Over the last 30 years, Odo Shakiso’s natural forest in Oromia Region has undergone severe fragmentation and vegetation change. By combining multi-temporal Landsat imagery and household surveys, this study examined spatial and temporal patterns of deforestation, identified main drivers of land degradation, and evaluated vegetation health changes over the past 30 years through NDVI trends. Land cover conversion was identified using supervised classification and change detection analyses across Landsat images collected from 1995-2025, and NDVI was used to appraise average canopy density and greenness. The remote sensing analysis was complemented by data derived from structured household interviews, which served to identify perceived socio-economic and policy-related drivers of local forest change. Overall, the forest loss was 29,478.74 hectares or 55.16% of the initial forest cover since 1995, while NDVI analysis indicated consistent decreases in vegetation health, density, and greenness over each decade examined. Despite local efforts of conservation, ongoing forest disturbance occurs due to increasing and overlapping pressures on forest resources. Major Drivers of land degradation include: Agricultural expansion and encroachment, the increasing number of population on the area and socio-economic related resource use, uncontrolled wildfires and climatic variability, the spread of settlements, over-exploitation and grazing, and Ambiguous and limited forest policy. Recommendations include: strengthen and integrate indigenous conservation approaches through community building, develop and enforce distinct, forest-specific forests policy separate from agricultural policy, and establish formal platforms linking scientists, educators, and policymakers to allow for broad, evidence-based decisions.
Ukraine is on the path to integration into the European Union. The state and national community face many challenges. It is necessary to understand, develop, adapt and implement the European bases of sustainable development at the economic, social and environmental levels at the national level. The ambitious sustainable development goals that the EU wants to achieve are now focused on rural areas and everything that surrounds them, including the health and welfare of domestic and livestock animals and not just agricultural production. Animal welfare legislation is aligned with the most recent scientific evidence outlined in documents such as the European Green Deal, the From Farm to Fork strategy, Biodiversity Conservation Strategy. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression, due to military actions taking place mostly in the Steppe Zone of Ukraine, where four out of five biosphere reserves are located, this has negatively affected the balance in local ecosystems due to the reduction in the number of large and small ruminants raised on pastures and the disappearance of wild fauna, the existence of which depends on the presence of farm animals.
The investigation aimed to record the vertical distribution of some key physicochemical parameters in the Pasur River estuary across five sampling stations using a CTD. Each sampling zone demonstrated varying depth according to the local bathymetric feature. Data were collected at one-meter intervals, ranging from 6 to 22 vertical layers, according to the stations. Pressure exhibited a consistent linear increase with depth, as expected in aquatic environments. Temperature profiles showed overall stability around 29°C, with minor variations at greater depths in some stations. Turbidity generally demonstrated an increasing trend with depth, though sporadic deviations were observed. Conductivity values remained predominantly stable across depths at all stations (nearly 1 S/m) with marginal deviations, reflecting a relatively homogeneous ionic composition corresponding to salinity, which ranged from 4.47 to 5.65 PSU. pH levels exhibited marginal but steady increases (within approximately 0.1 units) along the vertical profiles, suggesting a well-buffered system. These baseline findings provide critical insights into the estuarine dynamics of the Pasur River and contribute valuable reference data for future studies on environmental monitoring, biogeochemical cycling, and ecosystem modelling.
This study investigated the effects of flooding and post-flood irrigation on soil properties (soil fertility and salinity) along the Kamanda River in Kiru LGA Kano State, Nigeria. The region, characterized by a distinct wet and dry season, supports both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture, making it crucial to understand how flood-related processes influence soil quality. Soil samples were collected from four land-use categories (irrigated upland, irrigated lowland, unirrigated upland, and un irrigated lowland) at 0 to 30 cm depth. The results showed that all sampled sites had a sandy loam texture, with sand content ranging from 50.47% to 69.13%, silt content from 27.27% to 42.60%, and clay content from 3.61% to 7.60%. The soils had a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.23-6.66) and moderate fertility, with organic carbon content ranging from 0.35% to 0.67%, total nitrogen from 0.14% to 0.18%, and available phosphorus from 11.29 mg/kg to 24.56 mg/kg. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) ranged from 3.79 cmol/kg to 6.38 cmol/kg, with exchangeable calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium varying across land uses. Salinity indicators, including electrical conductivity (0.011-0.022 dS/m), exchangeable sodium percentage (2.55-8.74%), and sodium adsorption ratio (<1), remained within acceptable limits. However, higher exchangeable sodium percentage values in irrigated lowlands suggest potential sodium accumulation. The study highlights the importance of sustainable land and water management practices to preserve soil quality and ensure long-term agricultural productivity in the region. The findings underscore the dual influence of flooding and irrigation on soil properties, suggesting the need for adaptive soil and water management practices to maintain long-term productivity in flood-prone agricultural landscapes.
There is now a lot of concern throughout the world about the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide and how it could alter the climate. An efficient way to reduce elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and help slow down global warming has been to expand the area covered by plantation forests. The aim of this study is to estimation of carbon stock variation and how they affect the biomass of selected tree species in the study area. A systematic sampling method was employed for this study. There were taken a total of 60 sample plots from this study area. To collect soil and litter samples, five 1 m2 subplots were laid out inside the main plots. From this study, the carbon pools in Cupressus lusitanica species, such as aboveground carbon, belowground carbon, litterfall carbon, and soil organic carbon were 159.46±70.91, 41.46±18.44, 0.07±0.01 and 111.37±8.52 t C/ha, respectively. From Eucalyptus globulus, such as aboveground carbon (AGC), belowground carbon (BGC), litterfall carbon (LBC), and soil organic carbon (SOC), were 170.63±75.21,44.37±19.55, 0.02±0.003, and 141.07±22.88 t C/ha, respectively. The total mean carbon storage of Cupressus lusitanica was 312.36±97.88 t C/ha, and that of Eucalyptus globulus was 356.09±117.64 t C/ha. This was equivalent to 1146.36±359.23 t C/ha CO2 (gas) of Cupressus lusitanica and 1306.85±431.75 t C/ha CO2 (gas) of Eucalyptus globulus. The over-all mean carbon storage of Eucalyptus globulus was higher than that of Cupressus lusitanica in all carbon pools, with the exception of litterfall biomass. The over-all carbon storage of the species from this research area can be characterized as intermediate when related to other research carried out elsewhere in the tropics.
Weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) are a prominent species in tropical ecosystems, known for their unique leaf-folding nest-building behaviour and their mutualistic relationship with host plants. This article explores the ecological significance of weaver ants, their nest-building strategies, their impact on host plant health, and their role in biological pest control. The study is based on observations made in the Department of Biology, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), where a large population of weaver ants was found building nests by folding leaves, with host plants showing no signs of pest damage. This phenomenon highlights the beneficial relationship between weaver ants and plants, where the ants provide protection from herbivores, ensuring plant health. The article also discusses the implications of this mutualism for ecological management and sustainable agricultural practices. This in-person observation should be part of understanding the Principles of Ecology.
Resilience is often seen as a good thing. If an ecosystem or human society is resilient, it will be able to withstand the disruptions it faces. For a system to maintain a particular state, it must not be subjected to disturbances that exceed its ability to recover from that state. So resilience, like carrying capacity, is closely linked to sustainability. This is why it efforts to improve resilience from groups like the Resilience Alliance. They want our human-environment system to be preserved. City growth and sustainability depending on the stability of the urban indexes such as new development attracted by the people to economic prosperity, proximity as well as the political stability in the area. Keffi is being growing base on the urban growth indexes stated. Sampling based on the indexing of the major factors of sustainability was conducted. About 95% of the inhabitant in the study area agreed upon educational expansion is responsible for urban sprawl as well as the city resilience 80% on proximity index, 70% on economic stability, 60% social resilience and 45 % on political stability of the inhabitant.
Zooplankton biodiversity and water quality of the Mfou municipal lake was carried out from April to September 2014, following a monthly sampling frequency. Sampling for physicochemical analyses was carried out by direct sampling at the surface and along the water column using a 6L Van Dorn bottle. Zooplanktons were collected by filtering 100 L of water taken from the seagrass beds of the municipal lake, through a 64 μm mesh sieve. The 100 ml retentate collected was fixed with 10 ml of Formalin 5% and used for identification and counting. Physicochemical analyses revealed that the water of the Mfou municipal lake was relatively hot (25.5 ± 1.31°C), slightly acidic (6.95 ± 0.41 CU), moderately oxygenated (52.72 ± 12.27%), poorly mineralized and low loads of organic matter. A homogeneous quality of the water column (p > 0.05) and a low organic pollution with nitrogen as limiting factor of eutrophication (N/P Ratio = 12.88 ± 12.52) was observed. These characteristics enable to classify the Mfou municipal lake as mesotrophic. Biologically, 42 zooplankton species were recorded, including 29 species of Rotifers (69.05%), 10 species of Copepods (23.81%) and 3 species of Cladocerans (7.14%). A total zooplankton density was 2209 ind/L dominated by Rotifers with 933 ind/L (42%) mainly represented by Brachionus falcatus (188 ind/L), followed by Copepods with 827 ind/L (38%) dominated by Ectocyclops hisurtus (77 ind/L) and Cladocerans with 449 ind/L (20%) mainly represented by Moina micrura (344 ind/L) was recorded during the study period. These zooplanktons were quite diverse (H’ = 4.22 ± 0.27 bits/ind) with a tendency towards an even distribution of species (E = 0.73 ± 0.05). The abiotic typology classifieds the lake into three groups according to the major origin of the pollutants while the biotic typology classifieds them into three groups according to the tolerance of the zooplankton species to organic matter. This lake is experiencing the early stage of anthropogenic disturbance. Regular hydrobiological studies are needed for monitoring the ecology of this hydrosystem.
Rapid urbanization and unregulated land use are intensifying water quality challenges in sub-Saharan African cities, yet local data to guide effective management remain scarce. This study assessed the spatiotemporal variability of drinking water quality in Limbe, Cameroon, by integrating hydrochemical analyses of the Limbe and Macocar rivers with community-based surveys. Water samples collected at upstream, midstream, and downstream during the dry and rainy seasons were analyzed for physicochemical and microbial parameters, while household surveys captured perceptions of health and socioeconomic impacts. Results revealed pronounced dry-season spikes in electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and coliform counts in the Macocar River, while the Limbe River exhibited persistent downstream increases in nutrient and microbial loads. Statistical analyses linked these trends to farming, waste disposal, and unplanned urban expansion. The weighted arithmetic Water Quality Index (WQI) classified several downstream sites as “poor” or “unfit” for drinking, particularly in the dry season. Community responses corroborated laboratory findings, reporting increased health risks, economic burdens, and reliance on untreated surface water among low-income households. These findings underscore the urgent need for context-specific, participatory watershed management strategies to safeguard water security and public health in rapidly urbanizing, resource-limited settings.
Accurate estimation of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is essential for determining crop water requirements and optimizing irrigation management. While the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith (FAO-56 PM) method remains the global standard for ETo estimation, simpler alternative methods persist due to their lower data requirements. This study developed and evaluated multiple linear regression models for ETo prediction across three stations in agriculture-dominated northwestern Bangladesh (Rajshahi, Bogra, and Rangpur) using meteorological data from 1979 to 2022. The analysis revealed solar radiation as the strongest predictor of ETo (Kendall’s τ > 0.74), followed by maximum temperature (τ > 0.68), while sunshine hours and relative humidity showed weaker correlations (τ < 0.1). Among the three developed models, Model 3—incorporating average temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed—achieved superior performance (R² > 0.97, RMSE < 0.024) compared to the other models (R² > 0.93, RMSE < 0.07). These robust regression models provide valuable tools for agricultural water management in the study regions, enabling precise irrigation scheduling, improved yield forecasting, and climate-resilient policy development.
The rapid growth of shipbreaking yards in Sitakunda, Chattogram, Bangladesh, has raised concerns about its environmental and biodiversity impacts. This study examines the environmental flow and vulnerability of coastal ecosystems due to expanding shipbreaking activities, utilizing satellite imagery, historical data, and field observations. The industry’s growth has led to significant major changes, with forests and agricultural land being transformed into shipbreaking yards, resulting in deforestation and habitat destruction. Multi-temporal Landsat imagery from 1989–2024 tracks this expansion, revealing an increase from 367 hectares in 1989 to over 5,600 hectares in 2024. The shipbreaking process, which occurs on the intertidal zone, releases hazardous pollutants like oil, chemicals, and heavy metals, degrading soil, water, and air quality. These disruptions have harmed marine and terrestrial biodiversity, especially affecting fish and aquatic habitats. The findings highlight the need for effective environmental management and policy interventions to mitigate the ecological damage. Recommendations include a sustainable ship recycling fund, environmental impact assessments, and stricter regulation enforcement. This research emphasizes the importance of balancing economic growth with ecological preservation in the shipbreaking industry.
Microplastics (MPs) are tiny plastic particles that persist in nature for more than 100 years. This review aimed to illustrate the scenario of global microplastic pollution in various rivers and their ecological impacts. The study collected data from journals, books, and reports published within the last twenty years using multiple search engines such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, etc. Microplastics (MPs) were found in high abundance in river systems, which act as pathways for from terrestrial to marine ecosystems. FTIR, or Raman spectroscopy, Py-GC-MS, and SEM-EDS were the major instruments to identify MPs. Green or blue-colored fibers or fragments like PE or PP polymers were dominant MPs in rivers. This review found the highest 120 ± 43 MPs/L in water samples collected from Nakdong River, South Korea, whereas the highest 13607 MPs/kg in sediment samples collected from peripheral rivers of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and MPs abundance ranged from 6.3 to 22.21 MPs/fish and 40 MPs/bird. Ingested microplastics can block digestive tracts, reduce nutrient absorption, and lead to starvation, and they can cause exposure to toxins and pathogens. However, it causes bioaccumulation and disrupts food chains and habitats. Therefore, effective mitigation strategies should be adopted to address the microplastic pollution in rivers.
River encroachment in Barishal City has emerged as a critical environmental problem, drastically affecting aquatic biodiversity and the native ecosystem. The present study investigates the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to this issue. Barishal, with its extensive network of rivers like the Kirtankhola, Arial Khan, and Tetulia rivers, has traditionally relied on these rivers for transportation, farming, and trade. Despite this, augmented urbanization, industrialization, and unchecked building on riverbanks have led to the encroachment of the rivers. This, in turn, has caused habitat loss, reduced water quality, and disruption in the balance of ecology, severely threatening aquatic life. Added to this, the environmental consequence in the form of increased flood risk, modification of river flow regimes, and loss of important ecosystem services adds complexity to the issue. Preventing this crisis requires sustainable city planning, strict regulatory measures, and increased community awareness to promote the long-term conservation of Barishal’s riverine ecosystem and aquatic biodiversity. Urgent recovery measures are necessary to prevent further degradation and ensure the sustainability of the region’s riverine ecosystem.
This study accesses the quality of drinking water filtration plants in sector H-13, in Islamabad, Pakistan. The objective of this study focuses on the calculation of heavy metals pollution index in the samples collected for the analysis. The results are derived on the basis of physio-chemical and heavy metals parameters, a total 10 numbers of samples were tested for the analysis, to evaluate the quality and standard for the drinking water for human consumption. The physical parameters were studied using the portable instruments, chemical parameters were test using titration instruments, and Flame Atomic Absorption Model AA-7000 by Perkin Elmer were utilized to study the heavy metals parameters. Results shows that most of the samples for physical parameters are within the limit of WHO and PAK-EPA, except the sample TIR-6, which shows the high concentration of total dissolved solids, else the chemical parameters results shows that the concentration of total hardness and Mg ions were high than the prescribed limit in TIR-6 and TIR-9, heavy metals analysis shows that the pollution index is higher in 5 obtained samples, that were above the prescribed limit, for the cadmium, arsenic and lead. The calculation of Heavy metal pollution index indicates that majority of the filtration plants in the sector were highly subjected to contamination and are unsuitable for the consumption purposes.
Dukan Lake is a key source of drinking water for the residents of Sulaimani city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Recently, concerns regarding its water quality have grown; however, there has been limited research on the lake’s condition. Therefore, this study was undertaken to evaluate the water quality of Dukan Lake using the Water Quality Index (WQI). Water samples were collected from three locations in the lake during 2022and 2023. Nine water quality parameters, namely, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, hardness, alkalinity, sodium, and nitrate were analyzed in the samples. It was noted that all water quality parameters, except for alkalinity and hardness, were within the permissible limits. The average WQI value was calculated to be 63, with a range between 56 and 69. All water samples fell within the “Good water” category. It is concluded that the water from Dukan Lake is safe for drinking. However, ongoing monitoring of water quality is recommended.
Crop diversity is central in nutrition and food security, supporting the world with about sixty percent of total world’s protein. Over time, the close to 5000-7000 crops have reduced to a record of approximately 10 species dominating global food provision sometimes due to drivers of change like land use. This work was conducted as main objective, to assess the crop diversity within the wetlands of the Eastern part of the Bamendjin Dam in Bangourain and Kouoptamo Subdivisionss. The methods deployed in this study were the key informants’ consensus, focus group discussions and on-site field observation. The results showed that 87 species of crops were cultivated among which there were 150 varieties co-existing with the Dam. Assessing the diversification of the crops revealed majority of the farmers cultivated an average of six crops within their holdings. These crops belonged to 30 families of which the Solanaceae dominated with the highest number of species while the Fabaceae recorded the highest number of genetic diversity. The crops were grouped into 13 categories following their predominant parts used. When they were assigned into various frequency classes, it provided a reverse J shape. Ranking of the varieties according to their cultivation rate showed that Zea mays was the most cultivated crop within the wetland. Evaluating the local taxonomy of the local communities in identifying species revealed that morphological traits like color overshadowed. When these traits were exemplified in the varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris which recorded the highest varieties, it revealed that the local communities mostly used colors, shape, size and height to distinguish varieties of a given species.
Shelford’s Law of Tolerance provides a foundational ecological framework explaining how organisms respond to environmental gradients. This study employed a photographic documentation approach to interpret climatic variability and its impact on human activities, particularly schoolchildren’s outdoor behavior, in an urban setting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A sequence of photographs was analyzed to represent a range of climatic conditions, progressing from clear skies to heavy haze. The images serve as a proxy to visualize the zones described by Shelford’s Law: optimum, stress, and intolerance. By integrating the concepts of stenotopic and eurytopic responses, this article illustrated how narrow and broad tolerance species (and individuals) vary in response to environmental changes. The findings highlighted the relevance of visual, pragmatic learning to deepen ecological understanding in urban education and planning.
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces critical, interconnected challenges in climate change, energy access, and food security, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. Focusing on Kenya and Nigeria as representative case studies, this paper examines how integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices for climate adaptation and food security into legal frameworks can enhance governance of the interconnected climate-energy-food nexus. By analysing specific cases, such as Maasai pastoralist strategies in Kenya and traditional agricultural practices in Nigerian communities, the paper proposes actionable legal and policy reforms to bridge the gap between formal legal structures and indigenous knowledge. Advocating for an inclusive, culturally sensitive approach to environmental governance, this paper underscores the imperative of formally recognising and integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices into legal frameworks to enhance climate adaptation and food security.
Flooding is a significant natural disaster that affects many communities around the world, including KwaZulu Natal Province in South Africa. Vulnerability to flooding is influenced by a variety of community characteristics, including social, environmental, and economic factors. Understanding the impact of these characteristics on vulnerability is essential for effective disaster risk reduction and management strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of community characteristics on vulnerability to flooding in the iLembe district municipality. Data were collected from 67 households using a survey questionnaire and analysed using multiple regression analysis. The results of the regression analysis revealed that social and economic characteristics significantly predicted vulnerability to flooding, while environmental characteristics did not have a significant effect. Specifically, social characteristics had a negative relationship with vulnerability, indicating that higher levels of social characteristics were associated with lower vulnerability to flooding. The results further suggest that poverty and economic insecurity may increase vulnerability to flooding in this community. Interestingly, the coefficient for environmental characteristics was not statistically significant, indicating that these factors do not have a significant impact on vulnerability score in this context. This finding may reflect the fact that the study was conducted in a relatively homogenous geographic region, where environmental characteristics may be relatively consistent across the community. Overall, these results highlight the importance of social and economic factors in understanding vulnerability to flooding in the KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa. Policymakers and practitioners should consider interventions that address poverty and economic insecurity, as well as promote social cohesion and support networks, to reduce vulnerability to flooding in this community.
This study investigates the perceptions of rural households in Aleta-Wondo District, Ethiopia, regarding domestic biogas technology and its potential to reduce deforestation and dependence on biomass for energy. Domestic biogas is a renewable energy solution that can decrease reliance on traditional fuels like firewood, charcoal, and kerosene, which contribute to deforestation and environmental degradation. However, biogas adoption remains limited in the region. A survey of 191 households (90 adopters and 101 non-adopters) was conducted using multistage sampling, with data analyzed through descriptive statistics and regression models to determine adoption patterns. Biogas adoption significantly reduced traditional fuel use: firewood consumption decreased by 83.33%, charcoal by 66.67%, and kerosene costs for cooking were eliminated. This shift reduced deforestation and promoted forest regeneration. Adopters also experienced notable time and financial savings, including an 81.82% reduction in monthly firewood use, an 80% decrease in firewood collection trips, and a weekly time savings of 8 hours (72.7%). Key factors influencing adoption, identified through binary logistic regression (p < 0.01; pseudo R2 = 49%), included household head’s sex and education, income, water access, livestock ownership, and credit availability. The study highlights biogas as a sustainable, cost-effective solution to reduce energy problem, conserve forests, and improve rural livelihoods. However, adoption barriers such as financial constraints, technical expertise gaps, and limited credit access must be addressed. Targeted government support, including financial incentives, technical assistance, and capacity-building, is essential to scale up adoption and maximize its benefits.
