Central Coast Region Research Articles

Global Genepool Conservation and use Strategy for Dioscorea (YAM)

AbstractThe global genepool conservation and use strategy for yam were developed in this study. Diversity analysis, and in situ and ex situ conservation gap analyses were carried out for the 27 global priority yam crop wild relatives (CWR) at taxon and ecogeographic levels to determine their representativeness in conservation actions. Hotspots were found in Nzerekore region of Guinea, Nimba and Grand Gedeh regions of Liberia, Montagnes, Sassandra- Marahouse, and Bas – Sassandra regions of Cote d’Ivoire, Volta, Greater Accra and Eastern regions of Ghana, Centrale and Plateau regions of Togo, Donga, Oueme, Atlantique, Littoral and Plateau provinces of Benin, Southwest zone of Nigeria, Es region of Cameroon, Sangha- Mbaere region of Central Africa Republic. Likouala and Sangha regions of the Republic of the Congo, Northeast of India, Northern, Central, Western, Eastern and Northeast regions of Thailand, West of Cambodia, South Central Coast, Central Highlands, Southeast and Makong River Delta regions of Vietnam, Xaisomboun, Bolikhamxai, and Viangchan prefecture provinces of Lao People’s Democratic Republic. A total of 13 potential reserve sites were identified in 13 countries, with four locations in the network of protected area (PA). 22 priority CWR (81%) were conserved ex situ, but only 15.38% of the taxa had at least 50 accessions in genebanks, and 65.38% of the priority CWR are underrepresented in genebanks, and 19.23% of the species are not represented in ex situ collections. The findings and recommendations of this study will guide the production and implementation of effective long-term conservation action and sustainable utilization of global priority yam CWR. The active conservation of the global yam priority species will underpin food security and mitigate climate change.

Evaluation of Yield, Fruit Chemistry, and Firmness of Seven Strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) Cultivars in an Eastern North Carolina Greenhouse

The combination of increasing costs, climate change, and disease- and pest-related issues present large challenges for the strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) industry in the United States. This is especially true for the Southeast, where rain, frost, and a range of foliar, fruit, and soil-borne diseases are prevalent, leading to significant losses every year. Simultaneously, niche winter markets open the opportunity to extend the harvest season, leading to an industry push to use protected culture strawberry production. Tabletop soilless strawberry greenhouse production has the advantage of avoiding soilborne issues while at the same time mitigating weather-related impacts on strawberry yield and quality. The use of long-day cultivars, originally bred for the Central Coast region of California, is currently the industry standard because of desired winter yields. However, short-day cultivars bred for Florida production might also have the potential to produce in winter. In this study, we evaluated the growth, yield, fruit chemistry, and fruit firmness of seven strawberry cultivars that are commonly grown in protected culture in North Carolina: Albion, Brilliance, Camino Real, Fronteras, Monterey, Florida Sensation, and Sweet Charlie. Experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design in a commercial tabletop greenhouse in eastern North Carolina over two growing seasons (2022–23 and 2023–24). Our results showed that Florida cultivars Brilliance and Florida Sensation produced more consistently yields in winter compared with long-day cultivars Albion and Monterey and produced similar yields over the entire season. ‘Brilliance’ especially showed high fruit firmness across both years, and high sweetness in one of the two years. Additionally, the short-day cultivar Fronteras showed high yields in early spring and could serve as a late-season crop for direct-to-consumer producers. Our study showed that ‘Brilliance’ and ‘Florida Sensation’ could be alternatives to ‘Albion’, and that ‘Monterey’ can be used to produce a winter crop in a soilless tabletop production system in the Southeast.

Analysis on the relationship between coastal tourism and marine pollution: an empirical analysis of China’s 11 coastal regions

IntroductionCoastal tourism has become an important pillar of economic growth in China's coastal regions, yet no quantitative research has analyzed the relationship between coastal tourism and marine pollution.MethodsThis study, within a multivariate framework, comprehensively examines the impact of coastal tourism on marine pollution by employing various econometric techniques and focusing on four different types of marine pollutant discharges: chemical oxygen demand (COD), petroleum (PET), ammonia nitrogen (NHN), and total phosphorus (TP).Results and discussionPanel cointegration tests confirm a long-term relationship between coastal tourism and these four types of marine pollutant discharges. In the long run, coastal tourism has a significantly negative impact on COD, NHN, and TP. The results of Pooled Mean Group (PMG), Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS), and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) estimators show that for every 1% increase in coastal tourism revenue (TOUR), COD decreases by 0.734%, 0.536%, and 0.952% respectively; NHN decreases by 0.746%, 0.340%, and 1.633%; and TP decreases by 5.169%, 0.899%, and 0.334% respectively. However, the impact of coastal tourism on PET is not significant. The Dumitrescu-Hurlin (D-H) panel causality test results indicate different causality patterns between coastal tourism and various marine pollutant discharges. Specifically, there is a bidirectional causality between coastal tourism and COD, NHN, and a unidirectional causality between coastal tourism and PET, TP. Moreover, heterogeneity analysis reveals that coastal tourism does not significantly reduce all marine pollutant discharges in low-and middle-income coastal regions. Furthermore, compared to the central and southern coastal regions, the coastal tourism of northern regions has not significantly reduced marine pollution. This study can provide policymakers with references for developing coastal tourism and reducing marine pollutant discharges.

Dynamics of Feline Sporotrichosis in Espírito Santo, Brazil: Impact of Urbanisation.

Sporotrichosis is a chronic infectious mycosis caused by traumatic implantation of Sporothrix spp., which poses a significant challenge to public health because of its zoonotic nature. It affects humans and other animals, particularly cats. This study investigated epidemiological trends and spatial distribution of feline sporotrichosis in Espírito Santo between 2017 and 2022. This study collected diagnostic data on sporotrichosis from the Veterinary Pathology Laboratory and Center for Infectious Diseases in Espírito Santo from 2017 to 2022. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA and spatial analyses were performed using ArcGIS software to create maps and identify hotspots. Kernel density estimation and directional mean statistics were applied to visualise the disease concentration and transmission trends. The results showed a significant increase in feline sporotrichosis cases in Espírito Santo from 2017 to 2022, with hotspots identified in urban and densely populated areas. Anchieta, Aracruz and Vila Velha reported the highest numbers of cases. Spatial analysis indicated a spread towards the central and northern coastal regions. This study highlights the growing threat of feline sporotrichosis in Espírito Santo, Brazil, particularly in densely populated urban areas. This underscores the urgent need for comprehensive public health strategies that address urbanisation, human-animal interactions and managing stray cat populations. Effective control measures and enhanced surveillance are crucial to mitigate the spread of this zoonotic disease. Importantly, this study provides valuable insights into the epidemiology of sporotrichosis in Brazil and offers a framework for other regions identified as emerging hotspots that face similar challenges.

Improving Sunflower Yield through Liming and Phosphorus Fertilizer Application in the South-Central Coastal Region of Bangladesh

Along with salinity, low soil pH is the major constraint for growing winter crops in the south central coastal region of Bangladesh. Extensive research has been done to manage soil salinity, where managing low soil pH for crop production is scarce. The aim of the experiment was to improve sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv. Hybrid Unisun) yield through liming and phosphorus fertilizer application in the acidic saline soil of Amtali upazila of Barguna district, Bangladesh. During the winter season of 2024 a field experiment was carried out comprising two rates of lime 0 and 2 t ha-1 and four levels of phosphorus (P) having 0, 12, 24 and 36 kg P ha-1 using RCBD design. Lime application at 2 t ha-1 rate significantly increased stem girth, head diameter, number of seeds per head, 1000-seed weight, and seed, stover and root yields of sunflower. The application of P up to the highest level (36 kg P ha-1) significantly increased the growth and yield of sunflower. Lime application increased the soil pH by 0.72 unit compared to non-liming plot. The application of lime (2 t ha-1) along with 36 kg P ha-1 recorded the highest sunflower seed yield of 3.21 t ha-1 in the soil of Amtali upazila of Barguna district, Bangladesh. The benefit cost ratio (BCR) of different rates of P application without liming ranged from 5.28-10.09 but it decreased drastically while P was applied with lime having the BCR between 0.15-1.82. J Bangladesh Agril Univ 22(3):352-359, 2024

Regional differences in beef cattle trade and movements associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

Context The COVID-19 pandemic caused mandated restrictions on movements and distancing of people with implications for meat supply chains. Despite the COVID restrictions, agricultural activities were permitted to continue as essential services in Australia. However, there were reported shortages of meat on the shelves of supermarkets and a general increase in the price of meat in Australia during the COVID period. Hence, there is a need to establish whether the restrictions affected upstream activities in Australia’s beef supply chain. Aim This study aims to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and confounding factors including rainfall and export bans on beef cattle trade and movement in Australia. Methods Using annual data on beef cattle sold, purchased, transferred off-farm and transferred onto farms sourced from the database of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, a t-test analysis was conducted to establish the significant changes in cattle movement and trade for the pre-COVID (2014–2019) and COVID (2020–2022) periods. Additionally, a flexible least squares model augmented with a flexible generalised least squares model was used to assess the impact of confounding factors on cattle trade and movement. Key results The results indicate no significant change in the proportion of beef cattle sold nationwide. Tasmania, New South Wales, and Western Australia (WA) recorded significant changes (1.4% increase, 3.6% increase, and 3.8% decrease, respectively) in the proportion of beef cattle purchased. For WA, these changes were localised to changes that occurred in WA Central and Southern Wheat Belt and WA Southwest Coastal regions. Moreover, rainfall did not significantly impact cattle trade but did affect cattle movements. The export ban only significantly impacted beef cattle sold in Queensland. Conclusions Overall, the findings suggest that most regions in Australia did not experience significant changes in farm-level decisions regarding beef cattle movement and trade during the COVID period. Instead, minor adjustments were made to address the demand changes. Implications The findings imply that adopted policies that facilitated the implementation of biosecurity bubbles and the movements of animal transport workers for breeding facilities and abattoirs during the COVID period were effective in normalising farm-level operations.

Comparing the process of converting land use purposes between socio-economic regions in Vietnam from 2007 to 2020

Abstract Reporting land use changes over time is important for evaluating land resource management. This study applied GIS technology to determine land use fluctuations for the entire mainland territory in Vietnam. In particular, the research focused on two main issues: (1) spatial fluctuations of some main land groups in Vietnam, and(2) the rate of land use change in socio-economic regions in the two periods 2007–2016 and 2016–2020. Research results showed that the Forests land group showed a growth of over 14% and spatial fluctuations took place in all regions, except for two regions with little change in this land group: Red River Delta (RRD) and Mekong River Delta (MRD). Meanwhile, crops decreased by over 16% from 2007–2020 and appeared heavily in the Northern Midlands and Mountains (NMR), North Central and Central Coast regions (NCR), and Central Highlands region (CHR). Urban land group increased by 3% during 2007–2020. The speed of land use conversion also showed different results between economic regions and inthe two research periods. The results showed that the recent research period witnessed a higher rate of land use conversion in the regions compared to the period 2007–2016. In particular, the NMR region showed that the conversion rate was the largest in both stages.

Recent and forecasted increases in coccidioidomycosis incidence in California linked to hydroclimatic swings.

Coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever, is an infectious disease caused by inhalation of Coccidioides spp., fungi found primarily in soils of the southwestern United States. Prior work showed that coccidioidomycosis cases in California sharply increase by nearly 2-fold following wet winters that occur one- and two-years following drought. Statewide drought between 2020-2022 followed by heavy precipitation during the 2022-2023 winter raised concerns over potential increases in coccidioidomycosis cases in the fall of 2023, prompting California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to issue public health alerts. As anticipated, California saw a near record number of cases in 2023, with 9,054 provisional cases reported. During the 2023-2024 California wet season, precipitation was 115% the long-term average, furthering concerns about continued high coccidioidomycosis risk. We developed an ensemble model to forecast coccidioidomycosis cases in California in 2024-2025. Using this model, we predicted a total of 11,846 cases (90% PI: 10,056-14,094) in California between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, encompassing the preliminary state report of 10,593. Our model forecasted 12,244 cases statewide between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025 - a 62% increase over the cases reported during the same period two years prior, and on par with the high incidence seen in 2023. The Southern San Joaquin Valley (5,398 cases, 90% PI: 4,556-6,442), Southern Coast (3,322, 90% PI: 2,694-3,961), and Central Coast (1,207 cases, 90% PI: 867-1,585) regions are expected to see the largest number of infections. Our model forecasts that disease incidence will exhibit pronounced seasonality, particularly in endemic regions, with cases rising in June and peaking in November at 1,411 (90% PI: 815-2,172) cases statewide - 98% higher than the peak two years prior (714) and nearly as high as the peak in 2023 (1,462). Near-term forecasts have the potential to inform public health messaging to enhance provider and patient awareness, encourage risk reduction practices, and improve recognition and management of coccidioidomycosis.

Assessing production, processing and utilization of sorghum in West Pokot County, Kenya

Sorghum is one of the most important and under-utilized cereal crops in the Arid and Semi-Arid land (ASAL) regions of Kenya. The crop is grown in drought-prone marginal agricultural areas of Western Central and Eastern and coastal regions of Kenya. The diverse biotic and abiotic constraints including climate changes reduce sorghum productivity. Sorghum technology generators continue promoting suitable management practices and innovations to cushion and improve the resilience of smallholder farmers against the adverse effects of climate change. These interventions contribute to the attainment of not only household and national food security but also enhance incomes. Despite the increasing sorghum production and utilization in West Pokot County, there is limited knowledge of the status of production, processing, and utilization technologies. The aim of this study was to assess the current sorghum production, processing, utilization technology, innovations, and management practices among smallholder farmers. A household survey was undertaken using a jointly developed structured questionnaire by a multi- and inter-disciplinary team of researchers. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 599 households were randomly selected and interviewed. Data collected were on household and farm characteristics including technologies. The study revealed that compared to maize and pasture, land allocated to sorghum enterprise was relatively low ranging from 0.32 acres to 0.80 acres with an average of 0.73 acres. The adoption of various sorghum technological components was also low. Adoption of improved sorghum varieties was less than 7% while fertilizer use was less than 20%. These contribute to low crop yields of about 140kg per acre. In addition, value addition was also low. Sorghum use was limited to ugali (56%) and porridge (39%) against the diverse value-added products including bread baking. and industrial processing of pure and blended products. More farmer and stakeholders training need to be done. In order to fully upgrade the sorghum value chain; there is the need to have targeted sorghum policies focusing on a range of activities along the value chain. These interventions could be integrated into the West Pokot County Integrated Development Plan. Key words: Sorghum, Production, Marketing, Utilization, Challenges, Opportunities, West Pokot

Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic and CFD Modeling of a Tidal Barrage Power Plant without Sluicing in Buenaventura, Colombia

Recent research revealed the potential of tidal energy in the central coastal region of the Colombian Pacific. Buenaventura City, located in the Valle del Cauca department in Colombia, has an important opportunity to develop tidal power technologies near its marine coastal areas. This research implemented a 3D hydrodynamic model for simulating the hydrodynamics of the Buenaventura Bay to provide data as input for evaluating the hydraulics of a tidal barrage without sluicing through CFD modeling. According to the results, the velocities across the gates during Syzygy (April 2021) showed impressive velocities between 9 and 11 m/s, which suggest a high possibility of producing electricity through tidal turbines. The mean behavior of velocities in the gates pointed to values of 3 and 5 m/s in most of the cases. The results during the Stoa condition were interesting because flow velocities higher than 1 m/s were not expected. This is promising because the plant might produce electricity even during the Stoa condition. For the first time, the results of this research suggest that there exists a high possibility of implementing tidal barrage plants in Buenaventura City, Colombia.

Does Adaptation to Saltwater Intrusion Improve the Livelihoods of Farmers? Evidence for the Central Coastal Region of Vietnam

Saltwater intrusion poses severe threats to rice farming in Vietnam. Farmers can adapt by producing other crops or switching to other production models. This study evaluates the impact of implementing different saltwater-intrusion-adaptation strategies on farmers’ livelihoods by applying propensity score matching to cross-sectional survey data for 414 farmers in the Central Coastal region of Vietnam. We consider both economic and social indicators and find that there is considerable heterogeneity in the outcomes. With the exception of switching to new rice varieties, all adaptation strategies considered in the study significantly increase saline-land productivity, mainly as a result of higher revenues. Moreover, for these strategies, food security is found to be significantly higher, whereas life satisfaction is only higher for those farm households that cultivate vegetables, shrimp, or lotus-fish. Adopting new rice varieties is found to significantly decrease saline-land productivity, whereas the social impacts are not significant.

Characterizing the performances of different observational precipitation products and their uncertainties over Africa

Validation of observed gridded precipitation datasets sourced from satellites or reanalysis over Africa remains a challenge due to the dearth of in-situ products that can act as a true estimate. To address this gap, this study compares the performance of different precipitation products (gauge, reanalysis, and satellite-based) sourced from the Frequent Rainfall Observations on GridS (FROGS) database over Africa. Satellite products are classified as corrected (incorporating gauge observations into their algorithms) or uncorrected, which implies that temporal variations depend entirely on the satellite. The main aim is to identify regions where precipitation products depict minimal uncertainties, supporting the use of the datasets in understanding precipitation variability in the specific regions. This is achieved by applying the triple collocation approach, which takes advantage of three collocated datasets of the same variable to derive the mean square error without requiring knowledge of the true value. The results show that light precipitation (1–5 mm d−1) was prevalent in most regions of Africa during the study duration (2001–2016). Estimating the spatial distribution of daily precipitation greater than the 90th percentiles suggests that extreme precipitation is mainly detected over the Central Africa region and coastal regions of West Africa, where the majority of uncorrected satellite products show consistent performance. The satellite product CMORPH_V1_RAW shows higher estimates of 90th percentile precipitation among the uncorrected satellite products. The ability of precipitation products to detect rainy or non-rainy days shows that corrected satellite products depict notable agreement for probability of detection and false alarm ratio over most regions of Africa. Overall, better performance is demonstrated by the IMERG products, ARCv2, CHIRPSv2 and PERSIANN_CDRv1r1 (corrected), and GPCC, CPC_v1.0 and REGEN_ALL (gauge) during the study period. Among the reanalysis products, ERA5 datasets shows good performance in estimating daily precipitation over Africa. The optimal maps that show the classification of products in regions where they depict reliable performance can be recommended for various usage by different stakeholders.

Developing agricultural pest management strategies with reduced-risks to surface water: An economic case study of California's Central Coast region

Pesticides are critical for protecting agricultural crops, but the off-site transport of these materials via spray drift and runoff poses risks to surface waters and aquatic life. California's Central Coast region is a major agricultural hub in the United States characterized by year-round production and intensive use of pesticides and other chemical inputs. As a result, the quality of many waterbodies in the region has been degraded. A recent regulatory program enacted by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board set new pesticide limits for waterways and imposed enhanced enforcement mechanisms to help ensure that water quality targets are met by specific dates. This regulatory program, however, does not mandate specific changes to pest management programs. In this study, we evaluate the economic, environmental, and pest management impacts of adopting two alternative pest management programs with reduced risks to surface water: 1) replacing currently used insecticide active ingredients (AIs) that pose the greatest risk to surface water with lower-risk alternatives and 2) converting conventional arthropod pest management programs to organic ones. We utilize pesticide use and toxicity data from California's Department of Pesticide Regulation to develop our baseline and two alternative scenarios. We focus on three crop groups (cole crops, lettuce and strawberry) due to their economic importance to the Central Coast and use of high-risk AIs. For Scenario 1, we estimate that implementing the alternative program in the years 2017–2019 would have reduced annual net returns on average by $90.26 – $190.54/ha, depending on the crop. Increased material costs accounted for the greatest share of this effect (71.9%–95.6%). In contrast, Scenario 2 would have reduced annual net returns on average by $5,628.12 – $18,708.28/ha during the study period, with yield loss accounting for the greatest share (92.8–97.9%). Both alternative programs would have reduced the associated toxic units by at least 98.1% compared to the baseline scenario. Our analysis provides important guidance for policymakers and agricultural producers looking to achieve environmental protection goals while minimizing economic impacts.

Factors associated with perceived Anaplasma marginale infection and clinical anaplasmosis cases on beef operations in California

Bovine anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease caused by Anaplasma marginale in the United States. The objective of this study was to use a survey tool to generate information for beef operations in California on anaplasmosis prevention and control management, including to what extent management activities were informed by perceived herd-level exposure to A. marginale infection or occurrence of clinical anaplasmosis cases. We mailed 2,621 questionnaires with questions on Anaplasma status, herd demographics, anaplasmosis control and prevention measures, and environmental factors to beef ranchers in California in October 2020. Survey-weighted chi-square tests were used to compare management differences according to perceived Anaplasma infection status. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to analyze whether region of California, management practices, or environmental factors were associated with reported clinical cases of anaplasmosis in the previous five years. A total of 466 questionnaires describing 749 herds were obtained and used in this study. Use of management measures, including deliberate exposure of calves to ticks, vaccination for Anaplasma, infection control through antibiotics in feed, maintaining a completely closed herd, blood testing for Anaplasma on all herd additions, and taking no anaplasmosis control and prevention measures, were significantly different between herds with or without perceived A. marginale infection based on producers’ self-declared status. The overall perceived prevalence for Anaplasma infection and reported clinical cases of anaplasmosis at the herd level was 26.0 % (95 % CI: 24.3–27.7 %) and 17.1 % (95 % CI: 15.6–18.6 %) respectively, with the highest perceived infection and case numbers reported in the Central Coast region. In the GEE model, higher odds of reporting clinical cases of anaplasmosis in the previous five years were observed in cattle located in the Central Coast region, cattle within a large herd, cattle that are treated with tick/fly control, cattle in a completely closed herd, and cattle receiving Anaplasma vaccine. Anaplasma infection and bovine anaplasmosis status may be underestimated in beef herds in California based on previous study results. Changing needles between cattle after injections and conducting blood testing for Anaplasma on herd additions are important Anaplasma management measures that are infrequently implemented in beef herds in California. The results show a need for producer education to improve producers’ awareness of bovine anaplasmosis and implement proper measures for disease control and prevention.

Identification of potential source regions and long-range transport routes/channels of marine PM2.5 at remote sites in East Asia

Long-range transport (LRT) of air masses in East Asia and their impacts on marine PM2.5 were explored. Situated in the leeward region of East Asia, Taiwan Island marked by its elevated Central Mountain Range (CMR) separates air masses into two distinct air currents. This study aims to investigate the transport of PM2.5 from the north to the leeward region. Six transport routes (A-F) were identified and further classified them into three main channels (i.e. East, West, and South Channels) based on their transport routes and potential sources. Green Island (Site GR) and Hengchun Peninsula (Site HC) exhibited similarities in their transport routes, with Central China, North China, and Korean Peninsula being the major source regions of PM2.5, particularly during the Asian Northeastern Monsoons (ANMs). Dongsha Island (Site DS) was influenced by both Central China and coastal regions of East China, indicating Asian continental outflow (ACO) as the major source of PM2.5. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis of PM2.5 resolved that soil dust, sea salts, biomass burning, ship emissions, and secondary aerosols were the major sources. Northerly Channels (i.e. East and West Channels) were primarily influenced by ship emissions and secondary aerosols, while South Channel was dominated by oceanic spray and soil dust. The results of W-PSCF and W-CWT analysis indicated that three remote sites experienced significant contributions from Central China in the highest PM2.5 concentration range (75–100%). In contrast, PM2.5 in the 0–25% and 25–50% ranges primarily originated from the open seas, with ship emissions being the prominent source. It suggested that northern regions with heavy industrialization and urbanization have impacts on high PM2.5 concentrations, while open seas are the main sources of low PM2.5 concentrations.

Farmers’ Perceptions on Land Degradation: A Case Study in Vietnam

This study aims to investigate farmers’ perception of land degradation in Vietnam, where land degradation is concerned as one of the nation's most pressing issues. Based on survey data from 826 farmers in three representative regions of Vietnam (including Hoa Binh province in Northern region, Quang Tri province in the Central Coastal region, and Can Tho province in Southern region) conducted in 2017, the study reveals that over 85% of the respondents have observed indications of land degradation on their farms. The farmers' perceptions of land degradation indicators were influenced by regional topography. Inappropriate farming techniques, excessive chemical use, and a lack of knowledge were reported as the major causes of land degradation. Furthermore, the farmers had limited understanding of land degradation as well as the benefits of soil conservation measures. Sustainable land management adopters exhibited their better perception of land degradation and measures for land improvement compared to non-adopters. Therefore, it is crucial to increase the farmers’ perception on land degradation and the advantages of adopting sustainable land management and this should be accomplished through widespread dissemination via mass and local media in the future

Pre-hospital care for people with Acute Coronary Syndrome in the central coastal region

Pre-hospital care for people with Acute Coronary Syndrome in the central coastal region

Molecular detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Chytridiomycota) and culturable skin bacteria associated with three critically endangered species of Atelopus (Anura: Bufonidae) in Ecuador.

Chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease responsible for massive amphibian die-offs worldwide, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Potential symbiotic relationships between frogs and the bacteria residing on their skin-referred to as skin-bacteria-may inhibit Bd growth, aiding in resistance to this lethal disease. This research had three main objectives: (1) to detect the presence of Bd in native populations of Atelopus balios, A. bomolochos, and A. nanay in the central Andes and coastal southern regions of Ecuador; (2) to identify the culturable skin-bacteria; and (3) to analyze differences among the bacterial communities in the three Atelopus species studied. Skin swabs were collected from two populations of A. balios (107-203 m a.s.l.) and one population each of A. bomolochos and A. nanay (3,064-3,800 m a.s.l.). These swabs served two purposes: first, to detect Bd using conventional PCR; and second, to isolate culturable bacteria, which were characterized through DNA sequencing, molecular phylogeny, and community composition similarity analysis (Jaccard index). Results showed that Bd was present in all species, with positive Bd PCR amplification found in 11 of the 12 sampled amphibians. The culturable skin-bacteria were classified into 10 genera: Pseudomonas (31.4%), Stenotrophomonas (14.3%), Acinetobacter (11.4%), Serratia (11.4%), Aeromonas (5.7%), Brucella (5.7%), Klebsiella (5.7%), Microbacterium (5.7%), Rhodococcus (5.7%), and Lelliottia (2.9%). The Jaccard index revealed that bacterial genera were least similar in A. bomolochos and A. balios (J=0.10), while the highest similarity at the genus level was between A. bomolochos and A. nanay (J=0.33). At the clade-species level, only A. bomolochos and A. nanay show common bacteria (J=0.13). Culturable bacterial communities of specimens diagnosed as Bd positive (n=10) or Bd negative (n=1) share a J value of 0.1 at genus and 0.04 at species-clade level. The prevalence of Bd and the composition of cutaneous bacteria could be influenced by Bd reservoirs, Atelopus biology, and intrinsic environmental conditions. This research contributes to understanding the relationship between endangered Andean species and Bd, and explores the potential use of native skin-bacteria as biocontrol agents against Bd.

Camellia maianhii (Theaceae), A New Species of Red-Flowered Camellia from the North Central Coast Region of Vietnam

Abstract Camellia maianhii from the North Central Coast Region of Vietnam is described and illustrated. The new Camellia species is tentatively placed in Camellia section Archecamellia (Theaceae). Camellia maianhii is most like Camellia puhoatensis but the morphological characteristics which differentiate it from other species in the section include pendulous pedicels; 5.5-6.5 cm diameter, nodding flowers; 14-15, red petals with both petal surfaces tomentose, and the possession of stout columellae. Information on the distribution, ecology, phenology, conservation status, and the vernacular name of the new taxon are also provided.

Social constructs of the coastal fante festival performance costumes and sculptural objects in Ghana: An indigenous knowledge system and practice

The focus of this qualitative case study was to explore the intricate relationship between Coastal Fante Festival performance costumes, sculptural objects, and the indigenous knowledge system and practices of the coastal dwellers, who reside in the central coastal regions of Ghana. To explore the social constructs of Coastal Fante Festival performance costumes and sculptural objects comprehensively, this study employed a multidisciplinary approach, combining ethnography, archival research, and artisan collaboration in the geographical context of Winneba and Cape Coast. The unstructured interview and direct observation were the instrumentations used for the data collection. The interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and visual data analysis tools garnered from sixteen (16) research participants using purposive (expert) and simple random sampling techniques allowed for a holistic understanding of the cultural, historical, and societal dimensions of these costumes and sculptural objects within the Central region coastal community, shedding light on their role as living embodiments of indigenous knowledge and cultural practice. The study revealed that these costumes hold profound cultural significance, symbolizing historical events, social identities, behaviour, codes and spiritual connections within the community. As a result of these social constructs, enculturation and inculturation were achieved, materialising cultural identity, defining mood (attitude), enhancing performer welfare, and addressing issues of history were addressed through performance costumes and sculptural objects. The generation should see these costumes with sculptural objects as a living embodiment of indigenous knowledge and cultural practice, enriching the understanding of Fante culture and its significance in a global context.