{"title":"Rodents and Herpetofauna (Reptiles and Amphibians) as household pests in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana","authors":"F. Gbogbo, D. Attuquayefio, A. Krobea-Asante","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45726","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45726","url":null,"abstract":"Small mammals and herpetofaunal household pests, known for their economic damages, health implications and nuisance effects on people, are frequently seen in the Ghanaian home environment. The study was aimed at assessing the relationship between the level of infrastructural development and the abundance, control methods and perception of people about rodents and herpetofaunal household pests. The results indicated that the incidence of rodents and anurans decreased with increasing infrastructural development of an area, while the occurrence of wall geckos and agama lizards was independent of the level of infrastructural development of the areas. The use of control measures, as well as the type of control measure employed, was also dependent on infrastructural development with the underdeveloped areas employing more physical and sanitary measures on daily basis, contrary to weakly and monthly bases in the developed and developing areas. Chemical control was mostly used in the developing areas while biological control was the main vertebrate pest control method in the developed areas. The level of infrastructural development of an area, therefore, gives an indication of the kind of herpetofaunal and small mammal pests likely to be prevalent in an area, and the consequences of their infestation. This information is particularly important in the choice of accommodation for rental purposes as well as town planning.","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"11 1","pages":"197-205"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45726","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70684241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The occurrences and habitat characteristics of mosquitoes in Accra, Ghana","authors":"A. Opoku, O. Ansa-Asare","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45730","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45730","url":null,"abstract":"A study to assess mosquito species occurrences and the effects of some ecological characteristics on their breeding was undertaken in Accra. Five species of mosquitoes, Anopheles gambiae s.l, Culex decens, Culex quinquefasciatus, Anopheles melas and Aedes aegyptii were found occurring in a wide variety of places. C. decens were the most abundant and widely distributed, occurring sympatrically with C. quinquefasciatus in rice fields and fishponds. The Culex species occurred largely in pools of water with high nutrient levels equivalent to or slightly lower than 2.8 mg/l NH4, 3.9 mg/1 NO3, 3.9 mg/l NO2, 2.2 mg/l S04, 9.6 mg/l PO4 and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels of range 2.9–8.8 mg/l. The Anopheles species, on the other hand, occurred largely in pools of water of low nutrient levels equivalent to or less than 0.5 mg/l NH4, 0.6 mg/l NO3, 0.8 mg/l N02, 1.3 mg/l S04, 0.8 mg/l PO4 and high dissolved oxygen levels ranging from 5.5–18 mg/l. The pH, habitat size and temperature were also identified as determinants in the species occurrence, abundance and distribution.","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"11 1","pages":"99-107"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45730","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70684339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Computing the Net Primary Productivity for a Savanna- Dominated Ecosystem Using Stable Isotopes: A Case Study of the Volta River Basin","authors":"E. Hayford","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45745","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45745","url":null,"abstract":"The hydrologic systems and the terrestrial ecosystem of the Volta river basin in West Africa, play important role in the carbon cycle. This is so because of the coupling of water vapour release and CO2 uptake during photosynthesis, expressed as water use efficiency or transpiration ratio. Hydrologic and land-cover data, together with stable isotope ratio measurements of d18O and dD, and data from the global network of isotopes in precipitation (GNIP) are used to determine the net primary productivity (NPP) of the savanna-dominated ecosystem. The d18O and dD values in the Volta rivers range from -4.72 to 2.37 mm-l and from -35.28 to 9.30 mm-1 SMOW, respectively. The results indicate that the vegetation is supported by 380 km3 of rainfall, out of which 50% is returned to the atmosphere via plant transpiration. Associated with annual transpiration is the NPP of 0.170 × 1015gCyr–1 or 428 gCm-2 from the terrestrial ecosystem. Modelled estimates of heterotrophic soil respiration in this study slightly exceeded the NPP estimates, implying a small source of CO2 to the atmosphere. This condition does not favour the postulated existence of a major sink of atmospheric CO2 in the Volta basin.","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45745","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70684384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Phenotypic and seed protein analysis in 31 Lima bean ( Phaseolus lunatus ) accessions in Ghana","authors":"I. Asante, S. Offei, R. Addy, A. Carson","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45775","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45775","url":null,"abstract":"Phenotypic and seed protein analyses were performed on 31 accessions of Lima bean assembled in Ghana. Data on 16 phenotypic characters consisting of eight quantitative and eight qualitative were analysed. There were significant differences among the accessions based on the eight quantitative characters. Seed protein analysis showed 17 bands with relative mobility of bands, which ranged from 0.01 to 0.86. An ordinal logistic regression analysis showed significant evidence for seed coat, pod beak shape and seed size association. Cluster analysis based on both phenotypic and protein data provided evidence for differences among the accessions. Quantitative characters were associated with some specific clusters.","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"18 1","pages":"129-138"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45775","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70685087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Kangah-Kesse, D. Attuquayefio, E. Owusu, F. Gbogbo
{"title":"Bird Species Diversity and abundance in the Abiriw Sacred Grove in the Eastern Region of Ghana","authors":"L. Kangah-Kesse, D. Attuquayefio, E. Owusu, F. Gbogbo","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45727","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45727","url":null,"abstract":"The sacred grove concept is one of the strategies developed by many human societies to conserve biological resources using a traditional approach. Sacred groves are currently under threat from anthropogenic activities due to lack of enforcement of traditional edicts to check encroachment. The birds inhabiting the Abiriw Sacred Grove in the Akwapim North District in the Eastern Region of Ghana were surveyed between February and April 2005 to determine the current ecological status of the grove, and to establish a bird species list. The transect count method was used to sample the birds in the grove. A total of 411 individual birds belonging to 22 families and 66 species was recorded, out of which 211 individuals of 41 species occurred in the forest-cultivated land boundary, 111 (36 species) in pristine forest, and 89 (40 species) in secondary forest. A significant proportion of species in the grove were savanna specialists. Similarity indices indicated different levels of degradation of the various blocks. The current situation needs immediate attention to stem the tide of fragmentation and degradation.","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"43 1","pages":"41-50"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45727","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70684254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An assessment of water quality of Angaw River in Southeastern Coastal Plains of Ghana","authors":"A. Karikari, J. K. Bernasko, E. Bosque-Hamilton","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45728","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45728","url":null,"abstract":"Physico-chemical and bacteriological water quality of the Angaw river were investigated at three different locations on the river. A range of water quality variables were measured in the river over a period of 12 months. The river was characterized by high ionic content. Relatively higher levels of ionic constituents occurred at the upstream while lower concentrations were observed downstream due to the influence of River Volta, which has lower ionic content. There was a dominance of Na and Cl over the cationic and anionic components, respectively, due to the effect of atmospheric deposition of sea salt. Calcium and magnesium showed a strong linear correlation r = 0.993 significant at p levels in the rainy season. However, nutrients levels were low during the study period and did not give any clear seasonal variation. The bacteriological quality of the water was poor, rendering it unsafe for domestic purposes without treatment. However, the water was suitable for primary and secondary contacts such as swimming and fishing. The poor bacteriological quality was due to direct contamination by animal and human wastes.","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"11 1","pages":"77-87"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45728","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70684290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Asante, T. Agusa, R. Kubota, A. Subramanian, O. D. Ansa-Asare, C. Biney, S. Tanabe
{"title":"Evaluation of urinary arsenic as an indicator of exposure to residents of Tarkwa, Ghana","authors":"K. Asante, T. Agusa, R. Kubota, A. Subramanian, O. D. Ansa-Asare, C. Biney, S. Tanabe","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45751","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45751","url":null,"abstract":"In Ghana, mining plays a significant role in the economic recovery programme. However, the gains are achieved at the cost of environmental and human health. For many years, the extraction of gold involved roasting which released airborne particles and large quantities of arsenic (As). Sampling for this study was conducted in March 2004 to assess the contamination status of trace elements, especially As, in water and mine workers in Tarkwa, which has nearly a century of gold mining history. Water and human urine samples were collected from Tarkwa, in addition to control samples taken from Accra, the capital of Ghana. Arsenic excretion was assessed in the first morning void urine. Concentrations of As and Mn in some water samples from Tarkwa were above the WHO drinking water guidelines. A potential health risk of As and Mn is a concern for the people consuming the contaminated water in this area. Levels of trace elements in water from control site were low compared to levels from Tarkwa. The mean urinary As concentration of 260 igl-1 from the study area was comparable to those in Asendemic areas of the world. This indicates relatively high degree of human exposure to As in Tarkwa, Ghana. Relatively low levels of As in water and no significant difference of As concentrations in urine between Tarkwa and Accra may suggest the presence of other sources of As contamination in Ghana, possibly food. This is the first study reporting 23 trace elements in human urine samples from a mining town in Ghana.","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"12 1","pages":"107-128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45751","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70684429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Water quality at the habitat of the Podostemaceae in Ghana","authors":"G. Ameka, K. D. Graft-Johnson, J. Adomako","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45720","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45720","url":null,"abstract":"The water quality and river catchment characteristics of Ankasa, Asuboni and Pawnpawn rivers in Ghana where Podostemaceae grow were determined using standard methods. The altitude of the sites ranged from 100 to 290 m above sea level. The catchment areas for the sites vary from 35 to 171 km2. Between 10–81% of the catchment areas of the sites are within forest reserves. The study showed that the Podostemaceae in Ghana inhabit rivers with the following range of physico-chemical characteristics: pH 6.7–7.3, calcium 2.2–16.0 mg l-1, ammonia-nitrogen 0.07–0. 90 mg l-1, chloride 6.8–38.0 mg l-1, electrical conductivity 26.4–138.0 mS cm-1, magnesium 0.4–9.7 mg l-1, nitrate-nitrogen 0.1–0.6 mg l-1, phosphate 0.01–0.30 mg l-1, silicate 0-21.4 mg l-1 and sulphate 1.5–20.8 mg l-1. The results indicate the quality of water at the habitat of Podostemaceae in Ghana.","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"11 1","pages":"65-75"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V11I1.45720","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70684473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comparison of two detection methods in thin layer chromatographic analysis of some herbicides in a Coastal Savanna Soil in Ghana","authors":"S. Afful, C. Akpabli, P. Yeboah, S. Dogbe","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45778","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45778","url":null,"abstract":"o-tolidine plus potassium iodide and photosynthesis inhibition detection methods were investigated for the analysis of three triazine herbicides (atrazine, ametryne, simazine) and two urea herbicides (diuron, metobromuron) in a coastal savanna soil using thin layer chromatography to compare the suitability of the two methods for the study of the herbicides. This was done by spiking 5 g of the soil sample with specific amount of the herbicide standards to generate herbicide-soil concentration of 40.24, 41.46, 40.28, 39.90 and 40.64 ig/g for atrazine, ametryne, simazine, diuron and metobromuron, respectively. Extraction was performed with acetone/hexane mixture (4:1) and the detection limit of each herbicide was then determined. In all, the photosynthesis inhibition method performed better for both the triazine and the urea herbicides, while the o-tolidine plus potassium iodide method was suitable for only the triazine herbicides. With the photosynthesis inhibition method, detectability in the range of 0.004–0.008 ± 0.002 ig/g was attained for the herbicides using the unclean extracts. In the case of o-tolidine plus potassium iodide method, detectability of 0.008–0.406 ± 0.02 ig/g was obtained. With the clean up extracts detectability in the range of 0.025–0.162 ± 0.004 ig/g was obtained using the photosynthesis inhibition method. However, metobromuron was not detected in the cleaned up extracts when o-tolidine plus potassium iodide detection method was used. For the methods described, clean up with SPE cartridge, equipped with C-18, is not critical to obtain the desired results.","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"57 76 1","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45778","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70685005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Physico-chemical properties of three salt-affected soils in the Lower Volta Basin and management strategies for their sustainable utilization","authors":"D. Allotey, R. Asiamah, C. D. Dedzoe, A. Nyamekye","doi":"10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45776","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45776","url":null,"abstract":"Differences in physical and chemical properties of three salt-affected soils, designated as pedons 1, 2 and 3, in the Lower Volta basin of Ghana were evaluated. Pedons 1 and 2 were located at Mokordzie in the South Tongu District while Pedon 3 was at Salo in the Ketu District of the Volta Region of Ghana. The soil properties determined included texture, pH, organic carbon, available P and K, exchangeable bases and acidity. The texture of the soils varied from clay to silty clay. The low pH of the soils, attributed to the presence of pyrite, ranged from moderately acidic to extremely acidic and vary in the order Pedon 1 > Pedon 3 > Pedon 2. The electrical conductivity of all the three pedons were more than 4 dS/m, thus, their rating as moderately saline. Organic C content in the A-horizon of pedons 1 and 2 were comparatively higher than Pedon 3. Total N contents of the three pedons was generally low. Available K, on the other hand, was very low within all the horizons of Pedon 2; medium in Pedon 3 and ranged from very low to medium in Pedon 1. The CEC of the A-horizon of Pedon 1 is medium but the B-horizon is between low to high. Those of pedons 2 and 3 were between medium to very high in both horizons. The CEC is generally in the decreasing order Pedon 1 > Pedon 2 > Pedon 3. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of all the three pedons were lower than 15, hence, the soils were rated saline. Based upon these data, pedons 1, 2, and 3 were classified as Gleyic Solonetz, Endogypsi-Gleyic Solonchak and Gleyic Solonchak, respectively. Suggested management practices to improve upon the productivity of these soils are ridges/mounds, application of lime (gypsum or oyster shells), organic manures and residues, planting of salt-tolerant crops, agroforestry, leaching and drainage","PeriodicalId":39286,"journal":{"name":"West African Journal of Applied Ecology","volume":"18 1","pages":"163-182"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WAJAE.V12I1.45776","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70685102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}