The role of Typha spp. on water loss and public health has been uncertained and relatively poorly reported in Hadejia Nguru wetlands. This study investigated the extent to which Typha spp. contributed to evapotranspir...The role of Typha spp. on water loss and public health has been uncertained and relatively poorly reported in Hadejia Nguru wetlands. This study investigated the extent to which Typha spp. contributed to evapotranspirative water loss and the level at which it provides suitable habitat for mosquito breeding. A comparative analysis between Typha swamp and open water was made to determine the evapotranspiration water loss and mosquito larva load accounted for by Typha swamp in the wetland. Maximum and minimum temperatures were measured and recorded daily for the months of January, March and June in 2013. Blaney-Criddle equation was used to estimate the evapotranspiration from Typha swamp (Site A) while piche evaporimeter was used to measure direct evaporation from the adjacent open water (Site B). Water samples were collected in Sites A and B using 100 ml beaker at random and the number of mosquito larvae in the sample was counted. T test was used to evaluate differences in water loss and larva load between open water and Typha swamp in the wetland. The findings revealed that there was no significant difference in water loss at p < 0.05 between Typha swamp and open water in the wetland. However, the Typha swamp was found to harbor more mosquito larvae than the open water at p < 0.05 which was considered a public health risk.展开更多
A field survey was carried out to determine the vegetation structure of the Lukanga Swamp Ramsar site in central Zambia. The aim of the study was to identify the different vegetation communities, species composition a...A field survey was carried out to determine the vegetation structure of the Lukanga Swamp Ramsar site in central Zambia. The aim of the study was to identify the different vegetation communities, species composition and distribution patterns for improved habitat management. Sampling was conducted in all recognizable vegetation communities. The results of the survey showed that the swamp was a littoral palustrine wetland predominantly characterized by the dominance of Leersia hexandria Swartz (42.02%), Typha capensis Rohrb (62.43%), Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud (33.61%), Aeschynomeme fluitans Peter (31.58%) and Polygonum senegalense Meisn (48.8%). The occurrence of Vossia cuspidata Griff and Cyperus papyrusL was restricted to small and isolated locations. Short Termitaria was generally covered by Acrocerus macrum Stapf (35.25%) while tall Termitaria was dominated by Panicum maximum Jacq. (26.00%). The most important woody plant species included Combretum ghasalense Engl. et Diels (I. V = 62.88), Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax ((I. V = 90.48), Albizia adianthifolia (Schmacher) W.F. Wight (I. V = 135.63) Isoberlinia angolensis Hyle and Brenan (I. V = 87.25). The current structure of the hydrophytes composition observed in this study was an indication of a generally silting wetland, while the dominant occurrence of understorey woody plants in the surrounding vegetation signified degraded miombo vegetation. It was concluded that the ecological status of wetland habitat was potentially threatened by mainly anthropogenic activities such as;wildfires, and unsustainable exploitation of surrounding vegetation. Further research is required to examine water flows, eutrophication and the long-term effects of deforestation on the ecological functioning of the wetland.展开更多
文摘The role of Typha spp. on water loss and public health has been uncertained and relatively poorly reported in Hadejia Nguru wetlands. This study investigated the extent to which Typha spp. contributed to evapotranspirative water loss and the level at which it provides suitable habitat for mosquito breeding. A comparative analysis between Typha swamp and open water was made to determine the evapotranspiration water loss and mosquito larva load accounted for by Typha swamp in the wetland. Maximum and minimum temperatures were measured and recorded daily for the months of January, March and June in 2013. Blaney-Criddle equation was used to estimate the evapotranspiration from Typha swamp (Site A) while piche evaporimeter was used to measure direct evaporation from the adjacent open water (Site B). Water samples were collected in Sites A and B using 100 ml beaker at random and the number of mosquito larvae in the sample was counted. T test was used to evaluate differences in water loss and larva load between open water and Typha swamp in the wetland. The findings revealed that there was no significant difference in water loss at p < 0.05 between Typha swamp and open water in the wetland. However, the Typha swamp was found to harbor more mosquito larvae than the open water at p < 0.05 which was considered a public health risk.
文摘A field survey was carried out to determine the vegetation structure of the Lukanga Swamp Ramsar site in central Zambia. The aim of the study was to identify the different vegetation communities, species composition and distribution patterns for improved habitat management. Sampling was conducted in all recognizable vegetation communities. The results of the survey showed that the swamp was a littoral palustrine wetland predominantly characterized by the dominance of Leersia hexandria Swartz (42.02%), Typha capensis Rohrb (62.43%), Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud (33.61%), Aeschynomeme fluitans Peter (31.58%) and Polygonum senegalense Meisn (48.8%). The occurrence of Vossia cuspidata Griff and Cyperus papyrusL was restricted to small and isolated locations. Short Termitaria was generally covered by Acrocerus macrum Stapf (35.25%) while tall Termitaria was dominated by Panicum maximum Jacq. (26.00%). The most important woody plant species included Combretum ghasalense Engl. et Diels (I. V = 62.88), Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax ((I. V = 90.48), Albizia adianthifolia (Schmacher) W.F. Wight (I. V = 135.63) Isoberlinia angolensis Hyle and Brenan (I. V = 87.25). The current structure of the hydrophytes composition observed in this study was an indication of a generally silting wetland, while the dominant occurrence of understorey woody plants in the surrounding vegetation signified degraded miombo vegetation. It was concluded that the ecological status of wetland habitat was potentially threatened by mainly anthropogenic activities such as;wildfires, and unsustainable exploitation of surrounding vegetation. Further research is required to examine water flows, eutrophication and the long-term effects of deforestation on the ecological functioning of the wetland.
