SEASONAL RESPONSES OF TWO FAUNAL TAXA TO FIRE TREATMENTS IN YANKARI GAME RESERVE, NIGERIA

The custom of using fire as a management tool in protected areas needs to be within a frame work of an understanding of the responses of biodiversity. This is to avoid or reduce the negative impacts of ecological disturbances in an ecosystem. More responses of floral than faunal components of biodiversity to fire have been studied and reported.This study was aimed at determining the faunal responses to fire in both wet and dry seasons at the Yankari Game Reserve (YGR)located in lat10° 30’ E and long 9° 45’ N. The birds andinsects were used in the study to bridge the knowledge gap of fire ecology in Nigeria. Point transects treated with late burns during the wet season (April to June) and early burns during the dry season (November) were used to record birds and insects. Data was collected from 37 points in the wet season and from 45 points in the dry season. Results show that fire had a significant effect on insect abundance during the wet season and there was also a significant difference between mean insect diversity in wet and dry seasons and a higher bird and insect abundance and diversities was observed in wet than in dry season. The early burn fire regime is therefore, recommended as a fire treatment regime in the YGR. The need for conservation managers to maintain equilibrium between management practices and population dynamics in ecosystems is further highlighted&nbsp

Composition and Distribution of Mosquito Vectors in a Peri-Urban Community Surrounding an Institution of Learning in Lafia Metropolis, Nasarawa State, Central Nigeria

Vector surveillance is very key in solving mosquito-borne health problems in Nigeria. To this end, the composition and distribution of mosquito vectors in a peri-urban community surrounding an institution of learning in Lafia metropolis, Nasarawa State, Central Nigeria was carried out between December 2016 and June 2017. The Prokopack Aspirator was used to collect indoor resting mosquitoes between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. from 30 randomly selected houses. Mosquitoes collected were knocked down and transferred into a well labelled petri-dish and taken to the laboratory for processing. A total of 664 mosquitoes were collected which spread across Culex quinquefasciatus 572 (86.14%), Anopheles gambiae 88 (13.25%) and Aedes aegypti 4 (0.60%). The abundance of mosquitoes in relation to seasons, species, sex, abdominal conditions as well as transmission indices across seasons significantly varied (P 0.05). The inhabitants of the area should ensure that all drainages flow through so as to reduce mosquito breeding grounds. Also, members of the community should always protect themselves by sleeping under insecticide treated bed nets

INSECTS AS IMPORTANT DELICACY FOR BIRDS: EXPANDING OUR KNOWLEDGE OF INSECT FOOD ECOLOGY OF BIRDS IN THE TROPICS

Eighty percent of birds include insects in their diet. The species of insect more or less consumed often depend on the bird species and its stage in life. In terms of nutritional value, insect diet is adequate; because of its rich and easily digestible protein and fat although the digestibility of various parts largely depends on their chitin content. This study was carried out in three sites; Kurra Falls Forest (9023’N, 8042’E), the Fobur Forest (9051’N, 9001’E) and the Jos Wildlife Park (09° 52\u27, 08° 53\u27) all located in Plateau State, Nigeria. In general all the study sites constitute similar vegetation structure and lanscape. All sites are typically savanna woodlands interspersed with gallery forests, patches of grasslands and rocky outcrops. Insect diet of insectivorous passerines and cattle egret Bubulcus ibis were studied through faecal sample analysis. The methods generally involved collection of faecal droppings from roost sites and mist-netting. Insects were also sampled using sweep net and pitfall traps to correlate results of field and faecal sample data. Results showed that the Order hymenoptera, orthoptera and coleoptera constitutes main insect Orders whose fragments were found in the diet of insectivorous passerines and the cattle egret. Analyses of faecal droppings of the study species generally revealed that birds preyed primarily on the insect Orders hymenoptera (36%), coleoptera (23%), orthoptera (12%) and diptera (9%) which together represent 80% of the avian insect diet. The study concludes therefore, that tropical birds may show a direct correlation between habitat resource availability and utilization which perhaps confirm that birds choose food opportunistically

Schistosomacidal activity of Maytenus senegalensis (Lam.) Excell. (Celastraceae) extracts on Schistosoma mansoni in mice

A study was conducted to investigate the schistosomacidal effect of Maytenus senegalensis (Lam.) Excell. on Schistosoma mansoni in mice. Three different concentrations (6.0, 3.0 and 1.5) mg/ml of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the plant roots was given orally to different groups of infected mice. Praziquantel was used as standard drug. Parameters investigated include the spleen weight, liver weight, liver score, worm burden, haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (pcv). Results showed schitosomacidal effects as evidenced by decreases in spleen and liver weights, reduction in worm burden as well as increases in Hb and PCV values of treated mice compared to those of the untreated group. Activity of plant is also shown to be directly proportional to the concentration in both aqueous and ethanolic extracts. Statistical analysis shows that there is a significant difference (

Determining malaria situation through linelist hospital attendance records in selected communities in Benue State, north-central Nigeria

Knowledge of malaria situation provides useful insights on which effective malaria control strategies can be predicated. The objective of this study was to retrospectively determine the malaria situation in the selected communities through hospital attendance records. In the absence of useable retrospective data, a line list record of hospital attendance was collated and used to provide baseline information on some malariological parameters. Point of service collation resulted in 490 confirmed malaria cases, only 69(14.1%) captured the rural settings while 421(85.9%) represented the urban areas. Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) was used for 464(94.7%), microscopy 4(0.8%) and RDT/microscopy accounted for 22(4.5%).Of the four species of human malaria recorded, Plasmodium falciparum peaked with 470(95.9%). Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) was not extensive (3.13%) and Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) ownership did not equate usage. Dataset highlights gaps in malaria disease control, the need for universal coverage, and the age long challenge of irregular reporting. Failure to tackle these challenges is a guaranty for unsuccessful elimination and ensures a resurgence of this formidable disease.Keywords: Malaria, morbidity; mortality; Plasmodium; Nigeria

Bio-efficacy of long-lasting insecticidal nets against Anopheles gambiae mosquito after four years of usage in Mikang, Plateau State, Nigeria

Insecticide-treated nets (ITN) and Indoor residual spraying (IRS) are key components in malaria control through reliance on susceptibility of Anopheles vector mosquitoes to chemical insecticides in bed nets and for IRS. Bio- efficacy of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) of various years of usage on populations of An. gambiae was investigated in Mikang LGA of Plateau State, Nigeria. About 2-3 days old non-blood fed adult An. gambiae mosquitoes reared from larvae were tested with LLINs that had been in use for 1-4 years using the standard WHO cone test. Bio-efficacy of LLINs decreased with age of the nets tested. Knockdown of mosquitoes were 90 (100%), 87 (96.7%), 86 (95.6%), 56 (62.0%) and 36 (40.0%) in control nets ages 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 years respectively. Significant difference was observed between the control and the other net age groups while no significant difference (p<0.05)was observed between the knockdown rates for net age 1 and 2 and those in use for 3 and 4 years suggesting insecticide decay as nets age. In the current study 100% mortality after 24 hours post exposure was observed in adult mosquitoes from control nets and those in use for 1-4 years, indicating susceptibility. There was significant difference in the susceptibility of mosquitoes to different nets.LLINs should be monitored for pyrethroids resistance as they age and preferably, they should be replaced after every two years of use.Keywords: Malaria; pyrethroid; insecticide decay; bio-efficacy; susceptibility