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.

Survey of the status and distribution of primates in Togo (West Africa)

Abstract: The distribution of West African primates is still poorly explored in Togo. Field data on distribution, abundance (kilometric index of abundance) and characteristics of primate habitat at six protected and unprotected areas of Togo are reported in this paper. Eight species and 831 primate individuals were visually recorded during field surveys. A few other species were suspected, but not recorded. Species directly observed in the field during our surveys were Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster, Cercopithecus petaurista petaurista, Cercopithecus mona, Chlorocebus tantalus, Colobus vellerosus, Erythrocebus patas, Papio anubis and Galago senegalensis. Our surveys did not provide any evidence of the persistence of the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) in the country. Most of the Togolese primates are of low conservation concern according to The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, our surveys suggested that the status of most of the species in Togo is instead ‘th...

Predicting the structure of turtle assemblages along a megatransect in West Africa

Abstract: Understanding large- and small-scale patterns as well as the determinants of species richness is central for the study of evolutionary mechanisms. The extent to which species richness in local communities is related to larger scale processes is a pre-eminent topic in ecological and evolutionary research. To investigate how local and regional species richness are related, we sampled freshwater turtle assemblages in seven localities to represent the variation in ecological conditions along a 90km South-North megatransect in Benin, West Africa. In each locality, all turtles captured were identified and measured, and microhabitat classified in which individual turtles were observed. Based on these data we used community diversity metrics to compare turtle assemblages. Spatial autocorrelation did not affect our data. For all localities pooled, only two species (Pelusios castaneus and Pelomedusa olivacea) were the most common, and one species (Trionyx triunguis) the rarest. Analyses of the commonest and more numerous species showed that the abundance of P. castaneus declined with an increase in latitude and longitude, but the opposite was true for P. olivacea. We showed that various microhabitat characteristics were significantly correlated with the abundance of the two common species. We found significant but variable South-North gradients in microhabitat use for different turtle species. Our results highlight the importance of studying interactions between local environments, the ecological requirements of each species, and their synecological relationships.

First regular observations on leafhoppers, Cicadulina spp., vectors of maize streak virus (MSV) in Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract: Regular field surveys were carried out in 2 week intervals in 1986 and 1987 to determine population density, species composition, migration activity of Cicadulina leafhoppers and their infectivity with maize streak virus (MSV) in different ecological locations of southeastern Nigeria: mangrove swamp forest (IITA and RIART station at Onne), deltaic swamp forest (RSUST, Port Harcourt), seasonal swamp forest (Iriebe) and high forest zone (NCRI, Amakama near Umuahia). Population density was always low during dry season, significantly lower in the rain forest zone and higher in the swamp forest, rapidly rising in the second rainy season in all ecological zones and reaching its maximum before the rains finally stopped. Sharp increase in the population density in Nov. and Dec. may indicate mass migration activity of Cicadulina leafhoppers from already dry areas of adjacent Guinea savanna at that period. Six species of Cicadulina were collected from most of sampled areas. C. ghaurii was the predominant species in 1986 and 1987, averaging 55.9% for all locations and periods. Its portion was higher in the mangrove swamp forest (Onne) than in the high forest zone (Amakama). The predominance of other species declined in the order: C. triangula (18.2%), C. mbila (17.2%), C. arachidis (5.9%), C. similis (2.8%) and C. hartmansi (0.1%). In absolute values, the portion of individuals out of the total number of leafhoppers collected was for C. triangula 53.7%, C. ghaurii 25.5%, C. mbila 17.3%, C. arachidis 2.3%, C. similis 1.1% and C. hartmansi 0.1%. A high population of C. triangula occurred only in the relatively short period in Nov.–Dee., especially in Iriebe and was correlated with the rapid increase of Cicadulina densities in all sampled areas; a high migration activity of C. triangula and C. mbila was confirmed. Incidence of MSV in the surveyed farmers’ field varied between 0–22% in the first rainy season (1987) and 12–25% in the second rainy season (1986). The portion of Cicadulina adults already infected with MSV under field conditions and capable of transmitting MSV to the susceptible maize seedlings varied from 3.3 to 23.3%, with higher values for leafhoppers collected at the end of the second rainy season.

Validity of Brainstorming Strategy on Students’ Prior Knowledge and Academic Performance in Chemistry in Selected Secondary Schools in South-South Nigeria

Abstract: This study examined the effects of brainstorming strategy on students’ prior knowledge and academic performance in chemistry. A sample of 148 participants (made up of 71 female and 77 male students) in their intact classes were drawn from four selected coeducational secondary schools in two states in south-south Nigeria. The schools were assigned into two instructional groups- the experimental (brainstorming strategy) group with 73 and control (lecture method) group with 75 students. Data were obtained through the administration of Pretest followed with a seven week treatment, and then the administration of posttest. Data were analyzed using mean and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results showed statistically significant difference in both mean knowledge and mean academic performance in favour of the brainstorming group. The result further showed no statistically significant difference in the mean academic performance of male and female students in the experimental group. More so, the study revealed no significant interaction effect of instructional strategies and sex on academic performance. From the results of this study it was recommended that science curriculum designers and teachers should respectively design and use appropriate instructional strategies and packages that can evoke students’ prior knowledge to promote learning.

Preliminary estimation of thermal conductivity in bornu-chad basin, nigeria

Abstract: Thermal conductivity estimates are computed from four randomly selected and spaced petroleum wells in the Bornu-Chad basin, Nigeria, using a geometric mean model. Sonic and gamma-ray logs were digitized and used in the estimation of in situ conductivity. The area under study is composed of 4 major diachronous lithostratigraphic units of Chad, Fika, Gongila and Bima formations, which form the bulk of the basin’s sediments. Porosity, lithology, and depth of burial exert the most important control on the matrix thermal conductivity in the basin. There is a decrease of thermal conductivity with increasing shale fraction. The bulk conductivity also shows an increase with increasing sandstone fraction. Increase in porosity results in a decrease in bulk conductivity. Thermal conductivity values and variations for a given lithologic unit are reduced at increased porosity, such that thermal conductivity of the topmost continental Chad sandstone Formation vary between 2.055W/m°C and 2.854W/m°C with an average of 2.397W/m°C. Thermal conductivity for the underlying, marine shaly-sandstone Fika formation varies between 1.895W/m°C and 2.860W/m°C with an average of 2.432W/m°C. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity for the Gongila formation varies between 2.382W/m°C and 2.557W/m°C with an average of 2.470W/m°C, while Bima formation has thermal conductivity of 2.080 W/m°C and 3.580 W/m°C with an average of 2.879 W/m°C.