Masters Degree Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://localhost:4000/handle/20.500.12504/96
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Composition of benthic invertebrates along river mpanga in relation to anthropogenic disturbance(Kyambogo University [unpublished work], 2023-08) Nalumansi, MaureenResearch on the assemblages of benthic macro faunal community in the River Mpanga catchment was conducted during the period November 2019 - January 2020 following the standard methods to assess the status of environmental pollution. Good ecological water quality is needed to maintain the integrity of the river system and depends on the preservation of natural conditions of the water and the surrounding environment. Unsustainable and improper use and pollution through various human activities can impair and destroy the ecological state of a natural system by changing its chemical composition and the biological communities that are naturally occurring. To assess the benthic invertebrates' composition in relation to anthropogenic disturbance along river Mpanga, chemical, physio-chemical and biological data were collected along the different sections of the river. The study area includes upstream of Mpanga river, the midstream in Fort Portal, the tea estates area downstream of Fort Portal. Results from the upstream area confirm that human activities have a large influence on the physical and chemical water quality. While the impact on the general biodiversity of benthic invertebrates is less pronounced at present, the continuation of these human activities threatens the habitat availability for benthic invertebrates that depend on natural river banks and unpolluted water. Chemical and biological water quality were further lowered by certain urban pressures, which can be mainly linked to improper waste and sewage disposal, as to the absence of natural bank environments. Downstream of the urban area in Fort portal, where human pressure is less intense and where banks are less modified and protected from surrounding land use practices by a protection zone of natural vegetation, both chemical and biological quality improve. The river system recovers further as it passes through Kibale Forest Natural Park, which leaves time for suspended solids (turbidity) to settle and allows chemical and biological processes to lower the water's mineral, salt and nutrient-load.Item Effects of anthropogenic activities on small-scale fishery of Albert Nile, pakwach district(Kyambogo University [unpublished work], 2023-10) Kwiyocwiny, EmmanuelWorldwide, fisheries have declined, Albert Nile total fish catch declined drastically from 5200-2790 (46%) between 2012-2021. Increasing population leads to overfishing and unsustainable land use. Unsustainable land use results into unfavorable climate. Crop failure due to unfavorable climate drive people to over fishing. Unsustainable land use equally negatively effects water quality required for fishery productivity. The study assessed; socio-economic status, land use, land cover change in the catchment, water quality and fishing pressure in small-scale fisheries of Albert Nile. A cross sectional survey design was used to assess socio-economic activities and fishing pressure. Study area was clustered to guarantee homogeneity. A total of 10 Landing sites (20%) were obtained by simple random sampling from each cluster. Disproportionate allocation was used to obtain 223 boats for sampling. 354 fishers responded to socio-economic survey questionnaires and interviews. Catch assessment survey was used to generate data on fishing pressure. Fishing boats systematically sampled, Geographical Information System techniques and tools such as Arc GIS was used to capture and analyse data on land use, land cover change. Documentary review was used to assess water quality. Findings indicated fishing as the most dominant socioeconomic activity. Many youths are dropping out of school to engage in fishing such that 60% of fishers are youth full-primary drop-out. House hold size averaged 10 person/household with 60% of fishers un able to afford 3 meals daily. The study equally revealed that wetland and wood land decreased by 37.7% and 23.5% respectively from 1995-2020. The decline in wetland and wood land has been attributed to increasing demand for agricultural land, over grassing and increased demand for charcoal and wood fuel. According to the findings, Albert Nile water was in a good state with water quality index ranging from (86.5-78.0), however, the concentration of Phosphorus (0.144±0.091mg/l) and total Nitrogen (2.26±0.44mg/l) reflected hypereutrophic status in 2020. The general increase in values for physical parameters and nutrient species over the study period is a sign of deteriorating water quality likely to hamper stock replenishment in the long run. The fishery is overexploited with 80% of fishers engaged in illegal practices characterized by intensified fishing averaging 5 days weekly and 6 hours daily. Meanwhile, Catch Per Unit Effort was as low as 7.0±4.1 kg/boat/day. Fish diversity index was high (H’= 2.31±0.09, E= 0.83±0.03 and D=0.13±0.02), though 80% of the species were categorized as pelagic or immature hence of low economic value. Hydrocinus forskali and Haplochromines species were very rare in the catch or not observed in the catch respectively. It was concluded that limited livelihood options will continue to push fishers into over fishing. unsustainable land use, land cover change will continue to drive people to mount more pressure on the fishery. The changing water quality parameters points to deteriorating water quality required for fishery productivity. Fishing pressure resulting from increased input is overwhelming with potential to disrupt stock replenishment. It was recommended that; socio-economic status of fishers be regularly analysed and used as input for participatory management; land use that is unsustainable be halted; all poverty alleviating programmes to target the fishers so as to reduce pressure on the fishery.Item Effect of land use activities on water quality, soil and vegetation cover for conservation of river wambabya catchment, hoima district(Kyambogo University [unpublished work], 2023-06) Nabwire, Mirembe WinnieIncreasing land use activities are greatly decreasing environmental quality of River catchments thus, making them susceptible to pollution and depletion. The land use activities such as human settlements, massive deforestation, oil infrastructural developments, conversion of wetlands into subsistence farmland, and agroforestry were increasing within River Wambabya catchment. However, there was no empirical evidence of the present status of the water quality, soil and vegetation cover in the river catchment hence necessitating a research study. The overall objective of the research study was to evaluate the effect of land use activities on the water quality, soil and vegetation cover for conservation of River Wambabya catchment, Hoima District. The specific objectives of the study were; to determine the effect of land use activities on the water quality (pH, EC, COD, BOD, Total phosphates, nitrates, Pb, Escherichia coli, and total coliforms) of River Wambabya catchment; to assess the effect of land use activities on the soil (pH, EC, Heavy metals-Pb, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cd) of River Wambabya catchment; and to determine the effect of land use activities on the vegetation cover of River Wambabya catchment over a period of 20 years (1998-2018). The study used a simple random sampling technique during collection of water and soil samples. Water quality and soil parameters were analyzed using American Public Health Association (APHA) standard analytical procedures. Heavy metals in water were analyzed using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) while soil heavy metals were analyzed using Mehlich- 3 extraction method buffered to pH 2.5. Vegetation cover change of 20 years (1998-2018) was analyzed using Landsat 8 images and ArcMap 10.8 version. Results showed that land use activities had significant effect on water quality BOD (p value of 0.021) at p<0.05. Subsistence farmland (7mg/l), and wetland (6mg/l) activities were the major contributors of high BOD levels. Land use activities also had a significant effect on the concentration levels of soil Zn (p value of 0.048), Ni (p value of 0.020), and Pb (p value of 0.037) at p< 0.05. Subsistence farmland, and agroforestry were the major sources of high Zn, Ni and Pb concentrations. lastly, land use activities had a significant effect on the vegetation cover of river Wambabya catchment. There was a drastic increase in built-up areas (5.38%), and subsistence farmland (1.04%) with a reduction in vegetation cover under Bushland (1.97%), forests (2.58%), grasslands (7.56%), open water (1.23%), wetlands (1.42%) and woodland (1.39%) over the 20-year period. Subsequently, natural resources conservation efforts are required in river Wambabya catchment area so as to improve its sustainability and co-existence with human livelihoods. Particularly, more conservation efforts are needed to halt the deteriorating water quality and reducing vegetation coverage of the catchment. Further in-depth studies can be conducted on the temporal variations of vegetation cover and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the soils of the RWC due to the increasing mining and oil and gas development.Item Heavy metal contamination in water, sediments and fish from selected wetlands in the Lake Victoria basin of Uganda(Kyambogo University [unpublished work], 2023-08) Dusabe, DaphineIn Uganda, there is increased industrial and municipal waste disposal into wetlands around Lake Victoria which pose a great threat to different wetland components. A number of studies have been carried out to ascertain the impact of heavy metals in wetlands. Due to the increase in population near the wetlands, there is a higher possibility of receiving more pollutants and effluents hence the necessity of this study. This study assessed the physicochemical parameters and heavy metal concentration in water, sediments and fish from Gabba, Nabugabo, Nakivubo and Lwera wetlands. This study undertook a quantitative research approach with data collected from twelve random sample sites over a period of six months from August 2021 to January 2022. Some parameters were measured in-situ whereas others were analysed at the National Water Quality Laboratory in Entebbe. All water quality analysis was performed according to Standards methods for the Examination of waters and Wastewaters. Heavy metals analysis was done using the inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following the American Public Health Association – 23rd Edition. The physicochemical parameters and heavy metals of water analysed were within the recommended limits of the East African Standards (2018) except for Nakivubo wetland which had a higher Chemical Oxygen Demand result of 60mg/L. In all the sediment samples, there were considerable concentrations of Chromium (22.97 mg/Kg - 39.34 mg/Kg), Lead (9.34 mg/Kg-19.32 mg/Kg), Cobalt (2.68 mg/Kg- 3.87 mg/Kg) and Nickel (7.67 mg/Kg-11.43 mg/Kg). In particular, Nakivubo and Gabba wetlands had the highest levels of heavy metal concentrations compared to Lwera and Nabugabo wetlands in as much as there was no significant difference in concentrations across the wetlands. The fish species analysed; Clarias Galiepinus, Clarius Liocephalus and Protopterus are mainly consumed by the local population. Chromium and Nickel concentrations in the fish muscles were observed to exceed the WHO maximum permissible limits in all the wetlands. Gabba and Nakivubo wetlands had cadmium results of 0.189 mg/Kg and 0.116 mg/Kg respectively which is beyond the recommended WHO limits. It is therefore recommended that collaborative engagement with the respective stakeholders be pursued to create awareness in communities on the apparent health risks from consuming this fish but also improve the regulatory framework of catchment-based water quality goals that would aim at reducing heavy metal loads. Continuation of regular monitoring by relevant authorities’ guidance for proper wetland management, conservation policies implementation and further research on the pollutant retention ability of these wetlands to be urgently undertaken.