Traditional goats and fat-tailed Sabi sheep in semi-arid north eastern Zimbabwe

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 65-73
Author(s):  
S.J.G. Hall

SummaryCharacterisations are given of the little-known Sabi sheep and the local population of the Small East African goat in two areas in NE Zimbabwe. The southern area had been more affected by drought in 1991–92. For sheep (both areas combined; n = 28 in 10 flocks) the mean declared age of breeding females and the median age at first parturition were surprisingly high (6.1 years and 4 years respectively). Breeding female goats in the southern area were younger (4.9 vs. 6.4 years), and their age at first kidding was lower (3 years vs. 5 years), than in the north (n = 122 in 25 flocks total). These advanced ages could be an after-effect of the drought. Juvenile mortality and the proportions of young that were ultimately marketed were similar to what has been found elsewhere in semi-arid Africa. Breeding females were found to be smaller than their counterparts in semi-arid areas in West Africa with mean withers heights of 56.5 cm (n = 112 goats) and 60.4 cm (n = 36 sheep). Conditions in this area appear difficult for small ruminants and the populations sampled may be well adapted to marginal environments and thus worthy of conservation.

1967 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. B. Harley

Between June 1964 and May 1965, samples of Glossina pallidipes Aust., G. palpalis fuscipes Newst. and G. brevipalpis Newst. were caught in an area on the north-eastern shore of Lake Victoria in Uganda. Both males and females were classified into age-categories according to the degree of wear of the wings. Females were also classified into ovarian age-categories according to the exact or approximate number of ovulations that had taken place. All were examined for presence of infections with Trypanosoma, which were classified as vivax-type, congolense-type or brucei-type according to their location in the flies.The percentage compositions of the samples by wing-fray category are compared. The mean wing-fray category of females of G. palpalis fuscipes and G. brevipalpis was somewhat lower, and that of females of G. pallidipes somewhat higher, than that of the corresponding males. However, the figures for infection rate in females of all three species were higher than in the corresponding males, significantly so in G. pallidipes and G. palpalis fuscipes, and it seems probable that the mean age of females, at least of the two latter species, was greater than that of males. Among females, the range of calendar ages of flies in the various fray categories was wide.The physiological age-determination method, in which females older than about 42 days are classified iDto four age-categories, does not extend sufficiently far to give a reasonable pattern for the age-composition of any of the species at Lugala, and many of the individuals caught must have been more than about 80 days old.Seasonal fluctuations in mean wing-fray and in the proportion of old flies in the population were correlated with changes in infection rate of females of G. palpalis fuscipes but not of females of G. pallidipes. Among males of neither species were seasonal fluctuations in mean fray correlated with changes in infection rate, though among those of G. palpalis fuscipes the two varied similarly between June and February.Females of G. pallidipes and G. palpalis fuscipes about 31–42 days old had significantly fewer brucei-type infections than those over 42 days old, and either the developmental cycle in the field must normally be longer than that recorded in laboratory investigations or many of the flies must become infected when more than just a few days old.


Author(s):  
Okan Akyol ◽  
Halil Şen ◽  
H. Tuncay Kınacıgil

Reproductive properties of Eledone moschata from the north-eastern Aegean Sea are reported for the first time. A total of 471 specimens was collected during monthly samplings from December 2004 to November 2005. The mantle lengths of the species were between 4.5 and 15.0 cm with an average of 8.1 cm ±0.15 for 204 males, and between 2.7 and 14.0 cm with an average of 7.8 cm ±0.12 for 267 females. The annual sex ratio (males: females) of the sampled specimens was 1:1.31. Maturity stages were recorded on a monthly basis in both sexes. The highest monthly percentage of mature females (21%) and males (46%) was recorded in January 2005 and June 2005, respectively. The monthly and seasonal gonadosomatic index (GSI) results indicated that E. moschata shows two annual reproduction peaks for each sex. For males, the first spring peak occurs in March–June and the second, autumn peak is in November. For females, the first summer peak occurs in May–June and the second, winter peak is in January, respectively. On the other hand, the reproductive season extends from November to July with two peaks in the Aegean Sea. Total oocyte stock varied from 273 to 2896 with a mean of 836 ±193 oocytes. The mean size of the oocytes was 6.26 ±0.10 mm. The maximum oocyte size found was 10.7 mm. The mean length of spermatophores was of 13.66 ±0.08 mm (range: 7.3–18.3) and their average number was 52 ±6 (range: 6–172).


Soil Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. B. M. Albuquerque ◽  
T. O. Ferreira ◽  
G. N. Nóbrega ◽  
R. E. Romero ◽  
V. S. Souza Júnior ◽  
...  

Wetland soils, especially those under a semi-arid climate, are among the least studied soils in the tropics. The hypersaline tidal flats on the north-eastern Brazilian coast, locally named apicum, are coastal wetland ecosystems in the peripheral portions of semi-arid estuaries. Despite their great ecological importance, they have been highly impacted by anthropogenic activities. Morphological and analytical data of six soil profiles, representative of the different coastal compartments (mangroves, apicum and coastal tablelands) of the north-eastern Brazilian coast, were examined to better understand the pedogenesis of apicum soils. The hypersaline tidal flat soils were classified as Typic Fluvaquents and Typic Sulfaquents with the following main characteristics: predominance of sand fraction (62–77%); presence of high-activity clays (>24 cmolc kg–1 clay); clay fraction comprising kaolinite, illite, smectite and an interstratified smectite/illite; exchangeable complex dominated by Na+ (ESP ≥15%); elevated levels of salinity (electrical conductivity, EC 25–44 dS m–1); alkaline pH values (7.5–9.5). The sandy texture and quartz-dominated composition of the hypersaline, tidal flat soils indicate a pedogenesis associated with the superficial addition of mineral material. This upbuilding process would have lowered the watertable (relatively to the ground level) and decreased the flooding frequency by the tides, favouring salinisation and solonisation processes at the hypersaline tidal flats. Furthermore, the still-existing hydromorphism would have promoted the maintenance of gleisation and sulfidisation. The presence of pyrite on the hyper-saline tidal flat soils further corroborates the formation of apicum soils from/over buried mangroves.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 55-65
Author(s):  
M R Hasanov

The Article examines the preconditions of the struggle of the mountaineers Sevres-Eastern Caucasus in the 20-50-ies of the XIX century On the basis of analysis of sources and existing literature reveals the principal causes of the struggle of the mountaineers against the colonial policy of tsarism and the local rulers. It stresses that the dissatisfaction of the highlanders was caused by construction on arable land fortresses, device the so-called fortified lines with the Cossack settlements, permanent mobilization of the local population to build roads, fortresses, requirements, burdensome taxes and the heavy duties and activities assigned to mountain communities and possession of the king's officers and the commandant of managers to intervene in the internal life of the highlanders. The article talks about the brutal repression used by the Royal officials in relation to the unhappy mountaineers - the burning of entire villages, destruction of crops and grain reserves, the destruction of the gardens - all this aroused the indignation of the mountaineers and led to the struggle against tsarist oppression and local feudal lords. The article is subjected to criticism the concept of M. M. Bliev, if the mountaineers lived by raids on their neighbors. His thesis is that in the first half of the nineteenth century the mountaineers have experienced a period of expansion of tribal relations, not only clarifies the issue of their struggle in the 20-50 years of the XIX century, but also confuses the history of the peoples of the region. The publication highlights how local authorities based on the Royal arms, brutally oppressed rank and file of the highlanders, were taken from their last horse or bull, the last under the grain in the tax bill. The article presents material about the ill-treatment of Aslan-Khan Kyurinsky and the other lords with their subordinates. The feudal lords levied a population with taxes and duties at its discretion, enriched by direct robbery. Therefore, according to the article, the idea of anti-colonial protest in the minds of the highlanders were merged with the anti-feudal aspirations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (252) ◽  
pp. 633-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
YANG LI ◽  
SHICHANG KANG ◽  
FANGPING YAN ◽  
JIZU CHEN ◽  
KUN WANG ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTCryoconite is a dark-coloured granular sediment that contains biological and mineralogical components, and it plays a pivotal role in geochemistry, carbon cycling and glacier mass balance. In this work, we collected cryoconite samples from Laohugou Glacier No. 12 (LHG) on the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau during the summer of 2015 and measured the spectral albedo. To explore the impacts of this sediment on surface ablation, the ice melting differences between the cryoconite-free (removed) ice and the intact layers were compared. The results showed that the mean concentrations of black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC) and total iron (Fe) in the LHG cryoconite were 1.28, 11.18 and 39.94 mg g−1, respectively. BC was found to play a stronger role in solar light adsorption than OC and free Fe. In addition, ice covered by cryoconite exhibited the lowest mean reflectance (i.e., <0.1). Compared with the cryoconite-free ice surface, cryoconite effectively absorbed solar energy and enhanced glacial melting at a rate of 2.27–3.28 cm d−1, and free Fe, BC and OC were estimated to contribute 1.01, 0.99 and 0.76 cm d−1, respectively. This study provides important insights for understanding the role of cryoconite in the glacier mass balance of the northern Tibetan Plateau.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
'Seun Bamidele

This article considers the role of the Civilian Joint Task Force (popularly called CJTF), a group of armed local population participating in the joint battle against Boko Haram, has become a platform for recruitment into the Nigerian security institutions in north-eastern Nigeria. CJTF members have played many roles, from mostly discrete surveillance networks in the north-eastern region of Nigeria to military combat auxiliaries or semi-autonomous fighting forces in the country. For the region’s overstretched and under pressure militaries, they have somewhat filled the security gap and provided local knowledge. CJTF can be a powerful counter-insurgency tool, but there is a compelling need to confront the immediate concerns it raises, notably in terms of impunity, and to begin planning for its long-term post-conflict transformation. The article adopts Galula’s theory of counter-insurgency. It reveals several lessons in how a community-based security structure can be applied to a conventional security engagement.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Melanie Rispel ◽  
Selma Lendelvo

Namibia is a semi-arid country and underground water sources have proven to be reliable water sources for drought-prone countries. Underground water has the ability to sustain conservation activities as long as water infrastructure is in place and maintained. Despite the different water requirements for the wildlife species, water remains an essential component of wildlife management in Namibia. Therefore, this study aims at understanding utilization of water points by various wildlife species in the Nyae Nyae conservancies, which is located in the north-eastern part of Namibia. This study used monitoring data from wildlife counts that are conducted by the Conservancy annually at water points coupled with key-informant interviews with local conservancy members and leaders as well as some stakeholders. The study shows that the Conservancy had a diverse number of wildlife species that were predominantly ungulates (70%). These species were detected at 29 water points distributed across the Conservancy. Most of the water points in the conservancy were artificial points with water drawn from the underground water sources, while a few of the water points were pans (17%). Water resources are very important resources for conservation, not only in terms of being used by wildlife but also in terms of being used to provide an indication of species diversity in the conservation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
HS Bello ◽  
T Isa ◽  
MA Isa ◽  
K Akinmuisere

This study was aim to investigate the effects of land use on the nature and population of microorganisms in soil from five different farms within University of Maiduguri, Borno State. A total of ten composite samples were obtained and analyzed in the laboratory. The total microbial population was consistently higher in the grazing reserved land with mean of 105x104CFU/g than in cultivated farms with means of 84.5x104CFU/g, 66x104CFU/g and 66x104CFU/g, for cereal (sorghum), beans and tomato farms respectively. The site with the least microbial population was gum-Arabic plantation with the mean of 29x104CFU/g. Bacteria were the most dominant species at all sites regardless of depths. International Journal of Environment, Volume-2, Issue-1, Sep-Nov 2013, Pages 224-230 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v2i1.9223


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 678-703
Author(s):  
Gamzat D. Ataev ◽  
Туфан Исаак-оглу Ахундов

The article is devoted to the study of cult sanctuaries of the early and middle bronze age, which are one of the most important sources for the reconstruction of ideological ideas of the population of Dagestan. The work is based on the materials of settlements, burial grounds, research sanctuaries, attraction and analysis of religious objects, rock paintings, which reflect the ideological ideas of the ancient population of the North-Eastern Caucasus, and Dagestan, in particular. The purpose and objective of this article is a comprehensive study of religious sanctuaries and monuments of art, on the basis of which the study of ancient religious and ideological ideas of the local population in the early and middle bronze age. A comprehensive study of household, burial and religious monuments, the study of which reveals the various religious beliefs and rituals, as well as objects of worship of the population of Dagestan in the early and middle bronze age allowed to highlight many of the problems associated with the ideological beliefs of the local population. The considered materials show that the tribes of Dagestan in the early and middle bronze age had a fairly complex and developed ideology for that time. At the heart of the beliefs of ancient farmers and pastoralists, judging by the study of religious sanctuaries, rock paintings and hearths was the worship of various cults: fertility cults, agricultural cults, cults of animals, wood, etc. They are also expressed in different characters – solar, agricultural, female, etc. Their study helped to get an idea of the spiritual culture of the population of the region to reveal that the population of Dagestan during the early and middle bronze age there existed a complex and diverse beliefs.


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