Vulnerability to epidemic malaria in the highlands of Lake Victoria basin: the role of climate change/variability, hydrology and socio-economic factors

Endemic malaria in most of the hot and humid African climates is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. In the last twenty or so years the incidence of malaria has been aggravated by the resurgence of highland malaria epidemics which hitherto had been rare. A close association between malaria epidemics and climate variability has been reported but not universally accepted. Similarly, the relationship between climate variability, intensity of disease mortality and morbidity coupled with socio-economic factors has been mooted. Analyses of past climate (temperature and precipitation), hydrological and health data (1961–2001), and socio-economics status of communities from the East African highlands confirm the link between climate variability and the incidence and severity of malaria epidemics. The communities in the highlands that have had less exposure to malaria are more vulnerable than their counterparts in the lowlands due to lack of clinical immunity. However, the vulnerability of human health to climate variability is influenced by the coping and adaptive capacities of an individual or community. Surveys conducted among three communities in the East African highlands reveal that the interplay of poverty and other socio-economic variables have intensified the vulnerability of these communities to the impacts of malaria.     

Falling Lake Victoria water levels: Is climate a contributing factor?

Recently, and perhaps most threatening, Lake Victoria water level has been receding at an alarming rate. A recent study suggested the possibility of the expanded hydroelectric power station in Uganda. However, since the lake receives 80% of its refill through direct rainfall and only 20% from the basin discharge, climatic contributions cannot be ignored, since the 80% water is directly dependant on it. It is therefore necessary to investigate climatic contribution to the declining Lake Victoria water level observed over a long period, i.e., 30 years. This contribution uses 30 years period anomalies for rainfall, river discharge and lake level changes of stations within Lake Victoria basin to analyse linear and cyclic trends of climate indicators in relation to Lake levels. Linear trend analysis using the Student’s t test indicate a decreasing pattern in rainfall anomalies, with the slope being statistically similar to those of water levels at both Kisumu, Maziba and Jinja stations for the same period of time (1976–1999), thus showing a strong correlation. On the other hand, cyclic trend analysis using Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) shows cyclic period of water level to coincide with those of droughts and rainfall. The strong relationship between climatic indicators of drought and rainfall on one-hand and lake levels on the other hand signifies the need to incorporate climate information in predicting, monitoring and managing lake level changes.     

Diagenetic processes in carbonate mound sediments at the south‐west Rockall Trough margin

Cold water coral covered carbonate mounds at the south‐west margin of the Rockall Trough form ridges several kilometres long and up to 380 m high. Piston cores obtained at three mound crests reveal the complex internal structure of the mound build up, with alternating unlithified coral‐dominated intervals and lithified intervals. The most recent lithified interval is covered by corals embedded in a fine‐grained matrix, comprising ca 11 000 years of continuous mound evolution. Before this time ²³⁰Th/U dating shows the presence of several hiatuses in mound build‐up. Aragonitic coral material is absent or only present as mouldic porosity in the lithified intervals and coccoliths display widespread overgrowth. Downcore X‐ray fluorescence scanning, computer tomography scan images and petrographic observations indicate different degrees of diagenetic alteration. The upper boundary of the most recent lithified interval shows some erosional features, but petrographic observations indicate that initial lithification of the sediments is not related to this erosive event or to long‐term non‐sedimentation, but to earlier sub‐surface diagenesis. Organic matter oxidation and the subsequent lowering of the saturation state of the carbonate system drives dissolution of the unstable aragonitic coral skeletons. Depending on the openness of the system, this can lead to precipitation of a more stable low‐magnesium carbonate. A model is presented describing the sedimentary and diagenetic processes leading to the formation of lithified intervals.     

Subglacial bed conditions during Late Pleistocene glaciations and their impact on ice dynamics in the southern North Sea

Passchier, S., Laban, C., Mesdag, C.S. & Rijsdijk, K.F. 2010: Subglacial bed conditions during Late Pleistocene glaciations and their impact on ice dynamics in the southern North Sea. Boreas, Vol. 39, pp. 633–647. 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2009.00138.x. ISSN 0300‐9483. Changes in subglacial bed conditions through multiple glaciations and their effect on ice dynamics are addressed through an analysis of glacigenic sequences in the Upper Pleistocene stratigraphy of the southern North Sea basin. During Elsterian (MIS 12) ice growth, till deposition was subdued when ice became stagnant over a permeable substrate of fluvial sediments, and meltwater infiltrated into the bed. Headward erosion during glacial retreat produced a dense network of glacial valleys up to several hundreds of metres deep. A Saalian (MIS 6) glacial advance phase resulted in the deposition of a sheet of stiff sandy tills and terminal moraines. Meltwater was at least partially evacuated through the till layer, resulting in the development of a rigid bed. During the later part of the Saalian glaciation, ice‐stream inception can be related to the development of a glacial lake to the north and west of the study area. The presence of meltwater channels incised into the floors of glacial troughs is indicative of high subglacial water pressures, which may have played a role in the onset of ice streaming. We speculate that streaming ice flow in the later part of the Saalian glaciation caused the relatively early deglaciation, as recorded in the Amsterdam Terminal borehole. These results suggest that changing subglacial bed conditions through glacial cycles could have a strong impact on ice dynamics and require consideration in ice‐sheet reconstructions.     

Response of the Rhine–Meuse fluvial system to Saalian ice-sheet dynamics

A new reconstruction of the interaction between the Saalian Drente glaciation ice margin and the Rhine–Meuse fluvial system is presented based on a sedimentary analysis of continuous core material, archived data and a section in an ice-pushed ridge. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) was applied to obtain independent age control on these sediments and to establish a first absolute chronology for palaeogeographical events prior to and during the glaciation. We identified several Rhine and Meuse river courses that were active before the Drente glaciation (MIS 11-7). The Drente glaciation ice advance into The Netherlands (OSL-dated to fall within MIS 6) led to major re-arrangement of this drainage network. The invading ice sheet overrode existing fluvial morphology and forced the Rhine–Meuse system into a proglacial position. During deglaciation, the Rhine shifted into a basin in the formerly glaciated area, while the Meuse remained south of the former ice limit, a configuration that persisted throughout most of the Eemian and Weichselian periods. An enigmatic high position of proglacial fluvial units and their subsequent dissection during deglaciation by the Meuse may partially be explained by glacio-isostatic rebound of the area, but primarily reflects a phase of high base level related to a temporary proglacial lake in the southern North Sea area, with lake levels approximating modern sea levels. Our reconstruction indicates that full 'opening' of the Dover Strait and lowering of the Southern Bight, enabling interglacial marine exchange between the English Channel and the North Sea, is to be attributed to events during the end of MIS 6.     

The determination of minor and trace element associations in coal using a sequential microwave digestion procedure

A sequential extraction procedure, using acid digestion in a CEM MDS-81D® microwave system, is reported for the investigation of trace and minor element associations in coal in (1) mineral phases other than pyrite, (2) pyrite and (3) the organic matrix. The concentrations of sulphate, pyrite and organic sulphur can also be determined by this method. The extract solutions from each stage are rapidly analysed by ICP-AES. The association of major, minor and trace elements with mineral and organic phases is suggested for a suite of certified reference coal samples. In stage 1, a significant percentage of the total Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Sr was extracted suggesting an association with silicate, carbonate, sulphate and phosphate minerals for these elements. In stage 2, a proportion of the Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn was dissolved implying the occurrence of these elements in pyrite. An association with the organic matrix is suggested for Cr and also for Ba and Sr in lower rank coals.     

Effects of heterogeneous land use/cover types on river channel morphology in the Solo River catchment,Eastern Uganda

In the tropics, unmonitored land use/cover types cause significant effects on the narrowing and widening of river channels which affects the integrity of water resources. River channel planform extent was characterized using Landsat images, while water and bedload samples were collected and analysed for a period of one year. The results revealed that in 1986, the channel planform covered 3.7 sq km in length than in 2013 where it increased to 4.2 sq km. Wetland (537.1mgl^?1) and bushland (186.3mgl^?1) cover types had the highest concentration of suspended sediments. Fine sand (0.25 mm), silty sand (1 mm) and silty clay (0.125 mm) bedload particle types dominated the riverbed along the channel from the sampled land use/cover types. The high concentration of sediments, bedload materials, bank instability, and streamflow were significant contributors to the narrowing and widening of the channel (p < 0.05). Agricultural land use was the major contributor of channel aggradation (0.8 m) and degradation (0.25 m) compared to tree plantations, bushlands, forest and wetland cover types.     

Anomalous circulation patterns associated with 2011 heavy rainfall over northern Tanzania

Natural Hazards - The socio-economic impacts of floods calls for improved understanding of flood drivers. While the large-scale circulation anomalies associated with rainfall anomalies is a...