutions Have Been Identified And They Include Provision Of RWH Manuals, Guide- Lines And Regulations, Government Incentives, And Promotion Of Self-Financing Initia- Tives. For Developing Countries, The Study Proposes The Following Strategies: Estab- Lishing Relevant Regulations And Research Centers, Enhancing Individual And Commu- Nity Financial Stability, Conducting Demonstration Projects, And Increased Investment By Government On Promotion. PrivateItem Does Tanzania Social Action Fund Intervention a Panacea to Food Insecure Vulnerable Rural Poor People?(IJRSS, 2014-08) M, Mwidege Asheri; Mlambiti, M.E.; Damas, PDevelopment intervention is increasingly reported as a means of improving the livelihoods of the vulnerable poor people. However, little information on what could have been happened if there could be no intervention is available. This study was conducted to assess the livelihood impact of Tanzania Social Action Fund intervention in Agriculture for vulnerable communities in Makete and Rungwe Districts. This research examined whether intervention in food security is a panacea for the vulnerable communities. A quasi-experimental design was used to collect a sample of 239 and 115 recipient and non-recipient households and triangulation approaches were employed, respectively. Pairedt -test, chi-square test and phi-coefficient were used to ascertain the significance of the means of differences, comparing sample variance and strength of relationship between qualitative variables, respectively. Results showed that recipients were food insecure than non recipients. Based on these findings, it is concluded that intervention on food security through participation is not a panacea to vulnerable communities. Therefore, it is recommended that intervention should be on prevention basis rather than coping strategies.Item Zero-valent Iron-aluminium Co-corrosion: A potential Comprehensive Low-cost Method for Water Defluoridation(Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2023) Lema, E.S.; Mwakabona, H.T.Climate change coupled with population increase has forced communities in fluoride rich areas to turn to fluoride contaminated groundwater to fill in the water deficit created by drying of water sources and increasing water demand. Application of low-cost materials such as iron and aluminium hydroxides in the field is limited by expensive preparation steps involved. This study investigated the applicability of Fe and Al, in their metallic states, in water defluoridation by allowing simultaneous corrosion of zero-valent aluminium (ZVA) and iron (ZVI) to form in situ hydroxides. The effect of time, dose, concentration and pH was studied by varying one parameter at a time while controlling others. Findings reveal that, mixing the two materials in their metallic state have the same synergistic effect on their fluoride removal properties as their corresponding (hydr)oxides. Whereas in their pure metallic states, iron and aluminium lowered the concentration of fluoride from 15 - 13.09 mg/L and 15 - 14.9 mg/L respectively, their mixture lowered fluoride levels from 15 - 7.74 mg/L in the period of seven (7) days. Spiking the fluoride solution with Fe3+ ions was found to enhance fluoride removal by lowering Fluoride levels from 15 - 0.8 mg/L in the same period. This could imply that a fluoride removal mechanism in this process involves precipitation of fluoro-complexes of iron rather than those of aluminium. These findings, therefore, suggest that a step involving conversion of ZVA and ZVI into their (hydr)oxides can be skipped in water defluoridation without significantly affecting their fluoride removal capacities.Item Forestland tenure systems in Tanzania: an overview of policy changes in relation to forest management(Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 2009-12-28) Eliakimu Zahabu; Tron Eid; George Kajembe; Lawrence Mbwambo; Cellina Mongo; Anthony Sangeda; Rogers Malimbwi; Josiah Katani; Japhet Kashaigili; Emmanuel LuogaA review of the role of forestland tenure systems in Tanzania, and how different forestland tenure approaches and reforms have influenced forest management is presented. The complexity of land reforms and processes that have taken place in Tanzania during the pre-colonial, colonial and post-independence periods is discussed. The pre-colonial period, though not much is written, was characterised by forest management through traditional institutions, low population and low forest resources exploitation. Colonial governments undermined the role of local traditions in managing the forests related to for example burial areas and springs. They also established forest reserves and in some areas cleared indigenous forests to establish tea, coffee and exotic fruit and timber plantations. Different land reforms that were geared towards sustainable development occurred after independence, forests depletion continued, however. Currently, it is observed that there coexists state, village, private and collective rights on forests without clear ownership. This is greatly linked to the ongoing deforestation and forest degradation in the country. In this situation, sustainable forestland use may be attained through establishing an enabling environment that allows effective local communities’ participation in forest management. Sustainable management, however, always presupposes effective control of harvesting and other activities to secure the carrying capacity of forests and woodlands, whether it is undertaken by central authorities or local people. Studies on forestland tenures and rights, and the impact of changes in tenures and rights on forest resources and rural livelihoods are therefore important. Such studies are required for the provision of facts for the establishment of proper future policy means that aim at reducing forest degradation and improving livelihoods in Tanzania.Item Periodic Flooding and Land Use Effects on Soil Properties in Lake Victoria Basin(Academic Journals, 2011-09-19) Nancy Mungai W.; Njue A. M.; Abaya Samuel G.; Vuai Said A. H.; Ibembe John D.Frequent periodic flooding and land use changes taking place in the Lake Victoria basin (LVB) in east Africa may cause soil deterioration and further exacerbating food insecurity. Surface (0 to 20 cm) soil samples were collected at three locations along Sondu Miriu (Kenya) and Simiyu-Duma (Tanzania) rivers. Samples were collected from fields that were periodically flooded (1-28 d) and those that never flood, either under grass or crops. Samples were analysed for soil texture, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), pH, extractable phosphorus (P), exchangeable potassium (K) and -glucosidase activities. -glucosidase activities, clay and P contents were higher in some of the soils that flood, while OC, exchangeable K and sand contents were lower at P< 0.05 in flooded soils. Observed differences account for 11% of comparisons in the two river basins. Soils under grass had higher -glucosidase activities and silt content but lower sand content than cultivated soils in 6% of samples in the two basins. However, conversion of natural ecosystems to grassland or cropped lands resulted in a 17 to 113% reduction in OC, TN, and exchangeable K in Sondu, and a 129% decline in TN in Simiyu. Soil properties exhibited clear but different patterns from upstream to downstream in the two basins. OC, TN, clay and -glucosidase activities were higher in Sondu upstream, while OC, TN, extractable P and exchangeable K were lower in Simiyu upstream. Observed difference across each basin underscore the importance of inherent soil characteristics in influencing soil properties compared to short-term flooding or short duration changes in land use.Item Assessment of Current Post-harvest Handling Techniques for Mango and Avocado in Mbeya region, Tanzania: Challenges and Opportunities for Improvemen(Elsevior, 2025) Mng’ong’o, Marco E.; Matimbwa,Hadija; Komanya,Absalom; Maro, Lilian,; Mshora Abubakar, MMango (Mangifera indica) and avocado (Persea americana) are valuable fruits in Tanzania, known for their nutritional and economic importance. However, their perishability leads to significant post-harvest losses, especially for smallholder farmers in Mbeya. The limited knowledge about post-harvest handling identifies a research gap. This study assessed practices and challenges among mango and avocado farmers to improve handling techniques. A survey of 150 smallholder farmers in Kyela and Rungwe districts (August–September 2024) examined harvesting, storage, transportation, and post-harvest challenges. Data analysis revealed that 64 % of farmers use traditional harvesting methods that lead to mechanical damage. While 68.8 % manually hand-harvest, others rely on tree shaking (8.3 %) and sticks or stones (18.8 %), further increasing fruit damage. Storage at ambient temperature (46 %) fails to extend shelf-life, causing rapid quality deterioration. Trans portation by motorcycle (44 %) and head carrying (34 %) exposes fruits to damage. Key challenges included fruit drop (36 %), rotting before harvest (28 %), and insect infestation (24 %). Only 23.4 % of farmers had reliable market access, highlighting a major constraint. Education level influenced challenges, with lower-educated farmers facing more rotting and pest issues. Findings indicate current post-harvest practices are inadequate, leading to major losses. Simple, cost-effective technologies like edible coatings and training on improved har vesting, storage, and transportation are necessary. Investment in affordable cold storage and better transport infrastructure is crucial. This study provides actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to enhance mango and avocado value chains in Tanzania.Item Monthly Water Level Forecasting of the Diani River Using a Hybrid ICEEMDAN-SE-ARIMA Model in Southern Guinea(Sciepub, 2025-07-21) Agbazo, Noukpo M.; Keita, Oumar; Camara, Lonsenigbè; Rwabona, Gideon E.; Sylla, AbdoulayeFlood control and water resources management are two critical tasks for hydrologists, and both heavily depend on accurate river water level forecasting. However, due to the intrinsic characteristics of water level series, it is difficult to achieve good forecasting accuracy. In Guinea, the forecasting of water level by physical models, and mathematical or data-driven models remains scarce. This study aims to implement for the first time in Guinea, the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model and propose the improved complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (ICEEMDAN) coupled with sample entropy (SE) and combined with ARIMA model namely as ICEEMDAN-SE-ARIMA to forecast Diani River monthly water level in southern guinea. The water level data of Diani hydrological station from 2000 to 2022 were used, in which the water data from 2000 to 2019 were used to build the models, and the data from 2020 to 2022 were used for validation. Seven statistical indices like Pearson’s coefficient, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Symmetric Mean Absolute Percentage Error (sMAPE), Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient (NSCE), BIAS and Kolmogorov-Smirnov coefficient (DKS) are adopted to measure and compare the performance of the single ARIMA and ICEEMDAN-SE- ARIMA hybrid models. The results indicate that: (1) during the study period, six pseudo-periodic functions and one nonlinear trend contribute differently to Diani water level series forecasting, indicating their complexity; (2) Compared to the single ARIMA model, the Pearson’s coefficient, DKS, BIAS, NSCE, RMSE, MAE and SMAPE of ICEEMDAN-SE-ARIMA were improved by 84.52%, 84.70%, 80%, 84.52%, 86%, 91%, 93%, and 80%, respectively; (3) ICEEMDAN-SE-ARIMA model outperformed the single ARIMA model. However, it seems that ICEEMDAN-SE-ARIMA model could be improved by combining ICEEMDAN-SE by other data-driven models. These findings are essential to enhance water resources management and flood mitigation in Guinea, mainly under climate change.Item Extracellular enzymes from brown-rot fungus Laetiporus sulphureus isolated from mangrove forests of coastal Tanzania(2008) Mtui, Godliving; Masalu, RoseA brown-rot fungus, Laetiporus sulphureus (Fr.) Murr., was isolated from Mbweni, Oyster Bay and Mtoni Mangove Forests in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and the biochemical properties of its extracellular enzymes were investigated. The crude culture filtrate was concentrated by ultrafiltration. Protein content and lignocellololytic enzyme activities were measured by photometric methods. The crude enzyme extract was purified by gel chromatography and characterized by sodium docecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The fungal filtrate had maximum manganese peroxidase (MnP) of 2.5 U/mL and lignin peroxidase (LiP) of 1 U/mL, but showed no laccase (Lac) activity. The enzyme extracts were able to oxidize rhemazol brilliant blue-R (RBB-R) dye and phenol, and could remove up to 90% color from raw textile effluent in immobilized culture. The purified peroxidases showed that the MnP from S. sulphureus has a molecular weight of 48 kDA. The study elucidated the extracellular enzymes profile of facultative marine L. sulphureus and provided basic information on their potential for biological wastewater treatment systemsItem Optimization of Laccase and Manganese Peroxidase Production in Submerged Culture of Pleurotus Sajor - caju(African Journal of Biotechnology, 2011-07-08) Patrick ,Ferdinandi; Mtui, Godliving; Mshandete ,Anthony Manoni; Kivaisi, AmeliaA white-rot fungus, Pleurotus sajor-caju, was isolated from coastal Tanzania and screened for crude lignolytic enzymes production using rhemazol brilliant blue R (RBBR) dye, 2,2-azino-bis (3 ethylbenzthiazoline)-6-sulfonate (ABTS) and guaiacol in a semi-solid medium. Laccase (Lac) and manganese peroxidase (MnP) were detected by α αα α-napthol and pyrogallol solutions, respectively, on the guaiacol supplemented semi-solid media. The effect of temperature, pH, carbon, nitrogen, Cu2+, 2,5 xylidine, ferulic acid, Mn2+ and immobilization using Luffa cylindrica sponges in submerged culture fermentations were investigated for maximum enzymes production. After 7 days of incubation, 83 to 100% oxidation of RBBR, ABTS and guaiacol was observed. With optimized culture conditions, the fungal filtrate had maximum Lac and MnP activities of 80 and 0.94 U/ml, respectively compared to 0.62 and 0.0003 U/ml obtained with non-optimized ones; amounting to 129 and 3133 times increase in Lac and MnP activities, respectively. The improved crude enzymes activities, RBBR decolourization, ABTS and guaiacol oxidation capabilities of P. sajor-caju show its potential as a source of industrial enzymes for biotechnological applicationsItem Lignocellulosic Enzymes from Flavodon Flavus, a Fungus Isolated from Western Indian Ocean off the Coast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania(African Journal of Biotechnology, 2008-07-17) Mtui,Godliving; Nakamura, YoshitoshiMarine basidiomycetes fungus Flavodon flavus (Klotzsch) Ryvarden was isolated from sea grass at Mjimwema in the Western Indian Ocean off the Coast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and cultured in the laboratory. Protein content and lignocellulosic enzyme activities were measured by photometric methods. Desalted and size-separated enzyme filtrates were resolved by sodium docecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and isoelectric focusing (IEF). The fungal filtrate had maximum lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and Laccase (Lac) activities of 42, 25 and 15 U/mL, respectively. At low carbon medium, F. flavus showed effective (92 - 100%) decolorization of raw textile wastewater and synthetic dyes such as rhemazol brilliant blue-R (RBB-R), Brilliant green, Congo red, Reactive black and Reactive yellow. SDS-PAGE analysis showed major bands of size separated enzymes from F. flavus at relative molecular weights between 45 and 70 kDa. The LiP of F. flavus, purified by ion exchange chromatography, revealed that it has a molecular weight of 46 kDa and isoelectric point (pI) of 3.8. The study confirmed extracellular enzymes from F. flavus to be potential degraders of organic pollutants and showed that facultative marine fungi that live under harsh seawater conditions are suitable for bioremediation of recalcitrant environmental pollutants.Item Water-pH phytoremediation: An entrance to exploiting the potential of plant biomass ash in water defluoridation(Published by University of El Oued, 2024-05-04) Mwakabonaa, Hezron Timothy; Njau, Karoli .N; Bruggen Bart Van derField application of low-cost biomass ash in water defluoridation is hindered by media-induced contamination in the treated water including pH elevation. This study explored the method for adjusting pH of water using Cyperus plants. Findings reveal that used ash material is calcium rich with concentration of 537.9 gKg-1. The ash water extract was found to be rich in K with concentration of 642.6 gKg-1. The ash material used was found to have faster and sustained fluoride removal, attaining 76% removal efficiency in 30 minutes with slow increase throughout the experimental time of 24 hours. The pH of the ash- defluoridated water was found to increase from 8.3 to an average of 12.2. Live Cyperus plants showed ability to lower the pH of the treated water from 12.2 to 7.3 and elevate the pH of acid treated water from 3.5 to 6.8. This implies that these plants exude some form of buffer compounds with a constant pH of around 7. This was confirmed by concentration of hydrogencarbonates was found to increase while that of the carbonates decreased in the Cyperus-treated water. This could further imply that the Cyperus-assisted pH adjustment is effected by a buffer compound released by these plants.Item Zero-valent Iron-aluminium Co-corrosion: A potential Comprehensive Low-cost Method for Water Defluoridation(Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2023) Lema, E.S.; Mwakabona, H.T.Climate change coupled with population increase has forced communities in fluoride rich areas to turn to fluoride contaminated groundwater to fill in the water deficit created by drying of water sources and increasing water demand. Application of low-cost materials such as iron and aluminium hydroxides in the field is limited by expensive preparation steps involved. This study investigated the applicability of Fe and Al, in their metallic states, in water defluoridation by allowing simultaneous corrosion of zero-valent aluminium (ZVA) and iron (ZVI) to form in situ hydroxides. The effect of time, dose, concentration and pH was studied by varying one parameter at a time while controlling others. Findings reveal that, mixing the two materials in their metallic state have the same synergistic effect on their fluoride removal properties as their corresponding (hydr)oxides. Whereas in their pure metallic states, iron and aluminium lowered the concentration of fluoride from 15 - 13.09 mg/L and 15 - 14.9 mg/L respectively, their mixture lowered fluoride levels from 15 - 7.74 mg/L in the period of seven (7) days. Spiking the fluoride solution with Fe3+ ions was found to enhance fluoride removal by lowering Fluoride levels from 15 - 0.8 mg/L in the same period. This could imply that a fluoride removal mechanism in this process involves precipitation of fluoro-complexes of iron rather than those of aluminium. These findings, therefore, suggest that a step involving conversion of ZVA and ZVI into their (hydr)oxides can be skipped in water defluoridation without significantly affecting their fluoride removal capacities.Item Sensory Evaluation of Butter and Milk Derived from Oyster Nut(MUST Journal of Research and Development (MJRD), 2025-03-31) Shayo, Philipina F.; Emmanuel, John; Oscar, Allen; Balole, Paul; Mlowe, Diana; Sangiwa, Veronica; Runyoro, Joan; Aluko, AnjelaThis study explores the sensory evaluation of butter and milk made from oyster nuts (Telfairia pedata), a lesser-known but nutritionally rich seed. The evaluation involved a panel of trained assessors who assessed the products on the basis of key sensory attributes, such as appearance, texture, flavour, aroma, and overall acceptability. The oyster nut milk added with strawberry and oyster nut butter with cocoa, sugar, pumpkin seeds and chocolate had higher scores of 7.57 and 6.52, respectively, on overall acceptability. However, as a dairy-free product alternative, oyster nut milk and butter scored highly on sensory evaluations, suggesting a significant market potential and positive benefits for cardiovascular health. The two products exhibit potential, though further refinement in processing could enhance its acceptability. These findings suggest that oyster nut-derived products could serve as viable alternatives in the growing market for plant-based dairy substitutes, especially for consumers seeking unique and allergen-free optionsItem Effect of fire timing on the regeneration capacity of Helichrysum species in Tanzania(Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society, 2025-02-28) Mgimba, Christopher A.; Ngondya, Issakwisa B.; Treydte, Anna C.1. Shrub encroachment poses a significant challenge in many grassland ecosystems, particularly where disturbances such as heavy livestock grazing and uncontrolled fires are prevalent. Fire is frequently employed as a management tool to mitigate shrub encroachment and preserve native vegetation, as it influences both resprouting and seed germination. However, few studies have examined the effects of fire timing on resprouting and seed germination both in the field and ex situ. 2. We investigated the resprouting ability of Helichrysum shrubs after being completely, partially or not at all burned. In addition, we collected soil seed bank samples from each early burned, late burned and unburned area at depths of 0–2, 2–4 and 4–6 cm to assess plant species recruitment via seedlings. The data were analysed using a generalized linear regression model with a Gaussian link function. 3. We found significant differences in the number of resprouts and seedling abundance across early burned, late burned and unburned sites. Resprouting of both partially burned and completely burned shrubs was more abundant compared to unburned shrubs. The surface soil in unburned sites contained a greater abundance of Helichrysum seedlings compared to that of burned sites, suggesting that fire negatively affects seed germination, particularly in the upper soil layers. Overall seedling recruitment was lower in early and late burned areas, whereas resprouting was higher in areas burned later in the season. 4. Practical implication. The findings highlight the significance of fire timing in grassland management. We advocate for the implementation of planned early burning to mitigate shrub encroachment, promote biodiversity and save ecologically sensitive grasslands.Item The Compound Bacillus and Sea Purslane (Sesuvium Portulacastrum) Enhanced Aquaculture Wastewater Treatment Efficiency: Insights from a Study on Microbial Community Distributions.(ELSEVIER, 2025-03-31) Hongmei Yuan; Li, Junxian; Wang, Haihang; Nicholaus, Regan; Ramzan, Muhammad Naeem; Yang, Wen; Zheng, Zhongming; Wang, YangcaiAs the aquaculture industry continues to grow rapidly, the environmental consequences of wastewater discharge from aquaculture have become a major concern. The biological treatment method has proven to be an effective and beneficial approach for wastewater treatment. In this experiment, aquaculture wastewater was treated using two different ratios of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis composites in combination with sea purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum) to investigate the wastewater treatment efficiency and microbial community. Sea purslane effectively removed nutrients from aquaculture wastewater. The addition of compound Bacillus significantly increased the removal rates of CODMn, TP, and PO4 3− -P, which were 54.9–56.4 %, 78.2–79.9 %, and 85.0–89.6 %, respectively. Moreover, the compound Bacillus notably influenced the microbial community composition in the water and root systems, reducing species abundance while increasing community diversity, with Treatment 2 exhibiting the highest community stability. The addition of the compound Bacillus significantly increased the relative abundance of Alphaproteobacteria. Most of the important operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that significantly impacted the groups belonged to Alphaproteobacteria. Different biomarkers in the water and root system were primarily from Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Bacteroidia, including Idiomarina and Alteromonas, Ruegeria, Vibrio, Algoriphagus, and Maribacter, among others. These microorganisms play a significant role in promoting the removal rate of nitrogen and phosphorus. Furthermore, the compound Bacillus notably affected the abundance of nitrogen cycle-related sequences and increased the relative abundance of microorganisms associated with the nitrogen cycle. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing aquaculture wastewater treatment processes.Item Is The Hybrid Tiger Trout a Suitable Recipient for The Transplantation of Salmonid Spermatogonia?(ELSEVIER, 2025-04-24) Marinovi´c, Zoran; Lujic, Jelena; Hoitsy, Gyorgy; Hoitsy, Bogl´arka; Hoitsy, M´arton; ˇ S´ceki´c, Ilija; Balogh, R´eka Enik˝o; Shimo, Seleman Samwel; Lefler, Kinga Katalin; Kov´acs, Bal´azs; Urb´anyi, B´ela; Horv´ath, ´ AkosIn this study, we tested the utility of sterile tiger trout, an interspecific hybrid of a brown trout (Salmo trutta m. fario) female and a brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) male primarily bred for aquaculture, as a potential recipient for the surrogate production of other salmonid fish. The sterility of adult tiger trouts was confirmed as sper matogenesis progressed further from the mitotic phase in only one male, while only a few females contained vitellogenic oocytes. We transplanted spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) from rainbow trout into larvae (total of 371 recipients) and adult (total of 15 recipients) tiger trout. Recipients were reared up to 3 years post- transplantation (ypt), and transplantation success was tested by (1) the production of functional gametes, (2) development of recipient gonads past the baseline development assessed through histological analyses and (3) detection of donor cells inside of recipient gonads through molecular analyses. Gametes were produced only by one male recipient in which SSCs were transplanted as a larva. This male displayed clear signs of a developed testis, and rainbow trout DNA was detected in the testicular samples. Rainbow trout DNA was detected in three additional male recipients (injected as larvae), however, none of these individuals displayed signs of gameto genesis progression at 3 ypt. Furthermore, recipients injected as adults did not show any progression of game togenesis, nor the presence of rainbow trout DNA in the gonads at 2.5 ypt. Milt obtained by the mentioned recipient was used to fertilize rainbow trout eggs which led to the production of donor-derived offspring. All viable offspring displayed phenotypical characteristics of rainbow trout which was further corroborated by molecular analyses. In conclusion, we display that the hybrid tiger trout can be used for the surrogate production of other salmonid fish, especially trout species which are closely related.Item Nitrogen and Phosphorus Related Functional Genes Enhance Nutrient Removal in The Integrated Aquaculture Wastewater Bioremediation System in The Presence of Photosynthetic Bacteria.(Springer, 2024-12-20) Ramzan, Muhammad Naeem; Shen, Ding; Wei, Yingzhen; Emmanuel, Arslan; Nicholaus, Regan; Yang, Wen; Zheng, ZhongmingIntegrated Aquaculture Wastewater Bioremediation Systems (IAWBSs) are crucial for treating nutrient-rich mariculture water. However, there is a lack of detailed information about the functional mechanisms between nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) functional genes and the bacterioplankton community in the presence of photosynthetic bacteria (PSB). This study evaluated the connections between N and P functional genes in IAWBSs under the influence of PSB. The results showed significant improvements in effluent quality, with removal efficiencies of 79, 74, 83, 90, and 71% for NO2 −−N,NO3 −−N, PO4 3−-P, NH4 +−N, and CODmn, respectively. Adding PSB enhanced and altered microbial diversity within the system, promoting the abundance of functional genes related to N and P cycling. Notably, genes associated in denitrification (nirK and nirS), ammonification (ureC) and amoB, involved in nitrification, were significantly increased after PSB was added. Furthermore, genes such as phnK, phoD, and phoX, which are involved in P transformation, also showed increased abundance levels. These genes were closely linked to the microbial community distribution, species diversity, and nutrient cycling. Microbial community changes can result in changes in functional gene abundance. This study provides important and novel insights for developing bioremediation strategies for polluted sites. This demonstrates the fundamental relationships between the IAWBSs’ functional units and the distribution of microbial communities under the influence of PSB.Item Relationship between Forest Biodiversity Attributes and Potential Carbon Stocks in Dry Tropical Reserve Forests of Assam, Northeast India(University of Latvia, 2021) Malunguja, Gisandu K; Thakur, Bijay; Devi, AshalataPotential forest carbon stocks are significantly correlated to forest biodiversity attributes such as diversity, density, and richness. However, there is little such information on dry tropical reserve forests of Assam, a state in northeast India. We studied this relationship in two reserve forests. Pearson correlation, cluster analysis, and regression analysis were used to explore these relationships. The estimation of plant carbon stocks was made using both destructive methods for herbaceous and non-destructive allometric methods for trees. The most dominant plant species in the Bhomoraguri reserve forest were Cynodon dactylon, Datura stramonium, Clitoria ternatea, and Tectona grandis for grasses, forbs, climbers, and trees, respectively. Cymbopogon nardus, Colocasia esculenta, Mikania micrantha, and Shorea robusta, were dominant species in the Balipara reserve forest for grasses, forbs, climbers, and trees, respectively. The presence of Lantana camara, Smilax ovalifolia and Piper betle in the studied forests suggests disturbed ecosystems. Other observed species such as Aristida spp., Cenchrus spp., Ipomoea cheirophylla, and Sida spp. are indicators of disturbed ecosystems as well. The biomass stock differed significantly among plant growth forms. Carbon stocks were 302.93 and 283.97 t ha–1 in the Bhomoraguri reserve forest and Balipara reserve forest, which were equivalent with 555.87 and 521.30 t ha–1 of CO2 sequestration, respectively. Tree species contributed the greatest amount (54.80%), followed by forbs (21.36%), climbers (19.35%), and least for grasses (4.49%). Correlation analysis indicated a strong positive relationship between the density of trees and climber species with carbon stock potentials, suggesting that increase of their density favoured carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems. Diversity of grasses was negatively correlated with potential carbon stock in the examined forests. The unique contribution of each group to carbon stock was 91.8, 58.01, 51.3, and 11.11% for climbers, trees, grasses, and forbs, respectively. Thus, it is important to examine biodiversity attributes in estimation of forest carbon stocks.Item Awareness, Habitats and Population Status of the Endangered Rungwecebus kipunji in Mt. Rungwe Nature Reserve, Tanzania(MUST Journal of Research and Development, 2022) Ojija, Fredrick; Maijo, Simula P.; Mwidege, AsheriThe Mount Rungwe Nature Reserve in Tanzania is a significant ecological area that protects the endangered Rungwecebus kipunji. The goal of the study was to analyze the ecological habitat and population of R. kipunji in Mount Rungwe Nature Reserve. During our study, we recorded 412 (mean: 41.2 ± S.E: 5.7) R. kipunji individuals in the reserve. The R. kipunji population was found in a comparatively low abundance at sites with a significant number of anthropogenic activities. Human activities were observed to occur less frequently (χ2 = 40.76, p = 0.0001) inside the nature reserve (n = 33, 17.19%) than outside and/or along the border zones (n = 159, 82.81%). Respectively, the peeling of tree bark and firewood collection were the most common anthropogenic indicators found inside and outside the forest reserve. We also found that >40% of male and > 30% of female respondents were aware of R. kipunji’s presence. We found that 30% of female and 32% of male respondents had previously received conservation education. In comparison to other age groups, >25% of respondents aged > 45 years old claimed to have already learned about R. kipunji. Furthermore, 48% of the respondents claimed that Mount Rungwe Nature Reserve helps them live by providing fuelwood and building materials. People aged 31–43 and > 43 years old collect fuelwood and building materials, respectively, while those under 31 years old collect food resources. In summary, our findings imply that, to improve R. kipunji, local residents surrounding the forest reserve should be made aware of the species to reduce anthropogenic activities within and along the reserve's buffer zones. Thus, our findings suggest that the R. kipunji populations and habitat quality in Mount Rungwe Nature Reserve could be used as a benchmark for the conservation of other endangered species elsewhere.Item An Assessment of the Current Status and Regeneration Potential of the Traditional Conserved Forests (Ngitili) in Kishapu District, Tanzania(TROPICAL PLANT RESEARCH, 2020) Malunguja, Gisandu K.; Rubanza, Chrispinus K. D.; Devi, AshalataThe current study was carried out in the community forests conserved under the indigenous knowledge known as “Ngitili” in Kishapu district of Tanzania. The aim was to assess the current status and determines its regeneration potential in terms of plant species diversity, herbaceous productivity and tree stocking. A field survey was conducted for recording the current status while the phytosociological was carried to recognize vegetation composition and diversity. Regeneration potential was determined based on the population size of seedlings, saplings and adults. Disturbance index was used to calculate the level of disturbances while herbaceous productivity and tree stocking were estimated based on allometric models. Descriptive statistics for quantitative data was analysed using SPSS version 20. The study recorded a total of 10 Ngitili in Kishapu district, out of which, 9 still existing but highly threatened and disturbed, only 1 Ngitili was recorded to be dead (not existing). A total of 66 plant species were recorded of which 20 were grasses, 18 were forbs, and 28 species (17 genera and 13 families) were trees and shrubs. The dominant grass species were Aristida funiculata (28.9%) and Cynodon dactylon, while Monechma debile (4.6%) was the dominant forb. Similarly, Acacia drepanolobium (45.4) and Balanites aegyptiaca (42.9) trees dominated the area. The majority of tree species exhibited a “not regenerating” condition (51.8%) only a few (2.11%) showed a “good regeneration” condition while “newly regeneration” condition recorded 0.00%, with a diversity ranging from 1.86–2.44. Herbaceous and tree stocking potential was 1.23±0.05 t DM ha-1 and 5.66±0.21 t Cha-1 respectively, with a standing stem density (stems ha-1) of 512.07±193.86. The study observed great degradation of the Ngitili characterized by low diversity and poor regeneration conditions. This signified that these community forests are currently threatened and its sustainability is highly at risk unless strong initiatives take place.
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