Browsing by Author "Nyeko, P."

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    Local knowledge and practices on use and management of edible insects in lake Victoria basin, E. Africa
    (Wagengeningen Academic Publisher, 2017-06-16) Okia, C.A; Odongo, W.; Nzabamwita, P.; Ndimubandi, J; Nalika, N.; Nyeko, P.
    Edible insects (EIs) provide an important food source in Africa, but their potential to improve livelihoods and environmental conservation is yet to be fully exploited. This study contributes towards enhancing the use of EIs in the Lake Victoria basin (LVB), with particular attention to local perspectives of the catalogue, ecology, management, collection, processing and consumption. The study was conducted along the LVB in Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda between 2012 and 2013 using a household survey and focus group discussions. Results revealed that up to 20 insect species were eaten in Uganda, 13 in Burundi, and six in Rwanda. In Uganda, the most consumed insects were a katydid grasshopper (Ruspolia differens), palm weevil (Rhynchophorus phoenicis) larvae and termites (Macrotermes), while in Rwanda and Burundi, Macrotermes species were the most consumed. The most common source of EIs in households was their own collection from the wild, although a number of insects were also bought from markets. Local communities reported various ways of collecting, processing and storing insects. Overall, most of these activities require technological interventions. Despite the high consumption of EIs, no deliberate efforts were reported on conservation and rearing of any of the insects consumed in the three countries. This raises serious questions pertaining to the sustainable consumption of EIs, especially in the face of climate change in this region.
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    The successional pathway of the tree community and how it shapes the fruit-feeding butterfly community in an Afrotropical forest
    (Cambridge University, 2016-10-29) Valtonen, A; Malinga, G.M; Nyafwono, M; Nyeko, P.; Owiny, A.; & Roininen, H.
    The relative importance of different bottom-up-mediated effects in shaping insect communities in tropical secondaryforestsarepoorlyunderstood.Here,weexploretherolesofvegetationstructure,forestage,localtopography (valley vs. hill top) and soil variables in predicting fruit-feeding butterfly and tree community composition, and tree community composition in predicting fruit-feeding butterfly community composition, in different-aged naturally regeneratingandprimaryforestsofKibaleNationalPark,Uganda.Wealsoexaminewhichvariablesarebestpredictors of fruit-feeding butterfly species richness or diversity. Butterflies (88 species) were sampled with a banana-baited trap and trees (98 taxa) with a 40 × 20-m sampling plot at 80 sampling sites. The environmental variables explained 31% of the variation in the tree community composition, the best predictors being local topography, forest age and cover of Acanthuspubescens (a shrub possibly arresting succession). The fruit-feeding butterfly community composition was better predicted by tree community composition (explaining 10% of the variation) rather than vegetation structure, local topography or soil factors. Environmental variables and tree species richness (or diversity) were poor predictors of butterfly species richness (or diversity). Our results emphasize the importance of tree community to recovery of herbivorous insect communities in tropical secondary forests.