Rivers State University of Science and Technology

About: Rivers State University of Science and Technology is a education organization based out in Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Threatened species. The organization has 1826 authors who have published 1833 publications receiving 15183 citations.

TOXICITY OF ROUNDUP (A GLYPHOSATE PRODUCT) TO FINGERLINGS OF Clarias gariepinus

Abstract: Acute static renewal bioassays were conducted on fingerling and adult of Clarias gariepinus (mean weight, 1.22 ± 0.6g; mean total length, 5.25 ± 1.25 cm) using the herbicide, Roundup (glyphosate). In the acute study, fingerlings were exposed in triplicate to 0.0, 14.0, 16.0, 18.0, 20.0 22.0, and 24.0 mg/l of the herbicide for 96 hours to determine general behavioural responses and specific responses (opercular beat frequency (OBF), tail beat frequency (TBF), lethal concentration (LC 50 ) and median lethal time (MLT 50 ). Exposed fish showed initial stress responses such as increased opercular ventilatory rate, dash and erratic swimming and gasping for air. The pattern of response of TBF to time and concentration of the herbicide was irregular, whereas that of OBF tended to decrease with increase in time, but increased with increase in concentration. Cumulative mortality values increased with exposure time. The effect of exposure time on the behavioural variables was: TBF (p > 0.05), OBF (p 0.05), OBF (p < 0.01) and cumulative mortality (p< 0.001). Interactions between time and concentration produced significant effect only in cumulative mortality (p < 0.01). The 96 hour LC 50 of Roundup on the fish was 19.58 mg/l. The MLT 50 decreased with exposure concentration with 24 mg/l killing half the exposed fish at 19.69 (17.41 - 21.94 CL) hours. Results from this study show that the herbicide cannot be described as having “low toxicity and being environmentally friendly” as suggested by the manufacturer, Monsanto.

What is driving the community structure of insects in arid ecosystems of Southern Africa? An example with blister beetles (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

Abstract: A considerable part of community ecology literature questioned what are the main drivers of ecological relationships in an organismal community. We analysed this focal question by studying blister beetle (Meloidae) assemblages in Southern Africa. We explored the ecological distribution of 48 species across underlying bioclimatic (e.g. temperatures and precipitation regimes), environmental factors (biomes, vegetation structure) and the taxonomic heterogeneity of each groups inhabiting major biomes of Namibia across their main biological and ecological traits, by Canonical Correspondence in order to get an ordination plot. Monte Carlo methods were used to test for randomness of the data ordination. Ordination plot identified three main assemblages, one being constituted by strictly semiarid savannah species (camelthorn, mountain, karstweld, thornbush, mixed tree and shrub, dwarf shrub, mopane and forest savannahs), one much larger and less homogenous second assemblage, inclusive of more generalist species f...

Planning and the rural regions of Nigeria

Abstract: Urban and rural development arek inextricably related, that regional planning can play important roles as catalyst for agriculture and rural development; and that a system of growth centres and/or agropolitan policy which can be important in achieving economic growth with social equity, will be far more influential. Again if the National Planning Authority, Regional Planning Agency and the policy of growth centre in the rural areas of the recommended regions is pursued, it will not only increase agricultural productivity or a path to agricultural transformation for deleterious effects of migration to corporate farming but also could, over time help to reduce the pressure on the urban areas by providing counter-magnets to migration and we envisage, will bring about a national regional planning budget which should be operated on yearly basis.

Leachate Characterization from Municipal Solid Waste Dump Site and Its Adverse Impacts on Surface Water Quality Downstream - Uyo Village Road, Akwa Ibom State - Nigeria

Abstract: The present investigation discusses the characteristic of leachate generated from municipal solid waste landfill and it adverse impacts on downstream water quality. Landfill leachate was collected from a hole dug 10 m away from the waste dump site and the appearance of the leachate sample looks black. Three downstream water samples were collected at 10 meters intervals each from each other and less than 100 meters from the boundary of the dumpsite. All the samples were examined for temperature, pH, TDS, TSS, BOD, COD, nitrate, ammonia, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cl, total phosphate, sulfate, EC, DO and turbidity. The aim was to compare physicochemical and heavy metal properties of leachate and downstream water quality with internationally accepted protocols. Original Research Article Nta et al.; JERR, 13(2): 11-19, 2020; Article no.JERR.57040 12 The Laboratory analysis exhibited prevalence of high value of pH (8.513 ± 0.09), temperature(29.0± 0.0°C), turbidity (14.0±0.41NTU), DO (0.167±0.05 mg/l), COD (68.0±0.33 mg/l), BOD5 (324.0±3.00 mg/l), EC (4463±15.53 s/cm), Total phosphate (62.358±0.01 mg/l), Pb (0.31±0.00 mg/l), Cd (0.06±0.00 mg/l), Ni (0.355±0.01 mg/l), and Cu (8.67±0.04 mg/l) in the leachate sample, which have exceeded their permissible limits. For downstream water samples, pH (7.76±0.07 to 7.507±0.09), temperature (29.0±0.00°C) for the three sampling points, DO (3.667 ± 0.15 to 3.233 ± 0.12 mg/l), total phosphate (8.225 ± 0.00 to 7.935 ± 0.02 mg/l), Pb (0.465±0.01 to 0.091±0.00 mg/l), Cd (0.04±0.00 to 0.023±0.00 mg/l), Ni and Cu (0.043±0.06 mg/l) and (1.062 ± 0.00 mg/l) respectively, also exceeded their respective permissible limit recommended by Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality, World Health Organization in drinking water quality. From this study, there is evidence that there is an increase in risk to surface water that is reported near Uyo village road municipal solid waste dumping site. Therefore, the concerned authority should take appropriate intervention measures to protect surface water. Also, knowledge of leachate quality will be useful in planning and providing remedial measures to protect downstream water quality in the area.