Scholarly works in Wildlife and Ecotourism Management
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.ui.edu.ng/handle/123456789/599
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Item Status report for amphibian conservation in Nigeria(Society for Conservation Biology, 2019) Coker, O. M.; Isong, O. M.Item Morphologic and phylogenetic investigations revealed size-divergent clades in chelae morphotypes of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium vollenhovenii Herklots (Decapoda: Palaemonidae) in a lake and river system of Southwest Nigeria(Springer Open, 2024) Oyediran, O. O.; Coker, O. M.; Oche, C.; Akanmu, O. A.; Alamu, O.; Azuh, V. O.; Idowu, C. F.Background The freshwater prawn Macrobrachium vollenhovenii is one of the largest Macrobrachium species, a biological agent against human schistosomiasis, and a cheap protein source in riverine communities in West Africa. However, its aquaculture development for sustainable utilization is challenged by cryptic identity amidst the pres- ence of morphotypes of unknown size and genetic relatedness. This study aimed to investigate the maximum sizes and evolutionary links of chelae morphotypes in M. vollenhovenii for precise identification and utilization in a 3x2 randomized block experimental design. Ninety biggest encountered samples of M. vollenhovenii chelae morpho- types-those possessing equal left and right side chelae, longer left chelae, and shorter left chelae—were obtained from fisherfolks' catches at each of Asejire Lake and Ogun River during peak seasons (July-September) bimonthly field survey, representing EAAL, LLAL, SLAL-GAALS, and EAOR, LLOR, SLOR-GAORS. These were analyzed for differences (p<0.05) in size-linked parameters-length (L (cm)), weight (W (g)), and condition factor (K). Specimens' 16S rRNA nucleotide sequences were utilized to infer phylogenetic linkages, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and amino acid translations alongside NCBI references (NCBIrefseq). Results Weight (W) and condition factor (K), among GAALs, for SLAL and LLAL were similar; EAAL was signifi- cantly lowest; among GAORS, SLOR and LLOR were similar; and EAOR was significantly lowest. In GAALS, EAAL, LLAL, and SLAL had higher L, W, and K than counterpart GAORS. Sequences formed two polyphyletic groups: EAOR branch from EAAL, in which 100.0%EA rooted 75.0% NCBIrefseqs, forming a clade; and GAOR-SLOR and LLOR branch form GAOR-LLAL rooted SLAL, in which 100.0%LL and SL rooted KJ463387.1 (Badagry), forming another clade. SNP Locus 91 separated 100.0%GAOR from 100.0%GAAL and 100.0%NCBIrefseqs translating to valine; SNP Locus 171 separated 100.0%EA and its co-rooted NCBIrefseqs from 100.0%LL, SL, and their co-rooted NCBIrefseq, translating to glycine/ glutamic acid change. Conclusion The equal left and right side chelae and the unequal left and right side chelae specimens are, respec- tively, small- and robust-sized, irrespective of habitat. They are divergent size-linked clades having protein translate differences, delineable at 16S rRNA SNP Locus 171; their size variant habitat strains are delineable at SNP Locus 91. These SNP markers will be useful for precision identification and selection of the size variant chelae morph strains for sustainable utilization.Item Comparison of mathematical models describing the growth of tropically adapted Ross 308 commercial broiler chickens(University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2024) Osaiyuwu, O. H.; Oyebanjo, M. O.; Coker, O. M.; Akinyemi, M. O.Mathematical growth models are useful in describing the growth of livestock. The study was done to assess the predictive ability and accuracy of four three-parameter nonlinear mathematical models (namely: Gompertz, Gompertz-Laird, Logistic, and von Bertalanffy) and one four-parameter (namely: Richards) nonlinear mathematical model. Models were used to predict the body weight (BW) of commercial Ross broiler chickens adapted to tropical conditions (n = 1,286). Age-weight data were collected once every week for 6 weeks. The Gauss-Newton iterative process of the nonlinear procedure in SAS was employed to obtain the parameters for each model. In addition, each model's goodness- of-fit, residuals, and computational difficulty were estimated. Model parameters were evaluated using Akaike's information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC), adjusted coefficient of determination (AdjR2) and root mean square error (RMSE). The AdjR2 value for all five models was high; however, the highest value was observed in the Gompertz and Gompertz-Laird models. Furthermore, the lowest AIC, BIC and RMSE values were observed in the Gompertz models. Using a complimentary method (involving a subjective pairwise comparison of the observed and predicted BWs), the Logistic, Gompertz-Laird, von Bertalanffy, and Richards models fitted well for the data used. However, the best fitting was obtained in the Gompertz model. Some similarities were observed between the Logistic and Richards models. In conclusion, all five nonlinear mathematical models fitted the age weight data used in this study well, with the Gompertz model being the best.Item Diversity of the Ghrelin gene in Nigeria’s Fulani and Yoruba Ecotype Chickens(Sciencedomain International, 2024) Igbatigbi, L. O.; Osaiyuwu, O. H.; Fatai, R. B.; Coker, O. M.; Fijabi, O. E.Ghrelin (GHRL) is a novel 28-amino acid gut-brain peptide linked to a gene associated with the regulation of growth hormones in birds. This study was carried out to investigate the polymorphism of the Ghrelin gene in Fulani and Yoruba ecotypes chickens in Nigeria. Blood samples were collected from seventy-eight (78) Nigerian indigenous chickens comprising of 41 Yoruba ecotype chickens and 37 Fulani ecotype chickens. Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used and the MboII restriction enzyme cut site 71 of the ghrelin and genetic structure were determined. Population structure was analyzed using allele and genotype frequencies, heterozygosity and genetic variation metrics. Two alleles (C and T) and three genotypes (CC, CT and TT) were observed. In the Yoruba Ecotype, the allele frequencies were C (0.34) and T (0.66) respectively while C (0.45) and T (0.55) were observed in the Fulani ecotype and the overall population was C (0.39) and T (0.61). The genotype frequencies obtained were; in the Yoruba ecotype, CC (0.10), CT (0.48), and TT (0.41) were observed. In the Fulani ecotype, CC (0.22), CT (0.45), and TT (0.32) were also observed, and in the overall population CC (0.15). CT (0.47) and TT (0.37) were observed. FIS values for the Yoruba ecotype (-0.0847) and Fulani ecotype (0.00702) reflects random mating and inbreeding respectively. The effective number of alleles indicates that the Fulani ecotype has more effective alleles compared to the Yoruba ecotype. These results suggest that the Yoruba ecotype may be at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, while Fulani ecotype deviates for the ghrelin locus. In summary, our results may open opportunities for genetic improvement in Nigerian indigenous chicken due to the polymorphic nature of the ghrelin gene.Item Assesing the knowledge, perception, and attitude of wildlife management students toward biodiversity conservation in Nigeria(John Wiley & Sons, 2023) Ajayi, O. O.; Coker, O. M.; Agbon, Z.Despite intensified media campaigns and heightened emphasis on classroom instruction, recent international research has reported that young people are still failing to acknowledge biodiversity conservation as an issue of high priority. This study assessed students' knowledge, perception, and attitude toward biodiversity conservation in three Federal Universities offering Wildlife Management course in Southwestern Nigeria. A total of 159 respondents (15% sampling intensity) were surveyed using a structured questionnaire between July and December 2021. The findings revealed that most students had low knowledge of biodiversity conservation. This result is quite shocking given that they were enrolled in wildlife management courses. On the other hand, they had favorable attitudes and perceptions. The result further revealed that students in University of Ibadan had better attitude and perception. We concluded that there is a need to develop and teach programs and curricula that encourage and sustain the interests of wildlife students in biodiversity conservation.Item Application of multivariate statistical analysis in characterising the phenotypic variability of locally adapted Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata) in Nigeria(Lužianky: National Agricultural and Food Center, 2023) Osaiyuwu, O. H.; Adeyinka, O. A.; Coker, O. M.; Oyebanjo, M. O.; Akinyemi, M. O.While there are studies that describe the biometric traits and phenotypic variations in Muscovy ducks in Nigeria, there are limited studies that employ a multivariate approach to depict the phenotypic variability of Muscovy ducks in Nigeria. Therefore, this study aimed to explicate genetic variabilities within C. moschata using qualitative and biometric traits. This study used a multivariate statistical method to phenotypically characterise locally adapted Muscovy duck populations from seven ecogeographical locations in Ibadan, Nigeria. Four qualitative traits (eye colour, bill colour, bean colour and shank colour) and eleven biometric traits (head length, neck length, body length, wings length, shank length, toe length, thigh length, bill length, breast length, breast width and bodyweight) were evaluated in 201 ducks (109 males and 92 females). To study the possible effects of geographical locations on selected phenotypes, frequency distribution, univariate analysis, stepwise and canonical discriminant analyses and cluster analysis were performed. The association between body weight (BWT) and other biometric traits was assessed using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. Male ducks (drakes) were generally more abundant than female ducks (hens). The most prevalent colour traits of locally adapted Muscovy ducks were brown eye colour (70.65 %), black bean colour (62.69 %), pinkish white bill colour (45.27%) and grey shank colour (56.22 %). Overall, ecogeographical location did not significantly affect (p < 0.05) the measured biometric traits. However, across all locations, the sexual dimorphism was favourable in male ducks, with respect to biometric traits. Stepwise-canonical discriminant analysis revealed a substantial intermixing of biometric traits, especially in Molete, Oje, Adogba and Ajibode ducks. Similarly, the cluster analysis, although it separated the birds into different clusters, showed some level of admixture. The small Mahalanobis distance (0.61-3.88) suggested that, with respect to location, there was more morphological similarity than dissimilarity between ducks. The correlation analysis revealed that the body weight of ducks can be fairly estimated from other biometric traits due to their positive, statistically significant correlation. In general, the ducks from all seven ecogeographical locations were rather homogeneous than heterogeneous.Item Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) diversity and its implications for human and wildlife health and conservation – A review(2023) Coker, O. M.; Osaiyuwu, O. H.; Fatoki, A. O.It is clear that the global environment has changed and is still changing. The results of climate change, pollution, human use, and misuse of natural resources are tolling on humans and global biodiversity. The appropriate response(s) to these changes can be attributed to the efficacy of the immune system. The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) has a key role in maintaining global biodiversity in the face of obvious threats. Genetic variation, especially those within MHC proteins has been known to influence the ability of individuals to cope with various pathogens. In this review, we reveal from empirical research, the diversities within the MHC in wildlife, highlight the importance of MHC to wildlife and human health, emphasize the need to conserve MHC diversity for adequate conservation, and open a discussion on whether the interplay between the MHC genes and disease resistance is a question of quantity or quality. For most jawed vertebrates, classical MHC genes are the most gene-dense and polymorphic. This polymorphism in the MHC genes can be explained by host-pathogen coevolution and provides an excellent tool for determining a population's or species' immunological fitness. Their variation is undoubtedly adaptively important, and there is strong evidence that pathogen-imposed balancing selection is the primary cause of its maintenance. Over the years, variants in the MHC have been reported as major risk factors for autoimmune and infectious diseases in humans and wildlife species of conservation concern. It has been observed that, though high diversity within the MHC proffers some protection for most natural populations, this seems not to be universal. The influence of this high diversity on the survival of natural populations should be further investigated. As the debate lingers, there is a dire need to protect the present diversity at the locus. This will definitely play a very important role in maintaining the health of both humans and animals and ensuring the conservation of biodiversity in response to the inevitable changes in our world.Item Predicting the body weight of indigenous goat breeds from morphological measurements using the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) data mining algorithm(Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, 2023) Oyebanjo, M. O.; Coker, O. M.; Osaiyuwu, O. H.Classification and regression tree (CART) is a tree-based data mining algorithm that develops a model to predict an outcome. This study purposed to create a model to predict the body weight (BWT) of Red Sokoto (RS), Sahel (SH), and West African Dwarf (WAD) goats using morphological measurements (such as body length, BL; head girth, HG; head width, HDW; face length, FAL; height at wither, HTW; rump length, RL; shoulder width, SW; rump width, RW; and rump height, RH). In total, 600 goats were used for this study (200 each of RS, SH, and WAD goats). Pearson’s Moment Correlation was used to evaluate the degree of association between BWT and each morphological measurement. Concomitantly, CART analysis was performed to estimate which independent variable (morphological measurements) played a considerable role in the BWT (dependent variable) prediction. In RS and WAD goats, a positive and statistically significant (p < 0.0001) correlation was observed between BWT and each morphological measurement. However, in SH goats, both positive and negative statistically significant correlations were observed between BWT and morphological measurements. The CART analysis indicated that in RS and WAD goats, HG played a considerable role in BWT prediction, while, in SH goats, BL was considered the most critical independent variable in BWT prediction. Therefore, this study suggests that HG can be used as a prognostic index for BWT estimation in Red Sokoto and West African Dwarf, while BL can be used for Sahel goats.Item Morphometrics of two edible frog species [Crowned Bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus occipitalis), and Medine Grassland Frog (Ptychadena pumilio)] in Ibadan, Nigeria(Federal University Wukari, 2022) Coker, O. M.; Ogundare, A. D.Edible frog species are integral part of the economy as they are used as an alternative source of protein and are involved in international trade. Conservation efforts on them require information on their morphometry, which is scarce. Therefore, this study documents the preliminary morphometrics of two edible frog species [crowned bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus occipitalis), and medine grassland frog (Ptychadena pumilio)] in Ibadan, Nigeria. Twenty seven (27) live samples of adult H. occipitalis and Six (6) live samples of P. pumilio were used for this study. Live weights (LW) and 15 other external body measurement were taken. Means and standard deviations were computed. The T-tests and Pearson's correlation coefficients were conducted at p<0.05. The LW [52.14+39.58; 22.00+14.20] and Snout-vent length (SVL) [7.83±2.19; 7.00±2.00] in H. occipitalis were significantly higher than that of P. pumilio. The LW in H. occipitalis showed significant (p<0.05) positive correlations with all other measured parameters. In P. pumilio, the LW correlates significantly with SVL (r=0.94), head length (HL) (r=0.82), thigh length (THL) (r= 0.86), fore arm length (FLL) (r= 0.86), IOD (r=0.90), eye diameter (ED) (r=0.90) and tympanum diameter (TD) (r=0.90). The highest correlation coefficient (r=0.98) was found between the LW and SVL in H. occipitalis. These two parameters also had a high correlation coefficient (r=0.94) in P. pumilio. This study provides a preliminary data on the morphometrics of two edible frog species (Hoplobatrachus occipitalis and Ptychadena pumilio) in Ibadan, Nigeria. Molecular investigation of the species is recommended as it will further help in their management and conservation.Item Knowledge and perception of the Nigeria wildlife conservation laws among hunters in Lagelu and Egbeda local government areas, Oyo state, Nigeria(Forestry, Wildlife and Range Management Programme, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, 2021) Coker, O. M.; Ajayi, O. O.; Adebayo, A. P.This study assessed the knowledge and perception of wildlife conservation laws among hunters in Egbeda and Lagelu Local Government Areas of Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. The result shows that all the hunters (100%) were male, with a mean age of 50.1±13.8 years. The art of hunting was learnt by majority (84.5%) of the hunters as a form of apprenticeship from an experienced hunter or from the hunter’s father. Hunting was done on a daily basis primarily for household consumption of bushmeat, and secondarily for income generating purpose. While, majority (58.5%) claimed to have heard of wildlife conservation laws, they do not understand the meaning and significance of the laws. None of the hunters could state the number of wildlife laws that exist in Nigeria but noted that the laws hold in protected areas. On the other hand, most of the respondents (66.3%) noted that there are traditional laws (taboos) that enable wildlife conservation, especially as regards pregnant, nursing and young animals. Conclusively, hunters in the study area, despite having heard of wildlife conservation laws had a low understanding of the significance and scope of the laws. There is, therefore, a need for vigorous awareness campaign among the hunters for effective wildlife conservation.