The Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) consist of thirteen separate mountain blocks running from southern Kenya through eastern Tanzania in an arc shape. Organisms occurring in the forests of these mountains are known for their high levels of endemism. Some of these organisms have their closest relatives in distant geographic regions. In this study molecular phylogenetic methods, based on partial sequences of one nuclear (28S) and two mitochondrial (COI and 16S) genes, are used to determine the relationships of three Scarabaeinae genera (tribe Canthonini) endemic to the EAM. Janssensantus and
Purpose In 2008, a number of Southern African countries cultivated about 900,000 ha of Jatropha, with a number of biodiesel plants ready for production; however, none of the projects succeeded. In 2014, KiOR advanced biofuel Energy Company in the USA announced bankruptcy due to incompetent technology. Studies disclose that the reasons for biofuel plants failure are not only due to lack of incentives and unclear policies but also due to lack of economic feasibility and low production yields. This paper aims to review the techno-economy assessment of second-generation biofuel technologies. The purpose of this paper is to summarize specific techno-economic indicators such as production cost, technology efficiency and process life cycle analysis for advanced biofuel technology and to narrate and illustrate a clear view of what requires assessment to deploy a feasible advanced biofuel technology. This study also reviews assessment of biomass supply chain, feedstock availability and site selection criteria. The review also elaborates on the use of different processes, forecasting and simulation-modeling tools used in different techno-economic analysis studies. The review provides guidance for conducting a technical and economic feasibility study for the advanced biofuels energy business. Design/methodology/approach The aim of this review is, therefore, to evaluate the techno-economic feasibility studies for the establishment of viable industrial scale production of second-generation biofuels. It does so by grouping studies based on technology selection, feedstock availability and suitability, process simulation and economies as well as technology environmental impact assessment. Findings In conclusion, techno-economic analysis tools offer researchers insight in terms of where their research and development should focus, to attain the most significant enhancement for the economics of a technology. The study patterns within the scope of techno-economics of advanced biofuel reveal that there is no generic answer as to which technology would be feasible at a commercial scale. It is therefore important to keep in mind that models can only simplify and give a simulation of reality to a certain extent. Nevertheless, reviewed studies do not reach the same results, but some results are logically similar. Originality/value The originality of this article specifically illustrates important technical and economic indicators that should be considered when conducting feasibility studies for advance biofuels.
Dung beetles of the subfamily Scarabaeinae have a worldwide distribution, with the Afrotropical region, the putative origin of the diversification of Scarabaeinae, having the richest diversity. We use partial sequences from two ribosomal (16S, 28S) and two protein coding genes (COI, CAD) to examine the relationships among 55 genera, representing more than half of the genera in the region. Taxa were sampled to maximize representation of dung beetle morphological and ecological diversity in all nine tribes that occur in Africa. We estimated the divergence times of the tribes to determine relative ages. The phylogenetic hypothesis of tribal and generic relationships was found to largely concur with that of a recent molecular study done at a global scale, suggesting earliest diverging lineages which are quite distinct from the ones traditionally recognized. Thus recent calls for a new classification for Scarabaeinae are supported. We suggest possible changes to the classification, corroborate the likely African origin of the subfamily and provide support for fungus-feeding as the most likely ancestral feeding habit in the Scarabaeinae.
Abstract. Recent phylogenetic analyses have pointed to the dung beetle genus Epirinus as the putative African ancestral roller group. Consequently, we tested the roller status of species in the genus with observational studies and constructed a molecular phylogeny based on partial sequences of two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes for 16 of 29 species. Tested species were confirmed to be dung rollers. Monophyly of the genus was confirmed, lending support to the synonymy of the wingless genus Endroedyantus with Epirinus. Moreover, the phylogenetic hypothesis was found to have a similar topology with a previously published one based on morphological data. A combined molecular/morphology analysis showed congruence between the molecular and morphological datasets. The loss of flight in some species and estimated divergence dates within Epirinus are discussed.
Phacosoma basilewskyi Balthasar, 1960 was described for a peculiar East African deltochiline dung beetle species. Years later, Paulian (1975) erected the deltochiline genus Madaphacosoma Paulian, 1975 for two new Malagasy species, namely Madaphacosoma humberti Paulian, 1975, as the type species, and M. betschi Paulian, 1975. Phacosoma basilewskyi was transferred to Madaphacosoma in that same publication. Later, Paulian (1991) added Madaphacosoma major Paulian, 1991 to the genus for a total of three Madagascan and one mainland African species. Recently, Madaphacosoma together with three other genera occurring in Madagascar, namely Aleiantus Olsoufieff, 1947, Phacosomoides Martinez & Pereira, 1959 and Sikorantus Paulian, 1976, were synonymized with Epactoides Olsoufieff, 1947 by Wirta & Montreuil (2008). Although Madaphacosoma basilewskyi (Balthasar, 1960) is not specifically mentioned as a new combination with three other species, M. major, M. humberti and M. betschi, catalogued on pages 661–662 in Wirta & Montreuil (2008), and the genus is treated as valid by Tarasov & Dimitrov (2016) and Tarasov (2017), it is currently lumped with the other Malagasy species in the genus Epactoides. The current accepted name for the species is thus Epactoides basilewskyi (Balthasar, 1960).
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