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.

Strategic market orientation and business performance

Abstract: Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which market orientation impacts the business performance of an organization.Design/methodology/approach – While much empirical work has centered on market orientation, the generalizability of its impact on the performance of food and beverages organizations in the Nigerian context has been under‐researched. The commentary adopts a triangulation approach by examining the theoretical and researched issues on market orientation and their influence on the business performance of food and beverages organizations in Nigeria.Findings – The commentary validates earlier instruments but does not find any strong association between market orientation and business performance in the Nigerian context using food and beverages organizations. The reasons underlying the weak relationship between the market orientation and business performance of food and beverages organizations include government policies, new product development, diversification, innovation and...

Chronic effects of oil spill on soil properties and microflora of a rainforest ecosystem in Nigeria

Abstract: Soil and microbiological properties of a tropical rain forest soil were evaluated 17 years after oil spillage to access the chronic effects of, and interrelationship between population of petroleum hydrocarbon utilizing and nitrifying microorganisms. The spatial distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons (oil), the nutrient status and the abundance of heterotrophic microbes along soil transect lines in the contaminated zones served as the index for corroborating the results. The pH status of soil in the contaminated (Heavy impact — HI, and moderate inpact — MI) zones varied from acidic, that is 4.0 to near neutral PH, that is 6.0. The C content of soils decreased from 3.6% at the HI zones to 2.84% at the MI zones. Total N in the HI and MI zones differed by a factor of 0.10%. Available P was higher at the MI than HI zone, while CEC decreased from a combined mean of 6.48 at the HI zones to 4.46 at the MI zones. Although residual oil content was higher in the HI zones than MI zone, the soil nutrient status within these two zones did not vary significantly (P=0.05). However, soil microbes responded differently. For instance, petroleum hydrocarbon utilizers correlated positively with the distribution of oil in the environment. But, not the nitrifying microorganisms. Aerobic nitrifiers were abundant at the HI than MI zones, while anaerobic nitrifiers were higher at the MI than HI zones. With the presence of petroleum hydrocarbon utilizers anf nitrifying microbes. It is possible to enhance the degradation of oil in the 17 yr old spillage by adopting bioremediation.

Evidence that subsistence farmers have domesticated indigenous fruits (Dacryodes edulis and Irvingia gabonensis) in Cameroon and Nigeria

Abstract: Ten fruit and kernel traits were measured in 152 Irvingia gabonensis and 293 Dacryodes edulis trees from 6 villages in Cameroon and Nigeria. Frequency distribution curves were used to examine the range of variation of each trait of each species in each village and aggregated into national and regional populations. There were differences between the village sub-populations, with regard to the normality (e.g., mean kernel mass of D. edulis) or skewness (e.g., mean flesh depth of D. edulis) of the distribution curves and in the degree of separation between the individual village populations along the x axis, resulting in the development of a bimodal distribution in the regional population. For all traits, populations of both species differed significantly between countries, but only in D. edulis were there significant differences between the Cameroon populations. On the basis of the results of this study, D. edulis can be said to be virtually wild in Nigeria but semi-domesticated in Cameroon, while I. gabonensis is wild in Cameroon and semi-domesticated in Nigeria. These results are discussed with regard to a hypothesis that the range and frequency of variation in the different populations can be used to identify five stages of domestication. From a comparison of the frequency distribution curves of desirable versus undesirable traits, and statistically identifyable changes in skewness and kurtosis, it is concluded that as a result of the farmers’ own efforts by truncated selection, D. edulis is between Stages 2 and 3 of domestication (with a 67% relative gain in flesh depth) in Cameroon, while I. gabonensis in Nigeria is at Stage 2 (with a 44% relative gain in flesh depth). In this study, genetic diversity seems to have been increased, and not reduced, by domestication.

Impact of various concentrations of crude oil on fungal populations of soil

Abstract: The effect of various concentrations of crude oil on fungal populations of soil was investigated for a period of 18 weeks using standard methods. Total fungal counts ranged from 26 to 143 × 10 2 cfu/gsoil while counts of petroleum-utilizing fungi ranged from 2 to 102 × 10 2 cfu/g soil. Analysis of variance and randomized complete block design of counts of total fungi and petroleum-utilizers showed high significant difference between the control and the oil treated soils at p 0.5 % > 1 % > 3 % > 5 %. This order of fungal diversity is a reverse of the decreasing order of fungal counts of these same soils. This showed that higher concentrations of crude oil has adverse effect on fungal diversity while enhancing the population of a fewer fungi.