The University of Mauritius (UoM) (French: Université de Maurice) is the national university of Mauritius. It is the oldest and largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered. The public university's main campus is located at Réduit, Moka.
Marine heatwaves can exceed the thermal tolerance of corals, causing bleaching and mortality that may reduce the effectiveness and persistence of coral restoration efforts. We evaluated a climate- responsive coral restoration platform in Mauritius using modular nursery systems (spider frames and table nurseries) combined with long-term ecological and camera-based monitoring (2021–2026), including the 2025 global bleaching event. Metrics monitored: coral survivorship, coralivorous species abundance, coral-associated fauna, and fish traps. Mean coral survivorship for a given year ranged from 24.7 ± 8.37 to 26.4 ± 8.60 surviving fragments per spider-frame nursery, and from 24.3 ± 8.58 to 28.0 ± 9.38 surviving fragments per table nursery. Crown-of-Thorns starfish abundance (39 to 62 individuals per year) showed no temporal variation, but was strongly positively correlated with fish trap presence, indicating links between fishing activity and predator dynamics. Reef-associated fishes and echinoderms, including Tripneustes gratilla, were repeatedly observed within the monitored nursery area. Continuous underwater camera monitoring provided an additional means of documenting coral condition, biological activity and potential disturbances. These observations illustrate the potential of combining coral nursery infrastructure with long-term ecological monitoring. However, the absence of pre-restoration baseline data and an independent reference reef, together with the lack of standardized quantitative comparisons of biodiversity among nursery structures and surrounding reef habitats, limits attribution of the observed patterns to the restoration intervention. The findings therefore provide a site-specific account of nursery performance and associated ecological observations under variable environmental conditions, while highlighting the importance of reference-site monitoring and standardized biodiversity assessments in future restoration studies.
This study investigates the enablers and barriers influencing the acceptance of Agentic AI in the hospitality sector using a mixed-methods research design. In the first phase, thirty-two in-depth interviews were conducted with hospitality managers to identify the key drivers and barriers of Agentic AI adoption. Based on these insights, a theoretical model grounded in Behavioral Reasoning Theory (BRT) was developed and subsequently validated through a survey of 980 consumers. The findings reveal that autonomy, personalization, social influence, and perceived usefulness are the primary drivers of Agentic AI adoption, whereas technological anxiety, perceived privacy risk, perceived hallucination, and traditional barriers impede its acceptance. This study contributes to the literature on advanced technology adoption in hospitality by extending the application of BRT to the context of Agentic AI. It also offers practical insights for hospitality managers and technology developers seeking to design and implement Agentic AI solutions that effectively promote consumer adoption.
Small oceanic islands are among the last landmasses to be colonized by humans. Their fragile habitats and ecosystems, unprepared for anthropogenic pressures such as land cover changes and invasion by exotic species, have experienced catastrophic declines while growing human populations increasingly relied on imported environmental goods. This paper proposes a concept of One Health from a small island perspective. We synthesize results from a variety of islands to illustrate the socioecological dynamics that link nature and human health in an island context, while anchoring our analysis in Mauritius island. Shared dynamics among islands affecting ecosystems and human health show socioecological patterns that include the historical and current political ecology. By considering the island as a microcosm exhibiting similar dynamics taking place at the planetary level, globally relevant insights beyond strict environment-health interventions are evidenced, which place equity at the centre of this nexus. The perspectives that are provided also serve to explore and implement One Health approaches using the well-defined but underused unique characteristics and biota of islands.
This study proposes the development of biodegradable composites derived from natural sources to address the issue of waste disposal and high carbon footprint associated with conventionally used composite materials such as carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) and glass fibre reinforced plastics (GFRP). The fully biodegradable natural fibre reinforced composite (NFRC) was developed by considering fibres from a locally abundant species of Pandanus Utilis and polylactic acid (PLA) as binding matrix. In first part of this study, the chemical characteristics of the biodegradable composites were evaluated via the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) techniques while water absorption and soil degradability were the physical tests conducted. Mechanical characterization was also conducted to evaluate the flexural and tensile strengths of the composite specimens. While FTIR results revealed a reduction in key chemical constituents in the treated fibres, namely lignin and hemicellulose, DSC results were found to correspond to typical PLA behaviour during thermal heating. The physical test results revealed an increase in the mean percentage of water absorption and mass loss with respect to increase in weight percentage of fibre content. Mechanical test results showed an optimum tensile and flexural performance at a fibre composition of 10 wt.
Ulva reticulata is a fast-growing green macroalga with high bioremediation and economic potential. Cultivation of this seaweed at Bambous Virieux in southeast Mauritius was undertaken to evaluate its growth potential and biological feasibility in a tropical lagoon. Over a 30-day trial, three 6 & times; 6 m rafts constructed from common aquaculture system materials supported substantial biomass gains, with initial mean wet weights of 106.29 g per thallus, and final biomass per cultivation unit as high as 1 886.83 g (Raft 2), representing an similar to 18-fold increase and 60.55 g mean daily growth. Growth differences across rafts were significant (chi & sup2; = 144, p < 0.001), with Raft 2 showing the highest consistency (standard deviation = 8.74 g). Water quality remained within optimal ranges, with no significant temporal or site-based fluctuations. Routine maintenance was successfully conducted by trained community members, demonstrating the viability of participatory management. Preliminary ecological observations indicated that the seaweed rafts attracted herbivorous reef fishes, suggesting additional biodiversity benefits. Although the seaweed cultivation system proved to be highly productive and ecologically sustainable, in potential community-led scale-up operations, the lagoon location might present logistical challenges for some coastal communities to access. Overall, the results suggest U. reticulata is a climate-resilient species for sustainable open-water seaweed farming to support 'blue growth' in small island states while mitigating aquatic ecosystem issues (like absorbing excess nutrients and carbon), thus aligning economic development with ecosystem health. Future research on U. reticulata cultivation should focus on understanding its seasonal variations, nutrient dynamics, and optimal densities to maximise farming productivity and ensure resilience against environmental changes.
