Opportunistic Sampling Research Articles

PREVALENCE, AWARENESS AND THERAPEUTIC CONTROL OF HYPERTENSION IN BELGIUM: AN OPPORTUNISTIC SCREENING OF NEARLY 6,000 PARTICIPANTS DURING THE MAY MEASUREMENT MONTH CAMPAIGNS 2017-23

Objective: The May Measurement Month (MMM) initiative is an annual global screening and awareness campaign started in 2017 by the International Society of Hypertension highlighting the importance of regular measurements of blood pressure (BP), the most important modifiable risk factor contributing to cardiovascular and all-cause mortality worldwide. Here we report on the results of the MMM campaign done in Belgium during the month of May in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. Design and method: Participants 18 years or older were recruited through opportunistic sampling in 12 sites (mostly hospital entrances) across Belgium. Apart from standardized BP recordings (OMRON automated devices) by trained staff, data were collected on demographics, lifestyle factors and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as raised blood pressure (systolic BP =>140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP => 90 mmHg) and/or taking antihypertensive medication. Age-standardized prevalence rates were calculated using the overall Belgian population (1st Jan 2023) as reference. Results: Data were collected from 5,926 participants aged 51.5 years on average. Mean (SD) systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 125.9 (17.6) mmHg and 79.4 (10.9) mmHg with 26.7% exceeding the 140/90 mmHg threshold. Age-standardized prevalences (95% CI) of hypertension were 45.4% (42.6%-48.1%) in men and 36.9% (34.8%-39.0%) in women. Among the 2,468 individuals with hypertension, 1,938 (78.5%) had been previously diagnosed and 1,578 (81.4%) of those with known hypertension, received antihypertensive treatment. Only about half of those being treated (56.3%) did achieve the target of systolic/diastolic BP <140/90 mmHg. Inadequate therapeutic control was independently associated with increasing age and higher body mass index. Untreated hypertension was significantly associated with male sex, age, body mass index and alcohol use. Conclusions: Despite the potential limited representativeness of the sample, these data suggest that the ‘rule of halves’ for hypertension does not longer hold in Belgium and that therapeutic control of hypertension is still suboptimal.

Recovery status of coastal vegetation in Mozambique: Insights from floristic composition and soil organic carbon analysis

The growing demand for land for slash-and-burn cultivation, driven by human population growth, has led to the creation of scattered cultivated fields and a mosaic of fallow areas in various stages of regeneration. While tropical forests have demonstrated the ability to rebound regarding tree species diversity and forest structure following disturbances, the extent of recovery in coastal vegetation in southern Africa remains uncertain and poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, our study collected biophysical data from smallholder fields, fallow land, and forests to evaluate the structure and functioning of coastal vegetation in Gaza province, southern Mozambique. We established 90 sample plots of 0.1 ha each at different stages of plant succession using opportunistic sampling approach. Within these plots, we recorded the diameter at breast height, total height, and species name of all trees and shrubs. Litter and soil samples were collected in 1 m² quadrats embedded within the main plot. Our findings indicate a high capacity for regeneration following the disturbance caused by slash-and-burn cultivation. Species composition varied significantly across different stages of succession, with 52 species identified in forests (FL), 34 in old fallow (OF), 29 in middle fallow (MF), 28 in initial fallow (IF), and 15 in cropland (CL). Richness and diversity increased over time after the practice of slash-and-burn cultivation, with a noticeable enhancement from the initial fallow stage. We observed a gradual recovery of soil carbon stocks in young fallow areas, while litter biomass decreased throughout the recovery phase of the fallow lands. Our study highlights that areas abandoned after agriculture can regenerate in terms of structure, floristic composition, and tree carbon content.

What bycatch tells us about the diet of harbor and gray seals and overlap with commercial fishermen

Northwest Atlantic harbor (Phoca vitulina vitulina) and gray (Halichoerus grypus atlantica) seal populations are recovering from early to mid-20th century exploitation, increasing their biological interactions and bycatch in Northeastern US commercial fisheries. We evaluated the seals’ diet composition and compared their prey to commercial catches to assess trophic overlap and potential competition with commercial fisherman target catches. We obtained 148 harbor and 178 gray seal stomach samples from bycatch events that occurred between 2004 and 2018. We learned from the hard part remains that the majority of seals bycaught are young-of-the-year (≤12 months old) that consume a wide breadth of prey across three trophic groups. There was a general dichotomy in extrinsic factors associated with seal diet in which 45% trophic niche separation was explained by non-overlapping harbor and gray seal phenology and pup haul-out locations that are adjacent to active fishing areas. Prey size estimated from fish otoliths and squid beaks recovered from stomach contents showed that gray seals consumed larger prey than harbor seals and prey sizes from both seals showed limited overlap with prey sizes caught by commercial gillnet fishermen. The most important prey to both seals included large (>20 cm) and small (≤20 cm) silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis), (≤40 cm) red hake (Urophycis chuss), gulf stream flounder (Citharichthys arctifrons), medium (21–40 cm) white hake (Urophycis tenuis), and (<50 cm) Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Important prey to harbor seals that did not overlap with gray seals were Acadian redfish (Sebastes fasciatus), Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), longfin (Doryteuthis pealeii), and shortfin squid (Illex illecebrosus). They contrasted with prey important to gray seals that did not overlap with harbor seals: yellowtail flounder (Limanda ferruginea), sand lance (Ammodytes spp.), Urophycis spp., and fourspot flounder (Hippoglossina oblonga). Despite the potential bias associated with opportunistic bycatch sampling, this study demonstrates the importance and value of utilizing carcasses retained from bycatch events, is complimentary to newer methodologies (i.e., DNA meta-barcoding), and fills data gaps in our understanding of the role recovering harbor and gray seal populations have on Northeastern US regional food webs.

The parasites of free-ranging terrestrial wildlife from Australia’s south-west

The conservation management of threatened wildlife increasingly relies upon translocations to augment populations. Translocations, however, pose various risks: from the host perspective these include the spread of parasitic disease, whereas from a broader biodiversity perspective translocation may lead to the loss of rare parasites and other dependent fauna. Although Disease Risk Analyses are recommended during translocation planning, knowledge regarding the parasites infecting threatened species or their pathogenicity is often lacking. Between March 2014 and June 2016, woylies (Bettongia penicillata) and sympatric marsupials were screened for the presence of endo- and ectoparasites, during two fauna translocations in south-western Australia. Here, we summarise the parasite taxa identified from B. penicillata, brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus) and chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), including prevalence data for host, parasite taxon and site. Results from the opportunistic sampling of other species (Isoodon fusciventer, Phascogale tapoatafa wambenger, Tiliqua rugosa and Felis catus) are also presented. New host–parasite records including Hepatozoon spp. from T. v. hypoleucus, Trypanosoma noyesi from T. rugosa, Ixodes australiensis and Ixodes tasmani from D. geoffroii, and I. australiensis and Amblyomma sp. from a P. t. wambenger were identified. This study highlights the importance of monitoring sympatric species, particularly when compiling baseline data of parasite fauna present within translocation sites and enhances our knowledge of parasites infecting terrestrial wildlife within Australia’s south-west, a Global Biodiversity Hotspot.

Opportunistic sampling of yellow canary (Crithagra flaviventris) has revealed a high genetic diversity of detected parvoviral sequences.

Parvoviruses are known to be significant viral pathogens that infect a wide range of species globally. However, little is known about the parvoviruses circulating in Australian birds, including yellow canaries. Here, we present four parvoviral sequences including three novel parvoviruses detected from 10 yellow canaries (Crithagra flaviventris), named canary chaphamaparvovirus 1 and -2 (CaChPV1 and CaChPV2), canary dependoparvovirus 1 and -2 (CaDePV1 and CaDePV2). The whole genome sequences of CaChPV1, CaChPV2, CaDePV1, and CaDePV2 showed the highest identity with other parvoviruses at 76.4%, 75.9%, 84.0%, and 59.1%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that CaChPV1 and CaChPV2 were clustered within the genus Chaphamaparvovirus. Meanwhile, CaDePV1 and CaDePV2 fall within the genus Dependoparvovirus and have the closest evolutionary relationship to the bird-associated dependoparvoviruses. Overall, this study enriched our understanding of the genetic diversity among avian parvoviruses within the Parvoviridae family.

MORPHOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION OF WILD EDIBLE MUSHROOM (Termitomyces striatus) AT IPB UNIVERSITY CAMPUS FOREST

Indonesia is a tropical country which is famous for its 2 seasons, namely the rainy season and the dry season. In the rainy season, the humidity level will increase and induce the development of mushroom’s fruiting body, including the edible kind. The research on wild edible mushroom diversity should be carried out massively in various regions in Indonesia. One of the potential areas is the forest area of the IPB University Campus (HKIU). This study aims to explore and identify wild edible mushroom in HKIU. The mushroom exploration was done using an opportunistic sampling method. Selected wild mushroom was obtained and identified for macroscopic and microscopic morphological characters. The identification results based on the morphological characters of the fruiting bodies indicated that the mushrooms obtained from the current study is Termitomyces striatus which is acknowledged as an edible mushroom. Our finding can provide the additional information on distribution of T. striatus in Indonesia and the potential of this mushroom cultivation in foreseeable future.

At home in Jiangsu: Environmental niche modeling and new records for five species of amphibian and reptile in Jiangsu, China

Environmental niche models are useful tools for generating hypotheses for the distribution of species and informing conservation planning, especially at the edge of species’ ranges and for those with limited data. Here we report on the recent documentation of four species of amphibian (Hylarana latouchii, Odorrana tianmuii, Polypedates braueri, and Zhangixalus dennysi) and one reptile (Protobothrops mucrosquamatus) with few or no previous geolocated records from Jiangsu, China. We combined our opportunistic field sampling data from Jiangsu, which is at the edge of each of these species’ ranges, with publicly available occurrence records and climatic data to generate environmental niche models for these five species using Maxent. All models showed good model performance with AUC values ranging from 0.899 to 0.983. Additional potentially suitable areas within southern Jiangsu were predicted for the four amphibian species, although the significant anthropogenic habitat modifications in the province may limit their contemporary distributions. For all five species, the climatic variable that contributed most to the model was the precipitation of the driest month (Bio 14), indicating they are limited by moisture availability. Our study adds new information about the climatic preferences of these five species and highlights the value of complementing environmental niche modeling with field surveys for robust inferences and conservation planning, particularly at the edge of species’ ranges.

Defining acceptable data collection and reuse standards for queer artificial intelligence research in mental health: protocol for the online PARQAIR-MH Delphi study

IntroductionFor artificial intelligence (AI) to help improve mental healthcare, the design of data-driven technologies needs to be fair, safe, and inclusive. Participatory design can play a critical role in empowering...

Types of Purposive Sampling Techniques with Their Examples and Application in Qualitative Research Studies

The aim of the article was to review the purposive sampling types as discussed by Patton (1990) and exemplify them in line with the current trends in the studies being conducted today. The sixteen purposive sampling techniques discussed include extreme case sampling, deviant case sampling, Intensity sampling, maximum variation sampling, homogeneous sampling, typical case sampling, stratified purposeful sampling, critical case sampling, snowball or chain sampling, criterion sampling, theory-based sampling, opportunistic sampling, random purposeful sampling, sampling politically important cases, convenience sampling and mixed purposeful sampling. The article has further guided on how these are used in different topics to enable upcoming researchers be able to apply them responsibly and effectively in their studies.

“When people who use drugs can’t differentiate between medical care and cops, it’s a problem.” Compounding risks of law Enforcement Harassment & Punitive Healthcare Policies

BackgroundCommunity-based harm reduction programming is widely recognized as an effective strategy for reducing the increased risks for and spread of HIV, HCV, and for reducing the growing rate of overdose deaths among people who use drugs (PWUD). PWUD in the United States (US) are a highly justice-involved population, also at increased risk for law enforcement interaction, arrest, and incarceration. These risks compound and interact in the context of criminalization and law enforcement surveillance. Justice involvement increases risks for overdose and for riskier injecting behavior among PWUD, in turn increasing HCV and HIV risks. In Central and Southern Appalachia specifically, PWUD have identified fear of law enforcement harassment and arrest as a barrier to engaging in harm reduction behavior, and a deterrent to seeking help at the scene of an overdose. Moreover, stigmatizing and punitive treatment in healthcare settings can deter PWUD from seeking care, with life or death consequences. This evaluation research study assessing the successes and impacts of a grant-funded project to increase access to safer drug consumption supplies and overdose prevention education for PWUD, including justice-involved participants of a syringe access program (SAP), in public housing and beyond in a South-Central Appalachian setting used key informant and opportunistic sampling. Mixed-methods data were compiled and collected including secondary program data; primary interview and participant-observation data.ResultsThe evaluation research identified that grant deliverables were largely achieved, despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, SAP participants and staff reported larger themes surrounding grant-funded activities, in which they perceived that widespread local law enforcement harassment of PWUD increased participants’ risks for overdose death and infectious disease risks and that punitive local healthcare settings and policies acted as deterrents to care-seeking for many PWUD.ConclusionsOverall, the evaluation research found that participants’ experiences with and perceptions of local law enforcement harassment combined with their understandings and experiences of local punitive healthcare settings and policies; together compounding and increasing overdose risks and negative health consequences for local justice-involved PWUD.

Risk Perception and Protective Health Measure Regarding COVID-19 among Nepali Labour Migrants’ Returnee from India

Thousands of Nepali migrant workers returned home from India due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study examines the association between risk perception and protective behaviour regarding COVID-19 in returnee migrant workers. The study used opportunistic sampling and 384 participants, based in a quarantine center on return from India, volunteered. Using the health belief model (HBM) as a theoretical framework, a structured interview questionnaire was designed and applied as the key data collection tool. Three health workers were interviewed face-to-face. The study showed that the perceived risk of COVID-19 among participants was medium to low. Participants perceived few barriers and had low self-efficacy levels compared to other constructs. This study further showed that participants were more likely to follow a range of protective health behaviours, but not found all. The study revealed a significant association between all risk perception constructs and protective behaviours (p=< 0.05). This study accordingly highlighted a significant relationship between the respondents' risk perception level and protective health behaviours. The study envisaged that public awareness of risk to the people who returned from India is essential to increase risk perception during the outbreak.

N19 Nurses' difficulties in supporting the sexual well-being of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract Background Sexual well-being is a state of sexual happiness and satisfaction that combines mental stability and physical health as well as builds on mutual caring and intimacy with the partner. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) undergo distress as they experience dating, marriage, and childbirth while living with the disease. Previous studies have indicated the importance of support related to sexual well-being but have suggested that it is a difficult topic for discussion. Hence, this study sought to clarify nurses' specific difficulties and barriers in supporting the sexual well-being of patients with IBD. Methods Nurses who had considerable experience caring for with patients with IBD were recruited using a snowballing method or opportunistic sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via a video meeting system. Some examples of the interview questions include ‘Please tell us about your experience talking with patients about romantic relationships and sexual concerns and ‘Could you tell us about your difficulties in supporting patients with IBD in relation to their sexual concerns?’ We performed a reflexive thematic analysis. Results We interviewed 20 participants (Male: 4, Female: 16) in 13 facilities, 2 of which were focus group interviews. The mean length of experience in IBD nursing was 13 years. Three themes were identified as reflecting the difficulties nurses faced in discussing sexual issues with their patients: ‘The nurses' experience and their relationships with patients’, including gender and age barriers and difficulties in building rapport; ‘Assessment of sexual well-being’, including difficulties in broaching the issue and identifying people who needed support; and ‘Education for patients and nurses in supporting sexual well-being’, including lack of materials for patients and lack of opportunities for nurses to learn. Most participants rarely experienced discussions about sexual topics and did not initiate conversations about sexual well-being on their own. Conclusion Due to the sensitive topic of sexual issues, the difficulties described by nurses were influenced by the level of rapport with patients, the lack of training on how to handle the topic, and the lack of resources. Our results suggest the need for further research into approaches to reduce nurses' difficulties, while considering the identified barriers and needs related to the sexual well-being of patients with IBD.

The Occurrence of Karenia species in mid-Atlantic coastal waters: Data from the Delmarva Peninsula, USA

A bloom of Karenia papilionacea that occurred along the Delaware coast in late summer of 2007 was the first Karenia bloom reported on the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, USA). Limited spatial and temporal monitoring conducted by state agencies and citizen science groups since 2007 have documented that several Karenia species are an annual component of the coastal phytoplankton community along the Delmarva Peninsula, often present at background to low concentrations (100 to 10,000 cells L−1). Blooms of Karenia (> 105 cells L−1) occurred in 2010, 2016, 2018, and 2019 in different areas along the Delmarva Peninsula coast. In late summer and early autumn of 2017, the lower Chesapeake Bay experienced a K. papilionacea bloom, the first recorded in Bay waters. Blooms typically occurred summer into autumn but were not monospecific; rather, they were dominated by either K. mikimotoi or K. papilionacea, with K. selliformis, K. brevis-like cells, and an undescribed Karenia species also present. Cell concentrations during these mid-Atlantic Karenia spp. blooms equalled concentrations reported for other Karenia blooms. However, the negative impacts to environmental and human health often associated with Karenia red tides were not observed. The data compiled here report on the presence of multiple Karenia species in coastal waters of the Delmarva Peninsula detected through routine monitoring and opportunistic sampling conducted between 2007 and 2022, as well as findings from research cruises undertaken in 2018 and 2019. These data should be used as a baseline for future phytoplankton community analyses supporting coastal HAB monitoring programs.

Effects of pharmacist-led home visit services and factors influencing medication adherence improvement.

The use of medicines is crucial in treatment, but nonadherence poses an important challenge, particularly when managing polypharmacy and long-term conditions. Pharmacist-led home visit services offer a promising solution to enhance the outcomes associated with medication use. However, the effects and the factors contributing to this improvement remain unclear. This study assessed the effects of pharmacist-led home visit services on medication adherence and general medication knowledge. Additionally, we analyzed the factors associated with improved medication adherence. Face-to-face, pharmacist-led home visit services were conducted via opportunistic sampling in community settings. Data were collected between 2017 and 2019. The program included participants aged ≥65 years or taking ten or more medications, in need of care, and who were willing to participate. We estimated the effects of the program by improved medication adherence and general knowledge about taking medications. Medication adherence was measured using the Morisky Scale. We used McNemar's test to evaluate the statistical differences in outcomes before and after consultation. To identify factors influencing improvements in medication adherence, odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression with adjustments for covariates. Among the 1,194 participants in the program, 874 were included in the analysis. Pharmacist-led home visit services improved both medication adherence (from 69.2% to 85.8%) and mean scores for general knowledge of taking medications (from 65.3% to 89.5%). Participants aged ≥70 years showed less improvement in overall adherence than those aged <70 years (OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.317-0.817). The program was significantly more effective at improving adherence for participants with higher level of medication knowledge (OR = 2.93; 95% CI = 1.78-4.81) compared to those with lower level of knowledge. These quantitative findings highlight the importance of pharmacist-led interventions and suggest a framework for future programs about medication management.

Age-of-Information Minimization Via Opportunistic Sampling by an Energy Harvesting Source

Age-of-Information Minimization Via Opportunistic Sampling by an Energy Harvesting Source

Moving beyond the mean: an analysis of faecal corticosterone metabolites shows substantial variability both within and across white-tailed deer populations.

Glucocorticoid (GC) levels have significant impacts on the health and behaviour of wildlife populations and are involved in many essential body functions including circadian rhythm, stress physiology and metabolism. However, studies of GCs in wildlife often focus on estimating mean hormone levels in populations, or a subset of a population, rather than on assessing the entire distribution of hormone levels within populations. Additionally, explorations of population GC data are limited due to the tradeoff between the number of individuals included in studies and the amount of data per individual that can be collected. In this study, we explore patterns of GC level distributions in three white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations using a non-invasive, opportunistic sampling approach. GC levels were assessed by measuring faecal corticosterone metabolite levels ('fCMs') from deer faecal samples throughout the year. We found both population and seasonal differences in fCMs but observed similarly shaped fCM distributions in all populations. Specifically, all population fCM cumulative distributions were found to be very heavy-tailed. We developed two toy models of acute corticosterone elevation in an effort to recreate the observed heavy-tailed distributions. We found that, in all three populations, cumulative fCM distributions were better described by an assumption of large, periodic spikes in corticosterone levels every few days, as opposed to an assumption of random spikes in corticosterone levels. The analyses presented in this study demonstrate the potential for exploring population-level patterns of GC levels from random, opportunistically sampled data. When taken together with individual-focused studies of GC levels, such analyses can improve our understanding of how individual hormone production scales up to population-level patterns.

Comparison of different fixation and staining techniques on sperm morphometry and morphology in the Florida manatee

Computer-aided sperm morphology analysis (CASMA) is quickly becoming the industry standard for objective morphometric analysis of sperm. For efficient and accurate sperm analysis via CASMA, species-specific optimization of fixation and staining techniques is necessary. This is especially true for novel species, such as marine mammals, where information regarding the spermatozoon is significantly limited. Adding to the growing knowledge of marine mammal sperm, this study investigated the effects that different fixatives and stains had on sperm head morphometry and morphology of Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) sperm. Sperm were collected postmortem from four recently deceased Florida manatees and fixed in one of three different fixatives: Formalin 10 Equine Semen Diluent, 2.5 % glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer, or 4 % paraformaldehyde. Sperm were then stained using one of four different stains: SpermBlue®, Quick III™, Hemacolor™, or Coomassie blue. A total of 200 sperm from each manatee were analyzed for each fixative:stain combination using the Sperm Class Analyzer® computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) system for the eight standard head morphometric parameters. Sperm morphology was assessed visually using brightfield microscopy for different morphological abnormalities. Both fixation and staining independently had significant effects on sperm head size and shape when compared across all treatments. As the true morphometry of unfixed and unstained Florida manatee sperm is still unknown, it is unable to be determined which fixative:stain combination imposes the least effect on sperm head morphometry and is thus optimal for the analysis of Florida manatee sperm using CASMA. Opportunistic field sampling of marine mammal sperm imposes logistical constraints which may limit the ability to compare methodologies utilizing different fixatives and staining combinations. Continued research is needed for optimization and standardization of sperm processing, fixation, staining, and analysis of Florida manatee sperm as well as sperm from other marine mammal species.

Exploring independent learning (IL) and its relationship to mindset, motivated strategies for learning and academic performance

PurposeThis study addresses gaps in the existing literature on students' understanding of Independent Learning (IL), whilst exploring the link between levels of IL, growth mindset, motivated strategies for learning and academic performance.Design/methodology/approachThree hundred and eighty-six university students recruited via opportunistic sampling completed an online survey to measure: understanding and level of IL, Motivated Strategies for Learning (MSL) (Duncan and McKeachie, 2005) and growth mindset (Dweck, 2000). Interaction with the university Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and academic grades were also measured. A correlational design was implemented, and a Spearman Rho was calculated to explore the relationship between level of IL, MSL and growth mindset. A between-subjects design using independent measures t-test was employed to determine the significance of any difference in level of IL and VLE engagement according to academic grade.FindingsWhilst most students: considered themselves an IL and understood what IL was, the majority erroneously believed it meant learning alone or without help. Level of IL, however, was positively associated with motivational beliefs (self-efficacy and mindset), cognitive strategies (rehearsal, elaboration, organisation and critical thinking), and metacognitive strategies (time management and self-regulation). Further, those with grades A-C scored significantly higher than those with grades D and below on cognitive strategies (elaboration and organisation). Those attaining higher grades also interacted with the VLE significantly more frequently and regularly than those attaining lower grades.Originality/valueThis study adds to the existing literature by highlighting the positive relationship between level of IL, MSL, mindset and academic achievement. It also addresses the under-explored potential for VLE engagement in predicting grades amongst on-campus courses. Given that cognitive strategies and VLE engagement differentiate the high and low achievers, interventions to develop such skills may enhance academic achievement.

Community structure and functional diversity of soil nematodes from Udupi district, Karnataka, India

Nematodes constitute the most significant, most numerous, and diversified set of multicellular organisms on the earth. They live in various environments and exhibit a wide range of behavioural patterns. In the soil food web, they can be found at various trophic levels as herbivores (plant parasitic nematodes), bacterivores, fungivores, omnivores, and predators. As there were fewer studies on nematode ecology in the Udupi region, the present study aims to study the community structure and functional diversity of soil nematodes. Soil samples were collected following opportunistic random sampling employing a soil auger and were stored at 40C until transported to the laboratory. Nematodes were isolated from soil, killed, fixed, dehydrated, and displayed on a glass slide after isolation. The standard keys were used to identify the individual to genera level. 62 genera of soil nematodes belonging to 26 families and 7 orders were identified. Predator were the most prevalent communities. Various statistical indices for assessing nematode population ecology and nematodes specific indices were also calculated and it indicated a significant abundance of large plant parasitic nematodes. The region exhibits low levels of labile organic carbon and nutrient enrichment (Enrichment Index (EI):14.06 to 21.22). Despite this, the soil food web in the region is well-structured, indicated by Structure Index (SI) (85.51 to 89.74). Prevalence of fungal decomposition dominance and the soil appears to be minimally disturbed, as indicated by high channel index values and low Basal Index (BI) values, respectively

Species Occurrence of Weevils in the Northern Part of Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park, Philippines

Weevils are small beetles with long, narrow snouts which is a characteristic of insects belonging to the Curculionidae family. A study on the species composition of weevils was conducted in the northern part of Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park last February 2023. Field investigations were done using a combination of transect walk and opportunistic sampling. A total of 195 individuals of weevils were recorded, comprising seventeen (17) species belonging to two (2) genera- Metapocyrtus and Alcidodes . Metapocyrtus malindangensis was observed in all sampling sites. Site 1 (Gandawan) had the highest species richness (N=13), and the highest species diversity (H’=2.016) was recorded in Site 2 (Lake Duminagat). Cluster analysis showed that weevil species in Lake Duminagat and Uluhan sa Dapitan have closer similarities. The study also recorded unidentified specimens that are potentially new to science. It is highly recommended that more explorations should be conducted to record the species occurrence of weevils in other parts of Mt. Malindang. Keywords : Curculionidae, endemic, Metapocyrtus, opportunisti