Queen Elizabeth National Park Research Articles

The politics of mourning in conservation conflicts: The (un)grievability of life and less-than-human geographies

Accounts of conservation conflicts often reveal that people living around protected areas feel like their lives are less valued than animals' lives —they are confined to ‘less-than-human geographies’. Recent literature on necropolitical ecology illustrates how such geographies were created and maintained by the state, which holds the power to decide over life and death in and around conservation areas. This paper integrates Judith Butler's politics of mourning into necropolitical ecology to interrogate which lives are considered grievable and which ones are not in conservation landscapes. It focuses on two vignettes of violent human-carnivore interactions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, western Uganda: the poisoning of allegedly 11 (but actually three) lions and the killing of a baby girl by a leopard. Both incidents happened in the park's condoned fishing villages, where historically marginalised Basongora pastoralists have been confined to live since the park's creation. We examine how the lost lives —of humans and animals— are publicly mourned and which lives are actually considered lost. We show how the politics of mourning in violent human-wildlife encounters goes beyond the (colonial-)state; rather, the unequal distribution of precarity is entrenched by a range of public authorities (e.g., (social) media, (I)NGOs, and politicians). This is, in part, because sovereignty in conservation territories has become transnationalised as post-colonial states allow international NGOs to carve out their own zones of influence. This coloniality of power influences human-carnivore relations and reifies racialised conservation spaces as less-than-human geographies.

Analyzing the Variability of Wildfire Susceptibility in Queen Elizabeth National Park - Uganda

Analyzing the Variability of Wildfire Susceptibility in Queen Elizabeth National Park - Uganda

Massive furunculoid myiasis in a traveller after a trip to Uganda

A 52 year-old man came to the emergency room of our hospital. He had spent 14 days in an organized safari in Uganda (Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kampala environs) and arrived in Spain on the 14th day. On the 8th day of his trip, he noticed some painful lesions affecting different parts of the body such as the limbs, neck and trunk and scrotum. During the following days, the lesions progressed becoming more painful, as well as presenting a pustular appearance, with no other associated systemic symptoms. He extracted more than 60 “motile parasites'' from the skin lesions, with pain improvement afterwards. Upon his arrival to Spain, he looked for medical advice in dermatological emergencies at our center. During anamnesis, he recalled having his wet clothes and towels hung during the night outside the tents and shelters he used to sleep 1 Robbins K. Khachemoune A. Cutaneous myiasis: a review of the common types of myiasis. Int J Dermatol. 2010; 49: 1092-1098https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2010.04577.x Crossref PubMed Scopus (123) Google Scholar . On physical examination, 93 furunculoid lesions in the mentioned areas were observed (Figure 1A). After exploring all the body surface and removing all visible living larvae (measuring 4 to 8 mm) through extrusion (Figure 1B,F) with the help of a dermoscope, two doses of 15 mg of Ivermectin taken seven days apart were prescribed due to the massive infestation, the possibility of viable larvae remaining in subclinical or incipient lesions, and providing that Ivermectin is a safe drug broadly used by dermatologists that has demonstrated effectiveness in other cutaneous myiasis 2 Dourmishev A.L. Dourmishev L.A. Schwartz R.A. Ivermectin: pharmacology and application in dermatology. Int J Dermatol. 2005; 44: 981-988https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.02253.x Crossref PubMed Scopus (146) Google Scholar . Afterwards, progressive improvement and ulterior complete resolution of all lesions was achieved.

English

This paper explores the effects of climate variability on local communities living within and around Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), their coping mechanisms, and challenges encountered. Data was collected from 250 respondents through questionnaires administered to small holder farmers, salt miners, and fisher folks, as well as in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) held with selected households in Katunguru, Lake Katwe, Kasenyi, and Kahokya parishes in and around the park. The results indicated that climate variability affects all households through long dry spells (drought), increased intensity of rain and occurrence of water related diseases. This resulted in decline in economic output in the context of reduced food availability, household incomes, and poor health of the household members. The results further showed that although diversification of livelihood activities was uniform, the coping mechanisms were heterogeneous across the three economic sectors. While the agricultural households engaged in agricultural intensification, fisher folks changed their fishing technologies, and salt miners drained their flooded saltpans. According to the findings of this study, the effects of climate variability were widespread across all households in and around the park. The study recommends that rural households be supported in a variety of activities in order to build capacity.   Key words: Climate variability, effects, coping strategies, challenges, rural households, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda.

Risk factors influencing the occurrence of anthrax outbreaks at the Livestock-Game interface in Katunguru, Rubirizi district, Uganda

Anthrax outbreaks are very frequent and recurrent in the Rubirizi district in landing sites along the Kazinga channel in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. This has persistently caused huge losses of domestic and wild animals and increased public health risks to communities. A participatory disease search (PDS) was thus conducted to identify risk factors that influence the recurrent occurrence of the outbreaks. Using PDS tools, including, Focus group discussion, Mapping, Seasonal calendars, Timelines and Pairwise ranking, local communities were engaged to recall detailed information regarding previous anthrax outbreaks. The number of persons that participated in focus group discussions ranged from 16 in Kazinga landing site to 22 in Katunguru, 18 in Kashaka landing site and 20 in Kishenyi landing site The findings revealed anthrax outbreaks had been reported previously in Katunguru, Kyabakara, Katera, Kingu and Ryeyu sub-counties of Rubirizi district that lie within or adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The last anthrax outbreak occurred in 2014. Death of goats and sheep and wild animals, especially, hippopotami was reported in the landing sites of Kazinga, Katunguru, Kishenyi and Kashaka in Katunguru Subcounty. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) established burial sites for carcasses of dead hippopotami in Kazinga and Kishenyi landing sites. Key risk factors associated with anthrax outbreaks (see attached ranks) in Rubirizi district included: (1) Frequent droughts and associated floods (2.5); (2) Dwelling in landing sites normally used as burial areas for carcasses of dead animals by Uganda Wildlife Authority (2.8); (3) Free movement of goats and sheep and intermingling with wildlife at landing sites along Kazinga channel (3.0); (4) Community habit of eating the meat of dead wild or domestic animals (3.8); (5) Communities eating not well-cooked meat (4.0); (6) Ignorance among communities regarding anthrax and its mode of spread (4.8); (7) Frequent migration of communities from landing sites with low to those with a high risk of anthrax disease (6.5); (8) Grazing domestic animals in close proximity with wildlife in the Game Park (6.8); (9) Communities consuming game meat (8.0); and (10) Frequent occurrence of anthrax outbreaks and spread of anthrax spores through floods and existing water bodies (8.3). In conclusion, the PDS case study successfully identified risk factors associated with anthrax outbreaks in Katunguru Subcounty of Rubirizi district in Uganda. Sensitization of communities on anthrax, its mode of spread and effective and sustainable control was recommended in order to contain anthrax outbreaks.

Gendered Perceptions of Climate Variability and Change among Local Communities Living around Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda

Climate change affects both men and women which, in turn, shapes their varied and contrasting perceptions of climate variability and change. This paper examined the gendered perceptions of climate variability and change among local communities in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.The objectives are threefold: - identify climatic shocks faced by the local communities; examine the perceptions of men and women of climate variability and change; and to compare their perceptions with empirical meteorological data. This study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods, with data collected from 215 respondents using survey, interviews and focused group discussions. From the findings, indicators of climate variability and change included reduced flooding events, occurrence of human diseases, increasing crop pests and diseases, dry spells and intensity of rains. There was increasing significant temperatures while rainfall was declining. Both male and female significantly associated with increasing temperatures and reduced flooding events. While climatic shocks affected both males and females, the impact was more pronounced depending on distinct livelihood activities and roles and responsibilities undertaken. The study concluded that people’s perceptions of climate change should be taken on by the government and integrated in the national climate programs that support people’s livelihoods and survival mechanisms.

Molecular detection of selected tick-borne pathogens infecting cattle at the wildlife–livestock interface of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Kasese District, Uganda

In Uganda, ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a big challenge to farmers. They reduce cattle productivity and cause severe economic damage. Several studies have documented the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in cattle; however, their genetic characteristics and the role of wildlife-livestock interaction in the epidemiology of the TBDs are not well documented. This study assessed the prevalence and genetic diversity of various tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) as well as the risk factors associated with the occurrence of TBPs in blood samples of 208 randomly selected cattle from 16 farms located around Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in Kasese District in western Uganda. Farming practices, disease challenges, and the level of wildlife-livestock interactions were assessed by a questionnaire survey amongst farm owners. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays revealed that 62.9% (131/208) cattle samples were positive for one or more pathogens. Using specific PCR assays, we detected Theileria spp., Theileria parva, Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma platys-like, and Babesia bigemina at 50.5%, 27.9%, 19.2%, 11.5% and 8.7%, respectively. We also confirmed the infection of samples by Theileria velifera and Theileria mutans after sequencing the Theileria spp. 18S rRNA gene. The risk factors associated with the occurrence of TBPs included communal grazing, herd size, age, and proximity to QENP. Phylogenetic analysis of the T. parva p104 gene showed a high identity to the previous isolates from Uganda and other East African countries and clustered closer to the buffalo (Syncerus caffer) isolates, suggesting a possible cross-species transmission. The sequences of A. marginale groEL and B. bigemina RAP-1a formed well-supported clades with high identities to the previous isolates identified from central and eastern Uganda. The isolates obtained from A. phagocytophilum 16S rRNA gene sequences showed relationship with A. platys-like, Anaplasma sp., uncultured Anaplasma species and A. phagocytophilum isolates from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the USA. The findings of the present study showed that TBDs are still a burden to farmers and that management practices in this area may increase the transmission of pathogens between livestock and wildlife.

A serological survey of brucellosis in wildlife in four major National Parks of Uganda

BackgroundBrucellosis is a contagious zoonotic disease of great public health and economic significance especially in developing countries. The disease affects humans and several species of livestock and wildlife. Studies on Brucellosis in wildlife in Uganda have been limited to single populations particularly in Queen Elizabeth National Park. This study aimed at estimating the percentage of positive samples of Brucella spp. in wildlife in four major national parks of Uganda. This was a retrospective survey which utilized archived samples collected from wildlife during the annual disease surveillance activities between 2013 and 2017.ResultsA total of 241 samples from seven species namely African buffalo (Syncerus caffer, n = 109), African elephant (Loxodonta africana, n = 22), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi, n = 41), Uganda kob (Kobus kob thomasi, n = 36), lion (Panthera leo, n = 6), plain zebra (Equus quagga, n = 25), and bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus, n = 2), were tested for antibodies using the Rose Bengal Plate Test. The overall percentage of positive samples in the four national parks was 31.1% (75/241; 95% CI: 25.6–37.2). Kidepo Valley National Park had a significantly higher percentage of positive samples of 55.9% (19/34; 95% CI: 39.5–71.1) compared to other sampled national parks (p < 0.05). Lions had significantly higher percentage of positive samples at 66.7% (4/6) than African buffalo at 48.6% (53/109, p < 0.0001). There were no antibodies for Brucella spp. detected in African elephant and bushbuck.ConclusionThis study shows variations in percentage of positive samples with Brucella spp. between species and across national parks and notably a high percentage with Brucella spp. in wildlife in Uganda than that recorded elsewhere in sub-Saharan region of Africa. Potential for transmission to other wildlife and spill over to livestock is high especially in national parks with high livestock-wildlife interaction.

English

Parthenium hysterophorus is an alien annual herb that aggressively threatens biodiversity of Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in Uganda. Occurrence, abundance and impact of P. hysterophorus on plant species diversity were examined. An observational inspection survey assessed the occurrence of P. hysterophorus while Quadrats sampled vegetation in P. hysterophorus invaded and uninvaded sites of Mweya Peninsula and along Kazinga Channel Track. Plant species richness, dominance, evenness and diversity of invaded and uninvaded sites were statistically different at P < 0.05. Species richness (R) and dominance (D) were higher in invaded sites (R = 58, D = 0.62) than uninvaded sites (P = 0.043; R = 39, P = 0.04; D = 0.46). Consequently, species diversity of other plants became less (1-D = 0.38) in invaded than uninvaded (P = 0.039;1-D = 0.55). Also, P. hysterophorus significantly starts to reduce species diversity and richness at very low levels of abundances, as low as (4.6%) and (7.7%), respectively, and dominates at a relatively higher level (40.2%). It was concluded that P. hysterophorus in QENP, negatively affects the plant species diversity at low levels of abundances through dominance. Key words: Parthenium hysterophorus, environmental impact, species abundance, species richness, weed spread.

Peste des Petits Ruminants at the Wildlife-Livestock Interface in the Northern Albertine Rift and Nile Basin, East Africa.

In the recent past, peste des petits ruminants (PPR) emerged in East Africa causing outbreaks in small livestock across different countries, with evidences of spillover to wildlife. In order to understand better PPR at the wildlife–livestock interface, we investigated patterns of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) exposure, disease outbreaks, and viral sequences in the northern Albertine Rift. PPRV antibodies indicated a widespread exposure in apparently healthy wildlife from South Sudan (2013) and Uganda (2015, 2017). African buffaloes and Uganda kobs <1-year-old from Queen Elizabeth National Park (2015) had antibodies against PPRV N-antigen and local serosurvey captured a subsequent spread of PPRV in livestock. Outbreaks with PPR-like syndrome in sheep and goats were recorded around the Greater Virunga Landscape in Kasese (2016), Kisoro and Kabale (2017) from western Uganda, and in North Kivu (2017) from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This landscape would not be considered typical for PPR persistence as it is a mixed forest–savannah ecosystem with mostly sedentary livestock. PPRV sequences from DRC (2017) were identical to strains from Burundi (2018) and confirmed a transboundary spread of PPRV. Our results indicate an epidemiological linkage between epizootic cycles in livestock and exposure in wildlife, denoting the importance of PPR surveillance on wild artiodactyls for both conservation and eradication programs.

Medicinal plant species used by local communities around Queen Elizabeth National Park, Maramagambo Central Forest Reserve and Ihimbo Central Forest Reserve, South western Uganda

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe application of ethnobotanical indigenous knowledge is very important in improving primary healthcare systems among the local communities living around and within protected areas in South Western Uganda. In this area, there are biodiversity endowed Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), Maramagambo Central Forest Reserve (MCFR) and Ihimbo Central Forest Reserve (ICFR). Despite the rich floral diversity and cultural heritage, there is no published documentation on the use of medicinal plants in this area. This information can be used as a basis for the selection of medicinal plants for further phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Study aimThis study identified and documented the use of medicinal plants, plant parts used, and mode of preparation and administration by the local communities living around and within QENP, MCFR and ICFR. Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was used to collect data from 202 informants using semi-structured questionnaires, open interviews and field visits. Ethnobotanical data was analyzed using use reports (UR), frequency of citation (FC) and Informant Consensus Factor (FIC). The plants species were identified by botanists and voucher specimens were deposited. ResultsA total of 302 medicinal plant species were mentioned by informants, out of which only 211 species belonging to 65 families and 165 genera were collected, identified and documented. The remaining 91 species were not available for collection and informants stated that they had become very rare within the study area. Herbs (35.8%) were the main source of herbal medicine. Leaves (60.4%) were the most commonly used plant parts used in the preparation of herbal remedies. Most of the medicinal plants were harvested from the wild, either growing in abundance (41%) or as rare species (21%). The most common mode of administration was oral, while other exceptional modes such as touching with bare hands and sweeping over the affected part were reported for the first time. The medicinal plant species were reported to treat 134 physical ailments, which were grouped into 16 ICPC-2 disease categories. Digestive disorders (854 UR) and general and unspecified disorders (507) scored the highest FIC value of 0.83. The highest number of medicinal plants (146 plant species) was used for treatment of digestive disorders. Among the species with higher use reports, Gouania longispicata had the highest frequency of citation (FC = 174) and was mentioned to be used to treat 41 physical ailments. The most important ailment treated by Gouania longispicata was allergy with 102 use reports. ConclusionsA variety of medicinal plants are used by communities living near protected areas in South Western Uganda. Most species were used in the treatment of digestive disorders, followed by general and unspecified disorders. Much as allergy has not been identified as a major threat by the health sector in Uganda, the study found out that it is one of the prevalent ailments in the study area. While the therapeutic value of some of the documented medicinal plant species, especially those with higher frequency of citation have been scientifically validated, the efficacy and safety of other species with wide application need to be investigated. In this study, we recommend further scientific studies on Gouania longispicata to validate its wide usage in the study area.

Recent intensification of the seasonal rainfall cycle in equatorial Africa revealed by farmer perceptions, satellite-based estimates, and ground-based station measurements

Smallholder farmers and livestock keepers in sub-Saharan Africa are on the frontlines of climate variability and change. Yet, in many regions, a paucity of weather and climate data has prevented rigorous assessment of recent climate trends and their causes, thereby limiting the effectiveness of forecasts and other services for climate adaptation. In rainfed systems, farmer perceptions of changing rainfall and weather patterns are important precursors for annual cropping decisions. Here, we propose that combining such farmer perceptions of trends in seasonal rainfall with satellite-based rainfall estimates and climate station data can reduce uncertainties regarding regional climatic trends. In western Uganda, a rural and climatically complex transition zone between eastern and central equatorial Africa, data from 980 smallholder households suggest distinct changes in seasonal bimodal rainfall over recent decades, specifically wetter rainy seasons and drier dry seasons. Data from three satellite-based rainfall products beginning in 1983 largely corroborate respondent perceptions over the last 10–20 years, particularly in the southernmost sites near Queen Elizabeth National Park. In addition, combining all three information sources suggests an increasing trend in annual rainfall, most prominently in the north near Murchison Falls National Park over the past two decades; this runs counter to recent research asserting the presence of a drying trend in the region. Our study is unique in evaluating and cross-validating these multiple data sources to identify climatic change affecting people in a poorly understood region, while providing insights into regional-scale climate controls.

English

English

Predicting poaching for wildlife Protection

Wildlife species such as tigers and elephants are under the threat of poaching. To combat poaching, conservation agencies (“defenders”) need to 1) anticipate where the poachers are likely to poach and 2) plan effective patrols. We propose an anti-poaching tool CAPTURE (Comprehensive Anti-Poaching tool with Temporal and observation Uncertainty REasoning), which helps the defenders achieve both goals. CAPTURE builds a novel hierarchical model for poacher-patroller interaction. It considers the patroller's imperfect detection of signs of poaching, the complex temporal dependencies in the poacher's behaviors, and the defender's lack of knowledge of the number of poachers. Further, CAPTURE uses a new game-theoretic algorithm to compute the optimal patrolling strategies and plan effective patrols. This paper investigates the computational challenges that CAPTURE faces. First, we present a detailed analysis of parameter separation and cell abstraction, two novel approaches used by CAPTURE to efficiently learn the parameters in the hierarchical model. Second, we propose two heuristics—piecewise linear approximation and greedy planning—to speed up the computation of the optimal patrolling strategies. In this paper, we discuss the lessons learned from using CAPTURE to analyze real-world poaching data collected over 12 years in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.

Wildlife-livestock interactions and risk areas for cross-species spread of bovine tuberculosis.

The transmission of diseases between livestock and wildlife can be a hindrance to effective disease control. Maintenance hosts and contact rates should be explored to further understand the transmission dynamics at the wildlife-livestock interface. Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) has been shown to have wildlife maintenance hosts and has been confirmed as present in the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in the Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in Uganda since the 1960s. The first aim of this study was to explore the spatio-temporal spread of cattle illegally grazing within the QENP recorded by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) rangers in a wildlife crime database. Secondly, we aimed to quantify wildlife-livestock interactions and cattle movements, on the border of QENP, using a longitudinal questionnaire completed by 30 livestock owners. From this database, 426 cattle sightings were recorded within QENP in 8 years. Thirteen (3.1%) of these came within a 300 m–4 week space-time window of a buffalo herd, using the recorded GPS data. Livestock owners reported an average of 1.04 (95% CI 0.97–1.11) sightings of Uganda kob, waterbuck, buffalo or warthog per day over a 3-month period, with a rate of 0.22 (95% CI 0.20–0.25) sightings of buffalo per farmer per day. Reports placed 85.3% of the ungulate sightings and 88.0% of the buffalo sightings as further than 50 m away. Ungulate sightings were more likely to be closer to cattle at the homestead (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–3.6) compared with the grazing area. Each cattle herd mixed with an average of five other cattle herds at both the communal grazing and watering points on a daily basis. Although wildlife and cattle regularly shared grazing and watering areas, they seldom came into contact close enough for aerosol transmission. Between species infection transmission is therefore likely to be by indirect or non-respiratory routes, which is suspected to be an infrequent mechanism of transmission of BTB. Occasional cross-species spillover of infection is possible, and the interaction of multiple wildlife species needs further investigation. Controlling the interface between wildlife and cattle in a situation where eradication is not being considered may have little impact on BTB disease control in cattle.

Hippopotamus (H. amphibius) diet change indicates herbaceous plant encroachment following megaherbivore population collapse.

Megaherbivores (>1000 kg) are critical for ecosystem health and function, but face population collapse and extinction globally. The future of these megaherbivore-impoverished ecosystems is difficult to predict, though many studies have demonstrated increasing representation of C3 woody plants. These studies rely on direct observational data, however, and tools for assessing decadal-scale changes in African ecology without observation are lacking. We use isotopic records of historical common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) canines to quantify herbaceous vegetation change in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda following a period of civil unrest and poaching. This poaching event led to population collapse of two threatened African megaherbivore species: hippopotamus and African elephants (Loxodonta africana). Serial carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) in canine enamel from individuals that lived between 1960–2000 indicated substantial increases in C3 herbaceous plants in their diet (<20% C3 in the 1960s to 30–45% C3 in the 80s and 90s), supported by other observational and ecological data. These data indicate megaherbivore loss results in succession of both woody and herbaceous C3 vegetation and further reaching effects, such as decreased grazing capacity and herbivore biodiversity in the area. Given multiple lines of evidence, these individuals appear to accurately capture herbaceous vegetation change in Mweya.

‘It's in my blood now’: the satisfaction of rangers working in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

AbstractInvestigating the human dimension of conservation science warrants an interdisciplinary approach. Criminologists and criminal justice scholars have begun to empirically examine various issues that are directly related to conservation, including wildlife law enforcement. This qualitative study of job satisfaction among law enforcement rangers in a protected area in Uganda contributes to both criminal justice and conservation science. Based on interviews and participant observation we identified four main themes that contributed positively to the job satisfaction of rangers: their role in aiding Uganda's conservation efforts and national development; financial stability and familial support; conducting frontline work and establishing ownership of the Park; and opportunities for personal and social development. We discuss the implications of our findings for Park management capacity building as well as for future interdisciplinary and qualitative scholarship in conservation science.

Unrecognized circulation of SAT 1 foot-and-mouth disease virus in cattle herds around Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.

BackgroundFoot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in Uganda in spite of the control measures used. Various aspects of the maintenance and circulation of FMD viruses (FMDV) in Uganda are not well understood; these include the role of the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) as a reservoir for FMDV. To better understand the epidemiology of FMD at the livestock-wildlife-interface, samples were collected from young, unvaccinated cattle from 24 pastoral herds that closely interact with wildlife around Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, and analysed for evidence of FMDV infection.ResultsIn total, 37 (15 %) of 247 serum samples had detectable antibodies against FMDV non-structural proteins (NSPs) using a pan-serotypic assay. Within these 37 sera, antibody titres ≥ 80 against the structural proteins of serotypes O, SAT 1, SAT 2 and SAT 3 were detected by ELISA in 5, 7, 4 and 3 samples, respectively, while neutralizing antibodies were only detected against serotype O in 3 samples. Two FMDV isolates, with identical VP1 coding sequences, were obtained from probang samples from clinically healthy calves from the same herd and are serotype SAT 1 (topotype IV (EA-I)). Based on the VP1 coding sequences, these viruses are distinct from previous cattle and buffalo SAT 1 FMDV isolates obtained from the same area (19–30 % nucleotide difference) and from the vaccine strain (TAN/155/71) used within Uganda (26 % nucleotide difference). Eight herds had only one or a few animals with antibodies against FMDV NSPs while six herds had more substantial evidence of prior infection with FMDV. There was no evidence for exposure to FMDV in the other ten herds.ConclusionsThe two identical SAT 1 FMDV VP1 sequences are distinct from former buffalo and cattle isolates from the same area, thus, transmission between buffalo and cattle was not demonstrated. These new SAT 1 FMDV isolates differed significantly from the vaccine strain used to control Ugandan FMD outbreaks, indicating a need for vaccine matching studies. Only six herds had clear serological evidence for exposure to O and SAT 1 FMDV. Scattered presence of antibodies against FMDV in other herds may be due to the occasional introduction of animals to the area or maternal antibodies from past infection and/or vaccination.The evidence for asymptomatic FMDV infection has implications for disease control strategies in the area since this obstructs early disease detection that is based on clinical signs in FMDV infected animals.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-015-0616-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Sensitivity of East African savannah vegetation to historical moisture-balance variation

Abstract. Fossil pollen records provide key insight into the sensitivity of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change. However, tracing vegetation response to relatively modest historical climate fluctuations is often complicated by the overriding signature of anthropogenic landscape disturbance. Here we use high-resolution pollen data from a ~200-year lake-sediment record in open wooded savannah of Queen Elizabeth National Park (southwestern Uganda) to assess the sensitivity of the tropical lowland grassland–forest transition to historical, decade-scale moisture-balance fluctuations. Specifically we trace vegetation response to three episodes of higher average rainfall dated to the 1820s–1830s, ca. 1865–1890 and from 1962 to around 2000. Our pollen data indeed reveal a sequence of three wet periods, separated by two drier periods. During the inferred wetter episodes we find increases in the percent pollen abundance of trees and shrubs from moist semi-deciduous forest (Allophylus, Macaranga, Alchornea, Celtis), riparian forest (Phoenix reclinata) and wooded savannah (Acalypha, Rhus-type vulgaris, Combretaceae/Melastomataceae) as well as taxa common in the local rift-valley grasslands (Acacia, Ficus), together creating strong temporary reductions in Poaceae pollen (to 45–55% of the terrestrial pollen sum). During intervening dry periods, Poaceae pollen attained values of 65–75%, and dryland herbs such as Commelina, Justicia-type odora and Chenopodiaceae expanded at the expense of Asteraceae, Solanum-type, Swertia usambarensis-type, and (modestly so) Urticaceae. Noting that the overall richness of arboreal taxa remained high but their combined abundance low, we conclude that the landscape surrounding Lake Chibwera has been an open wooded savannah throughout the past 200 years, with historical moisture-balance variation exerting modest effects on local tree cover (mostly the abundance of Acacia and Ficus) and the occurrence of damp soil areas promoting Phoenix reclinata. The strong apparent expansion of true forest trees during wet episodes can be explained partly by enhanced pollen input via a temporarily activated upland stream. Pollen from exotic trees and cultural indicators appears from the 1970s onwards, but their combined influence fails to mask the signature of natural vegetation dynamics in the pollen record.

A One Health, participatory epidemiology assessment of anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) management in Western Uganda

Sporadic anthrax outbreaks have occurred in and around Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) for years, affecting wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Reported outbreaks (2004–2005 and 2010) in QENP collectively killed over 500 wild animals and over 400 domestic animals. A 2011 outbreak in Sheema district temporarily froze local markets while killing two humans and seven bovines. One Health is multidisciplinary at its core, yet studies sometimes focus on the effects of animals on human health to the detriment of investigating the surrounding ecological and cultural contexts. Participatory methods connect problems – such as disease – to their context. A multidisciplinary team used participatory epidemiology and conventional structured questionnaires to investigate the impacts of anthrax on human livelihoods and the related perceptions of conservation, public health, and veterinary health efforts in the QENP area. Proximities to previous anthrax outbreaks and to QENP were treated as risk factors in the collection and evaluation of data. Participants' feedback indicates that anthrax prevalence may be greater than officially reported. Community member perceptions about anthrax and other diseases appear to be more closely related to their proximity to QENP than their proximity to anthrax outbreaks. Neither risk factor had a strong effect on knowledge of disease, nor any effect on behaviors associated with disease response or control. Instead, participants reported that social pressures, the economics of poverty, and the lack of health and veterinary infrastructure highly influenced responses to disease. The complex connections between the social needs and the economic context of these communities seem to be undermining current anthrax control and education measures. This livelihood-based decision-making may be unlikely to respond to educational intervention alone. This study provides a strong base for further research and for improvements in effective disease control.