An inventory of species diversity of insects of the Muni-Pomadze Ramsar site, with special reference to species of conservation concern, was carried out as part of an evaluation of changes in the ecological character of the site, twenty years after designation. Samples were taken from two protected areas within the Ramsar site, in the wet (July), dry (January), and intermediate (June) seasons. Community diversity was characterized in terms of number of species accumulated, species richness, Shannon-Weiner indices of diversity, Pielou's evenness, and Bray-Curtis similarity. A total of 134 families from 19 insect orders were recorded during the entire study period. Yenku Block A recorded the highest species richness (98) and the highest diversity index (14.97), corroborated by the highest Margalef index of 3.82 with a relatively even distribution of species (0.834) during the intermediate season, and recorded the lowest diversity (6.957) and species richness (41) during the dry season. On the whole, the Muni-Pomadzi Ramsar site showed a high diversity of insect species. The presence of species such as Junonia oenone and Papilio demodocus which are specialized in degraded habitats at Yenku Block A in large numbers is a clear indication of degradation of the forest, but the presence of forest species such as Salamis anacardii and Euphaedra crokeri is an indication that some parts of this reserve are still in good shape. A comparison of the butterfly species recorded with findings in a 1997 survey showed a marked increase in numbers from 75 to 130; this may be attributed to the habitat changes that have taken place at the site offering more diverse habitat types.
Mango farmers in Ghana are confronted with many pest problems like fruit flies, Sternochetus mangiferae (F.), and mealy bugs. Different pest management options are available to mango farmers; however, the extent to which they apply the available pest management options is not well known. A survey was conducted among 60 farmers in southeastern Ghana, from October–December 2015 mango season, to find out the level of knowledge and practice of insect pest management used by mango farmers. The results showed that most farmers use conventional insecticides to control insect pests in mango. Majority of the farmers (30%) use a composite insecticide (Cydim super; 36 g cypermethrin + 400 g dimethoate per liter), whereas 3.3% use Pyrinex (chlorpyrifos 480 g/liter). Majority of insecticides used belong to WHO category II. Ninety percent (90%) of the farmers use cultural practices and pheromone traps. Pheromone traps are, however, used for fruit flies but not for S. mangiferae. Over 80% of the respondents who used pesticides to control pests have also adopted GLOBALGAP standards for certification. The results are discussed based on the importance of adoption of IPM strategies in mango production and the possible reduction of fruit rejection during mango export in Ghana.
Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve, the only one in Ghana, was established to promote scientific research, particularly on how nature revitalizes itself after major disasters, and also to check the southward drift of the savannah grassland. This study presents the first comprehensive inventory of species composition and diversity of insects of the Reserve. Insects were surveyed between September 2011 and June 2012 to capture the end of the rainy season, the dry season and the peak of the wet season. Samples were taken from two sites within the Reserve, Dagomba and Oku using various sampling techniques including pitfall traps, malaise traps and sweep nets. Insect communities were characterized in terms of, 1) species richness estimators, 2) species richness, 3) Shannon-Weiner Index of Diversity, 4) Pielou's evenness and 5) Bray-Curtis similarity. A total of 8147 individuals representing 135 families from 21 orders were recorded. This included 107 species of butterflies from 9 families and 20 species of dragonflies from 3 families. Oku recorded the highest species numbers (S = 63) and richness (d = 12.16) with a high evenness of species (J = 0.9377) during the peak of the wet season; and the lowest species numbers (S = 58) and Margalef's index of (d = 10.14) in January. The highest Shannon diversity index of (H = 3.927) was recorded at Dagomba in January.
Binding between potato tuber invertase and its endogenous inhibitor followed second-order reaction kinetics. Binding rates were diminished by the presence of various inorganic salts, MgC12 being especially effective. This effect of MgCl2 was used in binding rate studies by adding the salt with sucrose to reduce binding during assay of previously unbound activity. The optimal pH for binding was about 4.8, similar to the optimal pH for catalytic activity of invertase. The optimal temperature for binding was about 45 C, approximately 5 C less than the optimum for catalytic activity.Sucrose at concentrations as low as 2 millimolar slowed binding, reducing sugars had little or no effect on binding or on catalytic activity.
Previous studies have shown that sulfated proteoglycans from human articular and epiphyseal cartilage were phosphorylated. These macromolecules contribute to the stiffness and resiliency of this tissue. We demonstrate here that the phosphate moieties are an integral part of proteoglycan subunits. Specifically, evidence is presented which indicates that proteoglycan monomers contain 3 to 4 phosphate moieties per core protein and that these appear to exist as phosphoserine residues. Furthermore, the data illustrate that human articular cartilage also contains more than 20 different phospho‐proteins, some of which are closely associated with proteoglycan aggregates. Proteoglycan subunits were purified from extracts of articular cartilage or from media fractions which had been used to label tissue specimens with 32P‐orthophosphate. Chemical and radiographic analyses revealed that the phosphate concentration with respect to sulfate and uronic acid content remained constant when purified proteoglycan monomers were subjected to equilibrium ultracentrifugation and size‐exclusion chromatography. That the phosphate moieties were bound to proteoglycan monomers via monoester linkages was indicated by the release of 32P‐orthophosphate from proteoglycan subunits incubated under mild alkaline conditions or reacted with acid or alkaline phosphatases. Identification of serine residues in the core protein as the sites of phosphorylation was made by autoradiography of thin layer plates on which hydrolyzed samples of purified 32P‐proteoglycan sub‐units had been subjected to 2‐dimensional electrophoresis/chromatography. Quantification of 3 to 4 phosphate moieties per core protein of 200,000 daltons was made by chemical analysis of inorganic phosphate released from proteoglycans by acid hydrolysis.
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