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24 pages, 5886 KiB  
Article
GIS-Driven Multi-Criteria Assessment of Rural Settlement Patterns and Attributes in Rwanda’s Western Highlands (Central Africa)
by Athanase Niyogakiza and Qibo Liu
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6406; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146406 - 13 Jul 2025
Viewed by 467
Abstract
This study investigates rural settlement patterns and land suitability in Rwanda’s Western Highlands, a mountainous region highly vulnerable to geohazards like landslides and flooding. Its primary aim is to inform sustainable, climate-resilient development planning in this fragile landscape. We employed high-resolution satellite imagery, [...] Read more.
This study investigates rural settlement patterns and land suitability in Rwanda’s Western Highlands, a mountainous region highly vulnerable to geohazards like landslides and flooding. Its primary aim is to inform sustainable, climate-resilient development planning in this fragile landscape. We employed high-resolution satellite imagery, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and comprehensive geospatial datasets to analyze settlement distribution, using Thiessen polygons for influence zones and Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) for spatial clustering. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was integrated with the GeoDetector model to objectively weight criteria and analyze settlement pattern drivers, using population density as a proxy for human pressure. The analysis revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in settlement distribution, with both clustered and dispersed forms exhibiting distinct exposure levels to environmental hazards. Natural factors, particularly slope gradient and proximity to rivers, emerged as dominant determinants. Furthermore, significant synergistic interactions were observed between environmental attributes and infrastructure accessibility (roads and urban centers), collectively shaping settlement resilience. This integrative geospatial approach enhances understanding of complex rural settlement dynamics in ecologically sensitive mountainous regions. The empirically grounded insights offer a robust decision-support framework for climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, contributing to more resilient rural planning strategies in Rwanda and similar Central African highland regions. Full article
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20 pages, 2451 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Biometeorological, Demographic, and Ecological Factors on the Population Density of Wild Boar in Slovakia
by Martina Gočárová, Nina Moravčíková, Ladislav Molnár, Martin Fik and Radovan Kasarda
Sustainability 2025, 17(10), 4516; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17104516 - 15 May 2025
Viewed by 534
Abstract
This study examined the factors influencing wild boar population density in Slovakia from 2013 to 2023, focusing on biometeorological, demographic, and ecological variables. Linear regression models were used to analyze spring population figures and the number of hunted animals across eight self-governing regions. [...] Read more.
This study examined the factors influencing wild boar population density in Slovakia from 2013 to 2023, focusing on biometeorological, demographic, and ecological variables. Linear regression models were used to analyze spring population figures and the number of hunted animals across eight self-governing regions. Following the African swine fever outbreak in 2019, population dynamics changed significantly. The number of wild boars hunted increased while population densities decreased, particularly in the Presov, Kosice, and Banska Bystrica regions. Biometeorological factors, including monthly air temperature and precipitation, significantly influenced wild boar density at the national level, with soil temperature at a 5 cm depth playing a key role regionally. Demographic factors, such as road network and human population densities, also impacted wild boar populations, with road network density being the most important. Ecological factors, including the presence of brown hares, common pheasants, and grey wolves, had varying effects across regions. Grey wolf predation and interspecies competition were particularly significant in mountainous, less urbanized areas. The joint influence of biometeorological and demographic factors was higher in regions affected by African swine fever. This study highlights the complex interactions between environmental, demographic, and ecological factors and provides insights into more effective wildlife management strategies aimed at the sustainable management of wild boar populations. It advocates for a regionally tailored, integrated approach that considers the influence of biometeorological, demographic, and ecological factors, while also addressing the risks associated with epidemics, such as African swine fever. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
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21 pages, 299 KiB  
Article
Ecological Sustainability for “Life on Land”: Wellspring of Indigenous Knowledge
by Léocadie Wabo Lushombo
Religions 2025, 16(3), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16030311 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1233
Abstract
This article argues that indigenous knowledge is significantly resourceful for ecological sustainability, without which humanity will not survive. It addresses the intersection between the 15th United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) “Life on Land” and African indigenous knowledge systems, including the fundamental support [...] Read more.
This article argues that indigenous knowledge is significantly resourceful for ecological sustainability, without which humanity will not survive. It addresses the intersection between the 15th United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) “Life on Land” and African indigenous knowledge systems, including the fundamental support system that can sustain the livelihoods of communities. It reconstructs the vision of ecological sustainability from the indigenous knowledge perspective by first analyzing the inadequacy of the United Nations carbon-pricing approach to reforestation and conservation in developing countries. Then, it uses the ethnosphere methodological approach, affirming the ecological ethical warrants found in indigenous epistemology and cosmology in regard to land protection in dialogue with the sustainability vision of Laudado Si’, Querida Amazonia, and Laudate Deum. This article explores indigenous knowledge’s wellspring for ecological sustainability and what it offers for a more sustainable “Life on Land”. It suggests an approach to ecological sustainability that goes beyond a market-based instrument to CO2 reduction to embrace a view of the “sacramental universe” as essential theological input, without which sustainable “Life on Land” cannot be met. It concludes by showing how African mountain region conservancy practices are not essential in sustaining “Life on Land” not solely because they provide the earth’s freshwater but also because they contain valuable ecologically sensitive cultural and religious wisdom. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development: The Normative Contribution of Theology)
5 pages, 228 KiB  
Reply
Reply to Del Guacchio et al. The Genus Lophiolepis Is at Least as Well Supported as Afrocarduus, Afrocirsium, and Nuriaea. Comment on “Moreyra et al. African Mountain Thistles: Three New Genera in the Carduus-Cirsium Group. Plants 2023, 12, 3083”
by Lucía D. Moreyra and Alfonso Susanna
Plants 2024, 13(23), 3400; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233400 - 4 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 623
Abstract
We recently published a paper that presented the first Hyb-Seq phylogeny for subtribe Carduinae, in which we described three new genera endemic to the African Sky-Islands [...] Full article
7 pages, 770 KiB  
Comment
The Genus Lophiolepis Is at Least as Well Supported as Afrocarduus, Afrocirsium, and Nuriaea. Comment on Moreyra et al. African Mountain Thistles: Three New Genera in the Carduus-Cirsium Group. Plants 2023, 12, 3083
by Emanuele Del Guacchio, František Zedek, Paolo Caputo, Duilio Iamonico and Petr Bureš
Plants 2024, 13(23), 3399; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233399 - 4 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 988
Abstract
Moreyra and co-authors, in their recent paper published in Plants, presented a desperately needed Hyb-Seq phylogeny of the genus Cirsium sensu lato. Through their findings, they provided a critical assessment of an earlier proposal of ours to separate Cirsium sect. Eriolepis [...] Read more.
Moreyra and co-authors, in their recent paper published in Plants, presented a desperately needed Hyb-Seq phylogeny of the genus Cirsium sensu lato. Through their findings, they provided a critical assessment of an earlier proposal of ours to separate Cirsium sect. Eriolepis and Cirsium italicum into the genera Lophiolepis and Epitrachys, respectively. While we fully respect their right not to accept our proposal, we cannot remain silent to their arguments that not only misinterpret our findings and statements but are often in direct conflict with their own results that actually support our proposal to segregate Lophiolepis. In addition, as Moreyra and co-authors did not include Epitrachys italica (formerly Cirsium italicum) in their analyses; they have no basis for arguing in favour or against our proposal to separate it as a monotypic genus. Finally, we conclude that the genus Cirsium, as circumscribed by the above-mentioned authors (i.e., including Lophiolepis), is definitively not monophyletic. Full article
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12 pages, 3597 KiB  
Article
Termite (Blattodea: Isoptera) Distribution Along an Elevational Gradient in Northwestern African Mountains
by Aya Najjari, David Hernández-Teixidor, Bilal El Ajjouri, Yousra Benyahia and Ahmed Taheri
Diversity 2024, 16(12), 714; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16120714 - 22 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1579
Abstract
We examined the distribution of termites along an elevational gradient in the western Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. Sampling followed standardized protocols at nine forest sites (125, 325, 488, 715, 850, 1150, 1316, 1544, and 1700 masl), all except the lowest site within [...] Read more.
We examined the distribution of termites along an elevational gradient in the western Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. Sampling followed standardized protocols at nine forest sites (125, 325, 488, 715, 850, 1150, 1316, 1544, and 1700 masl), all except the lowest site within the Intercontinental Mediterranean Biosphere Reserve. We found a total of three termite species, with Reticulitermes grassei (Rhinotermitidae) being the most abundant, followed by Kalotermes flavicollis (Kalotermitinae) and Amitermes sp. (Terminidae). Comparing microhabitat preferences, we found R. grassei and Amitermes sp. exclusively in buried wood and under rocks, and K. flavicollis exclusively in dead tree trunks and surface wood. The findings reveal the distribution of microhabitats along an elevation gradient and the corresponding preferences of termite species across these microhabitats. We found that total termite density decreased significantly with elevation (rs = −0.40; p < 0.001), but with distinct differences among species. Kalotermes flavicollis and Amitermes sp. showed a strong negative correlation between density and elevation. In contrast, for R. grassei, the most common termite, we found no significant correlation. Termite density also varied among forest types, with a non-significant trend (p = 0.075) of higher density in the cork oak forest (hits/m2 = 0.06) compared to holm oak (0.04) and fir–cedar (0.02) forests. This research contributes to the limited knowledge of termite diversity and ecology in northern Africa and western Mediterranean forests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Termites)
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15 pages, 262 KiB  
Article
Religious Possession and Self-Repossession: The Black Nationalist Movements and the Anglophone Caribbean Ritual Plays in the 1960s–1970s
by Xin Li and Hongwei Chen
Religions 2024, 15(10), 1288; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15101288 - 21 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1389
Abstract
Since achieving political independence in the 1960s, Anglophone Caribbean nations have faced the urgent task of exploring cultural independence. In the socio-cultural sphere, Black nationalism dominated, with Pan-Africanism and Rastafarianism exerting significant influence. In literary creation, writers and intellectuals sought to unearth local [...] Read more.
Since achieving political independence in the 1960s, Anglophone Caribbean nations have faced the urgent task of exploring cultural independence. In the socio-cultural sphere, Black nationalism dominated, with Pan-Africanism and Rastafarianism exerting significant influence. In literary creation, writers and intellectuals sought to unearth local popular religions and folk traditions to produce literature that was distinctively Caribbean. In this quest, rituals—especially those involving religious possession—emerged as pivotal tools for writers to explore historical traditions and reflect on identity formation. Ritual plays, in particular, vividly represented these dynamics within the socio-cultural context. This paper examines the interaction between Black nationalist movements and ritual plays during this period, highlighting their significant role in shaping Caribbean identities. It reveals that ritual plays such as Dream on Monkey Mountain, Couvade, and An Echo in the Bone challenge Pan-Africanism promoted by Black nationalist movements. Instead, they employ ancestor possession rituals and elements from multiple religious rituals to construct a native Caribbean identity. These plays underscore the central role of Afro-Caribbean traditions while also highlighting the region’s diverse cultural heritage and the localized nature of Caribbean identity. Furthermore, they broaden the use of religious rituals in recalling and understanding traditions. Full article
28 pages, 1126 KiB  
Article
Internet of Things Adoption in Technology Ecosystems Within the Central African Region: The Case of Silicon Mountain
by Godlove Suila Kuaban, Valery Nkemeni, Onyeka J. Nwobodo, Piotr Czekalski and Fabien Mieyeville
Future Internet 2024, 16(10), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/fi16100376 - 16 Oct 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1862
Abstract
The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a transformative technology with the potential to revolutionize various sectors and industries worldwide. Despite its global significance, the adoption and implementation of IoT technologies in emerging technology ecosystems within the Central African region still need [...] Read more.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a transformative technology with the potential to revolutionize various sectors and industries worldwide. Despite its global significance, the adoption and implementation of IoT technologies in emerging technology ecosystems within the Central African region still need to be studied and explored. This paper presents a case study of the Silicon Mountain technology ecosystem, located in Fako division of the southwest region of Cameroon, focusing on the barriers and challenges to adopting and integrating IoT technologies within this emerging tech ecosystem. Through a survey-based approach, we investigate the factors influencing IoT adoption in the Silicon Mountain tech ecosystem, including technological, economic, social, and regulatory factors. Our study reveals key insights into the current state of IoT adoption, opportunities for growth and innovation, and IoT adoption challenges. Key among the challenges identified for impeding IoT uptake were issues related to standardization and financial resources, labor shortage in the industry, educational and knowledge gaps, market challenges, government policies, security and data privacy concerns, and inadequate power supply. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and academic institutions to promote and facilitate the widespread adoption of IoT technologies in Silicon Mountain and the Central African region at large. Full article
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21 pages, 8182 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Active Tectonics Using Geomorphic Indices and Morphometric Parameters in the Setifian Highlands Region
by Riheb Hadji, Hassan Taib, Matteo Gentilucci, Younes Hamed, Rayan Khalil, Basim Asghar, Maurizio Barbieri and Gilberto Pambianchi
Earth 2024, 5(4), 583-603; https://doi.org/10.3390/earth5040030 - 3 Oct 2024
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2782
Abstract
The present study aims to assess the tectonic activity in the South Setifian allochthonous complex, providing insights into the evolution of the landscape. A morphometric analysis of Jebel Youcef Mountain (JYM) in Eastern Algeria was conducted to assess neotectonic activity. Six quantitative parameters [...] Read more.
The present study aims to assess the tectonic activity in the South Setifian allochthonous complex, providing insights into the evolution of the landscape. A morphometric analysis of Jebel Youcef Mountain (JYM) in Eastern Algeria was conducted to assess neotectonic activity. Six quantitative parameters were analyzed: stream length-gradient index, asymmetric factor, hypsometric integral, valley floor width-to-valley height ratio, index of drainage basin shape, and index of mountain front sinuosity across the 16 river basins in the region. The geomorphic indices are combined into a single index of relative tectonic activity (IRTA), categorized into four classes: very high, high, moderate, and low. The results identified two major lineament sets. The NE-SW lineament set is the dominant structural feature, playing a key role in driving recent geological processes and deformation in the study area. In contrast, the E-W and NW-SE lineament sets exert a more localized influence, primarily affecting the Jurassic formations at Kef El Ahmar’s central peak in Jebel Youcef, though they exhibit relatively lower tectonic activity compared to the NE-SW lineament set. Based on the relative active tectonic classes, significant neotectonic activity is evident in the study area, as shown by distinctive basement fracturing. The findings contribute to understanding the structural processes in the study area. Furthermore, the study establishes a systematic framework for analyzing tectonic activity and landscape morphology evolution, enhancing our perception of the convergence between the North African Alpine zones and the Atlas range. Full article
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18 pages, 5768 KiB  
Article
Wind Vorticity and Upwelling along the Coast of South Africa
by Mark R. Jury
Coasts 2024, 4(3), 619-637; https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts4030032 - 13 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1648
Abstract
Coastal upwelling that cools sea temperatures and nutrifies the euphotic layer is the focus of this research, motivated by how these processes benefit the marine ecosystem. Here, atmosphere–ocean reanalysis fields and satellite radiance data are employed to link South African coastal upwelling with [...] Read more.
Coastal upwelling that cools sea temperatures and nutrifies the euphotic layer is the focus of this research, motivated by how these processes benefit the marine ecosystem. Here, atmosphere–ocean reanalysis fields and satellite radiance data are employed to link South African coastal upwelling with nearshore winds and currents in the 2000–2021 period. Temporal behavior is quantified in three regimes—Benguela, transition, and Agulhas—to distinguish the influence of offshore transport, vertical pumping, and dynamic uplift. These three mechanisms of coastal upwelling are compared to reveal a leading role for cyclonic wind vorticity. Daily time series at west, south, and east coast sites exhibit pulsing of upwelling-favorable winds during summer. Over the western shelf, horizontal transport and vertical motion are in phase. The south and east shelf experience greater cyclonic wind vorticity in late winter, due to land breezes under the Mascarene high. Ekman transport and pumping are out of phase there, but dynamic uplift is sustained by cyclonic shear from the shelf-edge Agulhas current. Temporal analysis of longshore wind stress and cyclonic vorticity determined that vertical motion of ~5 m/day is pulsed at 4- to 11-day intervals due to passing marine high/coastal low-pressure cells. Height sections reveal that 15 m/s low-level wind jets diminish rapidly inshore due to topographic shearing by South Africa’s convex mountainous coastline. Mean maps of potential wind vorticity show a concentration around capes and at nighttime, due to land breezes. Air–land–sea coupling and frequent coastal lows leave a cyclonic footprint on the coast of South Africa that benefits marine productivity, especially during dry spells with a strengthened subtropical atmospheric ridge. This work has, for the first time, revealed that South Africa is uniquely endowed with three overlapping mechanisms that sustain upwelling along the entire coastline. Amongst those, cyclonic potential vorticity prevails due to the frequent passage of coastal lows that initiate downslope airflows. No other coastal upwelling zone exhibits such a persistent feature. Full article
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12 pages, 972 KiB  
Systematic Review
Low-Grade Glioma Clinical Trials in the United States: A Systematic Review
by Emily Xu, Jonathan Patterson, Angelo Angione, Alexander Li, David W. Wu, Ebrar Akca, Omar Elghawy, Alexander Barsouk and Jonathan H. Sussman
Life 2024, 14(9), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14091133 - 9 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1745
Abstract
Low-grade glioma (LGG) is a malignancy of the central nervous system that is often treatable with surgical resection and chemoradiation. However, despite an initial positive response to standard therapy, most LGG eventually progress to high-grade gliomas which are nearly uniformly fatal. There is [...] Read more.
Low-grade glioma (LGG) is a malignancy of the central nervous system that is often treatable with surgical resection and chemoradiation. However, despite an initial positive response to standard therapy, most LGG eventually progress to high-grade gliomas which are nearly uniformly fatal. There is a pressing need for more clinical trials and greater clinical trial accessibility to improve the standard of care of LGG to delay or prevent its progression. In this study, we systematically examined the scope and inclusion of clinical trials for LGG based in the United States. This cross-sectional study analyzes trends in trial design and reported demographic data from completed LGG trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov between 2010 to 2023. Inclusion criteria, investigational therapies, primary outcomes, and preliminary results were compared and summarized. A total of 14 trials with 1067 participants were included in the study. Most of the trials were not exclusive to LGGs and 14% had mutation-specific inclusion criteria. To date, two of the trials have led to new FDA-approved treatments. All trials reported age and sex, while only 57% reported race and 43% reported ethnicity. Individuals identifying as Black or African American and Asian or Pacific Islander were statistically underrepresented. Lastly, we investigated the geographic distributions of trial sites across the United States, which demonstrated several coverage gaps in the Rocky Mountain and Southeast regions. These findings suggest specific areas for improvement in LGG clinical trial reporting and accessibility. Full article
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23 pages, 48615 KiB  
Article
Precious and Base Metal Minerals in Black Sands of the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast: Mineralogical and Geochemical Attributes
by Abdel-Aal M. Abdel-Karim and Ahmed Gad
Resources 2024, 13(8), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13080109 - 9 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3417
Abstract
This paper investigates the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics, as well as the possible sources, of gold, silver, platinum group elements (PGE), copper, and lead found in the beach sands along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Using scanning electron microscopy and electron probe micro-analysis, this study [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics, as well as the possible sources, of gold, silver, platinum group elements (PGE), copper, and lead found in the beach sands along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Using scanning electron microscopy and electron probe micro-analysis, this study determines the morphology and micro-chemistry of separated grains to assess their economic potential and how various minerals respond to different transport distances. The analysis reveals that gold grains are of high purity (94.11 to 98.55 wt.%; average 96 wt.% Au) and are alloyed with Ag (1.28–2.32 wt.%) and Cu (0.16–3.15 wt.%). Two types of gold grains were identified, indicating differences in transport distances. Variations in morphology, surface features, inclusion types, rims, and chemistry of the native metals, including gold grains, suggest differences in composition, weathering degree, transport distance, deposit types, and host rocks. The average Ag concentration in gold grains (1.86 wt.%) suggests a link to mesothermal or supergene deposits. Most silver, copper, and lead grains are spherical, with some variations in shape. Silver grains have 71.66–95.34 wt.% Ag (avg. 82.67 wt.%). Copper grains have 92.54–98.42 wt.% Cu (avg. 94.22 wt.%). Lead grains contain 74.22–84.45 wt.% Pb (avg. 79.26 wt.%). The identified platinum group minerals (PGM) belong to the Pt–Fe alloys and sperrylite, both of which are PPGE-bearing minerals. These metals likely originate from the weathering of upstream Nile tributaries surrounded by igneous and metamorphic rocks from Ethiopian and Central African regions, with a minor contribution from the Egyptian Eastern Desert Mountains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Resource Management 2023: Assessment, Mining and Processing)
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19 pages, 73145 KiB  
Article
The Neotectonic Deformation of the Eastern Rif Foreland (Morocco): New Insights from Morphostructural Analysis
by Mohamed Makkaoui, Omar Azzouz, Víctor Tendero-Salmeron, Kamal Belhadj and Jesus Galindo-Zaldivar
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 4134; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14104134 - 13 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2231
Abstract
The Rif Cordillera, an Alpine orogen in the Western Mediterranean, was developed by the interaction of Eurasian and African (Nubia) plates. Neotectonic deformations of the Rif foreland influence the relief, especially in post-nappe basins and their boundaries with Jurassic and Cretaceous carbonate mountain [...] Read more.
The Rif Cordillera, an Alpine orogen in the Western Mediterranean, was developed by the interaction of Eurasian and African (Nubia) plates. Neotectonic deformations of the Rif foreland influence the relief, especially in post-nappe basins and their boundaries with Jurassic and Cretaceous carbonate mountain massifs, and they contribute to highlighting the recent evolution of the Cordillera. The topographic and hydrological lineaments of these basins were characterised on the basis of multi-scale morphostructural data analysis, supported by digital mapping and GIS. They were correlated with geological structures, essentially with fractures. The outcrops of the Upper Tortonian and Messinian deposits depict well-defined geometric shapes with roughly rectilinear boundaries, as defined by their contacts with the massive and rigid rocks of the Jurassic and Cretaceous series. Upper Tortonian deposits evidence major regional N70°E and N40°E lineaments, which are obliquely intersected by late structures. Messinian N120°E and N25°E lineaments, associated with N140°E lineaments, are also recognised. The interpretation of these lineaments as faults indicates the activity of two systems of transtensive sinistral and then dextral brittle shearing that correspond to two episodes of neotectonic deformation that played a decisive role in shaping the reliefs of the Eastern Rif. These deformations are particularly relevant to isolate basins and likely have a key role during the closure of the South Rifian corridor during the Mediterranean Messinian Salinity crisis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Earth Sciences)
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20 pages, 11131 KiB  
Article
Soil-Forming Factors of High-Elevation Mountains along the East African Rift Valley: The Case of the Mount Guna Volcano, Ethiopia
by Mekonnen Getahun Sisay, Enyew Adgo Tsegaye, Alemayehu Regassa Tolossa, Jan Nyssen, Amaury Frankl, Eric Van Ranst and Stefaan Dondeyne
Soil Syst. 2024, 8(2), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems8020038 - 24 Mar 2024
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3187
Abstract
The soils of the high-elevation mountains along the East African Rift Valley are poorly understood. Assessing the potential of soils for agriculture, climate change mitigation, and environmental functioning requires insight into how they relate to the factors influencing soil formation. Between 3000 and [...] Read more.
The soils of the high-elevation mountains along the East African Rift Valley are poorly understood. Assessing the potential of soils for agriculture, climate change mitigation, and environmental functioning requires insight into how they relate to the factors influencing soil formation. Between 3000 and 4120 m a.s.l., 85 soil profiles of Mount Guna were described and sampled. Standard physicochemical analyses were done on all pedons. Additionally, X-ray diffraction, Alox and Feox content, and P fixation were performed on six selected profiles. Soils on Mount Guna included Andosols, Phaeozems, Leptosols, Regosols, Cambisols, Luvisols, and Vertisols. With increasing elevation, clay content, bulk density, and pH decreased while the C:N ratio remained constant. In contrast, sand, silt, silt-to-clay ratio, SOC, Ntotal, and SOCS increased. With a factor analysis, the soil-forming factors’ elevation/climate could be disentangled from the factor’s parent material as these affect topsoil and subsoil differently. In the ordination based on climate/elevation and parent material, Andosols and Vertisols stood out while other Reference Soil Groups (RSG) showed indistinct patterns. Soil erosion appeared as an additional soil-forming factor not accounted for by the factor analysis. The distribution of the RSG was significantly associated with elevation belts (p < 0.001), lithology (p < 0.001), and landcover (p < 0.003). On the summital ridge, the Andosols were crucial for groundwater storage due to high precipitation. Shallow and stony soils in the mid-elevation belt contributed to runoff generation. Average soil carbon stock ranged from 8.1 to 11 kg C m−2 in the topsoil and from 29.2 to 31.9 kg C m−2 in the upper meter, emphasizing the global importance of high-elevation areas for carbon sequestration. Full article
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12 pages, 288 KiB  
Article
Comparative Study of Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Local Mediterranean Donkey Breeds
by Mohamed Aroua, Hayet Haj Koubaier, Chaima Rekik, Antonella Fatica, Samia Ben Said, Atef Malek, Mokhtar Mahouachi and Elisabetta Salimei
Foods 2024, 13(6), 942; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13060942 - 20 Mar 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1970
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate carcass and meat quality traits in Masri (n = 14) and North African (n = 14) male donkeys, raised in a semi-intensive breeding system, grazing on mountainous areas, with supplementation of 1 kg of barley per [...] Read more.
This study aimed to evaluate carcass and meat quality traits in Masri (n = 14) and North African (n = 14) male donkeys, raised in a semi-intensive breeding system, grazing on mountainous areas, with supplementation of 1 kg of barley per day per animal, slaughtered at 5 (±0.48) years old. Compared to Masri, the North African population exhibited higher (p < 0.05) final body weights (181.7 ± 2.1 and 212.5 ± 7.6 kg) and cold carcass weights (101.7 ± 1.3 and 116.2 ± 4.5 kg), but lower (p < 0.05) cold dressing percentages (56.0 ± 0.4 and 54.6 ± 0.4%). Meat quality analyses showed higher (p < 0.05) cooking loss values in Masri meat (43.9 ± 0.8 vs. 39.9 ± 1.2%). Among the meat color parameters, the hue value was higher (p < 0.05) in North African samples (0.42 ± 0.01 vs. 0.39 ± 0.1). Meat from North African donkeys had higher (p < 0.05) dry matter, fat, and protein contents. Meat amino acid analysis revealed abundant levels of lysine, leucine, and methionine, in both populations. Donkey meat from both populations presented a high polyunsaturated fatty acids content, resulting in polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids and omega 6/omega 3 ratios for all breeds close to the recommended values for human health. Atherogenic and thrombogenic indices were also suggested to have positive effects on consumers’ artery health. The characteristics of donkey meat present intriguing nutritional aspects compared to ruminant meat, and its production should be encouraged in the rural development of inner-Mediterranean areas. Full article
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