Cotton is a cash crop and enhances farmer livelihoods in northern Ghana. However, cotton yields are diminished because of drought and poor agronomic practices that result in lower lint quality. This study investigates the interaction effects between tillage methods and fertilizer strategies on root zone soil moisture retention, cotton growth traits, and seed cotton yield. The experimental design used was a split-plot with four replications. The main plot factor consisted of tillage methods at three levels: tied ridges, ridges, and flat (control). The subplot factor was fertilizer at four levels: organic fertilizer (6 t ha⁻¹), inorganic fertilizer (NPK 90-60-60), a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer (half rates), and no fertilizer (control). The results showed a non-significant interaction effect of treatments on the measured traits. Tied ridges exhibited greater soil water retention and significantly recorded the highest mean boll count (14), open bolls (12), plant height (104.7 cm) and seed cotton yield of 1.7 t/ha across the two years. Also, the combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers gave significantly higher mean boll count, plant height (107.1 cm) and seed cotton yield (2 t/ha) across the years. The adoption of these sustainable agricultural technologies would improve the soil quality and cotton yield, consequently increasing the income of smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana.

This study used 28 meteorological stations’ monthly precipitation data for 42 years (1977 – 2018) as input to generate a standardized precipitation index (SPI) for winter and monsoon. SPI3 and SPI4 are used in winter and monsoon droughts to investigate frequency, duration, and severity. This study identified monsoon droughts in 1977, 1979, 1987, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2015. The 1979 was an extreme monsoon drought event. It has been revealed that extreme and severe droughts dominated western Nepal in 1979. Similarly, winter droughts were identified in 1999, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The winter drought event of 1999 is an extreme drought. This episode is dominated by extreme and severe drought in western Nepal. Eight (winter and monsoon) major droughts have diverse natures in different areas. The drought dynamics in each episode are different at various altitudes. Winter and monsoon droughts have been observed frequently since 2000. SPI and Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) correlation patterns indicate that extreme drought and SOI are comparatively stronger than general events. Furthermore, the relationship between seasonal rainfall and SOI is strong in monsoon and weak in winter.

One of the key concerns addressed in the last 20 years was climate change, of which temperature is one of the indicating variables. According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), hydrocarbon resources have been found at the Kolmani River II in the Northeast. The relative permeability of gas increases while the relative permeability of oil barely changes as temperature rises. Foamy oil responds well to thermal recovery at an intermediate temperature, but foamy behavior can be inhibited at much higher temperatures, which seems to offset the benefits of viscosity reduction. The goal of the current study was to examine the temporal variations in temperature during 41 years in North-eastern Nigeria (i.e 1981 to 2022). A non-parametric statistical technique called the Mann-Kendall test was used to examine trends in the yearly and seasonal temperature series. This test is useful for identifying patterns in data over time. In conclusion, the yearly mean temperature series appears to have a significant trend, as indicated by the statistically significant Mann-Kendall test statistics of 4.9864 and the associated 2-sided p-value of 0.0000006152. The dataset exhibits a positive trend, as indicated by the Sen’s slope of 0.05625. This suggests that surface air temperature is rising in Nigeria. Majority of Nigerians depend on temperature-sensitive economic activities; hence the country is likely among those most vulnerable to the negative effects of global warming. As a result, the models created for this study may help to forecast temperatures over the areas it examined.

This research aimed to determine the geotechnical properties of soils along the British American area, Jos, Northcentral Nigeria. A total of five (5) soil samples were collected at a depth of 1.5 m and subjected to geotechnical tests: moisture content, specific gravity, liquid limit, plastic limit, linear shrinkage, and plasticity index. The moisture content of the soil ranges from 10.7 to 21.2%, while the specific gravity of soil ranges from 2.65 to 3.10. The liquid limit ranges from 35.24 to 38.5%, plastic limit value varies from 15.76 to 24.07%, plasticity index value ranges from 11.17 to 20.24%, and linear shrinkage value from 6.69 to 7.54%. Cassagrande plasticity chart indicates that all the soil samples plot within the CL-Group. The value of specific gravity (2.65 to 3.10) shows that the soil samples in the area can be categorized into sand, silty sand, and soil with mica or iron. Based on the value of the liquid limit, the degree of expansion was categorized into a medium degree of expansion (35-50%), while the danger of severity zone was identified as marginal (35 to 50%). Based on the plasticity index value, two (2) danger of severity zones were identified as non-critical with a plasticity index value of <12% and marginal with a plasticity index of 12 to 23%. The degree of expansion was classified as low with a plasticity index value of <12% and medium with a plasticity index value of 12 to 23%. The value of linear shrinkage indicates a non-critical danger of severity zone with a value of <15%, and the degree of expansion is low. Two (2) plasticity index zones of medium plastic and highly plastic were identified, while two (2) swelling potential zones were classified as low with a plasticity index value of 0 to 15% and medium with a plasticity index value of 15 to 25%. The soil type in the study area can be classified into two: silt clay with a plasticity index of 7-17% and clay with a plasticity index of >17%.

A study to ascertain the water quality and species composition of the aquatic insect of Eruvbi River flowing through Ekosodin Village, Nigeria was conducted between June and August 2009. Four locations were selected with physical and chemical parameters determined along with the insect fauna collected using general purpose net and sweep net; captured insects were identified and classified into taxonomic groups. The result obtained for the condition of the water revealed dissimilarities in all except pH and Total Dissolved Solids which were similar in all stations. A total of 311 individuals from 7 orders across 20 families and 27 taxa were encountered. The highest abundance in species and family was found in station 4 (110 and 18) while the least was found in station 1 (61 individuals) and station 3 (13 families). The dominant orders were Odonata, Diptera and Ephemeroptera in all stations. Trichoptera, Coleoptera. Hemiptera were subdominant while Plecoptera was scarcely found in stations 2 and 4. The diversity and biotic indices showed that the water had good quality, which was the inference from the abundance of indicator species denoting the water was free from pollution with the nature of the substratum and presence of aquatic macrophytes influencing the insect composition and diversity.

The current paper is an attempt to analyze the spatiotemporal variations in the average annual rainfall of Churu district for two decades. Rainfall data such as annual rainfall and number of rainy days of the study area were collected for the period (2000-2021). The method of interpolation used was Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) method in QGIS software. The generated maps exhibited trend of increasing rainfall amount and a slow increasing pattern in rainy days of Churu district. The south-western part of the Churu district get the lowest rainfall and the north-eastern part get the maximum rainfall. The analysis of the rainfall data of Churu district displayed the maximum rainfall and minimum rainfall in the year 2011 and 2002 correspondingly. The spatial temporal study of rainfall distribution in the district would help to solve the drinking water and agricultural water scarcity in rural and urban areas of the district. The study could be utilized for maximum crop production by applying effective crop management systems.

This preliminary observational study examines the biodiversity and human impact on the coastal ecosystem of Pantai Batu Hitam, situated along the east coast of Pahang, Malaysia. Conducted on April 28, 2024, the study involved photographing marine and terrestrial flora and fauna along the beach to document and identify species through taxonomic classification using digital tools and field guides. A total of 24 species were identified across 14 families, highlighting the ecosystem’s rich diversity, including notable plant-animal interactions. In addition to species documentation, evidence of human activities such as tourism and infrastructure development was observed, with particular concerns regarding plastic pollution and habitat degradation. These findings emphasize the need for targeted conservation efforts and sustainable practices to protect Pantai Batu Hitam’s biodiversity while addressing the challenges posed by human activities. This study contributes to understanding the balance required between ecological preservation and local development in coastal regions.

Anaerobic digestion is considered as the reliable source of renewable energy which provides two valuable products i.e., biogas and digestate slurry. Biogas, an alternative energy, is one of the important forms of clean energy whereas digestate has multipurpose usage, including organic fertilizer in many parts of the world. The compositional parameters such as C:N, cellulose and lignin contents of digestate are important indicators of their qualities that indicate the biodegradability status as well as importance in CO2 evolution and Carbon (C) turnover process. In a 35-day long incubation study, The six different feedstock sources digestate slurry was applied in silty loam soil to explore the C turnover process that were arranged in a completely randomized block design. Microbial respiration (in terms of CO2 respired) were measured to understand the biodegradability of different digestates. We found CO2 evolution was negatively correlated with C:N of digestates. The digestates releasing more carbon dioxide evolution may not be suitable manure but may be utilized by mixing with higher recalcitrance containing organic matter.

Riverbank erosion is a significant natural phenomenon that poses threats to communities residing along riverbanks worldwide. Understanding riverbank erosion-accretion trends and patterns are crucial for effective land management and disaster mitigation strategies. In the context of Mirzaganj Upazila, situated along the Payra River in Bangladesh, the study intents to identify and analyze the trends of riverbank erosion-accretion using satellite imageries and geospatial techniques. In addition, the study analyzed the patterns of displacement and socio-economic losses caused by riverbank erosion using a semi-structured questionnaire survey. The study observed that erosion is (66.42 ha/year) more dominant than accretion (47.58 ha/year) throughout the time periods of 40 years. Besides, overall people of the study area thought that riverbank erosion and flood are the most ubiquitous disasters. Statistics revealed that most of the people are suffering from land losses, unemployment, migration and divorce problems due to erosion. These findings will provide valuable insights into the magnitude and patterns of riverbank erosion and accretion, facilitating effectiveland use planning, early warning systems, and adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts of erosion. This research contributes to the understanding of riverbank dynamics and supports evidence-based decision-
making for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction in the region.

This study assessed the impact of road runoff on the ecological risk of heavy metals in the Eagle Island River. Runoff samples were collected from a drainage network of secondary and primary drains and an outlet. The drains were situated in the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt campus while the outlet is the Eagle Island River. Samples from the secondary drain, primary drain, upstream and downstream of outlet were labelled as SD, PD, US, and DS respectively. Samples were collected and analyzed using standard methods between the months of August and October, 2023. Heavy metals including Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer Instrument (GBC XplorAA, Australia). Total pollution of heavy metals was determined using the degree of contamination (Cd) and the modified degree of contamination (mCd) while the potential ecological risk was assessed by the Risk Index (RI). Results showed spatial variation of heavy metal concentration along the drainage network and Cd and Pb concentrations in all samples exceeded the WHO guideline. Cd and mCd values ranged between 22.20 – 88.70 and 4.44 – 17.74 respectively while the RI values ranged between 217.72 – 609.53. This implies that the entire drainage network was polluted by heavy metals and Cd and Pb were largely responsible for the pollution load with Cd contributing a range of 7.75% – 26.46% while Pb contributed 66.88% – 90.14%. Cd and Pb are carcinogenic, therefore storm runoff treatment is recommended for environmental sustainability.