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.

EFFECTS of SHUCKING METHOD ON OPENING, MEAT YIELD and SELECTED QUALITY PARAMETERS of WEST AFRICAN CLAM, GALATEA PARADOXA (BORN)

Abstract: Samples (n= 100) offreshly harvested clams (Galatea paradoxa Born) from the Cross River, Nigeria, were subjected after 24 h depurations to heat treatment (steam and water at 60, 70, 80, 90, 100C) for 1-6 min to evaluate the effects of level of heat treatment on opening, meat yield, sensory properties, proximate composition, pH and electrical conductivity (EC). Observations were also made on the effects of some chemical shucking aids (NaOH, NaHCO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 , NaCl) in 60C water on these parameters . Results showed that boiling water was most effective in opening the clams, with 100% shucking achieved in 1 min. Steam was least effective, requiring 6 min for 100% opening. Temperature significantly and strongly influenced meat yield (P 0.05) improved yield. NaHCO 3 , and Na 2 CO 3 , which cut time for 100% opening from 5 min to 2 min were most effective. There were slight but significant (P 0.05) between predicted and experimental values.

Non-random structure of a guild of geckos in a fragmented, human-altered, African rainforest.

Abstract: We examined the guild structure of geckos at a farmbush–rainforest mosaic area in southern Nigeria, during three independent survey periods (i.e. dry season of 1997, 2001, and 2005). We used several simulation descriptors (C value, V ratio, number of checkerboard species pairs, number of species combinations), generated by Monte Carlo methods, to contrast the actual data matrix with the randomly generated data matrix. We calculated the relative availability and use by species of habitat types and microhabitat types at each of these survey periods and also studied temporal niche aspects. We found that our gecko guild was composed of six species, including native forest specialists as well as native habitat generalists and exotic species linked to human-made habitats. Monte Carlo simulations revealed the occurrence of a structure in the guild under study with regard to habitat type but not with regard to (a) two types of microhabitat uses (i.e. perch height and size of trees) and (b) daily time. The use of simulation analyses also demonstrated that the various species that were similar in terms of habitat use partitioned their microhabitat niche, reducing potential interspecific competition. On the other hand, those species that were clearly separated with regard to habitat type readily frequented the same microhabitats within different habitat types.

Childhood asymptomatic malaria and nutritional status among Port Harcourt children.

Abstract: Our study in Port Harcourt children with asymptomatic malaria aimed at assessing the baseline anthropometric indices of nutritional status and whether their nutritional status (especially under nutrition) offers any advantage for living in malaria endemic areas. Cross-sectional study was used. The setting used was Rumueme Community in Port Harcourt Nigeria. The subjects for the study were apparently healthy children aged 1 - 8 years of both sexes (Boys = 117 Girls = 123; Ratio 1: 1.05) 240 children from randomly selected households within the study community participated in the study. Of the 240 children 66 (27.5%) were infected with malaria (P falciparum). Children below 5 years had a higher parasitaemic rate (36.36%) than those in 5-8 years group (21.27%). Our baseline data showed that 17.5% were underweight (WFA Z less than -2) 3.75% were stunted (HFA Z less than -2) and 22.5% were wasting (WFH Z less than - 2). Children who are underweight were found to be at higher risk of acquiring malaria infection than the well nourished children (RR = 1.02 x/2 = 0.320 p less than 0.02 95% CI 0.34-2.37). Under nutrition was more prominent in the children below 5 years than the older children (RR = 3.625 x/2 = 10.36 p less than 0.006 95% CI I.81-5.43). The haemoglobin value of parasitized children (10.8 plus or minus 1.9 g/dl) was significantly lower than the non-parasitized group (11.3 plus or minus 1.7 g/dl) (p less than 0.01). We concluded that the presence of under nutrition places children (especially below 5 years of age) at higher risk of malaria related morbidity. Children in malaria endemic areas need adequate nutrition to withstand the negative impact of malaria. (authors)

State of knowledge of research in the Guinean forests of West Africa region

Abstract: The Guinean forests of West Africa (GFWA) region is of highest conservation value in Africa and worldwide. The aims of this review are to systematically identify and collate studies focusing on the environment in the region. We found that, after Google Scholar search, in over 112,000 results for 17 disciplines, three countries (Nigeria, Cameroon and Togo) were subjected to much more investigations than the other countries. Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone were the least studied countries, and overall there was a significant West to East increasing trend for all seven considered disciplines (Ecology, Zoology, Botany, Conservation biology, Pollution, Climate change and Ecological economy) in terms of number of results. Within ‘Ecology’ ‘macroecology and biodiversity’ was the most studied subdiscipline. Baseline taxonomic studies in ‘Zoology’ and ‘Botany’ received little interest, particularly in 2006–2016. For ‘Conservation biology’, studies focusing on ‘protected areas’ were more numerous than for any other subsector, followed by ‘biodiversity surveys’. Our analysis revealed that there were significantly more studies focusing on forests than on mangrove areas. Our results pointed out that, there is an urgent need for more rigorous taxonomical and fine-scale distribution studies of organisms across the whole region, not only for the traditionally overlooked groups (e.g. invertebrates). It is also stressed that studies of macropatterns in conservation biology research for the region should be performed by more reliable data at the more local scale, given the misuse that has been done by general studies of these limited/biased data for inferring patterns. Long-term longitudinal studies on biodiversity patterns of important forest sites and population biology of selected populations are urgently needed, as these have been almost entirely neglected to date. Crucial issues are still to be solved: for instance, it remains fully unresolved whether wildlife can best be protected through the promotion of human economic development or through integral conservation of important biodiversity areas.