Effect of Farming Practices on Honey Production in Boundary of Gishwati Forest National Park

Pesticides and inorganic fertilizers applied in agriculture are key factors which affect biodiversity, especially bees, butterfly and other pollinators. Therefore, this study assessed the effects of farming practices on honey production in boundary of Gishwati Forest National Park in Rwanda. Survey was conducted to collect data from 2000 year to 2018 year from 51 members grouped in UNICOAPIGI beekeeping and 73 members of JYAMBERE agricultural cooperatives to establish the impact of agriculture practice on honey production. The results showed that the change in agricultural inputs from 2000 to 2018 (R2 = 0.901) resulted in high corn yield and consequently induced honey reduction (R2 = 0.75). The correlation coefficients for pesticides and inorganic fertilizers used in corn production had strong negative effects on honey production {γ3 = -0.06 for chemical fertilizers (X3) and γ4 = -0.42 for pesticides (X4)}. JYAMBERE Agricultural cooperative with 75.78% of farmers reported that they used pesticides and inorganic fertilizers in corn production. However, 51 beekeepers grouped in UNICOAPIGI cooperative reported a serious decline of honey production from 27 Kg to 6 Kg of honey per hive after the 2008 year, which is suspected to be mainly the effect from applications of pesticides and fertilizers in corn production. The findings illustrated that the roles of honeybees as pollinator exposed them to toxic, especially pesticides applied in agriculture in boundary of Gishwati national forest reserve, therefore, beekeepers proposed that protection of forests and park is not only sufficient to reach sustainable conservation of bee biodiversity but also requires determining the land use pattern and socio-political factors around the Gishwati forest reserve.

Contribution of Former Poachers for Wildlife Conservation in Rwanda Volcanoes National Park

This study assessed the contribution of former poachers to wildlife conservation in Volcanoes National Park, the main causes of poaching activities in Volcanoes National Park. The results indicated that the main causes of poaching and other illegal activities are associated with poverty, ignorance and culture and commercial purposes. The results further illustrated that poaching cases decreased in the Volcanoes National Park where, from 2018, the snares removed from the park reduced from above 1000 to 600 snares. In the same year, only 3 poachers from Kinigi and Shingiro Sectors were arrested. The findings illustrated that introducing of revenue sharing scheme where, 10% of the park’s revenues are shared to the local communities living adjacent to the park, and constructing a buffalo wall stone around the Volcanoes National Park are of the important measures which contributed to solve completely the problems of poaching and human-wildlife conflicts in the volcanic area. However, some respondents reported that the construction of buffalo wall did not prevent animal from escaping the park, they have proposed the construction of strong fence such as electrically fenced wall.

Impact of Air Pollution on Community’s Health, Evidence of Industrial Zone in Masoro, Ndera Sector, Rwanda

Air pollution is among the leading global risks for mortality and responsible for increasing risk for chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of industrial zone air pollution on Masoro community and identify some health problems which are experienced in the communities. The key informants were selected using a purposive sampling technique and random sampling based on polluted areas. During this research, Kibagabaga hospital was consulted to identify different illness associated with air pollution in Ndera industrial zone. Respondents illustrated that a great part of emission came from industry, related activities and vehicles. The findings from the hospital illustrated that the respiratory, hypertension and diabetes dominated the illness in community due to air pollution from industrial zone, which was confirmed in this research with reference to the survey results. Air pollution is one of the greatest environmental threats and has been implicated for several adverse cardiovascular effects including arterial hypertension and diabetes. Air contamination provokes oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and autonomic nervous system imbalance that subsequently induce endothelial dysfunction and vasoconstriction leading to increased blood pressure. The respondents confirmed that the communities are aware of pollution and experienced the consequences of pollution such as cancer and other complicated illness.

Ecological Civilization Spearheads High-quality Development in China

ECOLOGICAL civilization is a new form of civilization that is based on industrial civilization and capitalizes on its strengths. It represents the material and spiritual achievements humankind has made by following the principles of maintaining harmony between man, nature, and society. It also reflects the civility and progress of a society. China has incorporated the building of ecological civilization into a five-sphere integrated plan to promote coordinated economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological advancement.

Hydrogen production from methane and carbon dioxide mixture using all-solid-state electrochemical cell based on a proton-conducting membrane and redox-robust composite electrodes

In recent years, interest in hydrogen as a fuel has sharply increased in the field of alternative and green energy due to its high energy capability and zero-emission behaviour. As a result, research in the development of new highly efficient methods for producing high-purity hydrogen is relevant. This paper presents, for the first time, the test results of an electrochemical cell with a proton-conducting La_(0.9)Sr_(0.1)ScO_(3-δ) electrolyte and symmetrical Sr_(1.95)Fe_(1.4)Ni_(0.1)Mo_(0.5)O_(6-δ)+ La_(0.9)Sr_(0.1)Sc_(0.9)Co_(0.1)O_(3-δ) electrodes as a hybrid setup for electricity generation in proton ceramic fuel cell mode, for hydrogen separation from H_(2)+ Ar mixture and the production of high-purity hydrogen from methane with simultaneous CO_(2) utilization.It was found that this electrochemical cell generates high flow rates of hydrogen during its separation through a proton-conducting membrane from H_(2)+ Ar mixture, about 500 cm^(3)h^(-1)cm^(-2)at a current density of 0.6 A cm^(-2)as well as about 370 cm^(3) h^(-1)cm^(-2)at a current density of 0.5 A cm^(-2) from CH_(4)+ CO_(2) mixture at 800 ℃ which shows that these cells are promising for hydrogen production.

Mapping Landslide Susceptibility and Analyzing Its Impact on Community Livelihoods in Gakenke District, Northern Rwanda

This study spatially distributed landslide susceptibility and assessed its impact on community livelihoods in Gakenke district of Rwanda. The Global Positioning System (GPS) located recent landslides from which inventory map was built. Six conditioning factors: elevation, slope, land use and land cover, rainfall, soil texture and lithology were analyzed by Geographic Information System (GIS) to map landslide susceptibility. The results showed that Janja, Muzo, Kamubuga, Kivuruga and Muyongwe sector are highly susceptible to landslide. The elevation, slope, poor land management and rainfall are the key drivers to landslide in this area. The findings indicated that the residents are not aware of landslide causal factors due to low level of education and trainings. Also, rain harvest which could minimize the runoff is not yet practiced;this in turn impacts on people’s livelihoods by killing/injuring people, damaging their infrastructures and natural resources. Therefore, it is suggested to empower rainwater harvest, deliver education and training to enhance community awareness, and ensure that the local community is involved in planning and execution of landside risk reduction schedule.

Assessing the costs and benefits of improved land management practices in three watershed areas in Ethiopia

Unsustainable land use management and the resulting soil erosion are among the most pervasive problems in rural Ethiopia,where most of the country’s people live,jeopardizing food security.Despite various efforts to introduce soil conservation measures and assess their costs and benefits,it is unclear how efficient these measures are from an economic point of view in securing food production.This paper examines the costs and benefits of three soil conservation measures applied in the country in three different rural districts facing different degrees of soil erosion problems using survey data collected from 750 farm households.A production function is estimated to quantify the costs and benefits of more sustainable land use management practices.We show that the soil conservation measures significantly increase productivity and hence food security.Comparing the costs and benefits,the results indicate that implementing soil conservation measures would benefit farm communities in the case study areas through increased grain productivity and food security.

Microbiological synthesis of nanophase PbS by Desulfotomaculum sp.

The uniform nanoparticles PbS with diameters about 13 nm could be synthesized by Desulfotomaculum sp. under mild condition. The effects of the processing vari-ables such as pH and temperature were investigated. The obtained products were in detailed by means of transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and X-ray diffraction(XRD) ,respectively. The results revealed that the PbS crystallites were identical in structure,shape and size under different temperatures while their morphology changed from rod to spheroidal with pH increasing. In the biological synthetic process for PbS nanoparticles,Desulfotomaculum sp. can use sulfate as a terminal electron acceptor to produce sulfide which acts as the source of sulfur for the formation of PbS nanoparticles.

Effect of ytterbium on sodium current and its kinetics in rat hippocampal neurons

This study addressed the effects of Yb3+ on voltage-gated sodium currents in rat hippocampal neurons using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Voltage-clamp recordings in single neurons were filtered and stored in a computer. Yb3+ increased the amplitude of sodium currents in a concentration-dependent and voltage-dependent manner. The 50 % enhancement concentration of Yb3+ on sodium currents was about 8.97 lmol/L, which was different from the inhibitory effects of Yb3+ on potassium current. The analysis on the activation and inactivation kinetics of Na+ current showed that 100 lmol/L Yb3+ did not change the process of activation and inactivation. In addition, the times reaching the peak of current(t) and inactivated time constant(s) were voltage dependent. 100 lmol/L Yb3+ significantly prolonged the time to peak at-70 and-80 mV. The effect disappeared at the positive direction of-70 mV. Furthermore, Yb3+ decreased s values to more positive values than-80 mV. In total, Yb3+ did not change the process of activation, but impelled inactivated process. Yb3+ mainly increased the Na+ current through changing its conductance. It might be one of the mechanisms that Yb3+ affected the hippocampal neurons.