Stingless bees are key insects in the tropics, both as pollinators of crops and as contributors to the maintenance of floral diversity through pollination of wild plants. This study investigated the nesting ecology and threats to three stingless bee species: Meliponula bocandei (Spinola), Meliponula ferruginea (Lepeletier) and Dactylurina staudingeri (Gribodo) in three landscapes characterized as forest with logging and wild honey hunting; farmlands that experience annual wild fires and a national park. The study was carried out in July 2011 and February 2012. A total of 93 stingless bee nests were found in 48 ha (density 1.9 nests per ha), 81% in tree cavities and 19% in deserted termite mounds and in the ground. M. ferruginea was the only species using deserted termite mounds (seventeen nests) and in the ground (1 nest). Although tree size (diameter at breast height, DBH >15 cm) and density of large tree were important for nest site selection, there was no influence of tree species. M. bocandei may be restricted in choice of nest site in farmland areas by the absence of trees. Reduced availability of trees in agricultural landscape together with bush burning and wild honey collecting is the main threats to stingless bees survival and abundance which need to be addressed for their successful conservation in Ghana. R esum eLes abeilles sans dard sont des insectes cl es sous les Tropiques, elles pollinisent les cultures et contribuent a la pr eservation de la diversit e florale par la pollinisation de plantes sauvages. Cette etude a analys e l' ecologie de nidification et les menaces qui p esent sur trois esp eces d'abeilles sans dard, Meliponula bocandei (Spinola), Meliponula ferruginea (Lepeletier) et Dactylurina staudingeri (Gribodo), dans trois paysages caract eris es comme suit : une forêt avec exploitation foresti ere et r ecolte de miel sauvage ; une exploitation agricole subissant des feux chaque ann ee et ; un parc national. L' etude a eu lieu entre juillet 2011 et f evrier 2012. Au total, 93 nids d'abeilles sans dard ont et e trouv es sur 48 ha (densit e : 1,9 nid/ha), 81% etant dans des cavit es d'arbres, et 19% dans des termiti eres d esert ees et dans le sol. M. ferruginea etait la seule esp ece utilisant des termiti eres d esert ees (17 nids) et le sol (un nid). La taille des arbres (dbh > 15 cm) et la densit e des grands arbres etaient importantes pour la s election de l'endroit du nid, mais l'esp ece des arbres n'avait pas d'influence. M. bocandei pourraitêtre limit e dans le choix d'un endroit pour le nid dans les exploitations agricoles d epourvues d'arbres. La disponibilit e restreinte d'arbres dans le paysage agricole, et aussi les feux de brousse et la r ecolte de miel sauvage, sont les menaces principales pour la survie et l'abondance des abeilles sans dard et ces menaces doiventêtre ecart ees pour assurer leur conservation au Ghana.
Improved environmental management facilities provide social benefits to economic agents in Ghana. Biogas technology facility is one solution that offers societal gains. However, the maximization of social benefit in some cases depends on the structure of the market. The objective of this study was to examine loss in consumer surplus and gain in producer surplus, and if there was, deadweight loss relating to regulated biogas market structure in Ghana. The simple market models were fundamental tools in the economic surplus method used for the study. The results of the study showed that regulated monopoly although productive reduces societal gains and so inefficient compared with the free market. The regulated monopolist‖ producer gain was 13%, but there was 37% and 41% loss to consumers and investors‖ NPV respectively. There was also a deadweight loss of US$18,140.00. Market forces allow consumers to be future regulators of previously government regulated 2nd and 3rd degree discriminating monopoly. It is possible to avoid Market forces regulation in biogas diffusion when participants are reluctant to hike price.
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