Environment and Forestry

Although transportation is one of the basic means of measuring development, in a country, in most developing countries, rural transportation is inadequate. The study discusses the importance of the role of transportation in development with respect to rural settlement areas in rural areas of Plateau State in Nigeria. The approach was based on field observation and the interpretation of data collected to inform the role transportation plays in the transportation of agricultural produce. Roads conditions were assessed through respondents and how they ranked the conditions of roads in selected rural settlement areas in Plateau State. This was preceded by analysing sets of data from a desktop survey to put the study in context. The transportation problems faced by rural dwellers in Plateau State impacts negatively on their quality of life i.e. high cost, inadequate maintenance of roads. In spite of these challenges rural dwellers cannot do without transporting their produce to market centers. However, the challenges the challenge are the costs, the road conditions and inadequate provision for transportation of agricultural produce from rural areas to market centers.

Anatomical features of infected wood of teak (Tectona grandis) were investigated in this study. Mistletoe-infected trees were sectioned and examined under a light microscope in order to ascertain the extent of infestation of the parasite, especially the haustoria, on the wood species. Wood micrographs of healthy Tectona grandis were presented, while photomicrographs of the infested wood sections revealed patches of deposits which were noticeable at the tangential section in the parenchyma cells. Upon examination and in comparison to sections from healthy Tectona grandis, it was observed that the deposits might have been as a result of the wood response to the infestation of the parasite (mistletoe). The materials which seemed to plug part of the rays were associated to the parasite activities in the wood rays, as the areas mostly infected were the parenchyma cells where food materials are normally stored in wood. The study revealed that impact of Mistletoes goes beyond the peripheral of the bark region but further into the host wood microstructures.

Nigeria accounts for about 16% of the Shell’s global oil business ventures, and about 7% of total profits. Shell has come across a wide range of sustainable development issues throughout its operations. Against this background, this study examines the performance (environmental and social) and efforts by Shell Nigeria in moving their operations in the way that promotes sustainability; and also looks into the hindrances to implementation of the practice of sustainability. The operational data and the company statements were used to access and explain the company’s approach to sustainability. Shell’s progress in this approach was evaluated and its performance were analysed from data on its social and environmental reports for seven years (2005 to 2011). The general approach of Shell indicates that it understands sustainability issues fronting it and the actions required to improve sustainable performance. Despite Shell’s good progress in social and environmental performance over the years, as expressed in their annual sustainability reports, there still exist some challenges and worries particularly in the areas of oil spills, gas flaring and security in the Niger Delta. Among other obstacles, the operational spills in Nigeria have no significant environmental improvement over the years, and have contributed to the volume of global operational spills in Shell. It claims that 72% volume of the spills is from sabotage and theft, and the remaining percentage is due to its own operational failures and ageing facilities; but its 2011 report shows an outrageous oil spill due to its operations over the sabotage spill. Shell is encouraged to target long-term performance in sustainable development that is robust across economic, social, environmental and political spheres in Nigeria.

Water demand in Abeokuta, Nigeria and bacteriological content of public water supplied by the Ogun State Water Corporation, major water supplier in Abeokuta; is assessed in this paper. The water demand of the population was estimated for ten years based on the 2006 National Population Census result, using the geometric projection method. Forty sampling locations were also randomly selected in the city of Abeokuta. Water samples were collected - during the rainy and dry season. The samples were analyzed for total and faecal coliform count using the Most Probable Number method. The presence of Escherichia coli was detected in 39 of a total of 80 samples collected in both seasons. Water demand ranges from 2.01 x 10-7 m3 - 2.48 x 10-7 m3 per year. However, the current volume of water supplied, about 82 million litres per day (2.99 x 10-7 m3 per year), that is when the public utility is in operation is only sufficient to meet the current water demand of the population. The paper argued the need for urgent expansion of the water scheme to adequately meet the present and future water needs of the population and by extension the targets of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The paper concludes on the need for periodic monitoring of the state of water from the distribution pipe network from source to the point of use, as well as the water quality parameters that are necessary to ensure the safety of water.

Locally produced fruits (mango, pineapple and banana) were sampled and purchased from farms and markets within the Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo districts and analyzed for pesticide residues by gas chromatography equipped with an Electron Capture Detector (GC-ECD). In all, 80 samples made up of 40 mango samples and 20 samples each of pineapples and bananas were extracted and analyzed for mainly organochlorine residues (?-HCH, ?-HCH, aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, ?-chlordane, endosulfan s, p, p’-DDE etc.) and synthetic pyrethroid residues (allethrin, bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, permethrin, cyfluthrin etc.). Analysis indicates that about 88% of the mangoes sampled from the farms contained one or more of these pesticide residues. 75% and 65% of the pineapples and bananas respectively from farms and markets had one or more of the analyzed pesticide residues. The data revealed that about 6.2% of the fruit samples analyzed contained organochlorine pesticide residues of ?-HCH (0.013mg/kg and 0.038mg/kg respectively in mangoes and pineapples); ?-HCH [0.014mg/kg (mango) and 0.024mg/kg (pineapple)]; methoxychlor [0.027mg/kg (mango) and 0.048mg/kg (pineapple)]. Synthetic pyrethroid residues of cyfluthrin [0.078mg/kg (mango) and 0.059mg/kg (pineapple)] and fenvalerate [0.025mg/kg and 0.028mg/kg respectively for mango and pineapple] were also found above their respective maximum residue limits whereas 78.2% of detected pesticide residues were below the MRLs. Nonetheless, the continuous consumption of these fruits with even the modest pesticide levels can result in accumulation that could result in deadly chronic effects. In assessing the consumers’ perception of pesticide residues in fruits, about 69% of the respondents were aware of pesticide residues in fruits and the corresponding adverse effect on human health. Some have experienced pesticide poisoning after fruit consumption. Thus many wish pesticide usage in fruit and crop cultivation in general is curbed or minimized to only those who can ensure reduced levels.

The main objective of this study was the determination of optimum energy requirement and potential of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of eggplant production by non-parametric method of data envelopment analysis (DEA) in Guilan province, Iran. The BCC and CCR models of DEA were applied to energy optimization. The results showed the 29, 39 and 30 units had the score equal one in technical, pure technical and scale efficiency, respectively. Also, the average of technical, pure technical and scale efficiency was calculated as 0.771, 0.956 and 0.806, respectively. The total saving energy was about 2830 MJ ha-1 and diesel fuel had the highest share of total energy saving with 48.49%. The energy use efficiency of target units was more than present units about 26%. The GHG emissions analysis indicated that total GHG emissions of present and optimum units were about 515 and 401 kgCO2eq. ha-1, respectively. So, the total potential of GHG emissions reduction was found about 115 kgCO2eq. ha-1. Moreover, the diesel fuel had the highest percentage of GHG emissions reduction by 58.58%; followed by machinery with 17.24% and nitrogen with 15.12%. Generally, it can be said the DEA approach was appropriate methods for energy optimization and reduction of GHG emissions in eggplant production.

The presence of elements to a certain level support the physiological processes in all living organisms including human beings, but when exceeds the limit they pose health threats. This study was initiated to identify the groundwater quality parameters like pH, Ec, Tds, Na, Mg, Ca, SO4, Fl ,TH ,Cl present in Integrated Dharmapuri district. Two seasonal data of January(winter) and May(Summer) month was obtained from Tamilnadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) from 2003 to 2005 for three years .The obtained data was used for factor analysis and compared the loaded factors season wise and mapped using Geographical Information System (GIS).

The significance of temperature and geothermal gradient in relation to hydrocarbon occurrence in the BARA Field, western Niger Delta was studied using bottom hole temperature logs. The average depth to the floor of the oil generative window (7182.3m) shows that commercial hydrocarbon accumulation still lies below the final drilled depth in the field. The average geothermal gradient of 1.74 oC /100m shows that the field is thermally mature for commercial accumulation of hydrocarbon. This is evidenced in the occurrence of hydrocarbon in the wells drilled within the field. The geothermal gradient decreases radially from the centre of the field to the edges based on the position of the five wells in the field, this is confirmed by the average thermal conductivity which tends to increase radially from the centre to the edges. Areas with high shale percentage show high geothermal gradient values while areas with high sand percentage show low geothermal gradient values. Significant hydrocarbon occurrence lies below the top of the calculated depth of oil ceiling (3508.89m) and within the oil generative window of the worldwide catagenesis range (50oC to 200oC). Rapid change in geothermal gradient occurs in intervals where there are hydrocarbon accumulation showing that, changes in geothermal gradient can be used to enhance exploration activities. The occurrence of hydrocarbon within the oil generative window in terms of temperature and depth, suggests that adjacent shales of the Agbada Formation are possible source rock.

The aim of this study was to determine greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and indicators for energy use and to evaluate energy sensitivity of seed and grain corn production in Pars Abad Moghan, Iran. The data was collected by a face-to-face interview method from 144 corn farms during 2011 year. Most of energy consumption in seed and grain corns was related to diesel fuel and chemical fertilizers. The net energy, energy productivity, energy intensity and GHG emission were -4688.77 MJ ha-1, 0.06 Kg MJ-1, 16.4 MJ Kg-1 and 1810.11 kg CO2eq ha-1 for seed corn and 58330.63, 0.18, 5.53 and 1490.13 kg CO2eq ha-1 for grain corn, respectively. The percentage share of renewable, nonrenewable, direct and indirect energies were 3, 97, 46 and 54 for seed corn, and 2, 98, 50 and 50 for grain corn, respectively. The highest value of GHG emission belonged to diesel fuel with share of 64.22% and 66.66 % of total emission for seed and grain corn, respectively. An econometric model was also developed to estimate the impact of energy inputs on yield by using Cobb-Douglas production function. For this purpose, seed and grain corn yields were assumed to be functions of energy inputs.