Conservation Of Natural Resources Research Articles

Dynamics of Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Amibara and Awash-Fentale Districts, Ethiopia

The analysis of land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes is crucial for rural development planning, food security monitoring, and natural resource conservation. This study focuses on detecting LULC changes in Amibara and Awash-Fentale districts from 1985 to 2021. We utilized five sets of Landsat data (Landsat 5 TM for 1985, 1995, 2002, and Landsat 8 OLI for 2015 & 2020) and applied supervised maximum likelihood classification. Accuracy assessments revealed overall accuracies ranging from 88.9% to 95.3% for Amibara and 89.5% to 93.2% for Awash-Fentale. Both districts exhibited six main LULC classes: agriculture, bareland, built-up, mixed forest, shrubland, and water bodies. In Amibara LULC changes from 1985 to 2021 revealed significant shifts, maintaining its primary bareland characteristic, concentrated agriculture, and expanding Prosopis-dominated shrubland due to livestock-mediated seed dispersal. Conversely, in Awash-Fentale bareland dominance decreased from 92.28% to 67.02%, while agriculture, built-up areas, and shrubland expanded. Water bodies emerged between 2015 and 2021 which is associated with the construction of Kesem Kebena dam for sugar cane farm production. The net gains were observed in shrubland (12.9%), agriculture (5.8%), mixed forest (4.1%), water bodies (1.5%), and built-up areas (0.9%), with bareland experiencing a loss of 25.3%. In conclusion, Amibara and Awash-Fentale underwent both comparable and distinct LULC shifts, featuring prevalent bareland and central agriculture, alongside Prosopis-driven shrubland expansion due to livestock dispersal. While mixed forest exhibited fluctuations, built-up areas and water bodies remained limited. Notably, Awash-Fentale showed higher LULC variability. Understanding these land cover changes helps assess vulnerability to climate impacts like droughts and floods, enhancing climate resilience. Insights from this study can inform sustainable land-use planning, conservation strategies, and policy interventions in the Afar region and similar areas. These observations highlight the need for integrated land management approaches that balance socioeconomic development with environmental sustainability.

Analyzing porous cold storage unit in presence of hybrid nano-powders considering Galerkin method

The article presents a comprehensive simulation study on cold storage porous containers, employing the Galerkin method to analyze their thermal behavior. A key focus of the investigation is the incorporation of both radiation and conduction modes within the mathematical model, acknowledging their significant roles in the freezing process. To enhance the freezing rate, hybrid nanoparticles are introduced into H2O, aiming to speed up the solidification. Notably, the study integrates adaptive grid techniques to achieve higher modeling accuracy, with verification processes confirming a high level of agreement between simulation results and experimental data. This research also underscores the potential for improved energy efficiency in cold storage systems, contributing to the sustainability of natural resources by reducing energy consumption and enhancing the overall efficiency of thermal storage systems. Through meticulous examination, the study explores the impacts of various factors on freezing, including the fraction of hybrid nano-powders (ϕ), porosity (γ), and the radiation factor (Rd). Remarkably, the introduction of porous media causes to a substantial increment in the freezing rate, resulting in an improvement of approximately 91.19%. Moreover, the inclusion of the radiation term in the model significantly reduces the completion time by approximately 30.85%, underscoring the importance of considering radiation effects in such systems. Additionally, dispersing hybrid nano-powders into the water, results in a decrement in the freezing time around 7.21%. This approach highlights the significant potential for optimizing energy use in thermal storage applications, thereby promoting the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources.

Impacts of cooperatives interventions on forest conservation and beekeeping: a case study of Kamaki farmers’ cooperative society in Kitui county, Kenya

This study was designed to examine the impact of KAMAKI Farmers Cooperative Society interventions on forest conservation and beekeeping in five locations within the South Eastern part of Kitui County, Kenya. The locations included Kalivu, Athi, Maluma, Kasaala and Ikutha, collectively abbreviated as KAMAKI for the purposes of this study. Cooperative interventions empowered and provided trainings to KAMAKI bee farmers on beekeeping activities, facilitating knowledge sharing and exchange on beekeeping activities with natural resource conservation among bee farmers in KAMAKI. The specific objective of the study was to determine awareness level on the link between forest conservation and beekeeping among bee farmers in KAMAKI. Data were collected on the perception of bee farmers on the link between forest conservation and beekeeping, how bees linked to forest that enhance beekeeping, perception of KAMAKI bee farmers on the ability to plant and identify forest tree types and bee forages for beekeeping. The study adopted a purposive sampling with a sample size of 215 household respondent bee farmers across KAMAKI. Data were gathered through field explorations and observations, Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews. The data collected was analyzed through descriptive statistics by use of frequency tables. Out of the 215 household respondents bee farmers, 170 trained household respondent bee farmers (79.1%) demonstrated a better understanding on the link between forest conservation and beekeeping compared to 45 untrained household respondent bee farmers (20.9%) who had less awareness on this link. Therefore, the in-depth of the study recommends to KAMAKI Farmers Cooperative Society and Community Based Organizations to continuously provide more trainings that support beekeeping with forest conservation in order to increase household incomes of KAMAKI bee farmers.

Application of the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) for the prediction of sediment yield in Agewmariam experimental watershed, Tekeze River basin, Northern Ethiopia

The study utilized the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) to predict sediment loss and evaluate the model's performance in the Agewmariam experimental watershed in order to support the planning, management, and appropriate use of the soil and water resources in the watershed. The natural resources conservation service (NRCS) curve number method was used to model runoff energy factor. By overlaying maps of runoff energy, soil erodibility, slope length and steepness, cover management, and support practice factors with assigned values, the cumulative effect of these parameters for the suspended sediment yield was calculated using the ArcGIS raster calculator. The runoff energy factor was the most sensitive parameter, followed by slope length and steepness factor. To improve the model's fit to the local conditions, the initial abstraction to storage ratio (λ) of the runoff energy factor was reduced to 0.023, and the MUSLE model coefficient and exponent were adjusted to 1 and 0.59, respectively. During calibration, the mean observed and estimated suspended sediment yields were 0.2 and 0.23 ton/ha, respectively, while during validation, they were 0.7 and 0.53 ton/ha, respectively. The model evaluation showed that the MUSLE model, without calibration, was not appropriate for estimating runoff and sediment yield. However, with appropriate calibration, the model showed good performance with a coefficient of determination (R2), coefficient of efficiency (E), and index of agreement (d) of 0.85, 0.85, and 0.96 respectively, during calibration and 0.84, 0.65, and 0.83 respectively, during validation. Based on these findings, this study suggests that the calibrated MUSLE model can be used to prioritize soil and water conservation interventions within the watershed or can be extrapolated to neighboring similar watersheds. Further refinement of model input parameters using more data from the watershed is recommended to increase the prediction accuracy of the model.

Do protected areas enhance surface water quality across the Brazilian Amazon?

Protected Areas (PAs) are pivotal instruments in natural resource conservation and maintaining or enhancing ecosystem services, including hydrological functions. In the Amazon, the impact of PAs on the quality of river waters remains largely overlooked. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate whether Environmental Protected Areas (EPAs) and Indigenous Lands (ILs) efficiently protect the quality of surface waters in the Brazilian Amazon. Water quality variables from river gauge stations distributed across the lowlands Amazon are analyzed according to baseline river hydrogeochemistry classification, both inside and outside PAs. This study found that whitewater and clearwater rivers coursing within EPAs and ILs show lower turbidity and electrical conductivity compared to those outside PAs, likely due to the buffering effect of dense forest cover within protected landscapes. Moreover, data indicate that protected areas enhance the water quality from upstream unprotected landscapes in the Brazilian Amazon. These results highlight the need to further invest on effective mechanisms of water resource conservation across lowland tropical regions, and particularly in the Earth’s largest watershed.

Pengembangan Potensi Curug Leuwi Pamipiran Sebagai Objek Wisata Melalaui Sosialisasi Penguatan Kelembagaan Di Desa Tanjungsari Kabupaten Ciamis

Management Community-based natural resource management and conservation is an effective approach in maintaining environmental sustainability and improving the welfare of local communities. This research aims to analyze the natural resource management and conservation strategies implemented by the people of Tanjungsari Village, Sadananya District, Ciamis Regency. The research method used is a qualitative approach with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and documentation studies. The results showed that the Tanjungsari Village community has developed various local initiatives to preserve water sources, and manage tourist attractions in the village. The active participation of the community in conservation activities, support from the local government, and cooperation with non-governmental organizations are key factors in the success of this program. The study concludes that a community-based approach to natural resource management is not only able to preserve the environment, but also contributes to improving the economic and social welfare of local communities. In addition to management, socialization was held. The implementation of these socialization activities is proven to increase the understanding and skills of the community in managing tourism potential in a sustainable manner. In addition, support from the local government and active participation of the community are important factors in the development of curug lewi pamipiran as a leading tourist attraction in Ciamis Regency. This study concludes that institutional strengthening through socialization and training is an effective strategy to optimize regional tourism potential, improve community welfare, and encourage local economic development.

Towards Cross-Border Fisheries Management: An Analysis of Fleet Structures and Species-Specific Regulatory Measures in the Aegean Sea

Intrinsic differences in the applied management measures of shared stocks in transboundary waters inhibit the ability of either state to benefit from such measures, as one state may benefit in lieu of the other, thus reducing the efficacy of both. This study compares for the first time the fleet structure, specific management measures applied to species-specific regulations for commercial fishing, species listed in official monitoring schemes, and protected taxa between Greece and Türkiye for the Aegean Sea. A comparative analysis utilizing the official data was sourced from both countries. Large-scale Greek and Turkish fishing fleets have been modernized within the last 30 years (1991-2021). Greek and Turkish large-scale fishing fleets included smaller trawlers with lower tonnage and slightly higher engine horsepower, while purse seines of both states included larger vessels with higher horsepower and tonnage. This indicates that the fishing pressure on the demersal resources in the Aegean Sea has partially decreased, but the fishing pressure on pelagic resources has increased despite the decrease in the number of vessels. Only 11 out of 74 minimum conservation reference sizes (MCRS) are sufficiently set above the Lm50 sizes they should be based on, whereas 18 species need reproductive studies, and 22 are set below the Lm50, and could benefit from an increase. The application of specific closed seasons for commercial species was used by both states with the intent to protect the reproductive periods of some stocks. However, several of these closure periods did not fully or even partially cover the spawning periods of the respective species. Species-specific closures were applied to 13 species in Greece and 23 species in Türkiye, with only two fish species (Xiphias gladius and Thunnus thynnus) listed for both countries. Only 14 species (out of 34 protected by Greece and 46 by Türkiye) are protected by both states, most of which are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Harmonization of fisheries management measures currently does not align between the two neighbouring states, and the General Fisheries Commission of the Mediterranean is the competent authority that would be able to restructure such measures, especially as Türkiye has been aligning their measures with that of the EU for the accession process. This contribution highlights the clear differences between Greece and Türkiye, and provides advice for developing a unified management regime for the Aegean Sea.

Implementation of Sustainable Agricultural Land Transfer Policy in Sidrap Regency

Agricultural land conversion is a crucial issue in facing the challenges of food security and natural resource conservation. Sidrap District, as one of the agricultural regions in Indonesia, faces significant pressure related to agricultural land conversion. Therefore, the implementation of local government supervision policies is very important. This research aims to analyse the implementation of local government supervision policies on agricultural land conversion in Sidrap Regency. This research uses a qualitative method with data sources from interviews, documentation, and observation. The data of this study used Nvivo 12 Plus to obtain relevant analyses. The findings of this study show that in the implementation of the policy to monitor the conversion of agricultural land in Sidrap District, there are two main approaches, namely preventive and repressive approaches, which work together to maintain the integrity of agricultural land. The preventive approach focuses on prevention efforts, while the repressive approach aims to enforce regulations with appropriate sanctions. In addition, determinant factors such as communication, resources, disposition and bureaucratic structure also play a crucial role in this overall process. With a holistic effort involving effective coordination between relevant agencies and improvements to these determinant factors, Sidrap district has the potential to maintain agricultural sustainability and food security in the future.

Use of ITK in Animal Management by Maldharis in Banni Area of Kachchh

The present investigation was conducted in the Banni area of Kachchh during 2008 to 2012, which is a vast grazing land spread on the 3847 sq km area. The main source of livelihood in the region is rearing of livestock, handicraft and contract based animal grazing system. While the education level of Maldharis is 26.50% and lower than national average, their use of ITK in restraining of animals and conservation of natural resources is unique. Various restraining tools used by them are Dan and Nunjan, Vano / Bagari, Pavro, Kutopado, Ango Mochi and Bundho. They also use “kudo” in goat and “Dan” to restrain the movement of camel for grazing and “Bagari” to protect the camel from suckling by the calf. The use of psychological tools like voice produced by different size of bells (mutter or matri) and keeping all the animals in the herd intact during grazing either during day or night hours without any human assistance is the best example of management of animals on the scientific principles. Similarly, harvesting and conservation of rain water in the “Khuriya” is also a unique example of conservation of natural resources. They allow their buffaloes in the dry pond which prevent heat stress and also protection from mosquitoes. They use Khurjadi for transportation of small ruminants, “Dambh” for identification of animals and for housing the calves under the tree shade by making the enclosure called as “Vado.” These techniques are based on scientific principles and have very good impact on animal management.

Impact of Metals Scrap Yard on the Presence of some Heavy Metals Concentration within Gombe Metropolis, Gombe State, Nigeria, using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

The Metal scrap yards play a crucial role in the recycling and reuse of metals, contributing significantly to the economy and conservation of natural resources. However, the processing and storage of metal scraps can lead to the release of heavy metals such as lead, chromium and cadmium, into the environment. The presence of heavy metals in metal scrap yards poses a significant risk to nearby communities, workers and the environment, also causing air and water pollution, soil contamination, and health problem. Study of impact of metals scrap yard on the presence some of some heavy metals in soil samples was done using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). Top soil sample were collected from eight metals scrap yards and their corresponding control areas. One gram (1 g) each of the soil samples was digested and then heated slowly and steadily, the solution appears colorless. The samples were allowed to cool and ready for analysis. The result obtained was, the mean elemental concentration element was of the order ofMn (41.022±41.202)> Cu (4.416±4.274) >Pb (2.685±1.399) > Mg (0.500±10.122) > Cr (0.460±0.187) > Cd (0.125±0.027) > Co (0.04±0.000)> Ni (0.000±0.000). The comparison of the elemental concentration of the heavy metals of (Mn, Mg, Cu, Pd, Cr, Cd, Co and Ni) in the study area ware shows the metal scrap yard has impact in the presence of heavy metals in soil. In addition, the Contamination factor (CF), and Pollution load index (PLI) of each trace element in soil of the study area and their respective control area were all < 1 which implies that they all have low contamination factors, less polluted and low contaminated.

Legal responsibility in agricultural relations

In modern conditions of modernization of state agricultural policy, the role of agricultural law, subject of legal regulation, protection of the interests of the entities of agricultural sector, and ensuring food security of the republic is increasing. The goal is to study the features of agricultural legal relations, identifying main problems associated with the application of legal liability. Analysis of the state, use of rules and norms of agricultural legislation and development of measures aimed to support, stimulate, and protect the rights of agricultural producers in Kazakhstan. The methods are based on materials from domestic and foreign scientists, scientific publications, and changes in legislative regulations. A comparative analysis and assessment of legal relations in agro-industrial production were used. Results - the state of affairs is considered and important issues of application of legal responsibility in the context of lawful actions and its features are identified. Various types of violations of legal obligations are analyzed: non-compliance with land use rules, sanitary and hygienic requirements, environmental standards - illegal use of pesticides, abuse of antibiotics in raising livestock, violation of environmental standards that can pollute water or damage the soil. Conclusions - the authors propose a number of effective measures to improve legal behavior in agricultural entities: strengthening control by the state law enforcement agencies, creating more effective punishment mechanisms, increasing awareness of participants in agricultural legal relations, which will prevent unfair practices and will promote conservation of natural resources and environment. Agricultural law presupposes land, property, labor, financial, and management relations in agriculture. This contributes to organizational, production and economic activities of agricultural production entities in accordance with the goals of entrepreneurship in agricultural sector.

The Brazilian Soil Spectral Library data opening

Among the various repositories of soil spectral data, the Brazilian Soil Spectral Library (BSSL, https://bibliotecaespectral.wixsite.com/english), created and maintained by the GeoCiS research group, is representative of the pedodiversity of the region, since it combines soil spectra from agricultural and environmental research. The BSSL database contains 16,084 observations with soil-harmonized surface layer physicochemical and spectral data in the visible, near-infrared, short-wave infrared (Vis-NIR-SWIR, 350–2,500 nm) and mid-infrared (MIR, 4,000–600 cm-¹) ranges from all 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District. The idea of creating the BSSL was born in 1995, completed in 2019 and opened to users in 2023. This database is currently available online at https://zenodo.org/records/8361419. During oppening process, data filtering was performed to ensure reliable and valuable information provided to society. Then consistency and quality assessments were executed using Pearson's correlation and the Cubist algorithm in the R environment. Modeling analysis revealed the robust predictive power of the spectral database, facilitating the modeling of key soil attributes. An open-access BSSL will help researchers validate their results by comparing measured data with predicted data, enabling the development of new models or the improvement of existing ones. The BSSL is a globally significant spectral library due to its broad coverage and representation of different tropical soil classes. Soil spectral data can help governments and corporations by providing information to decision-makers regarding the conservation or exploitation of natural resources to monitor soil health.

WOMEN’S ENGAGEMENT IN SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION: A RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE

The sustenance of life on earth relies heavily on essential natural resources such as soil and water, integral components of the environment. The conservation and management of these natural resources should be essential for survival of humankind. Women emerge as pivotal contributors to this conservation effort due to their traditional engagement with daily activities intimately connected to natural resources, fostering a reduction in waste and excessive consumption. Despite their significant role, governmental attention towards encouraging women’s involvement in natural resource conservation remains disproportionately minimal. In response to this gap, the study investigates the extent of women’s participation in soil and water conservation in Banaskantha district of Gujarat. A sample of 180 women respondents was randomly chosen for the study, and the quantitative data was carried out through the use of an interview schedule. The research indicates a moderate level of women’s engagement in soil and water conservation practices. Notably, women demonstrate the highest participation during the execution phase of soil conservation, while their involvement in planning and decision-making stages remains largely invisible. Similarly, in water conservation, women’s participation was notably lower not only during the planning phase but also in the execution phase. The study concludes by emphasizing the urgency for policy planners, government bodies, and other institutions to actively promote and encourage women’s participation in policy-making and planning processes. This can be achieved through targeted efforts such as additional exposure, awareness campaigns, and training programs. By enhancing the role of women in these critical aspects, society can harness their valuable insights and contributions towards ensuring the productive and efficient use of natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.

Soil legacy data: An opportunity for digital soil mapping

ABSTRACT Soil legacy data is past information on soils available from various sources (e.g. survey reports and maps). When compiled and organized, data obtained through historical retrieval can be used as basic input or validation data for digital soil mapping. A bibliometric analysis of this topic can reveal research patterns, evolution, and scientific contribution, thus mapping the science produced in a specific period and determining the trend in research topics based on search terms. This article presents the characterization of international scientific production on soil legacy data using a set of bibliometric indicators. The study was developed with the bibliometric analysis of scientific articles indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus data platforms regarding the use of soil legacy data published online from 1979 to 2022. The following were extracted from the articles: authors and co-authors, year and country of publication, index words used, and abstracts, which were submitted to bibliometric analysis in R. Bibliometric analysis revealed publication of 242 scientific articles in 117 journals involving 1223 authors throughout the world in the last 43 years, with an average frequency of 12.66 citations per article. Australia (10.33 %), the USA (8.68 %), and Brazil (7.85 %) were the countries with the greatest scientific contributions. The most cited studies refer to databases, demonstrating the ease of access to information contributes significantly to new local studies. Due to pedometrics importance for soil science, there is constant revision to available legacy data for new hypotheses and research in soil science. And also, for the monitoring of soil attributes for the conservation and preservation of natural resources.

Evaluating Machine-Learning Algorithms for Mapping LULC of the uMngeni Catchment Area, KwaZulu-Natal

Analysis of land use/land cover (LULC) in catchment areas is the first action toward safeguarding freshwater resources. LULC information in the watershed has gained popularity in the natural science field as it helps water resource managers and environmental health specialists develop natural resource conservation strategies based on available quantitative information. Thus, remote sensing is the cornerstone in addressing environmental-related issues at the catchment level. In this study, the performance of four machine learning algorithms (MLAs), namely Random Forests (RFs), Support Vector Machines (SVMs), Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), and Naïve Bayes (NB), were investigated to classify the catchment into nine relevant classes of the undulating watershed landscape using Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (L8-OLI) imagery. The assessment of the MLAs was based on a visual inspection of the analyst and commonly used assessment metrics, such as user’s accuracy (UA), producers’ accuracy (PA), overall accuracy (OA), and the kappa coefficient. The MLAs produced good results, where RF (OA = 97.02%, Kappa = 0.96), SVM (OA = 89.74%, Kappa = 0.88), ANN (OA = 87%, Kappa = 0.86), and NB (OA = 68.64%, Kappa = 0.58). The results show the outstanding performance of the RF model over SVM and ANN with a significant margin. While NB yielded satisfactory results, its sensitivity to limited training samples could primarily influence these results. In contrast, the robust performance of RF could be due to an ability to classify high-dimensional data with limited training data.

Highlighting the importance of biodiversity conservation through the Holy Qur'an.

Religious environmentalism relies upon religious texts and leadership to promote effective and long-lasting change for environmental problems, such as responsible use and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity. World religions note the importance of biodiversity and humanity's responsibility in stewarding biodiversity as a member of ecological communities. We reviewed Quranic verses that relate to biodiversity and align with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Holy Quran was reviewed in electronic and hard copy formats, and verses related to biodiversity were translated to English and tabulated by Qur'anic chapter, verse, and narrative citation. Twenty-one Qur'anic verses were identified that addressed biodiversity. Scriptures were divided into 5 groups that addressed provision of resources, governance or stewardship of resources, nature as a teacher, and human life in nature's communities or described creation of biodiversity. Qur'anic verses were aligned with 4 SDGs (goals 12-15), which address sustainable consumption of natural resources, global climate change, life in marine environments, and life in terrestrial environments, including freshwater ecosystems. This alignment demonstrates the interconnectedness of life, that conservation of biodiversity is referenced in the Quran, and how positive management of natural recourses can be beneficial to Muslim communities on local, national, and global scales. Positive movement toward ecofriendly practices, sound environmental resource use and management, biodiversity conservation, and governmental policies on conservation can be promoted through scriptures from the Holy Qur'an.

Remarks on Eimeria spp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Kobus spp. (Bovidae: Reduncini), with supplementary morphological data of Eimeria congolensis Ricci-Bitti et al., 1973 from a new host subspecies, the common waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus ellipsiprymnus (Ogilbyi, 1833)

Reduncin bovids of Kobus spp. (Bovidae: Reduncini) are natively distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, although some populations have been introduced into parks and zoos around the world. The majority of the species has declining populations, being categorized as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources; therefore, protective measures for the conservation of Kobus spp. are necessary, including the study of their parasites, such as the eimeriid coccidians (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae). In this context, the aim of the current study was to brings together the taxonomic data from the descriptions and reports of Eimeria spp. from reduncin bovids, based on the detailed morphological identification of Eimeria congolensis Ricci-Bitti, Pampiglione & Kabala, 1973 from a new host subspecies, the common waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus ellipsiprymnus (Ogilbyi, 1833), in a safari park of Portugal. Five Eimeria spp. are recorded from reduncin bovids, in addition to six more reports identified generically as Eimeria sp., which were compared and taxonomically rearranged. The oocysts identified as E. congolensis in the current study were compatible with the original description and were supplemented for some taxonomic characters not originally included, such as: Stieda body flattened to nipplelike, sub-Stieda body rounded to trapezoidal, sporocyst residuum granular and membrane-bound, in addition to greater details of the micropyle, among others. Finally, the current study highlights the importance of studying the coccidians of reduncin bovids for the conservation of Kobus spp. due to the possibility of these Eimeria spp. are extra-intestinal parasites, which can potentially cause severe coccidiosis associated with increased morbidity and mortality in certain threatened populations of Kobus spp.

Role of Natural Resource Conservation and Disaster Management in Flood Mitigation Measures: A Case Study of Chennai Flood

Role of Natural Resource Conservation and Disaster Management in Flood Mitigation Measures: A Case Study of Chennai Flood

Effect of urbanization on surface runoff and performance of green roofs and permeable pavement for mitigating urban floods

AbstractFloods are increasingly becoming a significant concern due to climate change, global warming, and excessive urbanization. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has projected that global warming will continue to contribute to more frequent and severe floods and hydrological extremes. In response to these challenges, nature-based solutions (NBSs) have gained recognition as effective approaches to mitigate the adverse impacts of floods by focusing on ecosystem conservation, restoration, and sustainable utilization of natural resources. This study examines a flood that occurred in the Erkilet District of Kayseri, Türkiye on September 22, 2022, as a result of intense rainfall. It involves a thorough on-site investigation to assess the hydraulic, hydrologic, and geotechnical attributes of the study area. The findings from the field study indicate that the primary cause of the flood is attributed to excessive urbanization. To further analyze the impact of urbanization, a hydraulic model is developed considering both the physical and topographical conditions of the study area for both the year 2006 and 2022. The simulation results reveal that the extent of inundation area and water depth has increased significantly due to the excessive urbanization that occurred within a 16-year period. Additionally, the effectiveness of green roofs and permeable pavements as NBSs to mitigate urban flooding is explored. The implementation of green roofs and permeable pavements shows promising results, reducing the adverse effects of urban floods by 3% to 8%, depending on their specific locations and configurations. However, the results suggest that NBSs alone cannot fully prevent floods so they should complement gray infrastructure. The novelty of the study lies in its ability to demonstrate the impact of urbanization and the effectiveness of nature-based solutions in mitigating flood extent based.

Development of an integrated sustainability indicator for the local people surrounding a reservoir project

Sustainable benefits from water resource development involve many factors that need to be holistically considered for implementing management policies. The study aimed to develop a set of key sustainability indicators following the social context surrounding a reservoir. The results show the quality-of-life is the highest significance, followed by natural resource conservation, risk management, participation, and equality, respectively. The indicator of the highest significance in the quality of life was confidence in livelihoods against flood and drought. The findings can apply to the assessment of sustainable development from reservoir projects and support a broader analysis of key sustainability criteria in various areas.