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Impact of Quality and Usage of Outdoor Spaces on Sustainable Campus Environment in Akure, Nigeria
Ikudayisi Ayodele Emmanuel,
Adegbehingbe Victor Olufemi
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 5, October 2017
Pages:
105-111
Received:
28 February 2017
Accepted:
1 April 2017
Published:
29 August 2017
Abstract: Sustainable academic environment has multiple benefits of fostering conducive living and learning as well as shaping student’s behavioural pattern towards sustainability practice in their future endeavours. Although an academic environment entails the interface of indoor and outdoor spaces, the outdoor spaces have received little research attention especially in Nigeria. This study focused on outdoor sustainability by examining the qualities, adequacy and level of usage of campus outdoor spaces and its infrastructures. An instrument tagged “Campus Outdoor Spaces Questionnaire (COSQ)” was used to collect relevant data from Four hundred and Ten (410) students drawn from six (6) Schools in Federal University of Technology Akure, (FUTA) Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics including frequency chart, mean score and standard deviation. The study found that the students perceived the campus outdoor spaces as well landscaped, well maintained and safe; however, they opined that the outdoor furniture, sport facilities and lighting are grossly inadequate, more importantly; the outdoor spaces lack facilities that could support learning and social connectivity. Hence, recommendations were made on strategies towards achieving sustainable campus environments, urging universities to implement outdoor projects that support learning, students’ interaction and ultimately foster sustainable environment.
Abstract: Sustainable academic environment has multiple benefits of fostering conducive living and learning as well as shaping student’s behavioural pattern towards sustainability practice in their future endeavours. Although an academic environment entails the interface of indoor and outdoor spaces, the outdoor spaces have received little research attention...
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Competitiveness of Selected Pasture Plant Species with Parthenium Weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.)
Ibrahim Mehdi,
Lisanework Nigatu,
Alemayehu Mengistu
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 5, October 2017
Pages:
112-119
Received:
4 August 2017
Accepted:
18 August 2017
Published:
13 September 2017
Abstract: The study was conducted to come across with competitive test pasture species grown in combination with parthenium at varying levels of density under field in factorial experiment using Randomized Complete Block Design. The treatments consisted of 10, 20 and 30 plants of either test species grown together with 30, 20 or 10 parthenium other than pure culture of each species with four replications. The species showed a significant degree of difference (P < 0.05) in inhibition efficiency on growth attributes of parthenium. Among the species, C. ciliaris, C. gayana and P. coloratum were strongly competitive (> 50% IE) while D. intortum and L. purpureus were ranked as moderately competitive (< 50% IE) with inhibition efficiency of 59, 68 and 73, 36 and 47% on dry matter biomass at heavier level of density respectively. At medium level of density the species had 39, 52 47, 21 and 25% and 11, 19 18, 9 and 13% IE at lower levels of density respectively. Increasing mixing level from the lower to medium density level their IE increased by 27, 33 and 29% while by 20, 16 and 26% when mixing level increased from medium to heavier level of density respectively. Similarly, at heavier density a reduction of 39, 44 and 52% on height, 30, 41 and 40% on number of tillers and/or branches and 24, 30 and 36% on leaf area of parthenium respectively. At this density, the species had RCC of 2.57, 1.69 and 2.33 and AI of 0.61, 0.52 and 0.68 respectively. Besides, a strong association seen concerning IE and growth attributes of species with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.848, 0.795, 0.549 and 0.413 between dry matter biomass, height, number of tiller and/or branch and leaf area respectively. Therefore, it can be suggested that successful management of parthenium can be achieved through biological approach using competitive pastures species in rangelands and/or other infested locations that believed to be cost effective, environmentally friendly and its sustainability could play a substantial role.
Abstract: The study was conducted to come across with competitive test pasture species grown in combination with parthenium at varying levels of density under field in factorial experiment using Randomized Complete Block Design. The treatments consisted of 10, 20 and 30 plants of either test species grown together with 30, 20 or 10 parthenium other than pure...
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Geoenvironmental Impact of Effluents Generated from Al Subiya Power Plant on the Northern Kuwait Bay, State of Kuwait
Mohamed Ibrahim El–Anbaawy,
Ahmed Abdelhalim,
Saeed Ndail,
Mohammad Al Sarawi
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 5, October 2017
Pages:
120-139
Received:
2 July 2017
Accepted:
13 July 2017
Published:
11 October 2017
Abstract: The present study proposed to assess the geo-environmental impacts of Al Subiya desalination plant discharges in the Arabian Gulf, Kuwait. Most of the power and freshwater needs in the Middle East are met by the desalination of seawater. With approximately 11 million m3 of freshwater being produced each day, the salinity of the seawater along the Gulf coast is increasing. Due to brine discharge into outlet, salinity combined with higher sea surface temperatures was increased is a big environmental challenge. Therefore, in the current study the evaluation of Salinity and conductivity was higher in outlet samples than the inlet. Understanding chemical quality of sediment is important since many pollutants bind strongly to sediment particles and are persistent in the aquatic environment. The chemical and physical make-up of sediment is largely a reflection of upstream and local geology, land use, surface run off and many other complex phenomena. Many persistent compounds have high molecular weight and therefore settle out quickly and are incorporated with other settled organic materials. Since the sediment-water layer is the most reactive layer of the sea bed, changes in the sediment distribution and its physio-chemical characteristics will certainly occur in relation to time and space. In view of this, a distribution map of the sediment is important to understand the changes in composition and nature of contamination in the aquatic environment. This study set out to survey Al Subiya desalination plant inlet and outlet of marine area in Kuwait's Arabian Gulf water and to generate an updated map of the sediments of Kuwait's marine environment, in terms of pollutant factors and the corresponding map of water quality parameters during the survey of one year. The specific objectives were: 1) total organic carbon (TOC), and total petroleum hydrocarbons(TPH) in the sediment collected from selected station, 2) analyze the water quality parameters (pH, Dissolved Oxygen, temperature, salinity, turbidity, conductivity potential) in Al Subiya desalination plant inlet and outlet region, and 3) examine the level of contamination in sediments in terms of size, composition and concentration of different metals and correlate this data with the available physical water quality parameters.
Abstract: The present study proposed to assess the geo-environmental impacts of Al Subiya desalination plant discharges in the Arabian Gulf, Kuwait. Most of the power and freshwater needs in the Middle East are met by the desalination of seawater. With approximately 11 million m3 of freshwater being produced each day, the salinity of the seawater along the G...
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