The quality of coastal aquatic ecosystems is increasingly affected by anthropogenic activities such as tourism, aquaculture, and land-based runoff. Phytoplankton, as primary producers and sensitive biological indicators, play a crucial role in detecting changes in water quality. This study aimed to assess the diversity and abundance of phytoplankton in the coastal waters of Mandalika, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, using conventional microscopic methods. Sampling was conducted in April 2024 at three coastal sites—Kuta Beach, Tanjung Aan Beach, and Gerupuk Beach—representing coral reef and seagrass ecosystems. Phytoplankton samples were collected using a 20 µm plankton net, preserved with 5% formalin, and analyzed to the genus level under a compound microscope. Environmental parameters including temperature, pH, salinity, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations were also measured. The results showed that Bacillariophyceae (diatoms) dominated the phytoplankton communities at all sites, with total abundances ranging from 13,200 to 20,800 cells/mL. Tanjung Aan exhibited the highest phytoplankton diversity, while Kuta recorded the highest phosphate levels (2.5 mg/L), which correlated with increased phytoplankton abundance. The presence of Cyanophyceae and Dinophyceae at certain locations indicated localized nutrient fluctuations and potential early signs of anthropogenic influence. Overall, the dominance of diatoms suggests mesotrophic to slightly eutrophic conditions across the region. These findings support the application of phytoplankton as reliable bioindicators for monitoring water quality and highlight the effectiveness of conventional microscopy in coastal ecological assessments.
Background: Microplastics are plastic particles with micro (<5 mm). Its small size and long durability cause microplastics to potentially accumulate in the bodies of living things so that they can endanger the health of aquatic life. This study aims to analyze the level of microplastic pollution in Pelangan Village, West Lombok. Materials and Methods: The microplastic pollution test was carried out by collecting water samples, sediment samples, and samples of marine biota (gastropods) from three different locations, then extracted using the density separation method. The extracted microplastics were observed using a reverse microscope to identify the shape and color characteristics of the microplastic particles. Results: The results of this study show the types of microplastics found, namely fragments, films, fibers, pellets, and granules. Among the five types of microplastics found, fragment microplastics had the highest abundance and fiber-type microplastics had the lowest abundance. Meanwhile, based on the color of the MP particles, the proportions are black, white, red, blue, yellow, and green. Based on the color characteristics of MP particles, the proportions are black, white, red, blue, yellow, and green. Conclusion: The results of the study show that microplastic pollution has spread in the waters of Pelangan Village, which shows the potential impact on the coastal ecosystem, hence the need for better plastic waste management
This research paper examines the integration of climate change education in the K-12 curriculum, specifically focusing on the CBSE NCERT curriculum in India. The study compares various teaching methods and their impact on student learning outcomes related to climate change awareness and understanding. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, curriculum content, and primary data collected from students and educators, this paper aims to identify effective strategies for incorporating climate change education into the K-12 curriculum. The findings suggest that interactive and experiential learning approaches, coupled with technology integration, yield the most significant improvements in student understanding and engagement with climate change issues. The paper concludes with recommendations for curriculum developers and educators to enhance climate change education in K-12 settings.
Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) are a major dietary source of antioxidants particularly lycopene which has much health benefits like reduced risk of health disease and cancer. Microorganisms are noted to be major limiting factors in the production of tomatoes. This study is thus aimed at determining microorganisms associated with tomato fruit yield in irrigated and rain fed systems.The soil, tomato fruit and tomatoes leaves were randomly sampled. Bacteria were identified using various biochemical tests while fungal isolates were screened using cotton blue in lactophenol stain and with the aid of a fungal chart. Bacteria such as Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella aerogenes and Sarcinae were isolated. Some fungi seen were. Aspergillu sp,, Sclelosponium aposperum,, Curvularia sp.,Arthrographic skalrae, Neosartorya fischeri but Saccharomyces cerevisiae appeared most (49.00%) in rain the rain fed system whereas Staphylococus aureus was most frequent (50.00%) in the irrigated system. Higher yield of tomatoes (31,925kg) was obtained in irrigated system as compared to 7,250kg harvested in the rain fed system. The variety UTC gave a better yield and showed higher resistance than EKA variety. Thus, it may be preferable to adopt the Irrigated system and use of the UTC variety in this study area.
The relationship between dietary habits and disease prevalence among Girls & women residing in hostel environments. Hostel settings, characterised by communal living arrangements, often influence individuals' dietary choices and subsequently impact their health outcomes. More specifically, the characteristics of hostel food with emphasis placed upon Food Hygiene, Food Habits, Chronic Diseases, GI disorders. Objective: To assess the dietary habits & diseases in girls and women's hostels & interplay between dietary behaviours & health outcomes in hostels. Methods: A Convenient, selective sampling, 24-hour Dietary recall, food frequency questionnaire was adopted to collect the data. The sample consisted of a total of 104 subjects in 3 3-month period. Result: Hostelers are more vulnerable to diseases due to poor eating habits, irregular time management, poor hygiene, taste etc are some of the reasons and due to these they are diverting themselves to street foods, which is directly effect their health and leads to complications. Conclusion: The study emphasises the detrimental impact of hostel life on the nutritional status of young women. The high prevalence of overweight and obesity, coupled with inadequate nutrient intake, irregular sleep patterns, pcods among women at a young age
