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Mapping Vegetation Types and Land Use Dynamics in Kanyabaha Wetland from 1990 to 2021
(Journal of Global Ecology and Environment, 2024-07) Walakira, Paul; Gichuki, Cecilia; Muriuki, John; Kasoma, Pantaleon M. B.; Ndunda, Ezekiel
Wetlands are crucial ecosystems providing essential ecological services, yet they face increasing
threats from human activities. This study focuses on Kanyabaha Wetland in Uganda, examining its
vegetation dynamics over three decades (1990-2021) using Landsat satellite imagery. The research
characterizes land use and cover types including papyrus, grasslands, farmlands, tree plantations,
built-up areas, and woodlands. Remote sensing data was processed and classified using ArcMap
software, validated through field verification, resulting in high overall accuracy (>75%) across all
study years. The images were analyzed using a hybrid of unsupervised (ISO data) and supervised
(Maximum Likelihood) classification techniques. Findings reveal significant shifts in vegetation
cover, with papyrus dominating initially but declining over time due to expansion in farmlands and
settlements. Grasslands also decreased, while areas under farming and built-up structures expanded. Transition matrices illustrate these changes, highlighting stable and shifting landscape dynamics. Statistical analyses indicate a decrease in papyrus cover from 51.5% in 1990 to 39.1% in
2021, while farmland and built-up areas increased from 3.0% to 31.6% and 3.2% to 5.1%,
respectively. This study highlights the vulnerability of Kanyabaha Wetland to anthropogenic
impacts, necessitating targeted conservation strategies to sustain its ecological integrity amid
ongoing land use changes
Livelihood Vulnerability of the Gabra Agropastoralists to Climate Variability and Change in Marsabit County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024) Mamo, B.M; Ndunda, E; Muriuki, J.
The livelihoods of pastoralist communities in Kenya are largely climate sensitive due to their dependence on natural resources. This is despite their minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. This study aimed to assess the livelihood vulnerability of pastoralists who mainly depend on livestock, crops and natural resources to climate variability and variability. This study adopted survey design whereby semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 398 randomly selected pastoralists from the Gabra community in North Horr, Moyale, North Marsabit, Sololo, Loiyangalani, Marsabit Central, Marsabit South sub-Counties of Marsabit County. In order to assess the degree of livelihood vulnerability between the different sub-counties, the study used livelihood vulnerability index. This study used focus group discussions to substantiate study results. According to the results, Gabra communities are highly vulnerable to climate change and vulnerability: Moyale (0.317), Loiyangalani (0.282), Marsabit South (0.168), Marsabit Central (0.247), Marsabit North (0.337), Sololo (0.246) and, North Horr (0.337). similar results were obtained using livelihood vulnerability index-intergovernmental panel on climate change: Moyale (0.063), Loiyangalani (0.065), Marsabit South (0.078), Marsabit Central (0.032), Marsabit North (0.076), Sololo (0.094) and, North Horr (0.076). The high sensitivity scores for all the sub-counties may be attributed to limited access to potable water in the study area. Strategies that minimize households’ degree of sensitivity and enhance their adaptive capacity should be promoted. There is need to seek increased adoption of climate-smart technologies by the Gabra community. Household income can also be diversified establishment of alternative livelihoods.
Best Practices for Acceptability of GM Crops Field Trials Conclusions: Lessons for Africa: lessons for Africa
(Taylor & Francis Group, 2024-07) Chege, Paul; Njagi, Julia; Komen, John; Ngure, Godfrey; Muriuki, John; Karembu, Margaret
The ability to transfer information about the performance, safety, and environmental impacts of a genetically modified (GM) crop from confined field trials (CFTs) conducted in one location to another is increasingly gaining importance in biosafety regulatory assessment and decision- making. The CFT process can be expensive, time-consuming, and logistically challenging. Data transportability can help overcome these challenges by allowing the use of data obtained from CFTs conducted in one country to inform regulatory decision-making in another country. Applicability of transported CFT data would be particularly beneficial to the public sector product developers and small enterprises that develop innovative GM events but cannot afford to replicate redundant CFTs, as well as regulatory authorities seeking to improve the deployment of limited resources. This review investigates case studies where transported CFT data have successfully been applied in biosafety assessment and decision-making, with an outlook of how African countries could benefit from a similar approach.
Spatial Ramifications of Dodder Infestation on Urban Ornamentals in Mombasa, Kenya
(Scientific Research Publishing, 2020-08) Ngare, Innocent Osoro; Koske, James Kibii; Muriuki, John Njagi; Gathuku, George Njagi; Adiel, Ruth Kangai
Dodders are cosmopolitan generalist holoparasites that forage on a commu nity of plant species ranging from shrubs, trees and herbaceous. In this study,
we employ mixed method research design that involved use of questionnaires
and dodder host sampling matrix. Host identification and naming was car ried out by ecological Android PlantNet Plant App version 3.0.5. Respon dents sample size was determined by Krejcie and Morgan sampling formula.
Results show that dodder was fast spreading through spatial retrospective sat ellite Landsat imagery analysis. Dodder was known by the majority of re spondents (97.1%) where the exploratory analysis score shows that respon dents’ constituency of residence influenced their understanding of dodder
(F(5, 361) = 5.329, P = 0.000). The mode of parasitism between dodder & the
hosts varied as some ornamental trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants were
either affected moderately or extremely. The study recommends use of bio technological dodder control approaches through transgenic plants biotech nology and plant breeding to develop resistance towards dodder plant para sites.
Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Land Use/Cover Change and Associated Carbon Stocks in Kanyabaha Wetland in Rukiga District, Uganda
(Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Walakira, Paul; Gichuki, Cecilia; Muriuki, John; Ndunda, Ezekiel; Kasoma, Pantaleon M. B.; Majaliwa, Jackson G. M.
Wetlands play an important ecological function of sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide and thereby moderating adverse impacts of climate change. It is therefore important to understand the dynamics of carbon stocks in wetland vegetation and soils. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of aboveground, belowground, and total carbon stocks in Kanyabaha Wetland, located in Rukiga District, Uganda, spanning from 1990 to 2021. Through field sampling and laboratory analysis, aboveground carbon stocks were assessed by harvesting vegetation biomass and converting it to carbon stock using established conversion factors. Soil samples collected at different depths (0-20cm, 20-50cm, 50-100cm) were analyzed for soil organic carbon content to determine belowground carbon stocks. The study reveals variable spatio-temporal patterns of carbon stocks across land use types, with papyrus-dominated areas exhibiting the highest aboveground carbon stocks (49.66 tC/ha), followed by small-scale farmlands (33.73 tC/ha) and tree plantations (23.01 tC/ha). Conversely, built-up areas exhibit the lowest carbon stocks (1.29 tC/ha). Temporal analysis reveals fluctuating patterns in carbon stocks, with increases observed in built-up areas and small-scale farmlands, and decreases in grasslands and tree plantations that could be due to changes in hydrological cycle. Belowground carbon stocks follow similar trends, with papyrus areas maintaining the highest stocks (39.96 tC/ha), particularly at deeper soil depths that exhibit thehighest carbon accumulation due to its extensivenetwork of papyrusrhizome.Changes in land use, especially reclamation of the wetlands for farming and settlements affected carbon capture and storage in the wetland ecosystem.These findings highlight the importance of targeted conservationof natural wetlandsand sustainableland management strategies in the Kanyabaha Wetland catchment forenhancedcarbon sequestration. Further, in depth studies in the variability of carbon stocks due to various eco-climatic factorsand anthropogenic activities are necessary to support sustainable wetland land management practices in Uganda