Biological control of taro scarab beetle (Papuanauninodis Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) instars via Scoliid and Voria Tachinidae parasitoid wasps

Scoliid and Voria Tachinidae parasitoid wasps are shown to be able to control the population of the Taro Scarab beetle (Papuanauninodis, Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) larvae using a newly created continuous-time simulation model based on non-linear ordinary differential equations that track the populations of the beetle’s life cycle stages: egg, larva, pupa, adult and the populations of the two parasitoid wasps. Due to the fact that the scarab beetles are, relatively speaking, long lived it is challenging to drive down the adult population below the environmental carrying capacity. Mortality and predator/prey capture rates are modelled using the Weibull and Pascal probability distribution functions, respectively. We suggest the use of a virus or fungi to drive down the population of the adult beetles, the ambition being to avoid the use of pesticides so as to produce higher quality food that doesn’t damage human health via chemical residues

Eco control of agro pests using imaging, modelling & natural predators

Caterpillars in their various forms: size, shape, and colour cause significant harm to crops and humans. This paper offers a solution for the detection and control of caterpillars through the use of a sustainable pest control system that does not require the application of chemical pesticides, which damage human health and destroy the naturally beneficial insects within the environment. The proposed system is capable of controlling 80% of the population of caterpillars in less than 65 days by deploying a controlled number of larval parasitoid wasps (Cotesia Flavipes, Cameron) into the crop environment. This is made possible by using a continuous time model of the interaction between the caterpillar and the Cotesia Flavipes (Cameron) wasps using a set of simultaneous, non-linear, ordinary differential equations incorporating natural death rates based on the Weibull probability distribution function. A negative binomial distribution is used to model the efficiency and the probability that the wasp will find and parasitize a host larva. The caterpillar is presented in all its life-cycle stages of: egg, larva, pupa and adult and the Cotesia Flavipes (Cameron) wasp is present as an adult larval parasitoid. Biological control modelling is used to estimate the quantity of the Cotesia Flavipes (Cameron) wasps that should be introduced into the caterpillar infested environment to suppress its population density to an economically acceptable level within a prescribed number of days. Keywords

ANALYSING AND MAPPING OF LAND FIRE VULNERABILITY IN KUMPEH, MUARO JAMBI DISTRICT, JAMBI PROVINCE

Forest and land fires have become disasters that have received international attention. Peatland as an important part of the forest poses a separate threat to the effect of carbon release and climate change. Fire prevention can be done by understanding the causes. Fire vulnerability mapping uses several parameters in its calculation, namely NDVI value, NDMI value, TWI value, accessibility distance, and community activity center. Land use and hotspot history will be the parameters compared with the results of the analysis. The calculation uses a range of values ​​from 1 to 5. The risk level class is divided into five, with the highest percentage of 20.18% at the very vulnerable level and the lowest of 19.56% at the normal level. Very vulnerable areas have the highest number of hotspot points at 268 points while the lowest number of hotspot points is in the safe class of 23 points. Most areas with high vulnerability are found in agriculture and plantation areas. The model used in this fire vulnerability map can be said to have a pretty good correlation.   Keywords: accessibility distance, forest fires, hotspot, land use, peatlan

Food and Feeding Habits of the Brackish River Prawn (Macrobrachium macrobrachion, Herklots, 1857) from Great Kwa River, Obufa Esuk Beach, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

The study investigated the stomach contents of Macrobrachium macrobrachion from the commercial artisanal catches in Obufa Esuk Beach along Great Kwa River, Cross River, Nigeria. Samples were collected for a period of six months from February, 2006 to July, 2006. The stomach analysis was carried out using frequency of occurrence and numeric methods. It was observed that the prawn fed on a variety of food items such as detritus; diatoms, sand, mud particle fish bone, insect part and flagellate which were consistent. In terms of percentage frequency of occurrence detritus topped the list of food items with 19.58% while unidentified invertebrates were the least food component 0.74% by number. Detritus, diatoms, unidentified algae, mud particles, sand were not numerically quantified. Fish bones were only counted in stomach where no fish remain occurred. The results indicated that M. macrobrachion can be considered as an omnivorous detritivore. Keywords: Stomach analysis, Food items, Macrobrachium macrobrachion, Obufa Esuk Beach, Nigeri

Natural control of the mosquito population via Odonata and Toxorhynchites

The main impact of mosquito pests is the transmission of many dangerous diseases and death. Hence, the reduction of their population by the use of a natural control method is a primary objective of this research. This mosquito reduction method utilises different species of predators (Odonata) and (Toxorhynchites) to substantially improve the environment. The frequency of capturing the pest mosquitoes by the predators is determined using a Pascal distribution, whilst insect mortality is modelled using a Weibull distribution. The results from the model show that by using insect predators, a significant reduction of the mosquito population is possible in less than eighty days

Effect of Lethal Concentrations of Rubber Extract (Hevea brasiliensis) on the Survival on Fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus under Laboratory Condition.

The water soluble fraction (WSF) of Hevea brasiliensis was tested against Clarias garienpinus, at 0, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70mg/l in glass aquaria stocked with ten animals for 96 hours under observation for changes. Moribund swimming, restlessness, respiratory difficulties, depigmentation and mortalities were observed in the WSF exposure groups, but not in the controls. LC50 values were estimated at 50.12mg/l. There was no significant difference in mortalities between the replicate group (P>0.05), leading to the conclusion that the WSF of Hevea brasiliensis had same toxic effects on both batches of the test organism

WEATHER MONITORING MODEL BASED ON SATELLITE DATA(MODEL PEMANTAUAN CUACA BERDASAR PADA DATA SATELIT)

Weather monitoring model is closely related to the problem of objective analysis of the field of meteorology. The amount of meteorological data is quite substantial and hence the processing of these data is one of primary problems is dynamic meteorology. Therefore, a weather system model must consider atmospheric process, which can be built by mechanistic model rather than statistical approach. Integration of numerical model and spatial model will produce spatial weather information. It should be managed in one computerized system called as an information system for weather monitoring. The approach of the research was divided into five tasks. First task was satellite data capturing and extracting, second was development of numerical modeling based on dynamic and thermodynamic of atmospheric process, third was integration of numerical modeling and geographic information system in the spatial model, fourth was to develop graphical user interface and the fifth task was application of system in the real-world. Temporal resolution of this model is one day, however, in reality weather is temporal state of atmosphere condition that change any time. Moreover, this model only describes weather condition when data satellite on the day could be captured. Therefore, to increase the temporal resolution of this model, the input data could be added or integrated with other satellite data such as GMS satellite that has one-hour temporal resolution. Spatial resolution in this model is 50x50 kilometers square for global and 8x8 kilometers for regional area. Actually, for the spatial resolution, this model has been prepared as NOAA’s spatial resolution. This model cannot simulate vertical distribution of atmosphere, so, it does not give information about relative humidity and precipitation. If air movement in vertical area could be simulated, the dew point temperature and lighting condensation level would be known therefore the relative humidity and precipitation could be predicted

A Laboratory Bioassay of the Potential Effect of Rubber Extract (Hevea brasiliensis) on the Survival of Fingerlings of Oreochromis niloticus

The potential effects of Hevea brasiliensis on the survival of fingerlings of Oreochromis niloticus were investigated in duplicate (A and B) using the water soluble fraction of the latex under laboratory conditions for 96 hours. The WSF of Hevea brasiliensis was tested against Oreochromis niloticus at 0, 8, 16, 24, 32 and 40mg/l in glass aquaria stocked with ten animals for 96 hours under observation for changes. Behavioural pattern exhibited by the fish include, loss of balance, restlessness, attempt at jumping out and hemorrhaged gills, respiratory difficulties and mortalities were observed in the WSF exposure groups, but not in the controls. LC50 values were estimated at 28. 50 ± 0.2mg/l. There was significant difference in mortalities between the replicate group (p < 0.05), leading to conclusion that the organism in each batch responded differently to the toxic effect of WSF of Hevea brasiliensis latex

Habitat Suitability of Javan Gibbon in Gunung Salak, West Java (Kesesuaian Habitat Owa Jawa di Gunung Salak, Jawa Barat)

Objective of this study was to provide spatial information of Javan gibbon habitat suitability and distribution in Gunung (Mt.) Salak area for Management Authority of Mt. Halimun-Salak National Park. Informations on Javan gibbon distribution was collected through a number of survey during December 2005–June 2006 in Kawah Ratu (Parakan Salak, Sukabumi), Pondok Wisata Cangkuang (Cidahu, Sukabumi), and Bobojong Village (Bogor). Twenty two groups were identified using direct count and triangle count method from over 47 identified positions. Habitat suitability was formulated based on10 ecogeographical variables (criteria), consisting of forest type (primary forest, secondary forest, low-land forest, and submontane forest), slope (0–15%, 15–45%, >45%), and distance to non-forested land, river/water body, and road/tracks. The result showed that Mt. Salak consisted of 13.20% (17.53 km2), 26.25% (34.86 km2), 19.40% (25.77 km2), 4.16% (5.53 km2), and 20.17% (26.78 km2) of high-suitable, suitable, moderate suitable, less and low suitable level subsequently, and 12.69 km2 or 9.56% was not suitable for Javan gibbon habitat. It was also revealed that that 3 and 9 groups were living in high suitable and suitable habitat respectively; 13 groups in moderate suitable, while for each less and low suitable habitat, 2 Javan gibbon groups lived in

Habitat Suitability of Javan Gibbon in Gunung Salak, West Java (Kesesuaian Habitat Owa Jawa di Gunung Salak, Jawa Barat)

Objective of this study was to provide spatial information of Javan gibbon habitat suitability and distribution in Gunung (Mt.) Salak area for Management Authority of Mt. Halimun-Salak National Park. Informations on Javan gibbon distribution was collected through a number of survey during December 2005–June 2006 in Kawah Ratu (Parakan Salak, Sukabumi), Pondok Wisata Cangkuang (Cidahu, Sukabumi), and Bobojong Village (Bogor). Twenty two groups were identified using direct count and triangle count method from over 47 identified positions. Habitat suitability was formulated based on10 ecogeographical variables (criteria), consisting of forest type (primary forest, secondary forest, low-land forest, and submontane forest), slope (0–15%, 15–45%, >45%), and distance to non-forested land, river/water body, and road/tracks. The result showed that Mt. Salak consisted of 13.20% (17.53 km2), 26.25% (34.86 km2), 19.40% (25.77 km2), 4.16% (5.53 km2), and 20.17% (26.78 km2) of high-suitable, suitable, moderate suitable, less and low suitable level subsequently, and 12.69 km2 or 9.56% was not suitable for Javan gibbon habitat. It was also revealed that that 3 and 9 groups were living in high suitable and suitable habitat respectively; 13 groups in moderate suitable, while for each less and low suitable habitat, 2 Javan gibbon groups lived in