The amphibians and reptiles of Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve on the Mambilla Plateau of eastern Nigeria

Envenomations by exotic snakes occur from zoological collections and private individual collectors. Antivenoms to these snakes may not be readily available. The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of North American crotalid antivenin in treating mice envenomated with venom of the African viper Bitis gabonica (Gaboon viper). The subjects of the study were Swiss Webster mice weighing approximately 30 g. The study was conducted in the University research laboratory. B. gabonica venom was obtained from Venom Supplies Pty Ltd (Tanunda, South Australia) and reconstituted in sterile water. North American Crotalid Fab2 antivenin (Anavyp, Instituto Bioclon, Mexico) was donated by the manufacturer. The experimental groups were: Group I received two times an intraperitoneal LD(50) dose of venom, 2.58 mg/kg. Group II received the same dose after incubation for 1 h with 10 mg of antivenin. Time to onset of toxicity defined as respiratory rate <10/min or absence of response to prodding. t test and Chi square with p < 0.05 considered significant. Time to onset of toxicity was 7.040 +/- 4.334 h in group I, and 20.665 +/- 2.074 in group II (p = 0.0064, 95% confidence interval of difference of means -22.694 to -4.556). Antivenin was efficacious to statistical significance at 4, 8, 12, and 16 h (p values of 0.062, 0.0067, 0.0067, and 0.0253, respectively). Improvement at 20 and 24 h (p values of 0.0673 and 0.0673, respectively) did not achieve statistical significance. North American Crotalid antivenin (Anavyp, Instituto Bioclon, Mexico) demonstrated efficacy in increasing time to onset of distress in mice poisoned with B. gabonica (Gaboon viper) venom. Based on this result, treatment of humans envenomated with B. gabonica with North American Croatlid antivenin could be considered for severe envenomations if specific B. gabonica antivenin is unavailable.

In Nigeria, human communities are found within or beside forest ecosystems, depending onthese ecosystems for survival. Their forest exploitation is considered a threat to conservation efforts,leading to constant conflicts between Government, law enforcement agencies and the communities. Thebest solution is a win-win system of participatory community-based forest resources management, inwhich the communities are regarded as stakeholders rather than as threats. This paper explains theadoption of this approach in Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Mambilla Plateau, where the communities weretrained in establishment and management of forest plantations with readily available market for theirtimber; employment for some of the community youths as well as community development projects.This paper calls for the adoption of this system in other protected areas in Nigeria, while theGovernment should provide basic amenities for the communities as alternatives to those forest products.Keywords: Community-based forest management, Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Protected areas, Nigeria.

332: Efficacy of North American Crotalid Antivenin Against the African Viper Bitis Gabonica (Gaboon Viper)

Amphibians are the vertebrate group with the highest number of species threatened with extinction, and habitat loss and fragmentation are considered to be among the leading causes of their declines and extinctions. Little is known of the population biology of amphibian species inhabiting montane forests in Central and West Africa, where anthropogenic activities such as farming and cattle raising are major threats to native biodiversity. We used Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs) to assess the population genetic structure of two poorly known species, Cardioglossa schioetzi and Leptodactylodon bicolor (both in the Arthroleptidae), in and around Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve on the Mambilla Plateau in eastern Nigeria. The landscape comprises continuous forest on steep slopes and small riparian forest fragments in a grassland matrix. While increased fragmentation is well documented for these and other forests in the mountains of Cameroon and Nigeria over the past century, there are no previous assessments of the impact of forest fragmentation on montane amphibian populations in this region. Our estimates of genetic diversity are similar across populations within each species with levels of heterozygosity values consistent with local population declines. Except for a pair of populations (C. schioetzi) we did not observe genetic differentiation between forest and riparian forest fragment populations, nor across sites within continuous forest (L. bicolor). Our results demonstrate recent gene flow between forest fragments and the adjacent protected forests and suggest that small forest corridors connecting these may lessen the genetic consequences of at least 30 years of intense and severe fragmentation in Ngel Nyaki.

This research used the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data to map forest canopy cover. The main aim of this study is to assess the capability and value of SAR and Optical image data for mapping, estimating, and monitoring forest canopy cover and its parameters in the Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve in the Mambilla Plateau, Taraba State, Nigeria. The spatial distribution pattern of forest vegetation cover between 2015 and 2021 was analyzed using a random forest model with Sentinel-1 and maximum likelihood for Sentinel-2 data and the relationship between the biophysical parameter Leaf-Area-Index (LAI) and the spectral indices. The results show changes in canopy cover derived from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 with varying canopy cover frequencies, indicating a decrease from 34% to 27% and 32% to 25% from 2015 to 2021, respectively. The basal area per acre (BA/ac) ranges from 30 to 170 square feet/acre, with a mean of 62.82 square feet/acre and a standard deviation of 37.77 square feet/acre. Moreover, the analysis of biophysical parameters shows that the LAI for the entire forest area was 3.88 in 2015, indicating a relatively dense canopy with substantial leaf cover, while the LAI value of 3.82 in 2021 suggests a slight decrease in leaf area density.

Macrofungi are extensive in diversity and play an essential role in sustaining ecosystems. However, the size and quality of their habitat is decreasing and extinction threatens the remaining 95 % of the world’s undiscovered fungal species. This study was carried out to document the diversity and composition of macrofungi in Ngel Nyaki Montane Forest Reserve. A total of seventy-two (72) wood decomposing fungi were identified belonging to 8 classes, 12 Orders and 27 Families. The most abundant species was Trichoglossum hirsutum (Pers). Boud with 23.49% relative frequency of occurrence followed by Russulax erampelina (7.23%), Hemimycena candida (Bres) Singer (5.42%), Termitomyces eurhizus (Berk.) Heim (4.82%), Pleurotus pulmonarius (Fr.) Quel (4.22%) and Ganoderma sp 1 (3.61%). Thirty-eight (52.77%) of the 72 species were rare, as they were seen and collected once during the survey. Eight (8) different fruiting body forms were encountered. Most of the macrofungi were the gilled fungi (Agarics) with 39 species, followed by the Polypores with 21 species, while cup fungi, slime mould and coral fungi were represented in the whole collection by a single species each. Macrofungi diversity varied significantly across pieces of deadwood with wood in later stages of decay having the highest macrofungi diversity. The study documents the first checklist of macrofungi in Nigeria’s rarest forest landscape. Keywords: Macrofungi, Composition, Diversity, Ngel Nyaki, Mambilla Plateau

The relative distribution was investigated of turaco-preferred food plants in the main forest and the forest fragments of Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve in Taraba State, Nigeria. Data collection was carried out in three sections within the forest reserve and these include (i) forest fragment, (ii) within the main forest and (iii) the boundary area of the main forest. Ten plots with size of 25 m × 25 m were laid at an interval of 50 m in each of the three selected sites making a total of 30 plots for the sampling of turaco-preferred fruiting plant species. The numbers of fruiting tree species identified were 22, 25 and 24, and out of these only seven (31.8%), eight (32%) and six (25%) were preferred by turacos in the forest fragment, within the main forest and the boundary area of the main forest, respectively. The preferred fruiting plant species in the forest fragment was Syzygium guineense (48.6%), in the boundary area of the main forest was Ficus sp. (13.3%) and within the main forest was Polyscias fulva (3.9%). Many of the fruiting tree species in the boundary area and within the main forest were not preferred by turacos. There is a need for effective pro-conservative measures aimed at preserving the remaining forest patches (especially the forest fragment) of the reserve.

This survey of beetles abundance and diversity was conducted at the Nigerian Montane Forest Project, Ngel-Nyaki Forest Reserve (NMFP). The study aimed to assess the abundance and diversity of beetles at the Ngel-Nyaki Forest Reserve located at Latitude 7°05′ N and Longitude 11°04′ E. It was carried out for one month from September to October 2021. Stratified sampling method was used to divide the study location into two major habitats; forest fragment and grassland and subsequently plots. A total of 200m line transect was established each on the selected habitat types. Pitfall traps were placed at 50m intervals along a 200m transect for the selected habitats. Hand-pick was adopted for beetle collection along the line transects. Sample collections were carried out in the morning and in the evening between the hours of 6 am and 8pm respectively. A total of 233 beetles were collected consisting of 24 species. The highest species diversity was recorded in the grassland (H’= 2.65). The relative Abundance is 0.69 and 0.3 from the 2 habitats. The Abundance of beetles in the forest reserve contributes to the ecosystem of the forest.

Since the investigations of Rocha e Silva et al. (1949) on Bothrops jararaca venom and of Deutsch and Diniz (1955) on other Crotalidae venoms, it is known, that snake venoms possess kinin-releasing properties. Suzuki et al. (1966) purified a bradykinin-releasing enzyme from the venom of Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii and recently Cohen et al. (1969) from Echis coloratus venom.

Species Richness and Diversity of Land Snails in Ngel-Nyaki Forest Reserve, Mambilla Plateau, Taraba State Nigeria

We characterized the species richness, diversity, and distribution of amphibians and reptiles inhabiting El Monte Valley, a heavily disturbed, alluvium-filled basin within the lower San Diego River in Lakeside, California. This rare habitat type in coastal southern California is designated as a critical sand resource by the state of California and is currently under consideration for a large-scale sand mining operation with subsequent habitat restoration. We conducted field surveys from June 2015 to May 2016 using drift fence lines with funnel traps, coverboard arrays, walking transects, and road driving. We recorded 1,208 total captures, revealing high species richness and diversity, but with marked unevenness in species' abundances. Snakes were the most species-rich taxonomic group (13 species representing 11 genera), followed by lizards (11 species representing 9 genera). After the southern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus helleri), the California glossy snake (Arizona elegans occidental...

This article is reprinted with permission from the National Association of Biology Teachers. ***Note: Figures may be missing from this format of the document Abstract: Tomasek et al describe the protocols used in an ongoing research project on amphibian and reptile diversity at Cool Springs Environmental Education Center near New Bern NC. Herpetofaunal surveys have been conducted for the past five years on a 1700-acre site owned by the Weyerhaeuser Corp. Four protocols have been utilized too capture and compile a list of reptiles and amphibians--these protocols can be duplicated to some degree on almost any school site with some small acreage. Article: This article describes the protocols used in an ongoing research project on amphibian and reptile diversity at Cool Springs Environmental Education Center near New Bern, North Carolina. Herpetofaunal surveys have been conducted for the past five years on a 1700-acre site owned by the Weyerhaeuser Corporation. Four protocols have been utilized to capture and compile a list of reptiles and amphibians. These protocols can be duplicated to some degree on almost any school site with some small acreage. Such a study can be conducted with students of almost any age group, providing them with opportunities to conduct inquiry-based scientific research. If you decide to implement a similar study using your school grounds, parents' private property, or perhaps a local public park, students will learn to conduct field surveys and will learn more about habitat types, relationships between habitat and wildlife, niche partitioning, common and scientific names of local amphibians and reptiles, and their migratory patterns. Students will gain experience in making detailed observations, asking questions, and analyzing data. Most importantly, as students learn about the types of wildlife in the area they study, their environmental awareness will be piqued and stretched.

Abstract. Zakaria N, Allahudin MIH, Ma’ad SNS, Sulaiman AA, Abdullah NA, Zamri MIM, Mamat MA, Deraman MY. 2022. Diversity amphibians and reptiles at Sungai Kerteh mangrove forest, Terengganu, Malaysia. Biodiversitas 23: 5574-5584. Malaysia has various ecosystems, including mangrove forests, that can support a rich number of amphibians and reptiles. However, amphibians and reptiles remain understudied, especially in mangrove forests. The main objective of this study was to determine the diversity of amphibians and reptiles in the mangrove forest of Sungai Kerteh. The sampling was conducted from 19th until 21st August 2019 by using the Visual Encounter Survey (VES) method along 2 km2 area of Sungai Kerteh. A total of 53 individuals were recorded belonging to 12 species (5 amphibian species and 7 reptile species). For amphibians, three families were recorded, with the family Dicroglossidae being the most abundant, with 13 individuals. For reptiles, eight families were recorded with the family Agamidae being the most abundant with 18 individuals. Fejervarya cancrivora (11 individuals; Family Dicroglossidae) was the most abundant amphibian species, while Leiolepis belliana (14 individuals; Family Agamidae) was the most abundant reptile species. There was no significant difference between the diversity of reptiles (H’: 1.6975) and amphibians (H’: 1.2643) (t: -1.6835, p&gt;0.05). This study provides the first checklist of amphibians and reptiles species that will be helpful in identifying existing herpetofauna species and possible endangered or rare species in the Sungai Kerteh mangrove forest, which will help contribute to the conservation efforts of the herpetofauna in this area.

Advances in herpetological research emanating from China.

Malaysia is blessed with lush tropical rainforests that harbour an exceptional diversity of amphibians and reptiles. However, compared to other animal groups, amphibians and reptiles have received limited attention in research, despite their ecological significance. With amphibians and reptile species having been declining rapidly due to anthropogenic activities, there is a pressing need to conserve these species and their habitats. Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) are designated regions that are beneficial due to their critical role in providing essential ecosystem services and serving as repositories of biodiversity. Nonetheless, the classification of ESAs in Malaysia lacks biological elements and only focuses on physical attributes. To enhance the current ESA classification framework by integrating biological components, there is an urgent need to obtain information on diversity and habitat in Malaysia. Therefore, the objectives of this study were twofold: to determine the diversity of amphibians and reptiles in Gunung Belumut Amenity Forest and to conduct a comparative analysis between the herpetofauna assemblages in Gunung Belumut with other forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia. The survey was carried out between March and June 2022, with additional sampling conducted in February 2023. The Visual Encounter Survey (VES) and pitfall trap methods were employed to survey the herpetofauna species, focusing on both aquatic and terrestrial habitats within the study area. A total of 210 individuals representing 38 species of herpetofauna were recorded, comprising 18 amphibian and 20 reptile species. Amongst the observed species, Limnonectesblythii was the most frequently encountered amphibian, with 59 individuals observed, while the dominant reptile species was Cyrtodactylusconsobrinus, represented by eight individuals. This pioneering study serves as a vital baseline documentation of the amphibian and reptile assemblages in Gunung Belumut Amenity Forest. It provides valuable information for identifying extant herpetofauna species, including those of potential conservation concern or rarity. These findings contribute to ongoing conservation efforts dedicated to the preservation of herpetofauna within the region. By understanding the diversity and distribution patterns of amphibians and reptiles in Gunung Belumut, effective conservation strategies can be developed to protect these species and their habitats.