RESUMO
The adoption of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (ABTs) was supposed to increase conservation awareness in different countries and regions of the world. However, there seems to be a limited understanding of the importance of ecosystem services, offered by biological diversity. Thus, the continued decline in biodiversity, especially in developing countries. This study appraised the level of success of the first target of Nigeria's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), which is hinged on the first ABT. In a national survey, data were obtained from a total of 1,124 respondents (839 professionals and 285 non-professionals), using a structured questionnaire. Information on the respondents' knowledge of biodiversity conservation and the associated ecosystem services, were elicited. Most of the non-professionals had a low level of understanding of biodiversity concepts (4.9 ± 1.7 to 20.5 ± 3.4%), while there was a moderate level of understanding among the professionals (48.0 ± 8.6 to 88.8 ± 3.4%). Awareness of the NBSAP was low for both groups (43.8 ± 7.2% professionals and 12.1 ± 3.7% non-professionals). The study concludes that there is a need to step up campaigns on biodiversity conservation in Nigeria and promote visits to natural sites. Youth engagement through the employment of graduates of biology-related disciplines, to educate the public on biodiversity conservation and the action plan, could also be a strong determinant to the success of the NBSAP targets.
RESUMO
The presence of trace metals in the sediment, water, and biota of the Epe lagoon has been recently linked to oil exploration and municipal perturbations around the lagoon. The study was aimed at assessing the concentrations and associated health risks of Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, Co and V in the water, sediment, and Gymnarchus niloticus of Epe lagoon and to evaluate the role of the enteric parasite Nilonema gymnarchi in bioaccumulation of the metals in the fish. The temperature, pH, redox potential, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), and salinity were determined in-situ using a handheld multi-parameter probe (Horiba Water Checker Model U-10). The concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, Co, and V were determined in the surface water, bottom sediment, Gymnarchus niloticus, and its enteric parasites, Nilonema gymnarchi in Epe lagoon using the Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (Philips model PU 9100). The bioaccumulation factors and target hazard quotients of the trace metals in the infected and uninfected fish were estimated and compared. The intestinal tissue sections of the infected and uninfected fish were examined using a binocular dissecting microscope (American Optical Corporation, Model 570) using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain. Biochemical markers such as reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lipid peroxidation (MDA) were determined in the liver of the infected and uninfected fish. The SOD level was higher in the uninfected fish than the infected ones supports the indications deduced from the bioaccumulation analysis. Strong positive correlations between SOD and most of the metals- Fe (0.916), Zn (0.919), Cu (0.896), and Ni (0.917) suggests that the metals may have inflicted more toxicity in the uninfected. The histopathological comparisons made between the uninfected and infected fish showed consistency with the outcomes of other comparisons made in this study. These evidence were marked by tissue alterations in the infected fish ranging from no observed changes to mild alterations, while the uninfected exhibited more severe tissue injuries such as hemorrhagic lesions, severe vascular congestion, edema, the increased connective tissue of the submucosa, and vascular congestion. The condition factors of the infected (0.252) and uninfected (0.268) fish indicated slenderness and unfitness possibly due to environmental stressors such as trace metals. The parasitized fish showing better-coping potentials than the uninfected, coupled with the significant bioaccumulation interferences exhibited by the parasite Nilonema gymnarchi is an indication that the parasites may be a good metal sequestration agent for the fish and can be used to forestall the significant health hazard quotient posed by the current level of iron and the synergy of all metals analyzed in the lagoon.
