Seed Management and Quality of Farmer Saved Seeds of Bambara groundnut from North Western, Northern and Eastern Uganda

   Bambara groundnut (BG) is a protein and energy-rich legume crop of African origin with the potential to contribute to food and nutrition security. There is limited information on seed man­agement and quality of farmer saved seed of BG in Uganda. This study was conducted to inves­tigate seed management practices and evaluate the quality of farmer saved seed from Uganda. Four hundred BG farmers were chosen using purposive sampling and information gathered on their seed management. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview the farm­ers. Seed colour and size determination, standard germination and electrical conductivity tests were done on seed samples collected from farmers. Results from survey revealed that farmers recycled seeds for more than 4 years (39.2%) and maintained mostly single landraces (52.5%). Seed was sun-dried on the ground (81%), stored in gunny bags (93.5%), and threshed mostly by hand (52.0%). Collected landraces had varied seed coat colours and significantly differed at p = 0.05 in their seed sizes, final germination percentage (FGP), electrical conductivity (EC), germination velocity index and seedling vigour index II (SVI-II). Local Bam landrace recorded highest SVI-II (485.3) and EC (0.52MSg-1) while TVSU 688 landrace recorded the highest FGP (96.0%) and lowest EC (0.06MSg-1)

Can the Kiunga MPA protect the Lamu fishery?

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedYoung Marine Scientists’ Day Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee (VLIZ), 24 février, Brugge, Belgiqu

Status of coral reef fish communities within the Mombasa Marine Protected Area, Kenya, more than a decade after establishment

The abundance, trophic composition and diversity of fish were investigated in the Mombasa Marine Protected Area (MPA) on the Kenya coast over a period of four years (2004-2007) sixteen years after its establishment to determine its effectiveness. Fish monitoring data collected using belt transects revealed significant differences in fish abundance, distribution and composition between the MPA’s no-take area and a partially-protected area with controlled exploitation. Although seasonal variation was apparent in the trophic composition, annual differences over the four year study period were not significant. Results indicated that differences in fish composition within the MPA were due to a greater abundance of haemulids (nocturnal carnivores) and acanthurids (herbivores) in the no-take area than in the partially-protected area. Fish diversity also varied between the no-take area and the partially-protected area with a higher Shannon-Wiener diversity index associated with the no-take area. Dominance was higher in the partially-protected area than in the no-take area and was also higher during the southeast (SE) monsoon season. These results support the claim of greater effectiveness of the fully protected no-take area, compared to the partially-protected area in sustaining the rich fish community found in previous studies

Impacts of climate change on World Heritage coral reefs: a first global scientific assessment

Since 1972, the UNESCO World Heritage Convention has united the world around a shared responsibility to protect natural and cultural places of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). The World Heritage List includes 29 natural, marine properties that contain coral reef systems. Stretching around the planet, these globally significant reefs include icons such as the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (Kiribati), the Great Barrier Reef (Australia), Papahānaumokuākea (USA), Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (Belize) and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (Philippines). They are recognized for their unique and global importance and for being part of the common heritage of humanity. Coral reefs are ecologically and economically important ecosystems found across the world’s tropical and sub-tropical oceans. Despite covering less than 0.1% of the ocean floor, reefs host more than one quarter of all marine fish species (in addition to many other marine animals). They are the most inherently biodiverse ecosystems in the ocean – comparable to rainforests on land. These ‘Rainforests of the Sea’ provide social, economic and cultural services with an estimated value of over USD $1 Trillion globally. For example, the complex three-dimensional structure of reefs not only provides habitat but also dissipates wave energy to protect coastlines from erosion and damage. Coastal protection and human use (including tourism, recreation and fishing) supply the greatest economic benefits from coral reefs to over half a billion people around the world. Despite their importance and value, most coral reefs are under enormous pressure from a range of different human activities globally including agricultural run-off, urban development, and over-fishing. Superimposed on these local threats, increased ocean temperature has caused the death of corals around the world in recent years. At this point, rising atmospheric carbon dioxide caused by human activity is the greatest threat to coral reefs globally, primarily due to ocean warming but also due to ocean acidification that ensues

Performance of risk assessment models for prevalent or undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus in a multi-ethnic population: the Helius study

Background: Most risk assessment models for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have been developed in Caucasians and Asians; little is known about their performance in other ethnic groups.Objective(s): We aimed to identify existing models for the risk of prevalent or undiagnosed T2DM and externally validate them in a multi-ethnic population currently living in the Netherlands.Methods: A literature search to identify risk assessment models for prevalent or undiagnosed T2DM was performed in PubMed until December 2017. We validated these models in 4,547 Dutch, 3,035 South Asian Surinamese, 4,119 African Surinamese, 2,326 Ghanaian, 3,598 Turkish, and 3,894 Moroccan origin participants from the HELIUS (Healthy LIfe in an Urban Setting) cohort study performed in Amsterdam. Model performance was assessed in terms of discrimination (C-statistic) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test). We identified 25 studies containing 29 models for prevalent or undiagnosed T2DM. C-statistics varied between 0.77-0.92 in Dutch, 0.66-0.83 in South Asian Surinamese, 0.70-0.82 in African Surinamese, 0.61-0.81 in Ghanaian, 0.69-0.86 in Turkish, and 0.69-0.87 in the Moroccan populations. The C-statistics were generally lower among the South Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, and Ghanaian populations and highest among the Dutch. Calibration was poor (Hosmer-Lemeshow p < 0.05) for all models except one.Conclusions: Generally, risk models for prevalent or undiagnosed T2DM show moderate to good discriminatory ability in different ethnic populations living in the Netherlands, but poor calibration. Therefore, these models should be recalibrated before use in clinical practice and should be adapted to the situation of the population they are intended to be used in.Therapeutic cell differentiatio

Identifying a Safe and Just Corridor for People and the Planet

Keeping the Earth system in a stable and resilient state, to safeguard Earth's life support systems while ensuring that Earth's benefits, risks, and related responsibilities are equitably shared, constitutes the grand challenge for human development in the Anthropocene. Here, we describe a framework that the recently formed Earth Commission will use to define and quantify target ranges for a “safe and just corridor” that meets these goals. Although “safe” and “just” Earth system targets are interrelated, we see safe as primarily referring to a stable Earth system and just targets as being associated with meeting human needs and reducing exposure to risks. To align safe and just dimensions, we propose to address the equity dimensions of each safe target for Earth system regulating systems and processes. The more stringent of the safe or just target ranges then defines the corridor. Identifying levers of social transformation aimed at meeting the safe and just targets and challenges associated with translating the corridor to actors at multiple scales present scope for future work

Joint management of shared resources as an alternative approach for addressing maritime boundary disputes : the Kenya-Somalia maritime boundary dispute

Socio-economic security has motivated African states to explore natural resources in areas of overlapping maritime claims. However, Africa’s maritime boundaries are characterized by unresolved disputes. Resolution of these disputes is time-consuming, expensive and can undermine the state’s ability to exploit natural resources. The Somalia and Kenya maritime dispute under litigation with the International Court of Justice demonstrates the continental commitment to peaceful resolution. Citing cases from across Africa, we discuss outright delimitation or Joint Management Zones (JMZs) as means to address disputes over shared resources, particularly transboundary fisheries, which have received little attention. Reframing the Kenya-Somalia maritime dispute resolution process as cooperation over fisheries management will have spill-over effects into greater diplomatic relations. Fish do not abide by maritime boundaries. As such, we posit that the peaceful resolution of maritime boundary disputes lies in Africa’s ability to consider settlements by way of JMZs to motivate sustainable use of natural resources.PostprintPeer reviewe

Identifying a Safe and Just Corridor for People and the Planet

Keeping the Earth system in a stable and resilient state, to safeguard Earth's life support systems while ensuring that Earth's benefits, risks, and related responsibilities are equitably shared, constitutes the grand challenge for human development in the Anthropocene. Here, we describe a framework that the recently formed Earth Commission will use to define and quantify target ranges for a “safe and just corridor” that meets these goals. Although “safe” and “just” Earth system targets are interrelated, we see safe as primarily referring to a stable Earth system and just targets as being associated with meeting human needs and reducing exposure to risks. To align safe and just dimensions, we propose to address the equity dimensions of each safe target for Earth system regulating systems and processes. The more stringent of the safe or just target ranges then defines the corridor. Identifying levers of social transformation aimed at meeting the safe and just targets and challenges associated with translating the corridor to actors at multiple scales present scope for future work