Socio-economic factors influencing mopane worm(Imbrasia belina) harvesting in Limpopo Province, South Africa

In South Africa, non-timber forest products, especially mopane worms （Imbrasia belina） have become an important source of food and cash income for rural people living in or near the mopane woodlands. However, the continued harvesting has implications for long term management of the mopane woodlands in the northern parts of South Africa. In order to keep a balance between mopane worm harvesting and biodiversity, an understand- ing of socio-economic factors influencing the harvest at household level is vital to reducing depletion and overex- ploitation of the mopane woodland resources. This study evaluated the socio-economic factors influencing mopane worm harvesting decisions in rural households in Limpopo Province, South Africa using a binary logistic regression model based on a household survey of 120 respondents. Age, gender, education, income from mopane worm sales, social capital （group affiliation）, household size, lack of institution/law to regulate use, distance to the nearest har- vesting site, and regional locations were statistically significant factors influencing household mopane worm harvest decisions. Implications for policy are discussed.

Biomass Prediction Equation for Colophospermum mopane (Mopane) in Botswana

This study aimed to develop a biomass equation for estimating the total above-ground biomass for Colophospermum mopane (mopane) based on the pooled data from three study sites. The mopane woodlands in Botswana represent 14.6% of Botswana’s total area. The woodlands directly or indirectly support the livelihood of the majority of the rural population by providing wood and non-wood products. However, there is limited information on the pattern, trends and distribution of woody biomass production and their primary, environmental, and climatic determinants in different parts of Botswana. All the data were collected by destructive sampling from three study sites in Botswana. Stratified random sampling was based on the stem diameter at breast height (1.3 m from the ground or Diameter at Breast Height (DBH)). A total of 30 sample trees at each study site were measured, felled and weighed. The data from the three sites were pooled together, and the study employed regression analysis to examine the nature of relationships between total above-ground biomass (dependent variable) and five independent variables: 1) total tree height;2) crown diameter;3) stem diameters at 0.15 m;1.3 m (DBH) and 3 m from the ground respectively. There were significant relationships between all the independent variables and the dependent variable. However, DBH emerged as the strongest predictor of total tree above-ground biomass for mopane. The equation lnBiomass=-1.163+2.190lnDBH was adopted for use in the indirect estimation of total tree above-ground biomass for mopane in Botswana.

Ecotourism Development in the Context of Cultural and Tourism Integration:A Case Study of Wanli Mopan Mountain Forest Park

The integration of culture and tourism is a new form of tourism and a trend of tourism industry development.Mopan Mountain Forest Park in Wanli District of Nanchang City is taken as research object,and the excavation of its cultural elements is analyzed.It is thought that cultural elements can revitalize the culture and tourism industry,promote the integration of culture and tourism,encourage the mutual penetration of cultural innovation,design services and tourism products,improve the development and service level of cultural tourism products,and accelerate the development of characteristic cultural tourism.

Characteristics of the ore forming fluid from the zinc poly-metallic deposit in the Mopan mine area,Guangxi Nandan

Fluid inclusions from samples from the layered and veined mineralized belt in the Mopan mine area were studied using microscopic temperature measurements and laser Raman spectroscopy.Further studies were conducted on the nature and source of the ore forming fluid and on the mechanism of deposit formation.The results show that there are three types of inclusions that occur in both the layered and veined ore body.These are liquid inclusions,CO 2 inclusions with a liquid phase,and NaCl-H 2 O multiphase inclusions.The fluid inclusions in both the layered and veined ore bodies have similar characteristics.The ore forming fluid is strongly reducing,was exposed to low to medium temperatures,salinity,and pressures.The source of this ore forming fluid was a mix of submarine volcanic spring(blow-piping),magmatic hydrothermal jet,and underground water.