Abstract: Human exposure to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs) and toxic heavy metals has been a concern for the entire history of mankind since they are com monly found in the environment. Their increased levels are a result of anthropogenic activities such as mining. A-cap Resources Ltd, now A-cap Energy Ltd company dis covered that there were large uranium deposits in the underlying rocks of Serule. It was given licensing to start mining in 2016 with a lease of about 144 km...
Abstract: Shooting ranges continue to pose environmental and human health risk due to the accumulation of toxic Pb emanating from munitions. Remediation of Pb pollution at shooting ranges has been carried out through application of various techniques of which chemical stabilization is the most common. In some instances, field chemical stabilization has achieved Pb decontamination of the soils to concentrations below the maximum contaminant limits as set by the United States Environmental Pro...
Abstract: Bacterial diversity is known to be a driver of soil ecosystem services and it is influenced by the natural integrity of the environments. Samples from garden soil, saline soil and sludge-impacted soil were studied to evaluate the influence of soil properties on bacterial abundance and diversity for improved management. Soil samples were collected from 0 to 15 cm depth and analyzed for selected physico-chemical properties using routine labo- ratory procedures. 16S rRNA gene-based me...
Abstract: Commissioned and de-commissioned shooting ranges continue to pose an environmental and human health risk due to the accumulation of toxic Pb emanating from spent munitions. The phytotoxic effects of Pb accumulation in plants include inhibition of root growth and lowering of plant metabolism. The uptake of Pb by plants is directly affected by factors such as plant species and physicochemical properties of the soil. However, scientists and researchers have leveraged on the ability of...
Abstract: Composting is a common method of household waste in developing countries such as Botswana. However, compost can introduce heavy metals which are harmful to the environment. High concentrations of heavy metals are toxic to plants and humans and can affect soil by killing soil microorganisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the amount of four heavy metals (Cr, Co, Cu and Pb) in Gamodubu soils that are associated with leachate from a landfill in that area. Soil samples were c...
Abstract: How has Information Technology (IT) impacted lives, especially of students studying in higher institutions of learning in Botswana? Are IT users aware of the concept and application of Green Computing? The aim of this paper is to answer the above important questions. In this paper we will critically look at IT penetration in Botswana and how it has impacted the lives of Batswana users, both positively and negatively. The paper also aims to assess awareness levels of IT users with r...
Abstract: Data on the biotransfer of heavy metals along the soil-plant-edible insect-human food chain collected along a 60km pollution gradient is presented here. These datasets consists of concentrations of eight heavy metals (Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Chromium, Iron, Nickel, Lead and Zinc) in the soils, in five host plants species, and in seven edible insect species determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Datasets for the daily intake of metals and target hazard quotien...
Abstract: The establishment of grazing exclosures is widely practiced to restore degraded agricultural lands and forests.Here, we evaluated the potential of grazing exclosures to contribute to the “4 per 1000” initiative by analyzing the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and sequestration (SCS) rates after their establishment on de graded communal grazing lands in Tigray region of Ethiopia. We selected grazing areas that were excluded from grazing for 5 to 24 years across the t...
Abstract: Olfaction plays an important role in the behavioural ecology of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera:Acrididae). Different locust life stages and sexes use olfactory cues for different behaviours such as grouping, mating, oviposition, feeding, maturation and gregarization, which can be exploited for management of the desert locust. However, the full spectrum of the chemistry of volatiles released by the desert locust remains unknown. Here, we compared the volatile em...
Abstract: Invasive alien species such as Bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia L.) pose immense threats to global food security, biodiversity, ecosystem integrity and provision of ecosystem services. The Bellyache bush has generally been naturalised in Africa but poses vast management challenges in the African Savannah, yet there is little knowledge of its spatial distribution and future potential invasion risk.In this study, we modelled the spatial distribution of Bellyache bush in South A...
Abstract: Stingless/meliponine bees are eusocial insects whose polylactic nature enables interaction with a wide variety of wild plants and crops that enhance pollination and, hence, support ecosystem services. However, their true potential regarding pollination services and honey production is yet to be fully recognized. Worldwide, there are over 800 species of meliponine bees, with over 20 species documented on the African continent. Out of these, only 12 species have been well documented ...
Abstract: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris (L.)) are major sources of protein for human and animal consumption. Production of these crops is hampered by insect pests, especially the complex of brown spiny bugs of the genus Clavigralla (Hemiptera: Coreidae) which causes yield loss of up to 100% in various parts of Africa. The current practice of pesticide application to control these species is not efficient and has negative impacts on human health and ...
Abstract: Amaranths are African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) that are gaining popularity in several countries around the world due to their nutritional, medicinal and economic values. Insect pests are however a major challenge to optimum production of amaranths. The lepidopteran defoliator moth commonly known as Hawaiian beet webworm/amaranth leaf-webber, Spoladea recurvalis has been reported to be a major pest in amaranth fields, with the potential of causing complete defoliation under seve...
Abstract: Grasses in the genus Brachiaria, commonly known as brachiaria are grown as a fodder crop in sub-Saharan Africa, with some genotypes being used in management of the spotted stemborer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) through a habitat management strategy. Stemborer is a major insect pest of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) and maize (Zea mays L.) in Africa. However, utilization of brachiaria in cereal-livestock based farming systems in the region faces several bi...
Abstract: Grain legumes are among the key economical crops widely grown in western and eastern Africa as important sources of food and animal fodder. However, the production of grain legumes in Kenya is seriously affected by a complex of insect pests particularly thrips. Yield losses of 20 to 100% have often been reported in some areas. The bean flower thrips (BFT), Megalurothrips sjostedti is considered to be the most important thrips pest of grain legumes. Chemical control is still the mai...