Antitubercular and Phytochemical Investigation of Methanol Extracts of Medicinal Plants Used by the Samburu Community in Kenya

Purpose: To determine the potential benefits of nine medicinal plants used by the Samburu community for the treatment of tuberculosis.Methods: The extract was tested against four strains of Mycobacteria namely; Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), M. Kansasii (Mk), M. fortuitum (Mf), and M. smegmatis (Ms) using BACTEC MGIT960 system. The crude extracts were also analyzed for the presence of phytochemical constituents. Results: Both the extracts of Scadoxus multiflorus and Acacia nilotica showed strong antimycobacterialactivity against the four tuberculosis-causing strains. Eurphobia scarlatina was the most active against both the slow (Mtb and Mk) and the fast (Mf and Ms) growers with Zero GUs at 0.5mg/ml. Phytochemical screening indicated presence or absence of tannins, saponins and flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides and alkaloids in the extracts. Conclusion: The data suggest that some of the methanol extracts could be a rich source of antituberculosis agents. The results further show that there is some merit in the use of some of the plants studied in alternative medical practice. Pharmacological and toxicological studies of the active plants are still under investigation.Keywords:  Medicinal plants, Methanol extract, Antituberculosis, Samburu

Determination of carnivores prey base by scat analysis in Samburu community group ranches in Kenya

This study determined the prey base for four main carnivores found in Samburu community group ranches and grazing area, Lion (Panthera leo), Leopard (Panthera pardus), Wild dog (Lycaon pictus) and Hyaena (Crocuta crocuta, and Hyaena hyaena). A total of 96 scat samples including, 8 from Lion, 16 Leopards’, 2 Wild dogs’, and 70 Hyaenas’ were collected, identified and microscopically analyzed for prey hair characterisation. At least 50 different hairs from every scat sample were mounted on slides and microscopically characterized using details from reference hairs. Hairs from 18 depredated species both domestic and wild ungulates were recovered from the scat samples. Predated species were identified, as either domestic (Cow, Sheep, Goat, Donkey, and Camel) or wild ungulate prey (Grant’s gazelle, plain Zebra, Grevy’s Zebra, Impala, Waterbuck, Dikdik, Eland, lesser Kudu, greater Kudu, Baboon, rock Hyraxes, Elephant and Oryx). The carnivores showed a relatively high kill of wild ungulate prey compared to domestic prey. Camel was the most preferred domestic animal by both the Lion and the leopard, while wild Dog and Hyaena preferred cow and donkey respectively. Grevy’s zebra contributed highest to the lion’s diet while the Plain zebra was most preferred by the leopard. Both the hyaena and the Wild dog had a preference for the waterbuck. The Hyaena had the highest domestic depredation, while all the other big cats depredated more on wild ungulatesKey words: Scat, group ranch, domestic, wild ungulate, prey, depredation

Assessing the impacts of climate change in cities and their adaptive capacity: Towards transformative approaches to climate change adaptation and poverty reduction in urban areas in a set of developing countries

Many cities across the world are facing many problems climate change poses to their populations, communities and infrastructure. These vary from increased exposures to floods, to discomfort due to urban heat, depending on their geographical locations and settings. However, even though some cities have a greater ability to cope with climate change challenges, many struggle to do so, particularly in cities in developing countries. In addition, there is a shortage of international studies which examine the links between climate change adaptation and cities, and which at the same time draw some successful examples of good practice, which may assist future efforts. This paper is an attempt to address this information need. The aim of this paper is to analyse the extent to which cities in a sample of developing countries are attempting to pursue climate change adaptation and the problems which hinder this process. Its goal is to showcase examples of initiatives and good practice in transformative adaptation, which may be replicable elsewhere. To this purpose, the paper describes some trends related to climate change in a set of cities in developing countries across different continents, including one of the smallest capital cities (Georgetown, Guyana) and Shanghai, one the world's most populous cities. In particular, it analyses their degree of vulnerability, how they manage to cope with climate change impacts, and the policies being implemented to aid adaptation. It also suggests the use of transformative approaches which may be adopted, in order to assist them in their efforts towards investments in low-carbon and climate-resilient infrastructure, thereby maximizing investments in urban areas and trying to address their related poverty issues. This paper addresses a gap in the international literature on the problems many cities in developing countries face, in trying to adapt to a changing climate

Biodiversity and ecosystem services on the African continent – What is changing, and what are our options?

International audienceThroughout the world, biodiversity and nature's contributions to people are under threat, with clear changes evident. Biodiversity and ecosystem services have particular value in Africa– yet they are negatively impacted by a range of drivers, including land use and climate change. In this communication, we show evidence of changing biodiversity and ecosystem services in Africa, as well as the current most significant drivers of change. We then consider five plausible futures for the African continent, each underlain by differing assumptions. In three out of the five futures under consideration, negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services are likely to persist. Those two plausible futures prioritizing environment and sustainability, however, are shown as the most likely paths to achieving long term development objectives without compromising the continent's biodiversity and ecosystem services. Such a finding shows clearly that achievement of such objectives cannot be separated from full recognition of the value of such services

Environmental Factors Influencing the Sustenance of the Camel Milk Value Chain in Isiolo County, Northern Kenya

Dryland areas in northern Kenya experience challenges due to various factors, including environmental degradation associated with unstable weather conditions and climate change. These and related risks and stressors are threats to the sustenance of camel milk production for many of Kenya’s northern communities. We conducted a study among the pastoral communities in Isiolo County whose principal source of livelihood is dependent on camel production. In this paper, we discuss the drivers of the environmental factors influencing the resilience and sustainability of the camel milk value chain in Isiolo County, northern Kenya. We analyzed (i) the internal factors that influence the system, which includes: the categories and economic contributions of livestock-based value chains, the occupation of the camel milk value chain micro players, and land-use practices in Isiolo County, and (ii) the external factors influencing the system: the climatic variability (2014–2017) and its effect on the camel milk value chain, and the vegetation condition index (VCI) indicating drought trends for Isiolo County (2002–2020). The study adopted a field survey through interviews with randomly selected households involved in the camel milk value chain by using a survey questionnaire and a survey guide for focus group discussions (FGD) and key informant interviews (KII). The results from the study showed camel milk as a dominant value chain among the livestock-based value chain products in Isiolo County, the variations in quantities of camel milk supplied due to changes in seasonality, and we show that the current system is not sustainable. We conclude with recommendations to establish a modernized camel milk value chain based on improved natural resources management for a resilient and sustainable system

Chromosomal diversity in the genus Arvicanthis (Rodentia, Muridae) from East Africa: a taxonomic and phylogenetic evaluation

In this paper we discuss the contribution of cytogenetics to the systematics of Arvicanthis in East Africa, by reviewing all the known chromosomal cytotypes of the genus in the area. We also provide G- and C-banding comparisons for two recently described karyotypes, provisionally named ANI-5 (2n 1⁄4 56, NFa 1⁄4 62) and ANI-6 (2n 1⁄4 60, NFa 1⁄4 72). This, therefore, brings the total number of known cytotypes in this area to 10. Five of these correspond to the species recognized by the latest rodent checklist, i.e. A. nairobae (2n 1⁄4 62, NFa 1⁄4 78), A. neumanni (2n 1⁄4 52–53, NFa 1⁄4 62), A. blicki (2n 1⁄4 48, NFa 1⁄4 62), A. abyssinicus (2n 1⁄4 62, NFa 1⁄4 64) and A. niloticus (2n 1⁄4 62, NFa 1⁄4 60–62). The taxonomic status of the remaining five cytotypes (A. cf. somalicus, 2n 1⁄4 62 NFa 1⁄4 62–63; ANI-5, 2n 1⁄4 56, NFa 1⁄4 62; ANI-6/6a 2n 1⁄4 60, NFa 1⁄4 72/76; ANI-7, 2n 1⁄4 56, NFa 1⁄4 78; and ANI-8, 2n 1⁄4 44, NF 1⁄4 72) is discussed. Finally, we reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships among all the known karyotypes on the basis of banding data available for the genus in Africa and show the occurrence of two main clades, each characterized by different types of chromosomal rearrangements. The times of the cladogenetic events, inferred by a molecular clock, indicate that karyotype evolution has accomplished almost all the dichotomic events from the end of the Miocene to the present day. The discovery of a large chromosomal differentiation between populations showing low genetic distances and intrapopulation chromosomal polymorphism suggests that the process of chromosomal differentiation in Arvicanthis is still ongoing and may possibly be responsible for speciatio