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Bacterial diversity in relation to anthropogenic activities: a case study of Kibale national park wetlands, Uganda
(Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2024-11) Munguleni, Vincent
Bacterial diversity refers to the vast variety of bacteria in an ecosystem which function in maintaining wetland ecosystem health through nutrient recycling for the trophic status and building symbiotic relationships with other organisms. This system is being threatened in many wetlands of Uganda as a result of an increase in anthropogenic activities such as agriculture and urbanization. The study aimed to examine bacterial diversity in relation to the anthropogenic activities in Kibale National Park (KNP) wetlands. A cross-sectional design was used in data collection. Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes were determined in ArcMap 10.8 through unsupervised classification of high-resolution images of twenty years for 2003, 2013 and 2023. The level of wetland degradation was determined using the Anthropogenic Activity Index (AAI) score. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity and pH were measured with an electrical meter. Meanwhile, composition of bacteria from 50 water samples was determined using Environmental Deoxyribonucleic Acid (eDNA) technologies and metabarcoding. The forest cover of KNP reduced from 78% to 42% in the 20 years while farmland, grassland and built-up all significantly increased. Generally, there was a significant difference in physicochemical properties and AAI between inforest and outforest wetlands of similar types. Outforest wetland were more degraded then inforest wetlands. The dominant bacterial phyla in all wetlands were Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota where the former dominated inforest wetlands and the later dominated outforest wetlands. Bacterial diversity significantly varied between inforest and outforest wetlands of the same type except for swamps where they were similar. As a result of differences in environmental conditions, bacteria composition was richer in intact wetlands than in degraded wetlands of similar types. Conditions in degraded wetlands abundantly harboured harmful species such as Arcobacter cryaerophilus and those known to thrive in polluted waters like Thiothrix nivea. Reduction in forest cover led to increased anthropogenic activities around the wetlands which altered their physicochemical properties that then negatively influenced their bacterial diversity. The wetlands of KNP should therefore be restored and protected through science backed interventions and policies for improved ecosystem health. This would benefit both the community by providing clean-safe water and improved sanitation as well as saving the biodiversity in these wetlands from damage.
Assessing production and nutrient composition of vermicompost of biodegradable domestic waste in Kasokoso slum in Kira municipality, Wakiso district
(Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2024-10) Atuhaire, Mavis Gift
The study assessed the production of compost from organic domestic waste through vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is not well studied as a method of waste management in urban slums. This study uses Kasokoso slums as s case study to assess production and nutrient composition of biodegradable domestic waste through vermicomposting in slum amidst challenges of the densely populated urban slums. A total of 356 households were interviewed about waste handling methods used in the area and the challenges faced in waste handling using random sampling technique. An experiment aimed at investigating the effect of worms on soil nutrient levels over a period of four months was also carried out from November 2022 to February 2023. Five boxes containing organic waste and worms constituted the experimental sample, while the control sample comprised of five boxes of waste without worms. Samples from the experiment were collected on day one, and subsequently, monthly for the next three months. The results on waste handling practices in Kasokoso Village revealed that kitchen refuse (96.3%), plastic (31.3%), glass (22.5%), and animal waste (13.6%) were the main components of household waste. Disposal methods such as burning (32.4%), dumping in designated place (13.6%), waste pit (13.5%), open space (8.1%) and Burying (2.7%) were used by the community to manage domestically produced waste. Open dumping poses environmental and health risks. Whereas Informal waste management networks involving local individuals and collectors play a vital role, formal waste management services exist but face limitations due to cost and accessibility issues. Encouraging sustainable practices like recycling and composting is essential to tackle waste management challenges. The analysis of vermicompost quality showed an increase nutrient composition; of 5.8% nitrogen in the treatment as compared to 0.9% in the control, moisture content of 8.9% in the treatment compared to a 2.5% change in the control, and pH of 2.8% and 6.4% change in the treatment and control samples respectively. Although statistically insignificant, these nutrients were slightly higher in the experimental sample (P value of 0.161> 0.05). Challenges in waste disposal are accelerated by poor sanitation, leading to waste accumulation in public and residential areas. This results in health risks and diseases like cholera and bilharzia. The lack of a proper waste management system and limited resources make waste collection and transportation expensive and irregular. Improper waste disposal obstructs water channels, leading to damaged roads, causing stagnant water, increased flood risk, and environmental degradation. This research contributes valuable insights to the pool of knowledge regarding environmentally sustainable waste management techniques within densely populated slums of urban areas using vermicomposting. However, there is need to further research on vermicomposting using a different species of earth worms besides the red earth used in this study.
Bachwezi Bashomi in western Uganda: origins, beliefs and practices
(Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2024-10) Tinkamanyire, Joy
The study explored the origins, beliefs and practices of the Bachwezi Bashomi religious movement in Western Uganda. It also examined the theological contributions of Bachwezi Bashomi in the study of religions in Africa. The phenomenon of Bachwezi Bashomi has since the introduction of foreign religions in Africa presented a theological challenge as the study of African traditional religions came into perspective. This theological challenge is exhibited in the double lives of Bachwezi Bashomi practitioners - they fully embrace and practice Christianity while having very strong belief in their ancestral spirits of the Bachwezi (mystical people who are believed to have lived in the interlacustrine region, and eventually morphed into ancestral spirits) as angels or messengers sent by the supreme God. In this sense, Bachwezi Bashomi are truly Christian and truly African traditionalists. Its adjectival name as Bachwezi Bashomi (literally means Bachwezi who are Christians, who read or enlightened) is a theological problem. Does Bachwezi Bashomi represent theological transactions between African ancestral religious ideas with the foreign religions, especially missionary Christianity, which was associated with the art of literacy? To understand this problem, the study examined their origins, beliefs and practices by targeting both practitioners. This study was based on the following objectives: To explain the meaning of Bachwezi Bashomi; To trace the origins of Bachwezi Bashomi; To explain the beliefs and practices of Bachwezi Bashomi; To examine the theological contributions of Bachwezi Bashomi. The study is qualitative in outlook employing descriptive and analytical approaches. The methods used for data collection are semi structured interviews and observation photography and document analysis. The study established the following key findings: The name as Bachwezi Bashomi denotes the idea of an African religious system which has been Christianized; Bachwezi Bashomi is a blend of African traditional spirituality with other foreign religious ideas especially Christianity; The African spiritual realities like ancestors are central and given prominence as angels or messengers of God; Bachwezi Bashomi stands for the ongoing quest for Africans to express their spirituality and culture in the face of the changing world, by blending modernity with their cultures. Through the encounter with the participants, the researcher recommends that: Bachwezi Bashomi deserve respect, mutual understanding for harmonious co-existence; other religions like Christianity should recognize Bachwezi Bashomi in its right without bias or prejudice; The Bachwezi Bashomi continued growth needs more scholarly work for it holds the Africanism that we cannot deny.
Dough rheology and baking properties of bread from wheat/ hybrid banana composite flour
(Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2024-02) Kimera, Baker
In spite of high productivity and good agronomic adoptability of hybrid cooking bananas, they have undesirable sensory characteristics hence low consumer acceptability. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of partial substitution of wheat with hybrid cooking banana flour on the dough rheology and baking properties of composite bread. Five hybrid banana varieties; M30, M9, N15, N21 and N23 were used in this study. Bananas at green maturity were processed into flour and blended with wheat to make various composite flours (10/90, 20/80, 30/70 and 40/60%). Unblended wheat flour (100%) was used as a control. The different blends were then used to make the wheat composite bread using the straight-dough method. Rheological properties of the composite dough were analyzed using a consistograph (water absorption capacity and maximum pressure), alveograph (peak height, extensibility and baking strength) and farinograph (mixing tolerance index and development time). Textural properties (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness) were determined using the texture analyzer while sensory attributes were investigated using the 9-point hedonic scale. The dough rheology values reported in this study ranged from; water absorption capacity (47.25% to 54.45%), maximum pressure (1315.50 mbar to 2911.50 mbar), peak height (82.50 mm to 151.50 mm), extensibility (19.50 mm to 113.50 mm), baking strength (67.50 J to 244.50 J), development time (1.10 min to 5.40 min) and mixing tolerance index (86.00 BU to 175.50 BU).
Hardness increased with increasing banana flour percentage inclusions, ranging from 2.09 N to 4.39 N. Springiness had no specific trend across the hybrids, but ranged from 0.35 to 0.80. Cohesiveness decreased with an increase in banana flour inclusion levels, ranging from 0.05 to 0.56. Sensory evaluation results showed a decrease in panel acceptability of the composite bread as the percentage inclusion of hybrid banana flour increased. The best scores for the sensory parameters evaluated were recorded at 10% inclusions of M30. Inclusion of hybrid banana flour up to 10% for all varieties studied as well as 20% inclusions for M30, N21 and N15 was comparable to 100% wheat flour. It is therefore recommended to use up to 20% inclusion levels of hybrid cooking banana flour from M30, N21 and N15 in preparation of hybrid banana / wheat composite bread.
Contribution of selected ingredients to the quality of wheat/unpeeled orange fleshed sweet potato puree composite bread
(Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2024-02) Skaka, Vitalis
The development of bread from composite formulations is increasing and has attracted much attention from researchers driven by the desire to find non-wheat-bread-making alternatives in order to reduce dependence on imported wheat. However, formulation and production of acceptable composite bread requires understanding the effects of ingredients on bread quality. this study aimed at assessing the contribution of selected ingredients to the quality of composite dough made from wheat flour and unpeeled orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) puree as well as physical qualities, nutritional composition, and consumer acceptability of the resultant bread. A 2-level fractional factorial design (28-3) at resolution IV was used to design a screening experiment and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to analyze data. Prmax and water Absorption of the composite dough were studied using the alveoconsistograph. Physical properties and nutritional composition of composite bread were analyzed using AACC, AOAC and ICC standard methods. Consumer acceptability was assessed by an untrained panel of evaluators using a 9-point Hedonic scale. Significant models were developed at p<0.05 and coefficient of determination, R2 was used to test fitness of the model terms. Prmax and Water absorption decreased as proportions of unpeeled OFSP puree increased from 20% to 50%. Proportion of unpeeled OFSP puree negatively affected crumb colour, specific volume, springiness, flavour, aroma and general acceptability but had a positive effect on weight, moisture content, Total carotenoid content, β-carotene content, vitamin A content, reducing sugar content, protein content, Amylose and amylopectin ratio and starch content. Yeast positively affected volume and crust colour with negative effect on baking loss, staling rate, firmness and chewiness. Treatment of unpeeled OFSP (pasteurized and unpasteurized/fresh) negatively affected texture. Variety had a significant effect on crude fiber with NASPOT13O having a negative effect and NKB135 exhibiting a positive effect. Fat negatively affected cohesiveness. Ascorbic acid (improver) had the least effect on the study responses. Principal component Analysis indicated a negative correlation between nutritional and sensory properties. a positive correlation between textural properties and sensory properties and a high correlation between physical and sensory properties of the bread were observed. The study concluded that the most significant among the selected ingredients that affected quality of wheat/unpeeled OFSP puree bread were proportion of puree, yeast and fat. The study also concluded that treatment and variety had significant effects on the quality of the composite bread.