Mauritius Research Articles

Assessment of tangible coastal inundation damage related to critical infrastructure and buildings: The case of Mauritius Island

Storm tides, which combine sea level rise (SLR), astronomical tides, and storm surges generated by tropical cyclones, pose significant threats to coastal zones, leading to flooding and substantial damage to property and infrastructure.There is a clear upward trend in the frequency of storms reaching tropical cyclone strength. A notable example is Cyclone Belal, which struck Mauritius on January 2024, during high tide, causing extensive infrastructure damage. This underscores the importance of conducting risk assessments to identify vulnerable areas and develop risk reduction strategies. However, quantitative risk assessments of storm tides are often challenging due to the lack of long-term projections. To address this, we developed a GIS-based flood model for Mauritius to simulate inundation areas and quantify the assets exposed to flooding. Under current conditions, the estimated damage exposure from extreme coastal flood events with return periods of 50 to 500 years is significant, with 6.2% and 27.1% of the area inundated, respectively. By 2100, damage exposure associated with these events is projected to increase by a factor of 1.1, with minimal variation between sea-level rise scenarios (0.3m). However, by 2200 and 2300, damage exposure is expected to rise by factors of 3.1 and 6.6, respectively. In the worst-case scenario for 2500, Mauritius could experience maximum inundation of 66.3 km2, with buildings covering 5.02 km2 submerged. Additionally, this study presents a detemporalized inundation scenario to assess impacts from any coastal flood event. This approach enables the identification of critical thresholds ( 1.5 m and 4.5 m) and , beyond which significant increases in damage exposure are likely, and allows for evaluating adaptation strategies against user-defined levels of change, rather than relying solely on predefined scenarios. These findings highlight the urgent need for strategic sectoral interventions to address the widespread consequences of coastal inundation, especially in light of critical thresholds for remedial action.

Climate variability impact on groundwater quality in Small Island Developing States: Mauritius Island as a case study

This study investigates the impact of climate variability on groundwater quality in Mauritius. This is achieved by analyzing the physical and chemical water quality of the five main aquifers over eleven years. Temporal variations in water quality properties were compared to the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI), Dry Spells, the Standardised Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and other climate variables to gain insights into how precipitation controls groundwater quality. The results reveal that the SPI and the SPEI correlate minimally with water quality indicators. Sulphate is the only water quality indicator that showed correlations above 0.4 in aquifers 2 and 3 against a 12-month SPI. Sulphate, alongside chloride, showed what is termed ”notable correlation,” a concept defined in this paper to accommodate correlations that fall above 0.3 when assessed against global climate modes ENSO and AAO, respectively. These results signify that sulphate is the most sensitive water quality indicator to water quantity changes, notwithstanding the modesty of the correlations. Heavy storms occurring during cyclones impact groundwater quality with respect to conductivity, TDS, salinity, and nitrate, although this could not be statistically tested given the lack of water quality indicators collected on the days surrounding the storm. Therefore, the conclusion is made based on one storm event. The study revealed that individual correlations between climate indices and water quality variables are present but weak. However, the long-term trend in water quality is visible.

Creolization and Gender: Island Imaginings in Ananda Devi's Pagli and Its Sequel

Abstract: This essay opens the study of "Archipelagic Asias" to the southwest Indian Ocean archipelagos to explore representations of Indic cultures in the literature of the creolized islands of Mauritius. By combining archipelagic and feminist epistemologies, I examine one of the most successful novels of Ananda Devi, Pagli (2001), in which an Indo-Mauritian woman has an affair with a Creole fisherman, and its little-known short story sequel, "Agalega" (2021). Published in Maudrigosa!, a volume celebrating the Mauritian archipelago, the short story denounces the construction of an Indian military base on the Mauritius Outer Island of Agalega. I argue that literary representations of Mauritius's geographic space form different island imaginings that express Mauritius's affective relation to its creolized culture and the impact it has on women's corporeal and sexual freedom.

Perception and community input towards flash flood management in Mauritius Island

Perception and community input towards flash flood management in Mauritius Island

Last 150 kyr volcanic activity on Mauritius island (Indian ocean) revealed by new Cassignol-Gillot unspiked K–Ar ages

We present new K–Ar ages extending the volcanic history of Mauritius Island towards the Holocene. Mauritius volcanism is associated with the activity of the Réunion hotspot, the magmatism of which produced the Deccan Traps across the Cretaceous-Tertiary (KT) boundary and continues up to present on Réunion Island. After shield building from before 8.9 Ma to 4.7 Ma, Mauritius Island underwent an unusual volcanic evolution involving two rejuvenation stages (3.5–1.9 Ma and <0.7 Ma) separated by a 1.2 Myr hiatus. The lower bound of the second rejuvenation stage being poorly constrained, it is not clear whether volcanism in this island has come to a rest. Given the occurrence of uneroded, and yet undated strombolian cones in Mauritius, it is important to better constrain the latest activity of this island in order to assess its volcanic hazard. The importance of dating the end of this stage is also enhanced by the fact that most of the surface of Mauritius is covered by the lavas of the rejuvenation stages, hence indicating a recent volcanic activity that needs to be better characterized for risk assessment.We focus here on the last 150 ka interval which lacked precise age controls with only a few whole-rock and groundmass 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages available (Moore et al., 2011), ranging from 138 ± 29 to 40 ± 48 ka (uncertainties are 1 σ). Our six new Cassignol-Gillot unspiked K–Ar ages obtained on plagioclase or groundmass range from 113 ± 7 to 14 ± 3 ka, with much lower uncertainties than previous ages available. Our major and trace element analyses of the dated samples highlight the compositional homogeneity of the lavas erupted in the last rejuvenation stage, showing no geochemical evolution.Our results, with ages as young as 14 ± 3 ka, demonstrate that near-Holocene volcanism is present in Mauritius Island, with no evidence of fading magmatism in the last 150 ka. Our second youngest age at 44 ± 5 ka implies that the latest activity occurred after a ∼30 kyr repose interval, with the consequence that Mauritius volcanism may resume at any time.

The Impact of Global Warming on Residential Air Conditioning Ownership and Usage in Mauritius, a Small Island Developing State

Acknowledging the increasing demand for Air Conditioning (AC) usage, understanding how AC demand will evolve under the impact of climate change in the tropical island of Mauritius is very important. This paper presents the results of a survey focused on the AC usage patterns and adoption for Mauritius. The data are further used to develop a logit model to predict how AC ownership will change for 2050 and 2070 under Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5. The model predicts that in 2070 under the worst-case scenario, RCP 8.5, 95% of the population will have 50% probability of owning an AC compared to 77% of the population presently. It was further estimated that 22% of the whole population will likely be operating their AC through the year. This paper points out the need for urgent strategies for promoting more sustainable cooling in Mauritius and the importance of further research on cooling options.

Prediction of photovoltaic power using the Johansen VECM cointegration method in the Reduit region, Mauritius

ABSTRACT Accurate forecasting of the photovoltaic (PV) power output is crucial for the stability of power systems. In this paper, the Johansen vector error correction model (VECM) cointegration approach is used to predict the PV power output of a PV system in the tropical island of Mauritius. The predicted PV power output is compared to measured PV power output under real conditions. Only solar irradiation and PV cell temperature are considered as predictors and data is recorded from a 20 kW PV system installed in the Phoenix region in Mauritius. The performance of Johansen model is then compared to a conventional ANN forecasting model. Results showed that the Johansen VECM cointegration approach outperformed the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model with RMSE and MAE values of 298.9W and 221.6W, respectively. The Johansen model proved to be a powerful tool, showing good potential for PV power forecasting.

Mangrove mapping and monitoring using remote sensing techniques towards climate change resilience

Mangroves are amongst the richest ecosystems in the world providing valuable goods and services to millions of people while enhancing the resilience of coastal communities against climate change induced hazards, especially island nations. However, these mangroves are severely affected by many anthropogenic activities. Therefore, understanding the spatial variability of mangroves in island nations is highly essential in the events of ongoing climatic change. Thus, this study assessed the use of remote sensing techniques and GIS to map and monitor mangrove cover change at selected sites, namely Le Morne and Ferney, on the tropical island of Mauritius. Freely available 2013 SPOT-5 and 2023 Sentinel 2A images were retrieved and processed using ArcGIS Pro tools and SNAP; mangroves were mapped based on Google Earth Pro historical imagery and ground truthing at the respective sites. Following the application of selected vegetation indices, GLCM and PCA analysis, mosaicked images were classified using the Random Trees algorithm. Kappa values of all the classified images were in the 90 s; Le Morne showed a significant increase in mangrove cover over the decadal scale with main class change from mudflat to mangroves. This study demonstrates how geo-spatial tools are crucial for monitoring mangroves as they provide spatially explicit and time sensitive information. Decision makers, researchers, and relevant stakeholders can utilize this data to bolster tailored mitigation and adaptation strategies at specific sites, thereby enhancing resilience to climate change.

The economic burden of road traffic accidents and injuries: A small island perspective

The existing evidence on the economic burden of road accidents on GDP focused mainly on developed countries. This paper addresses an important gap in the literature by investigating into the impact of road traffic accidents and injuries on GDP in the small island of Mauritius. Mauritius, having perceived an important structural transformation over the past decades, is witnessing a rise in road accidents and injuries, which is a concern in terms of economic costs. In addition, it is a small island nation with limited road infrastructure, making it vulnerable to traffic congestion and accidents. The paper provides important insights for other island countries with similar geographic challenges. The Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) approach is used to assessing the existence of a long-run relationship between road traffic accidents and GDP in Mauritius from 1980 to 2020. In addition to road crashes, different levels of injury severity linked to road accidents are evaluated. The results reveal that on average a 1% rise in road accidents leads to a 0.42% fall in real GDP. Further, a 1% rise in casualties linked to road accidents is likely to cause a 0.18% decline in GDP. Although a long run relationship is established, there is no statistically significant impact of road accidents on GDP in the short-run.

First report of black leaf streak disease in bananas caused by Pseudocercospora fijiensis on Mauritius island.

Pseudocercospora fijiensis, the causal agent of the black leaf streak disease of bananas (plants in the genus Musa) (BLSD), is considered to be the major economic threat to export-banana cultivation (de Bellaire, Fouré, Abadie, & Carlier, 2010). The disease has a worldwide distribution throughout the humid tropical regions and has been previously reported in the Southwestndian Ocean (SWIO) area: in 1993 in Mayotte and Comoros islands (DR Jones & Mourichon, 1993), in 2000 in Madagascar (Jones, 2003; Rivas, Zapater, Abadie, & Carlier, 2004) and in 2018 in Reunion Island (Rieux et al., 2019). In Mauritius, the presence of Pseudocercospora fijiensis was suspected in 1996 (Soomary & Benimadhu, 1998) but has never been confirmed, as symptoms could have been confounded with Pseudocercospora musae or Pseudocercospora eumusae, two causal agents of others leaf spot diseases of banana which were previously described in Mauritius in 1959 (Orieux & Felix, 1968) and 2000 (Carlier, Zapater, Lapeyre, Jones, & Mourichon, 2000), respectively. In March 2022, typical BLSD symptoms were observed at relatively low prevalence in a Cavendish crop located in the "Balance John" area (site S1 on Fig. S1-A) of Mauritius island. Typical early symptoms (stages 2) were 1- to 4-mm long brown streaks at the abaxial leaf surface, and typical older streaks (stages 3 and 4) were also observed (Fig. S1-B). These symptoms were mixed with symptoms of ELSD caused by P. eumusae. Since both species cannot be clearly distinguished only on the description of symptoms, conidial sporulation on stages 2 was checked in the laboratory (Ngando et al., 2015) since P. eumusae does not produce conidia on these young stages. In April 2022, banana leaves bearing symptoms of leaf spot diseases were collected in 7 different sites (Fig. S1-A). All leaf fragments were sent to the CIRAD laboratories where molecular diagnosis was performed following the protocol developed by Arzanlou et al. (2007). In brief, genomic DNA was extracted from ground leaf fragments displaying symptoms using the DNeasy® Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen®, Courtaboeuf, France). At each site, a total of 6 lesions cut from 6 different leaves were pooled. The DNA extracts were added as templates for real-time PCR assay designed to specifically detect the presence of P. fijiensis, P. musae and P. eumusae using MFbf/MFbrtaq/MFbp, MEbf/MEbrtaq/FMep and MMbf/Mmbrtaq/FMep primers and probes, respectively (Arzanlou et al., 2007). Both positive and negative controls were included in the assay and every sample reaction was duplicated. P. fijiensis was detected from 2 out of 7 sites (S2 and S7, see Fig.S2-B). P. eumusae was detected at all sites while P. musae was found in one site only (S6). Interestingly, our results also showed coinfection by P. fijiensis - P. eumusae & P. musae - P. eumusae on several sites. The presence of P. fijiensis was further confirmed by several investigations performed on conidia isolated from S2 samples including i) morphological observations of conidia displaying P. fijiensis type description (Pérez-Vicente, Carreel, Roussel, Carlier, & Abadie (2021), Fig. S2-A), ii) DNA sequencing of 16S ribosomal gene with ITS1 & ITS4 primers (GenBank accessions Nos. OR515818-OR515810) with BLAST results displaying percentages of identity > 99.70% with type strains and iii) Koch's postulates were fulfilled by artificial inoculation of detached leaf pieces as described in Pérez-Vicente, Carreel, Roussel, Carlier, & Abadie (2021) (Fig. S2-D). In brief, for the artificial inoculation, symptoms obtained after inoculation of both a strain isolated in Mauritius (S2-MAU) and a positive control (T+) were compared and shown to be typical of P. fijiensis species for the 3 replicates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first official report of P. fijiensis and BLSD in Mauritius Island. This revelation holds significant importance for both the agricultural and scientific communities, shedding light on the potential spread and impact of this devastating pathogen in previously unaffected regions. From a global perspective, this discovery underscores the interconnectedness of agricultural ecosystems and the need for vigilance in monitoring and responding to emerging plant diseases in an increasingly interconnected world (Vega et al. 2022). Future investigations will be required to monitor the spread of BLSD on the island, describe the genetic structure of populations and identify routes of invasion at the SWOI scale.

The evolutionary history of three Baracoffea species from western Madagascar revealed by chloroplast and nuclear genomes.

The wild species of the Coffea genus present a very wide morphological, genetic, and biochemical diversity. Wild species are recognized more resistant to diseases, pests, and environmental variations than the two species currently cultivated worldwide: C. arabica (Arabica) and C. canephora (Robusta). Consequently, wild species are now considered as a crucial resource for adapting cultivated coffee trees to climate change. Within the Coffea genus, 79 wild species are native to the Indian Ocean islands of Comoros, Mayotte, Mauritius, Réunion and Madagascar, out of a total of 141 taxa worldwide. Among them, a group of 9 species called "Baracoffea" are particularly atypical in their morphology and adaptation to the sandy soils of the dry deciduous forests of western Madagascar. Here, we have attempted to shed light on the evolutionary history of three Baracoffea species: C. ambongensis, C. boinensis and C. bissetiae by analyzing their chloroplast and nuclear genomes. We assembled the complete chloroplast genomes de novo and extracted 28,800 SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) markers from the nuclear genomes. These data were used for phylogenetic analysis of Baracoffea with Coffea species from Madagascar and Africa. Our new data support the monophyletic origin of Baracoffea within the Coffea of Madagascar, but also reveal a divergence with a sister clade of four species: C. augagneurii, C. ratsimamangae, C. pervilleana and C. Mcphersonii (also called C. vohemarensis), belonging to the Subterminal botanical series and living in dry or humid forests of northern Madagascar. Based on a bioclimatic analysis, our work suggests that Baracoffea may have diverged from a group of Malagasy Coffea from northern Madagascar and adapted to the specific dry climate and low rainfall of western Madagascar. The genomic data generated in the course of this work will contribute to the understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of these particularly singular species.

Variable prevalence of diseases and compromised health conditions on hard corals around Mauritius Island, Western Indian Ocean

Although coral diseases and compromised health conditions (CHCs) are one of the most prominent threats to coral reefs globally, they have yet to be thoroughly investigated in the Western Indian Ocean. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and spatial distribution of coral diseases and CHCs around Mauritius. Six coral diseases [Growth Anomaly (GA), Skeletal Eroding Band (SEB), Brown Band (BrBD), Porites White Patch Syndrome (PWPS), White Syndromes (WSs), and Yellow Band (YB)] and four CHCs [Pink Patches (PP), Pink Spots (PS), Pink Line Syndrome (PLS), and Focal Bleaching (FB)] were spatially variable in prevalence among the 17 studied sites. The average prevalence for Mauritius was 4.88% (SD 0.52%), almost half of what has been documented from Caribbean and Pacific reefs (about 10%). Total coral colony density (R = −0.585, P &lt; 0.001) and diseases/CHCs-affected host density (R = −0.249, P &gt; 0.05) were negatively correlated while human population density (R = 0.085, P &lt; 0.05) and coral cover (R = 0.045, P &lt; 0.05) were positively correlated with coral diseases/CHCs prevalence. The prevalence of diseases/CHCs significantly differed between the reef-flat and fore-reef zones, with the latter exhibiting higher prevalence. Cluster analyses revealed that PLS, YB, and FB were mostly distributed in the fore-reef zone, while the other diseases/CHCs were mostly predominant on the reef-flats. However, coral disease/CHCs prevalence did not differ significantly (F = 2.613, P &gt; 0.05) between protected and nonprotected zones. These findings have important implications for informing appropriate coral reef conservation and management strategies for Mauritius.

Are mangroves hotspots for marine litter among selected coastal ecosystems of Mauritius, an oceanic island in Western Indian Ocean?

Marine litter is a growing threat and its impacts are much more consequent on oceanic states. This study investigated the status of marine macro- and meso-litter in selected mangrove, seagrass and coral ecosystems of Mauritius island. The objective was to comparatively analyse the abundance and composition of marine macro- and meso-litter among the ecosystems and to determine their potential sources, contributing causative factors and identify any hotspot of litter pollution. Snapshot study was carried out in summer months from September 2020 to March 2021 in six sites situated in the north and south-west coastlines of Mauritius. 100 m2 quadrats were surveyed for macro-litter along 70 m transects placed in the three inundation zones of the mangrove ecosystems, while triplicate 800 m2 underwater belt transects were surveyed in benthic seagrass and coral ecosystems. For meso-litter sampling in mangroves, sediment samples were collected from nine 0.25 m2 quadrats along transect lines in each of the three inundation zones, while the coring technique was used for sampling in seagrass and coral ecosystems. Mean macro-litter density was highest at Melville mangrove ecosystem (5.60 ± 0.07 items/100 m2). Melville was also the only site where meso-litter was recorded. Plastics made up the highest composition for macro-litter (58%) and meso-litter (79%) in all coastal ecosystems studied. Mangrove ecosystems were found to be the main hotspot for both macro- (89.2%) and meso-litter (100%) contamination. The findings of this study further contribute to the data available on marine litter in coastal ecosystems, and can be used for the development of more efficient ecosystem-adapted prevention and remedial strategies in an island context.

Routes and Hubs in the Indian Ocean World: Methodological Reconsiderations

This article looks at “routes” and “hubs” in the Indian Ocean world, arguing that using these two concepts within a mobility-oriented perspective will provide an insightful addition, and alternative, to investigations that are guided solely by spatial concepts, such as “hinterland” or “littoral.” The first major part of this article discusses various routes in the history of the Indian Ocean world. It addresses questions such as the competition between various routes, their interconnectedness, their internal structure, deviations from the main routes, and the role of local pilots in showing the way to colonial powers. The second major part looks at the nodal points along such routes, here called “hubs.” It will be argued that these hubs not only enable the movements of things, but also stop them, if only temporarily, thereby often transforming them in meaning, value, and function. Therefore, hubs are also identified as having an internal dimension in addition to an external one. These points will be discussed with reference to one paradigmatic case, namely the island of Mauritius in the southwestern part of Indian Ocean world. The issue of mobility is discussed in greater detail in two further sections. While arguing in favor of mobility-oriented perspectives and methods, it is held that an overinflated use of terms such as circulation or flow may also be misleading.

Effects of territorial damselfish on corallivorous fish assemblage composition and coral predation in the Mauritian lagoon

Predation is a significant stressor for many coral species. Understanding how predation interacts with factors such as climate change is key to coral conservation. Territorial damselfish of the genus Stegastes form territories on branching corals (genus Acropora) on which they cultivate algae, and while defending these territories, provide corals with indirect protection from predation. However, it is not known how the protection afforded by Stegastes spp. varies with corallivorous fish assemblage composition, nor whether corallivore assemblages themselves may be affected by the presence of Stegastes spp. and their associated Acropora spp. habitats. This study examined relationships among predation protection by Stegastes spp., branching Acropora coral cover, and the number and species richness of corallivorous fish present within a given area, namely the Mauritian lagoon in the western Indian Ocean. Predation on bleaching-resilient massive Porites lutea corals within and outside Stegastes territories was surveyed at sites around Mauritius island. Corallivorous fish assemblages, branching coral cover, and Stegastes spp. density were also surveyed at each site visit. Results show that high predation was correlated with the presence of high numbers of corallivores, but predation was lower within Stegastes spp. territories irrespective of all observed corallivore densities. Greater numbers of Stegastes spp. were correlated with increasing density of obligate corallivores. Non-Acroporid coral cover was positively correlated with species richness of obligate corallivores, while branching Acropora coral cover was negatively correlated with overall corallivore density. This study shows for the first time that predation on bleaching-resilient massive corals is lower within Stegastes spp. territories regardless of the number of corallivores present, adding to the growing body of knowledge on the complex relationships between Stegastes spp. and their environment. The findings also indicate possible effects of the presence of Stegastes spp. and their branching Acropora habitats on corallivorous fish density in areas with low coral diversity, which may warrant further study.

HUMAN AWARENESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN SMALL ISLANDS DEVELOPING STATES (SIDS): THE MAURITIAN CASE STUDY

This contextualised paper deals with environmental protection to enhance socio-economic development in SIDS with particular reference to the small Republic of Mauritius. With the relevant legal and regulatory framework it investigates environmental protection in SIDS with particular attention drawn to the small Republic of Mauritius and its huge Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Indian Ocean, and its blue economy would generate trillion of dollars provided the EEZ is not over-exploited otherwise mankind would pay it in a very costly way. The Republic of Mauritius is also a very interesting case study because the Mauritius and its legal system inherited both French Civil Law (1715-1810) and English Common Law (1810-1968) during its two successive colonisation with a written Constitution 1968 which has no provision on the right to protection of the environment and the Mauritian legislator has neither reacted promptly to implement same in the Constitution 1968 compared to other Small Island Developing States (Maldives, Seychelles) albeit there is a plethora of legislations and regulations to protect the environment in a country where there is room for improvement in various key sectors for its socio-economic development and to protect the island against nature’s wrath, droughts, food and water insecurity. However, with the exploitation of petrol and oil for exploitation, activists and human rights fighters found that there might be an impact both in its green and blue economy provoking nature’s wrath with tsun amis, volcanoes or cyclones which are becoming more frequent in the Indian Ocean. It is time to react fast and promptly and this paper might enlighten a little more of human’s irresponsibility.

Mauritius Island Colonial and Postcolonial Heritage and Heritage Preservation Efforts

Avrupalılar tarafından 16. yüzyıldan 19. yüzyıla değin milyonlarca Afrikalının köle olarak çeşitli plantasyonlarda çalıştırılmak üzere Atlantik ve Hint Okyanusları üzerinden zor şartlar altında Amerika kıtasına taşınmasını ifade eden Transatlantik Köle Ticareti, Afrika üzerinde derin izler bırakmıştır. Kolonyal dönem olarak adlandırılan bu dönem, Britanya Yüzyılı’nın yaşanmasında etkili olmuştur. Kolonyal düzende imparatorluğun Hint Okyanusu üzerindeki en stratejik bölgelerden birisi Mauritius Adası olmuştur. Bir ikmal ve aktarma merkezi olarak görev yapan ada, aynı zamanda kolonyal dönemin sonlandırılıp postkolonyal döneme geçişte, ilk defa sözleşmeli işçilerin denendiği Britanya İmparatorluğu’nun Büyük Deney’ine de ev sahipliği yapmıştır. Bu özellikleri ile ada, kolonyal döneme, postkolonyal döneme ve bu iki dönem arası geçiş dönemine dair önemli bir miras birikimine sahiptir. Kolonyal dönemde kullanıma açılan adadaki özgün ve karma kültür, senkretik inanç ve kreol dil özelliklerini barındırmaktadır. Adada bulunan bu zengin miras birikimi, günümüzde ulusal ve uluslararası boyutlarda koruma altına alınmış birer değer olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Çalışma, adanın dönemsel miras birikimini ve koruma süreçlerini incelemektedir.

The Appropriateness or Inadequacy of the Multi-Party System in Burundian Politics

Today’s Burundi politics is based on a multi-party system as a way of implementing democracy. This system allows the existence of various political parties which take part in elections and have equal possibilities of running government offices either as single parties or in coalition. In Burundi, as well as in many other African countries, that multi-party system started during the colonisation period in the 1950’s. However soon after independence in the 1960’s, this political system collapsed in favour of single-party systems characterised by authoritarian military political systems except in Botswana, in Gambia, and in the Mauritius island. This research has been conducted with the purpose of knowing whether the multi-party system fits the Burundian politics or not. In total, it has been possible to gather responses from 600 informants from Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups, from various Burundi geographical regions of origin, with the age of 18 years or more, from all genders, and from different educational backgrounds. The main research instrument which has been used for collecting data was interview. Among all those respondents, 450 were males, whereas 150 were females. The findings of this investigation have revealed that in Burundi males prefer a multi-party system over a single-party one at the rate of 93.3%, while females support a single-party system at the rate of 100%.

Unveiling the phytochemical and pharmacological potential of Mimusops maxima (Poiret) Vaughan-an endemic plant with potential therapeutic effects

Mimusops maxima (Poiret) Vaughan is an endemic plant of Mauritius Island that has never been studied for neither its phytochemical nor pharmacological properties. Hence this study targeted to extract the phytochemicals using three different solvents and characterizion them through HPLC-MS-MS, alongside investigating their effects against chronic diseases. The methanolic extract beared the highest total phenolic and total flavonoid composition, (31.10 ± 0.25 gallic acid equivalents/gram (GAE/g) and 38.68 ± 0.34 rutin equivalent (mgRE/g)), respectively), succeeded by the ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts. The antioxidant assay demonstrated that the methanolic extract had the highest potency in terms of antioxidant potential. The most potent acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibitor was the ethyl acetate extract (4.78 ± 0.28 mg GALAE/g) followed by the methanolic extract (4.48 ± 0.05 mgGALAE/g). The most inhibition of the tyrosinase enzyme was generated by the methanolic extract (122.53 ± 2.72 mg KAE/g),the ethyl acetate extract and aqueous extracts (113.96 ± 1.53 and 6.19 ± 0.30 mg KAE/g, respectively) followed and were behind the methanolic extract. The methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts can be formulated as tissanes and extracts as health supplements as a prophylaxis measure for non-communicable diseases pending further toxicological investigations.

Antimicrobial properties and metabolite profiling of the ethyl acetate fractions of Sinularia polydactyla and Cespitularia simplex surrounding Mauritius Island

Abstract. Jahajeeah D, Bhoyroo V, Ranghoo-Sanmukhiya M. 2023. Antimicrobial properties and metabolite profiling of the ethyl acetate fractions of Sinularia polydactyla and Cespitularia simplex surrounding Mauritius Island. Indo Pac J Ocean Life 7: 133-142. Soft corals form an integral part of the reef ecosystem. This study assessed the antibacterial activities of Mauritius Island's soft corals and their different natural compounds having important biological properties. Antimicrobial assays and GCMS-MS analysis were performed using ethyl acetate extracts of Sinularia polydactyla and Cespitularia simplex. The results for both species indicated significant activity against most clinically pathogenic bacterial strains tested. In addition, S. polydactyla and C. simplex extracts gave the most potent action spectra yielding the largest inhibition zone diameter, especially against the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (8.73 ± 2.87 and 6.00 ± 1.20 mm), respectively. The MIC also confirmed that the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and S. aureus strains were the most susceptible bacteria when exposed to the soft coral extracts, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli were the most resistant Gram-negative strains. The biochemical profile of the extracts showed the presence of terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, coumarins, and quinones. GCMS-MS analysis also identified 151 compounds in S. polydactyla and 91 compounds in C. simplex. Several previously published studies have shown the biological activities of different species of Cespitularia; however, this is the first study to demonstrate the antibacterial activity and compound profiling of C. simplex. Although studies have been carried out on S. polydactyla extracts, compounds such as 25-Hydroxycholesterol and spathulenol have not yet been reported. The results from the study suggest that both S. polydactyla and C. simplex are potential sources of novel antibiotics and possess a myriad of chemical compounds which may lend themselves to bioprospecting.