African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN: 9428-167X Vol. 5 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Developing urban ecotourism in Kenyan cities: A sustainable approach

Roselyne N. Okech

Memorial University of Newfoundland, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College,10 University Drive, Corner Brook, NL, a2h 6p9, Canada. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 14 January, 2018

Abstract

Tourism is not only a powerful social and economic force but also a factor in the physical environment as well. It has the power to improve the environment, provide funds for conservation, preserve culture and history, to set sustainable use limits and to protect natural attractions. Ecotourism potentially provides a sustainable approach to development. A frequently cited definition of ecotourism originated with The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) which states “ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas which conserve the environment and sustains the well-being of local people.” The conceptualization of urban ecotourism therefore, can be seen through the position of cities as tourism destinations and is further described through that take into account supply/ facility and demand/ user. This paper discusses the various benefits of ecotourism operations based in urban environments in Kenya and indeed the three cities, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu and their sustainability.

Key words: Tourism, ecotourism, urban ecotours.

Key words: Ayaş, natural vegetation, Arc view.

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN: 9428-167X Vol. 5 (2), pp. 001-012, February, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Ecological factors affecting the distribution of zooplankton community in the Massa Lagoon (Southern Morocco)

H. Badsi¹*, H. Oulad Ali¹, M. Loudiki², M. El Hafa¹ and R. Chakli¹ and A. Aamiri¹

¹Laboratory of Oceanography and Limnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, P. O. Box 8106, Agadir 80060, Morocco.

²Laboratory of Biology and Biotechnology of Microorganisms, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Semlalia Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco.

Accepted 11 December, 2017

Abstract

In this study, the zooplankton structure and the water quality of Massa Lagoon were investigated. Samples were collected biweekly at the three stations for 6 months from winter to summer 2008. Results show that the state of the lagoon is a hyper-eutrophic environment, characterized by high levels of chlorophyll-a and nitrogen. Pollution-tolerant zooplankton such as Brachionus was the dominant species in the lagoon. A total of 61 taxa were recorded, including 35 rotifers, 13 copepods, 5 ostracods, 6 protozoa and 6 cladocera. Salinity and nutrients in the water were the main environmental factors that affected the distribution of the zooplankton species.

Key words: Massa Lagoon, zooplankton, environmental factors.

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN: 9428-167X Vol. 5 (1), pp. 001-011, January, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Income sources and their relation to wildlife poaching in Ugalla ecosystem, Western Tanzania

Paulo Wilfred^1,2* and Andrew D. C. MacColl²

¹Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology and Environmental Studies, Open University of Tanzania, P. O. Box 23409, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

²School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.

Accepted 19 October, 2017

Abstract

In the Ugalla ecosystem, wildlife conservation is constantly and pervasively challenged by the local communities looking for ways to improve their livelihoods. The need to curb poaching of wildlife continues to spark debate amongst conservation stakeholders in the area. Assessing the livelihood contributions of different sources of income in light of wildlife poaching is vital to conservation effort. The heads of households in villages bordering Ugalla Game Reserve (an integral component of Ugalla ecosystem) were interviewed to obtain data on poaching and income sources. Income from crops (especially tobacco, maize and groundnut) and livestock (cattle), had a remarkable positive effect on not only improving household income, but also decreasing poaching frequency. Other economically important crops were rice, sesame and sunflower, although these did not significantly influence wildlife poaching. Household income from other sources, namely, wildlife, forests, small businesses, formal employment and remittances, were not significantly associated with wildlife poaching. Although generally, the study villages with relatively low mean income had high poaching frequency, the ones close to Ugalla Game Reserve tended to have higher poaching frequency than the ones far from it. However, improving agricultural production would help to lessen pressure on wildlife resources in Ugalla.

Key words: Western Tanzania, Ugalla, wildlife poaching, income sources, income determinants.

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN: 9428-167X Vol. 4 (6), pp. 001-009, June, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Testing the new ecological paradigm scale: Turkish case

Nazmiye Erdogan

Vocational School of Social Science Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: 312 234 10 10. Fax: 312 234 10 45.

Accepted 7 January, 2017

Abstract

This study was designed to test the reliability and dimensionality of the revised New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale constructed by Dunlap et al., (2000) and to examine the extent to which university students in Turkey are endorsing the NEP. A sample of 1295 undergraduate students from four universities in Turkey was selected for the study. Students’ worldviews were measured by the NEP scale which consisted of 15 statements. A self-administered survey questionnaire was used to collect the necessary data. Findings from the study indicate that there is no widespread support for the NEP: 56.0% of students hold pro-NEP views while 24.9% embrace pro-DSP views and 19.1% have ambivalent views. It was found that the NEP scale has low consistency and four dimensions, thus, the NEP items should be taken cautiously as a single (unidimensional) internally consistent measuring device. It was concluded that the NEP scale should be carefully constructed and evaluated according to the historical and cultural context and characteristics of the population under study.

Key words: Environmental worldviews, dominant social paradigm, new ecological paradigm, ecology, environmental measurement.