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Sokoine University of Agriculture Institutional Repository (SUA IR). This repository was built and is maintained by the university library (Sokoine National Agricultural Library-SNAL) , in order to collect, preserve and disseminate scholarly output generated by University research community (staff and students) members.
This repository hosts a variety of openly accessible materials including: scholarly articles and books, theses and dissertations, conference proceedings and technical reports. For assistance about depositing your research output in the repository click here. SUA IR Policy click here or any queries contact us at snal@sua.ac.tz.
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Recent Submissions
Abundance and distribution of puku (kobus vardoni) in kilombero game controlled area
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2010) Kauki, Gerald Martini
Puku antelope (Kobus vardoni) is the most specialized and representative large mamma!
in the wetland of Kilombero Game Controlled Area (KGCA). The purpose of this study
was to assess the abundance and distribution of puku in KGCA. Specific objectives were:-
To assess the puku population density and population size in the KGCA; to assess the
distribution of puku antelope in the KGCA and to identify human activities that influence
the abundance and distribution of puku in the KGCA. The data on animal counts were
collected in three blocks based on some identified aspects i.e. intact habitat block,
moderately degraded habitat block and the highly degraded habitat block. Purposive
sampling technique was used for socio-economic data collection in six villages adjacent to
KGCA. The households were randomly selected for formal interview. The Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Ms Excel programme and Statistical Analysis
Software (SAS) were used to analyze qualitative and quantitative data. The results
indicate that there is a great variation of puku population and density between blocks. The
intact habitat block showed high density of puku (53.8 individuals/km2), moderate
degraded habitat and highly degraded habitat (18.2 individuals /km2 and 5.1 individuals
/kin2) respectively. This study also indicate that, there was a significant difference
between blocks (p<0.05) from intact, moderately and highly degraded blocks. The male
mean counts of puku were significantly different (p<0.0005) while other puku classes
were significantly different (pO.OOOl). It is concluded that the increases of anthropogenic
activities are among the contributing factors which result into negative impact on puku
population and density in KGCA. Therefore, it is recommended that there is a need to
upgrade the status of KGCA to be a game reserve. Also, there should be land use plans for
the villages surrounding KGCA and livestock carrying capacity should be controlled in
each village.
Lion predation in relation to landscape features in Tarangire national park
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2011) Minja, Dennis
This study aimed at assessing the relationship between lion predation and landscape features to test whether existing evidence from other studies elsewhere applied for Tarangirc lions given the uneven terrain in Tarangirc National Park. From a four-ycar data set (July 2005 to October 2009) of lion sightings, predation dataset were extracted and supplemented with data collected during this study, making a total of 133 carcasses. Radio telemetry was used to track lion prides from 6.00 am to 7.00 pm daily, and the list of prey having at least one carcass for the entire period of data collection in the study area was compiled. The standardized selection ratios (Bz) were computed to determine lion prey species preference. Also, Geographical Information System (G1S) in Arc Map 9.2 (ESRI)
was used to create layers of drainage pattern, roads, vegetation cover, aspect, slope and swamps. Logistic regression analysis and Akaike Information Criteria were employed to associate lion predation and landscape features. Of 133 carcasses for both dry and wet seasons, only one hundred and twenty one (121) prey carcasses comprised of zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe and warthog were considered for species preference. Consequently, the standardized selection ratios (Bz) suggests that in both wet and dry seasons lions selected warthogs and buffalo compared to their and other key prey species abundance. However giraffe kills were made only during wet season with none in dry season. Logistic regression analysis showed that the best model with the highest Akaike
weight, (ioi=0.357) containing predictors distance to river confluences, elevation. vegetation types and road for predicting the influence of landscape features on lion predation. Subsequently, the analysis of parameter estimates for the best model indicated the effects of roads, river confluences, vegetative cover and elevation to be most significant, whereas aspect and slope had weak effect on lion predation
Taxonomic study of trypanosomes from small mammals: bats, rodents and soricids in the oriental region
(Yamaguchi University, 2019) Mafie, Eliakunda
Taxonomy of the genus Trypanosoma Gruby, 1843 (Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae), is at challenging yet, particularly that for trypanosomes classified in the section Stercoraria. Representative are so-called rodent trypanosomes of the subgenus Herpetosoma, i.e. Trypanosoma lewisi (Kent, 1880) and its relatives, and trypanosomes of the subgenus Schizotrypanum, such as Trypanosoma crnzi Chagas, 1909 and its relatives. For a long time, morphological differentiation of stercorarian trypanosomes depended considerably upon our assumption of their rigid host-specificity, but molecular approaches introduced widely in the taxonomical study in the last two decades have demonstrated that this taxonomy is subjective enough. In the present study, I have approached taxonomically trypanosomes in small mammals such as rodents, soricids and bats, clarifying localization of taxonomic problems related to them. In Chapter I, I outlined briefly records of atypical human trypanosomiasis caused by T. lewisi and T. evansi as an opportunistic infection, and updated the current status of molecular approaches to T. lewisi or T. lewisi-WYs trypanosomes in rodents based mainly on the ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) and glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gGAPDH) gene. A limited number of deposited nucleotide sequences of nominal rodent trypanosome species, eight out of ca. 50 species, at the databases made reliable diagnosis and specific taxonomy of T. lewisi-WYs trypanosomes difficult. In addition, some nominal species such as T. lewisi, T. musculi and T. blanchardi have an almost identical rDNA sequences with few nucleotide substitutions, while T. grosi showes substantial intraspecific genetic variations even more than interspecific genetic variations of the aforementioned Herpetosoma trypanosomes. In Chapter II, I collected blood samples of 89 murid rodents of 15 species and 11 soricids of four species in Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, and mainland China with help of colleagues, and characterized trypanosomes based on morphology and nucleotide sequences of the rDNA and gGAPDH gene. T. lewisi and T. lewisi-V\k& trypanosomes were found in the blood smears of 10 murids, which included Bandicota indica (two rats), Rattus argentiventer (one rat), and Rattus tiomanicus (two rats) in Indonesia; Rattus rattus (one rat) in the Philippines; and Niviventer confucianus (four rats) in mainland China. Furthermore, large- or medium-sized non-T. /ewzsz-like trypanosomes were detected in two soricids, Crocidura dracula in Vietnam and Anourosorexyamashinai in Taiwan, respectively. At last, 1 erected three new species, i.e. T. niviventerae n. sp., T. sapaensis n. sp., and T. anourosoricis n. sp. for isolates from N. confucianus in mainland China, C. dracula in Vietnam and .4. yamashinai in Taiwan, respectively. In chapter III, I characterized trypanosomes in the blood samples of bats (Miniopterus fu/iginosus') from Japan, and reported for the first time the distribution of T. dionisii Bettencourt et Franpa, 1905 of the T. cruzi clade in Asia. Our genetic characterization of the Asian isolate had biogeographical significance in discussion of the speciation and dispersion of bat-infecting trypanosomes and zoonotic T. cruzi endemic in the Latin America. We are still a long way from understanding the real biodiversity of trypanosomes in the Stercoraria section. I believe, however, our effort to collect and characterise more isolates not only by morphology but also genetically of trypanosomes in small mammals such as rodents, soricids and bats may unveil their real ‘species’ in science.
Influence of altitudinal variation on the abundance and diversity of riparian ground beetles (coleoptera, carabidae) in uluguru mountains, Tanzania
(University of Dar es Salaam, 2011-11) Maganira, Justine Daudi
Between May and June 2012 riparian carabid beetles diversity was studied along an altitudinal gradient and in response to vegetation cover in Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania. Riparian carabid beetle samples were collected by active searching on the ground, in leaf litter, under logs, stones and large debris along streams. A total of 270 samples were collected. These yielded 3261 specimens of riparian carabid beetles belonging to 29 morphospecies. The data was used to calculate species diversity, species richness and abundance of the nine study sites at three altitudinal levels. Differences in diversity, species richness and abundance between altitudinal levels and sites were analysed statistically. Altitudinal variation in the abundance and species richness was investigated. There were significant differences in the diversity of riparian carabid beetles between the three altitudinal levels with the highest diversity found at mid altitude. Pair-wise comparison of the three levels of altitude indicated a significant difference in diversity of riparian carabid species for all three pairs. Species richness increased from low to the mid altitudes, followed by a decrease in species richness towards higher altitudes. The results showed no significant statistical difference in abundance of riparian carabid beetles between forested and disturbed riparian areas. The study
demonstrated that riparian beetle abundance and diversity were affected by altitude and human activities that depended on the intensity of land use.
Food safety risk assessment of thermophilic campylobacter in beef in Arusha municipality, Tanzania.
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2011) Mahundi, Edgar Angelus
Campylobacter is one of the most important pathogen which cause food borne illnesses in the world. A study on risk assessment of thermophilic Campylobacter of beef in Arusha municipality. Tanzania was carried out from January to March 2010. A total of 138 consumers. 35 meat sellers and 25 meat vendors were interviewed on beef purchasing preference, safety during cooking and hygienic practices during consumption. One hundred and sixty swab samples were collected from beef carcasses in butchershops (n=73). roast beef (Nyamachoma in Kiswahili) (n=45) and skewer beef (mishikaki) selling points (n=42) located in beer bars. All the swab samples were used for isolation of thermophilic Campylobacter. The number of customers per hour was recorded in nine nyamachoma and nine mishikaki centres for seven consecutive days. Data were subjected to a Monte Carlo simulation to determine the likelihood of consuming ready-to-eat beef contaminated with thermophilic Campylobacter. There was a contamination rate with thermophilic Campylobacter of 24%. The probabilities of consuming contaminated meat with thermophilic Campylobacter at nyamachoma pubs were 15.5% and at mishikaki shops was 34.7%. The total amount of beef sold at nyamachoma pubs in Arusha municipality per day was 3. 595 kg (90% CI: 1. 745-6, 173) and that sold as mishikaki per day was 165 kg (90% CI: 57-328). The exposure rate per person in nyamachoma. was 0.16% while that in mishikaki was 0.017%. Interview result revealed that poor knowledge on campylobacteriosis and lack of training on food hygiene contributes to poor food safety. However, the control measure practiced by food handlers was to wash hands with soap and water in order to prevent food contamination. At homestead food was covered after cooking and consumers ate food while was still hot. Cross-contamination events were observed in the kitchen
whereby knives, utensils, hands of the personnel could probably contribute to contamination with Campylobacter. However, public education programmes and consumer awareness on general food hygiene are recommended to reduce potential health risks to the public.