3 research outputs found
Indigenous knowledge of rural communities in Malawi on socio-economic use, propagation, biology, biodiversity and ecology of Uapaca kirkiana Muell. Arg
Uapaca kirkiana Muell Arg. is one of the most popular indigenous fruit trees in the Miombo woodlands of southern Africa. An investigation into existing indigenous knowledge and socio- economic use ofthis fruit tree was conducted in Malawi. The survey revealed that U. kirkiana fruits contribute considerably to livelihood as a food supplement and for income generation among local communities.However, U. kirkiana trees are not widely cultivated due to lack of improved planting materials and difficulties in establishment outside their natural habitats. The results from the survey indicate thatfruits are the main non-timber products that contribute to demand for domestication and the attributes preferred by the rural communities for improvement are mainly related to fruit taste and yield. Poormanagement and anthropogenic activities have resulted in the destruction of forest reserves and the local people do not have maximum stewardship of U. kirkiana trees in the forest reserve. Theindigenous knowledge on U. kirkiana trees provides a valuable basis for domestication, propagation and improvement of fruit and tree attributes, and management issues on both co-managed and government forest reserve
Phenotypic variation in fruit, seed and seedling traits of nine Uapaca kirkiana provenances found in Malawi
Uapaca kirkiana is one of the priority indigenous fruit tree species for domestication in southern Africa. Natural populations of U. kirkiana are declining due to deforestation, forest fragmentation and wildfires. Knowledge of genetic variation is prerequisite for development of conservation strategies. A provenance evaluation study was conducted at Bunda College of Agriculture in Lilongwe, central Malawi to determine the variability in fruit, seed and seedling characteristics of nine populations found in the southern, central and northern regions of Malawi. Results showed significant differences (P≤0.05) between provenances in fruit weight, seed weight, seed length and seed width. The central Malawi provenances of Dzalanyama and Chimaliro had the heaviest mean weight of fruits of 23.9g and 23.8 g respectively, the lightest fruits (14.6g) were found in Namoni Katengeza provenance. There were no significant differences (P ≤0.05) in number of seeds per fruit within and between provenances. The provenances differed significantly in cumulative germination percentage, ranging from 26% for Tsamba provenance in southern Malawi to 87% for Dzalanyama provenance in central Malawi. There was a consistent regional variation in stem collar diameter and height growth with central Malawi (Dzalanyama and Chimaliro) and northern Malawi provenances having taller seedlings ranging from 5.2 to 9.0 cm, with the exception of Namoni Katengeza provenance in central Malawi. The root collar diameters were significantly higher for Dzalanyama and Chimaliro (2.5 to 3.9 cm) than southern Malawi provenances whose seedling collar diameter averaged 2.3 centimetres. The nursery provenance trial has shown existence of considerable variation in seed germination, fruit and seed traits in U. kirkiana. Seed and seedling growth traits may prove to be important criteria for selection of provenances for domestication to provide farmers with sustained fruit production for consumption and economic benefits. Keywords: domestication, germination, height, indigenous fruit, seed, seedling, provenance, Uapaca kirkiana Southern African Forestry Journal Vol. 208, 2006: 15-2
Supporting conservation with biodiversity research in sub-Saharan Africa’s human-modified landscapes
Protected areas (PAs) cover 12 % of terrestrial sub-Saharan Africa. However,
given the inherent inadequacies of these PAs to cater for all species in conjunction with the
effects of climate change and human pressures on PAs, the future of biodiversity depends
heavily on the 88 % of land that is unprotected. The study of biodiversity patterns and the
processes that maintain them in human-modified landscapes can provide a valuable evidence
base to support science-based policy-making that seeks to make land outside of PAs
as amenable as possible for biodiversity persistence. We discuss the literature on biodiversity
in sub-Saharan Africa’s human-modified landscapes as it relates to four broad
ecosystem categorizations (i.e. rangelands, tropical forest, the Cape Floristic Region, and
the urban and rural built environment) within which we expect similar patterns of biodiversity
persistence in relation to specific human land uses and land management actions.
Available research demonstrates the potential contribution of biodiversity conservation in
human-modified landscapes within all four ecosystem types and goes some way towards
providing general conclusions that could support policy-making. Nonetheless, conservation
success in human-modified landscapes is hampered by constraints requiring further
scientific investment, e.g. deficiencies in the available research, uncertainties regarding
implementation strategies, and difficulties of coexisting with biodiversity. However,
information currently available can and should support efforts at individual, community,
provincial, national, and international levels to support biodiversity conservation in
human-modified landscapes.National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.Chair in Conservation Ecology at CERU.http://link.springer.com/journal/105312015-08-31hb201