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Knowledge about genetic diversity and population structure among goat populations is essential for understanding environmental adaptation and fostering efficient utilization, development, and conservation of goat breeds. Uganda's indigenous goats exist in three phenotypic groups: Mubende, Kigezi, and Small East African. However, a limited understanding of their genetic attributes and population structure hinders the development and sustainable utilization of the goats. Using the Goat Illumina 60k chip International Goat Genome Consortium V2, the whole-genome data for 1,021 indigenous goats sourced from 10 agroecological zones in Uganda were analyzed for genetic diversity and population structure. A total of 49,337 (82.6%) single-nucleotide polymorphism markers were aligned to the ARS-1 goat genome and used to assess the genetic diversity, population structure, and kinship relationships of Uganda's indigenous goats. Moderate genetic diversity was observed. The observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.378 and 0.383, the average genetic distance was 0.390, and the average minor allele frequency was 0.30. The average inbreeding coefficient (Fis) was 0.014, and the average fixation index (Fst) was 0.016. Principal component analysis, admixture analysis, and discriminant analysis of principal components grouped the 1,021 goat genotypes into three genetically distinct populations that did not conform to the known phenotypic populations but varied across environmental conditions. Population 1, comprising Mubende (90%) and Kigezi (8.1%) goats, is located in southwest and central Uganda, a warm and humid environment. Population 2, which is 59% Mubende and 49% Small East African goats, is located along the Nile Delta in northwestern Uganda and around the Albertine region, a hot and humid savannah grassland. Population 3, comprising 78.4% Small East African and 21.1% Mubende goats, is found in northeastern to eastern Uganda, a hot and dry Commiphora woodlands. Genetic diversity and population structure information from this study will be a basis for future development, conservation, and sustainable utilization of Uganda's goat genetic resources., Competing Interests: Author SO was employed by Patira Data Science. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Nantongo, Birungi, Opiyo, Shirima, Mugerwa, Mutai, Kyalo, Munishi, Agaba and Mrode.)

Drawing on collective experience from ten collaborative research projects focused on the Global South, we identify three major challenges that impede the translation of research on sustainability and resilience into better-informed choices by individuals and policy-makers that in turn can support transformation to a sustainable future. The three challenges comprise: (i) converting knowledge produced during research projects into successful knowledge application; (ii) scaling up knowledge in time when research projects are short-term and potential impacts are long-term; and (iii) scaling up knowledge across space, from local research sites to larger-scale or even global impact. Some potential pathways for funding agencies to overcome these challenges include providing targeted prolonged funding for dissemination and outreach, and facilitating collaboration and coordination across different sites, research teams, and partner organizations. By systematically documenting these challenges, we hope to pave the way for further innovations in the research cycle., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Indigenous goat breeds in Uganda are classified based on average body size parameters and coat color. However, variations in the body size of animals may be influenced by several factors, including management and the environment. To understand the effect of the agroecological zone on the physical characteristics and live weight of Uganda's indigenous goats, this study evaluated the body size characteristics of the three indigenous goat breeds of Uganda across ten agroecological zones. The cross-sectional survey was conducted in 323 households from the ten zones, where 1020 goats composed of three breeds (Mubende, Kigezi, and Small East African) were sampled and measured for body weight, linear body size, and age. We confirmed that Mubende and Kigezi goats from the original homeland had a higher mean body weight than reported in FAO reports. In addition, Mubende appeared to perform better in pastoral rangelands, with a higher mean body weight (38.1 kg) and body size being significantly higher (P < 0.0001) compared to other zones. The mean body weight for the Kigezi breed in the original homeland (34 kg) was comparable to those from Western Savannah grasslands and pastoral rangelands and less than that initially reported by FAO (30 kg). Similarly, there was no significant difference in the linear body size characteristics of Kigezi goats in the home zone of highland ranges relative to those found in other agroecological zones (P > 0.05). Although the Small East African goats were originally found in Northwestern Savannah grassland and Northeastern dryland zones, they performed poorly regarding mean body weight and body size characteristics in the former zone. In the Northwestern Savannah grasslands, the mean body weight (23.8 kg) was even less than that reported by FAO, which ranged between 25 and 30 kg. Finally, we confirmed that Mubende and Kigezi goats are significantly heavier than small East African goats (p ≤ 0.0001). The results of this study can be useful in designing precise management strategies to improve indigenous goat productivity in different environments in Uganda., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Nantongo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Woody species have been introduced in many parts of the world to provide economic benefits, but some of those species are now among the worst invaders, causing widespread economic and environmental damage. Management of woody species to restore original ecosystem services, such as biodiverse grassland that can provide fodder and sequester carbon, are needed to limit the impacts of alien species. However, the best management methods, i.e., the most economically efficient and effective way to remove trees and the most effective way to restore or rehabilitate the cleared land, are not developed for many species. In Eastern Africa, prosopis ( Prosopis julifora ) has invaded large areas of savanna and grassland, thereby affecting, among other things, fodder and water for livestock, access to dry season grazing lands and ultimately pastoral livelihoods. We tested three prosopis treatments (manual uprooting and cut stump and basal bark herbicide application) in combination with three incremental restoration interventions (divots, divots + mulching, divots + mulching + grass seed sowing). The three-year study was replicated in Ethiopia (Afar National Regional State), Kenya (Baringo county) and Tanzania (Moshi district). Prosopis survival and vegetation development, both diversity and biomass, were recorded. The prosopis treatments were all highly effective (between 85 and 100% tree mortality in almost all cases), but the two treatments that involved the complete removal of the aboveground biomass (manual and cut stump) yielded a more productive and more diverse vegetation than the treatment that killed the trees standing (basal bark). Compared to the effect of prosopis removal, the effect of restoration interventions on vegetation composition was small, indicating that most species re-established from the soil seed bank. The results show that it is possible to restore land previously invaded by prosopis. Despite the different rates of vegetation establishment and variation in species composition, the restoration interventions resulted in vegetation that in some cases contained a substantial fraction of perennial grasses. The method chosen to control prosopis depends on the availability of resources, including herbicides, and the need to remove rootstocks if the intention is to plant crops., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43170-023-00163-5., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

In landscapes where people and lions coexist, conflicts are common due to livestock predation and threats to human safety. Retaliatory lion killing by humans is often a consequence and is one of the leading causes of lion population declines across Africa. We assessed the effects of retaliatory lion killing on male lion coalitions in the Tarangire-Manyara Ecosystem (TME) using a long-term dataset of lion monitoring for ten lion prides, spanning over a fourteen year-period from 2004-2018. We also interviewed 214 respondents about their attitudes and awareness of the effects of retaliatory killing on lions. We found that male lion coalitions were larger and lasted for a longer tenure period in locations with low risk of retaliatory killing, as well as far away from active hunting blocks. Further, young people (18-35 years old) had a more positive attitude towards lion existence and conservation compared to older age classes. Surprisingly, people with primary or secondary level of education were more likely to having lions killed if they attack livestock compared to people with no formal education, although the former supported lion presence for tourism in protected areas. We conclude that retaliatory killing has a large effect on long-term lion coalition dynamics and, thus, survival. Community awareness on retaliation effect varies widely, and we recommend implementing better education and policy strategies at TME to protect the declining carnivore populations., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

In many areas, the main sources of mosquito vectors are not natural habitats but small artificial water bodies that are provided unintentionally by humans. Such container habitats have been linked to outbreaks of dengue fever and other arboviral diseases. However, in many parts of the world the possible risks associated with container habitats have not been assessed. Here, we focused on a human population expansion area in northern Tanzania with a high incidence of dengue and other cases of high fever. We explored the importance of anthropogenic container habitats for mosquito production in the Lake Manyara Basin. We also assessed how biotic and physicochemical habitat characteristics limit mosquito abundance in containers. Results showed that Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus), vector of dengue and other arboviruses, and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say), vector of filarial worms, were the dominant mosquitoes ovipositing in large numbers in different containers. Old tires were the dominant and most productive container habitat for mosquitoes in the region. However, there were strong differences among villages, illustrating that the mosquito burden associated with container habitats varies locally. We concluded that in this region, removal of artificial container habitats could be a simple strategy to reduce the mosquito-mediated disease burden within the local population.

Mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit are a global public health threat that affects most human populations. Mosquito abundances are strongly linked to the number of suitable larval habitats available. However, it is still not well understood how different land uses impact larval habitat quality in different parts of the world. We investigated links between land use practices and abundance of mosquito larvae in temporary ponds located in different land uses in a malaria expansion zone in Tanzania. Temporary ponds are often cited as important sources of mosquitoes but are also of substantial conservation concern being home to a unique fauna and flora. Often, they also have high socio-economic importance. Overall, encountered mosquito larval abundances were very low, both for the collected Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Culex quinquefasciatus. Although temporary ponds are important mosquito larval habitats in other parts of Africa, currently they are unlikely to be an important factor affecting the prevalence of mosquito borne diseases in the Manyara study region. Larval abundances in temporary ponds were higher in agricultural areas where more eutrophic conditions were found and minimal in residential areas. Overall, even though temporary ponds are often modified as rice paddies in the rainy season, they were in a good ecological condition and hosted a diverse assemblage of aquatic predators that likely prevented larval mosquitoes from reaching high densities. Maintaining this good condition by preventing pesticide and nutrient input as much as possible, can be important to prevent pond degradation that is likely to make these habitats more suitable for mosquitoes in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We are declaring that we do not have any competing nor conflicting interests., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)