Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International

Role of Seed Priming in Enhancing Germination, Growth and Seedling Quality of Terminalia arjuna under Nursery Conditions

2026-07-16T09:24:20+00:00

Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. exDC.) Wight & Arn. is an ecologically and economically important tree species valued for its roles in agroforestry, afforestation, riverine ecosystems, timber use, tannin production, and traditional medicinal applications. However, nursery propagation of T. arjuna and related Terminalia species is often constrained by slow, irregular, and poor seed germination, mainly because of hard seed coats, dormancy, and variation in seed quality. This review synthesises available information on seed priming and pre-sowing treatments used to improve germination, seedling vigour, and nursery performance in T. arjuna and selected related species, including T. bellirica, T. chebula, T. tomentosa, T. catappa, T. sericea, and T. laxiflora. The reviewed studies indicate that hydropriming, osmopriming, halopriming, hormonal priming, biopriming, scarification, solid matrix priming, and nanopriming may enhance germination and early seedling growth when applied under suitable species-specific conditions. Among these methods, water soaking, hot-water treatment, mechanical or chemical scarification, and gibberellic acid treatments are frequently reported as effective approaches for improving germination percentage, germination speed, seedling height, root growth, collar diameter, and seedling vigour. Biopriming and substrate-based approaches also show potential for improving nursery establishment and reducing seedling losses. However, responses vary with species, seed provenance, seed size, storage period, treatment concentration, and soaking duration. The review highlights the need for standardised, experimentally validated nursery protocols for T. arjuna and related Terminalia species. Further work is required to evaluate treatment safety, long-term field performance, and practical applicability under different nursery and agroforestry conditions.

Workforce Development for Sustainable Built Environments: A Systematic Review of Skills Gaps, Training Deficiencies, and Strategic Pathways in the Green Construction Industry

2026-07-21T11:40:32+00:00

This systematic review examines workforce development challenges linked to the transition towards sustainable built environments. The review focuses on skills gaps, training deficiencies, and strategic pathways in the green construction industry, where sustainability targets increasingly require competencies in energy efficiency, smart building systems, renewable energy integration, digital construction and green certification. A structured literature search was conducted across academic databases, government sources, and industry repositories to identify publications from 2022 to 2025. Thirty-four sources were selected using defined inclusion criteria and analysed thematically in relation to workforce shortages, competency requirements, training approaches, access barriers and policy responses. The synthesis indicates that the development of the green construction workforce is constrained by both quantitative labour shortages and qualitative skills gaps. The most prominent gaps relate to system integration, energy performance assessment, green building certification, digital construction technologies and renewable energy systems. Training barriers include cost, geographical inequality, fragmented curricula and limited institutional capacity to update programmes in response to technological change. Evidence from the reviewed literature suggests that coordinated action is required across vocational education, specialist certification, industry-academia partnerships, digital and immersive training approaches, continuous professional development, and inclusive recruitment. The review concludes that sustainable built-environment delivery depends on integrated workforce planning that links policy requirements, training systems, and industry demand.

Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resource Sustainability: Interlinkages and Future Directions

2026-07-27T11:36:30+00:00

Biodiversity conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources are frequently treated as separate policy domains, yet the ecological and socio-economic processes that connect them are inseparable. Healthy ecosystems underpin the provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural services on which food systems, water security, climate stability and human wellbeing depend, while the manner in which societies extract, allocate and govern natural resources is among the principal determinants of biodiversity change. This critical review synthesises recent peer-reviewed and authoritative institutional literature to examine the conceptual foundations, direct and indirect drivers, ecological–economic interlinkages, conservation approaches, governance architecture and emerging monitoring tools that connect biodiversity conservation with natural resource sustainability. The review shows that land and sea use change remains the dominant proximate driver of biodiversity loss, followed by overexploitation, pollution, climate change and invasive alien species, and that these pressures interact with resource-intensive economic activity in mutually reinforcing ways. Protected areas, Indigenous- and community-led governance, ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions each demonstrate measurable, though spatially uneven, effectiveness, while natural capital accounting, payments for ecosystem services and biodiversity finance mechanisms remain underdeveloped relative to the scale of the crisis. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals provide converging but incompletely integrated policy architecture for aligning conservation and resource-use objectives. The review concludes that future progress depends on embedding biodiversity considerations within mainstream natural resource governance, strengthening cross-sectoral and multiscale nexus approaches, and closing persistent gaps in finance, monitoring capacity and equitable governance, particularly for Indigenous peoples and local communities.

Current Understanding of the Eastern Dahomey Basin: Consensus, Controversies, and Future Research Gaps

2026-07-29T05:45:15+00:00

The Eastern Dahomey Basin, the Nigerian sector of the wider Dahomey (Benin) Embayment that fringes the Gulf of Guinea, has attracted more than five decades of geological enquiry, yet its stratigraphic nomenclature, structural geometry, petroleum potential and groundwater systems remain incompletely reconciled across the published literature. This review synthesises the current state of knowledge on the basin's tectonic evolution, lithostratigraphy, geophysical architecture, petroleum system elements, hydrogeological framework and geochemical character, drawing on peer-reviewed studies published largely within the past decade alongside foundational works that established the basin's structural and stratigraphic framework. Consensus has been reached on the broad tectono-stratigraphic staging of the basin into pre-rift, rift, transitional and post-rift megasequences, and on the presence of a shallow, saline-vulnerable coastal aquifer system that supplies a substantial share of groundwater demand in southwestern Nigeria. Persistent controversies concern the precise position of the basement–sediment boundary, the true source of the extensive bituminous sand deposits along the eastern flank of the basin, the viability of a self-contained petroleum system independent of migration from the Niger Delta, and the stratigraphic correlation between the onshore and offshore sectors of the embayment. The review identifies research gaps relating to three-dimensional basin modelling, integrated onshore–offshore seismic stratigraphy, long-term aquifer monitoring, and the application of machine-learning-assisted geochemical prediction to frontier exploration. Recommendations for future research are outlined, together with an assessment of the limitations inherent in the present body of literature.

Extension and Advisory Services for Climate-resilient Agriculture in India: A Critical Narrative Review of Institutional Models and Evidence

2026-07-29T12:26:13+00:00

Indian agriculture remains predominantly rain-fed and smallholder in character, exposing a large share of the farming population to intensifying temperature, rainfall and extreme-event risk. Extension and advisory services are widely presented as the principal mechanism through which climate science, adaptive technologies and risk-management practices reach farm households, yet the institutional landscape delivering this function in India is unusually fragmented, spanning a pluralistic public extension system, agrometeorological advisory services, technology demonstration programmes anchored in Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and a rapidly expanding set of digital and non-governmental delivery channels. This review synthesises and critically evaluates the peer-reviewed evidence on how these advisory mechanisms function, interact and perform in supporting climate-resilient agriculture in India. Rather than cataloguing individual studies, the review develops an integrated thematic synthesis addressing the historical evolution of extension architecture, the operation and reach of agrometeorological advisory services, the performance of digital and information and communication technology-mediated extension, the contribution of Krishi Vigyan Kendra-based technology demonstration under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture programme, the behavioural and socio-economic determinants of advisory uptake, and the persistence of gendered and other inequities in access. Across these themes, the evidence indicates that advisory exposure is consistently associated with measurable gains in adoption, yield stability or income, but that the underlying evidence base is dominated by cross-sectional, self-reported and geographically concentrated studies, with credible counterfactual designs remaining comparatively rare. Institutional coordination across the parallel delivery mechanisms is weakly documented, and evidence specifically addressing women farmers, tenant cultivators and the most climate-vulnerable districts remains thin relative to the scale of the underlying policy investment. The review identifies methodological and substantive research priorities, including longitudinal and quasi-experimental evaluation of advisory convergence models, and offers a measured assessment of what the existing evidence can and cannot support regarding the capacity of advisory services to underpin climate resilience at scale.

Spatial Analysis of The Suitability of Land Use and Directions for Improving Space Patterns on The Coast of Indramayu District, West Java Province, Indonesia

2026-07-13T09:26:05+00:00

This study analyses the suitability of existing land use in the coastal area of Indramayu Regency, West Java Province, Indonesia, in relation to the spatial pattern established in the 2011–2031 Regional Spatial Plan. The research was conducted in 11 coastal sub-districts using Google Earth imagery from 2023, field validation and spatial data from the Indramayu Regency spatial plan. Existing land use was interpreted through on-screen digitisation based on visual interpretation elements, including hue, texture, shape and object association. The interpreted land-use map was then overlaid with the spatial pattern map using Quantum GIS to identify areas classified as suitable, unsuitable or transitional. The results show that the coastal area contains 11 land-use types, including rice fields, fish and shrimp ponds, settlements, mangroves, industrial areas, rivers, roads, salt ponds, plantations, open land and harbour areas. Rice fields form the dominant land use, covering 44,345 ha, followed by fish and shrimp ponds covering 14,191 ha and settlement areas covering 4,487 ha. Overall, 58,310 ha of land use is consistent with the spatial pattern, while 7,976 ha is unsuitable and 2,189 ha is transitional. Unsuitable land use is mainly associated with the conversion of protected and agricultural areas into ponds, settlements and other uses. The recommended improvement direction is to maintain suitable land uses, restore transitional areas where feasible and control further expansion of unsuitable land uses.

Present-Day Crustal Deformation in the Imphal Valley of Northeast India from Observations at A Newly Established Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Station (2015–2024): Implications for India–Burma Plate Interactions

2026-07-13T13:17:49+00:00

The Imphal Valley, situated within the Indo-Burmese Wedge of Northeast India, represents one of the most tectonically active regions along the India–Burma plate boundary. Despite its geodynamic significance, continuous geodetic observations from this area remain limited. In this study, present-day crustal deformation was investigated using long-term observations acquired from a permanent Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) station established at the Multi-Parametric Geophysical Observatory (MPGO), Imphal. Continuous data collected between 2015 and 2024 were processed using the GAMIT/GLOBK software package within the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF2014) to determine station coordinates and crustal velocities. The analysis indicates that the Imphal station (IMP1) moves at an absolute horizontal velocity of 36.3 ± 0.5 mm yr⁻¹ toward N55°E. When referenced to the stable Indian Plate, the station exhibits a residual velocity of approximately 16.7 mm yr⁻¹ toward N222°, indicating persistent southwestward motion. These results indicate that the Imphal Valley is undergoing active deformation associated with the ongoing convergence between the Indian Plate and the Burma microplate. The velocity estimates presented here provide new geodetic constraints on regional plate kinematics and contribute to a better understanding of deformation within the Indo-Burmese Wedge. Continuous GNSS monitoring is shown to be an effective approach for quantifying crustal motion and improving tectonic interpretations and seismic hazard assessment in Northeast India.

Analysis of Compliance Level with Physical Planning Standards Across Residential Zones in Ughelli Urban, Delta State, Nigeria

2026-07-18T12:47:55+00:00

This study analysed the level of compliance with physical planning standards across residential zones in Ughelli Urban, Delta State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by increasing urban growth, rising housing demand, and challenges associated with unauthorised development, inadequate setbacks, encroachment, and weak development-control practices. It aimed to assess compliance with physical planning standards across residential zones and determine variations within the study area. Institutional Theory provided the theoretical framework, emphasising the roles of regulatory institutions, enforcement mechanisms, and stakeholder behaviour in promoting compliance. A survey research design was adopted. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, interviews, direct observation, a reconnaissance survey, and field measurements. The study population comprised residents of four residential zones: Ughelli, Ekiugbo, Otovwodo, and Afiesere, with a projected population of 103,024 persons. A sample of 384 respondents was selected using cluster and stratified random sampling techniques. Data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings showed that compliance with physical planning standards in Ughelli Urban was generally moderate. The highest compliance levels were recorded for front-setback regulation (45.3%), cooperation with town-planning enforcement (45.0%), and adherence to approved housing-design patterns (42.6%). However, compliance with encroachment regulations (35.4%) and plot-coverage standards (37.0%) remained low. Ughelli recorded the highest compliance level, followed by Otovwodo and Ekiugbo, while Afiesere recorded the lowest. The ANOVA result showed a significant difference in compliance among the residential zones (p = 0.000 < 0.05). Mean compliance scores were relatively higher in Ughelli (3.40) and Otovwodo (3.38), followed by Ekiugbo (3.28), whereas Afiesere recorded the lowest score (2.53). The null hypothesis was therefore rejected, indicating that compliance varied significantly across locations. The study was limited to four residential zones in Ughelli Urban and may not represent all residential areas in Delta State. The uneven distribution of respondents across the zones, particularly the smaller sample from Afiesere, may also affect zonal comparisons. The study concludes that weak enforcement, inadequate awareness, and uneven institutional presence affect compliance with planning standards. It recommends strengthening development-control mechanisms, improving public awareness, and extending planning interventions to low-compliance areas to promote sustainable urban development in Ughelli Urban.

Irrigation Water Quality Index and Conventional Tools to Support Sustainable Water Resource Management in Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India

2026-07-20T12:00:16+00:00

Groundwater quality plays a decisive role in sustaining irrigated agriculture, particularly in regions where intensive farming depends heavily on subsurface water resources. This study assessed the suitability of groundwater for irrigation in Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand, India, using the Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI), with emphasis on electrical conductivity (EC) as a primary indicator of salinity hazard. A total of 82 groundwater samples were collected from hand pumps distributed across seven developmental blocks of the district and adjoining areas. The samples were analysed for key physicochemical parameters, including EC, total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), major ions (Na⁺, Cl⁻ and HCO₃⁻), nitrate, boron and pH, following standard analytical procedures. The FAO-based irrigation suitability assessment indicated that 78.08% of the samples posed no salinity risk based on EC, while 21.92% showed slight to moderate salinity. Similarly, 73.17% of the samples were classified as safe based on TDS, while the remaining 26.83% exhibited slight to moderate restriction. All groundwater samples recorded SAR values below 3.0, indicating the absence of sodium-related toxicity and minimal risk to soil infiltration. However, spatial analysis revealed localised salinity concerns in areas such as Kashipur, Rudrapur, Sitarganj and nearby localities. The IWQI results further showed that 42.4% of the groundwater samples fell under moderate irrigation restriction, 54% under high restriction and 3.6% under severe restriction. These findings indicate that, although groundwater is generally suitable for irrigation, its use requires appropriate management practices, including controlled irrigation scheduling, adequate leaching and good soil drainage, to prevent long-term salinisation. The study highlights notable spatial variability in irrigation water quality within the Tarai region and supports the usefulness of IWQI as a practical decision-support tool. The outcomes provide guidance for sustainable irrigation planning, crop selection and groundwater management under increasing agricultural intensification.

Cognizance and Removal Practices of E-Waste: With Special Reference to Household Users in Lucknow City of Uttar Pradesh, India

2026-07-21T11:45:08+00:00

Electronic waste (e-waste), or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), has become a significant environmental concern because of increasing dependence on electronic products and the rapid replacement of household electrical and electronic devices. This study examined cognizance and removal practices related to e-waste among household users in Lucknow city, Uttar Pradesh, India. Data were collected from 70 respondents through a structured questionnaire that assessed awareness of e-waste, possession of unused electronic items at home, knowledge of hazardous components, understanding of health and environmental risks, and awareness of recycling. The respondent group included 37 males and 33 females. Most respondents were in the 41–45-year age group, followed by the 36–40-year age group. The analysis considered awareness across age groups and educational qualifications using ANOVA. The findings indicate that respondents across different age groups and educational levels were generally aware of e-waste, harmful components, possible health impacts, environmental threats and the need for recycling. However, the results also suggest that awareness should be supported by practical disposal guidance, accessible collection systems and stronger links with authorised recycling channels. The study highlights the importance of household-level participation in safe e-waste segregation, collection and disposal. Strengthened public education and local management systems may improve responsible e-waste practices in urban households.

Dynamics of Land Utilisation and the Implications for Urban Forest Resources in Bamenda, Cameroon

2026-07-22T11:46:43+00:00

Rapid urbanisation in Bamenda, Cameroon, has intensified pressure on land resources, leading to unplanned spatial transformations that threaten the sustainability of municipal green infrastructure. This study examines how changing land utilisation practices affect the development and conservation of urban forest resources across the municipalities of Bamenda I, II and III. Using a mixed-methods design, the study integrated quantitative spatial metrics with qualitative inquiry. Empirical data were collected through 400 structured questionnaires, 15 key informant interviews and three focus group discussions, supplemented by secondary data from the Bamenda City Master Plan (2011–2027). Geographic Information System (GIS) tools in ArcGIS 10.8 were used to map land-use and land-cover trajectories from 1984 to 2025. Spatial modelling revealed extensive conversion of natural landscapes into built-up areas across all three municipalities. For example, the built-up area in Bamenda I expanded from 486.09 hectares in 1984 to 2,783.04 hectares in 2025, while forest cover declined from 5,310.40 hectares to 3,374.65 hectares over the same period, indicating substantial conversion of forest land to urban development. Weak institutional enforcement, overlapping customary and statutory land-tenure systems, and crisis-induced population displacement emerged as the principal socio-political drivers of this environmental transformation. The study concludes that current land utilisation practices prioritise short-term physical development over long-term ecological resilience. It recommends integrating urban forestry formally into municipal zoning regulations, strengthening local environmental governance and adopting community-inclusive co-management frameworks.

Deformation Monitoring of Kidatu Hydroelectric Power Dam Using Geodetic Data

2026-07-23T12:12:23+00:00

The Kidatu Hydroelectric Dam in Tanzania is a critical component of the national power infrastructure, contributing approximately 36% of the country’s electricity generation. Periodic or continuous geodetic monitoring of concrete and earth dams is essential for evaluating long-term structural performance because progressive deformation may indicate changes that could affect operational safety. This study presents a long-term geodetic assessment of the Kidatu Hydroelectric Dam embankment in Morogoro, Tanzania, using observations collected over a 45-year period (1975–2020). The monitoring network comprised five reference points and sixteen object points distributed across the dam structure. Horizontal and vertical displacements were estimated across successive observation epochs to characterise deformation patterns. The maximum horizontal deformation rate was approximately 4.9 mm/yr near the pressure tunnel and decreased towards the northern section to approximately 1.2 mm/yr. Vertical velocities ranged from −2.83 mm/yr at DE05 to +0.36 mm/yr at DE15, indicating predominant settlement across the crest points and small positive vertical velocities at the lower-elevation points DE15 and DE16. Several estimated velocities exceeded their reported standard errors, whereas others were comparable with the associated uncertainties. The results therefore indicate slow, spatially variable deformation rather than providing a definitive assessment of structural safety. These findings provide baseline information for continued geodetic monitoring, structural assessment, and management of the Kidatu Hydroelectric Dam.

Geo-environmental and Ecological Determinants for Japanese Encephalitis (JE) Transmission in Meghalaya, Northeast India

2026-07-24T11:16:00+00:00

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is a mosquito-borne viral disease and a persistent public health concern in Meghalaya, Northeast India. Remote Sensing and GIS, was integrated and fuzzy logic analysis was performed to assess the JE transmission dynamics, mosquito breeding habitats, and delineate transmission risk zones in Meghalaya. Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) changes were analysed and mapped at the 5 years interval (2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025), which indicated a growing anthropogenic influence could be increasing the mosquito breeding areas. A clustered distribution of JE epidemic cases was observed with JE vector mosquitoes breeding habitats suitability, and map topology was performed using LULC categories and Land Surface Temperature (LST), and JE hotspots risk areas were identified in the central and South-Eastern regions. A fuzzy model was applied to prepare the risk of JE transmission zone map, and was validated, and has a strong spatial association between the observed patients' household site locations and a model based predicted hotspots risk zones. The habitat suitability and human exposure layers through fuzzy overlay produced the final transmission risk map showing 21.89% of Meghalaya emerged as very high transmission risk territory, while 62.48% was classified as very low risk. JE transmission in Meghalaya is shaped by the combined influence of ecological and environmental determinants. The study provides a fuzzy Logic membership gamma index for predicting the JE transmission risk zones, offering a reliable framework for disease surveillance, vector control, and targeted public health intervention to control JE epidemics in the high risk zones.

Analysis of Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Urban Sprawl and Growth Pattern Using Geo-spatial Technologies in Pathsala Municipality, Bajali

2026-07-25T07:36:33+00:00

Urban expansion in rapidly growing municipalities has intensified land-use transformation, necessitating systematic assessment to support sustainable urban planning. This study investigates the spatio-temporal dynamics of urban sprawl and growth patterns in Pathsala Municipality, Bajali, using geospatial technologies. It aims to quantify urban expansion, analyse land use and land cover (LULC) changes, and identify the spatial characteristics of urban growth. Multi-temporal satellite imagery, remote sensing, and GIS techniques were integrated to map LULC changes, while image classification and change-detection analyses were employed to quantify urban growth and identify emerging spatial patterns. The findings indicate that the built-up area increased by 12.28% during 2005–2011, 21.35% during 2011–2017, and 25.32% during 2017–2023. Conversely, vegetation declined by 4.36%, 1.71%, and 13.62%, while agricultural fields and fallow land declined by 5.56%, 19.95%, and 22.32% over the corresponding periods. The built-up area expanded from 3.42 km² in 2005 to 5.84 km² in 2023, while the Largest Patch Index (LPI) increased from 15.42% to 33.05%, Edge Density (ED) declined from 48.86 to 27.26 km/km², and the Distance Decay Coefficient (β) rose from 0.3437 in 2005 to 0.8255 in 2023. Urban growth was concentrated along major transport corridors and in peripheral areas, reflecting a combination of linear expansion and dispersed sprawl. These changes indicate increasing pressure on land resources and infrastructure. The study applies GIS and remote sensing to analyse long-term urban growth in Pathsala Municipality. It provides localised insights into urbanisation processes and establishes a spatial database to support future monitoring and planning. Despite limitations related to the spatial resolution and temporal availability of satellite data, classification uncertainty, and the exclusion of detailed socio-economic drivers, the findings provide evidence that can support municipal authorities and planners in formulating sustainable land-use policies, infrastructure-development strategies, environmental-conservation measures, and informed decision-making for balanced urban growth.

Geotechnical Site Characterization and Bearing Capacity Assessment for a Proposed Two-Storey Building at Nembe, Bayelsa State

2026-07-27T06:49:34+00:00

Aim: This study aimed to characterize the subsurface geotechnical properties and evaluate the bearing capacity and settlement behaviour of soils for the foundation design of a proposed two-storey building at Nembe, Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.

Study Design: The study employed an integrated field and laboratory geotechnical investigation, combining borehole drilling, in-situ testing, and laboratory analysis of retrieved soil samples to derive design parameters for shallow foundation assessment.

Place and Duration of Study: The investigation was conducted at a proposed building site in Nembe, Bayelsa State, located within the Niger Delta region of Nigeria; fieldwork and associated laboratory testing were carried out within a single site investigation campaign during the project’s foundation design phase over a period of 3 months.

Methodology: Three boreholes were drilled to depths of 20.0 m using percussion auger, with Standard Penetration Tests (SPT) performed at specified depth intervals and both disturbed and undisturbed soil samples collected for laboratory testing. Index properties (natural moisture content, Atterberg limits, and grain size distribution), shear strength parameters, and compressibility characteristics were determined following relevant ASTM and BS procedures. Allowable bearing capacity was evaluated using empirical SPT-based correlations and Terzaghi bearing capacity theory, while immediate and consolidation settlements were estimated using Christian and Carrier and Skempton and Bjerrum-type relationships.

Results: The subsurface stratigraphy comprises greyish poorly graded sand (sand fill) overlying soft clayey sand to silty sand (SC–SM), greyish organic clay of low plasticity (OL), and milky poorly graded sand (SP) with shell fragments, extending to 20.0 m depth. Index properties indicate average natural moisture content of about 16.0%, liquid limit between 19.1 and 20.1%, and plastic limit between 10.5 and 11.1%, while measured SPT N-values range from 12 to 20, reflecting generally medium-dense to firm conditions. Design shear strength parameters yielded an average cohesion of about 30 kPa with a friction angle of approximately 22°, and the allowable bearing capacity, computed empirically, was about 318 kPa with a corresponding total settlement expression of 0.0127T, where T represents the applied structural load; groundwater was encountered at approximately 1.7 m below ground level.

Conclusion: The geotechnical characterization indicates that, despite the presence of soft clayey and organic horizons, the subsoil at the site possesses adequate bearing capacity and controlled settlement response for a properly designed shallow raft foundation system. The results highlight the importance of detailed site-specific investigations in the Niger Delta to avoid structural distress arising from inappropriate foundation design in heterogeneous, weakly consolidated deposits.

Mapping Vulnerable Areas of the Lolodorf Uranium Deposit in Southern Cameroon using Remote Sensing and Gravimetry

2026-07-28T04:03:39+00:00

The Lolodorf uranium deposit in southern Cameroon occurs within a region where respiratory and mental health concerns have been reported, creating a need to identify areas that warrant detailed environmental investigation. This study mapped potentially vulnerable areas by integrating remote-sensing, gravimetric, and health-related spatial indicators. Clay-mineralisation and vegetation indices were derived from Landsat data, while shallow lineament density was obtained from remote-sensing analysis. Deep structural features were delineated from gravity data through Bouguer and residual anomaly processing, spectral analysis, Euler deconvolution, and horizontal-gradient magnitude. The resulting thematic layers, together with the spatial distribution of pulmonary disease prevalence, were weighted and combined using the Full Information Maximum Likelihood approach. The integrated map identified five vulnerability classes, with the highest values concentrated around Lolodorf and extending towards Bingambo and Bipindi. These areas were characterised by high clay-mineralisation index values, low vegetation-index values, and increased densities of deep and shallow lineaments. Comparison with reported radon and thoron occurrence at Awanda and Bikoué showed spatial agreement with the mapped vulnerable zone. The findings indicate that the combined geospatial approach can support the preliminary prioritisation of locations for field-based radiological measurements, soil and water sampling, indoor radon and thoron surveys, and epidemiological investigation. The resulting map should be regarded as a screening tool rather than evidence of a causal relationship between uranium occurrence and reported disease.

From Natural Assets to Sustainable Products: A Comparative Tourism-Readiness Assessment of Shkodër Municipality, Albania

2026-07-31T07:04:08+00:00

Background: Shkodër Municipality contains closely connected lacustrine, coastal-wetland, riverine, and mountain-karst-rural landscapes, but their natural significance does not necessarily correspond to operational tourism readiness.

Aims: The study aims to classify the principal natural-tourism landscapes of Shkodër Municipality, compare their tourism readiness, identify environmental and governance constraints, and demonstrate the value of separating natural potential from operational readiness.

Study Design: A qualitative geographical case study using documentary analysis, landscape classification, and comparative multi-criteria assessment.

Place and Duration of Study: Shkodër Municipality, north-western Albania; February–June 2026.

Methodology: Peer-reviewed studies, municipal planning and environmental documents, protected-area records, biodiversity plans, tourism programmes, and cartographic materials were triangulated. Four landscape systems—lacustrine, coastal-wetland, riverine, and mountain-karst-rural—were assessed using nine criteria. Ratings followed explicit low–moderate–high descriptors, were checked against a source-audit matrix, and were not numerically aggregated.

Results: Municipality-scale evidence identified four principal geodiversity hotspots: Theth, Drin–Vau i Dejës, Lake Shkodër–Shirokë–Zogaj, and the Buna protected landscape. All four systems possess high natural significance, but operational readiness is uneven. Lake Shkodër–Shirokë–Zogaj has the strongest combination of access, services, and local-enterprise linkages. Velipojë has substantial accommodation capacity but remains highly seasonal and environmentally sensitive. Recorded visits to the Albanian Alps National Park increased from 237,094 in 2022 to 556,840 in 2025, while registered overnight stays in Theth rose from 10,007 to 54,649, alongside concentrated pressure on trails, waste systems, and sensitive habitats. River corridors and lesser-known karst and rural sites remain weakly interpreted, serviced, and organised.

Conclusion: Shkodër’s main challenge is the uneven conversion of natural assets into environmentally responsible and operationally viable tourism products. Established destinations require stronger visitor-flow and environmental management, while emerging sites require cautious access, interpretation, safety organisation, trained guides, and community-based services. The framework provides a transparent first-stage screening approach for comparable municipalities, but site-level investment and promotion require field validation.

Integrated Airborne Potential Field Data Analysis for Mapping the Basement and Structural Architecture of the Lower Benue Trough, Nigeria: Implications for Hydrocarbon Potential

2026-08-01T10:59:44+00:00

Airborne magnetic and gravity datasets for the Lower Benue Trough were analysed and interpreted to map concealed subsurface structures within the basin. The basin's hydrocarbon potential was assessed by estimating sedimentary thickness, mapping the basement architecture, and identifying favourable geological structures that may facilitate hydrocarbon migration and entrapment and warrant further detailed investigation. The aeromagnetic and gravity data were processed using regional-residual separation, the first vertical derivative (FVD), and Centre for Exploration Targeting (CET) analysis supported by rose diagrams. Source depths were estimated using Euler deconvolution and Source Parameter Imaging (SPI), while two-dimensional forward modelling of the magnetic and Bouguer anomalies was used to map the subsurface architecture. The FVD maps and rose diagrams revealed major magnetic lineaments and faults trending NE-SW, E-W, and ENE-WSW, whereas the gravity data showed major NE-SW, E-W, NW-SE, and WNW-ESE trends. Minor magnetic trends occurred in the N-S, NW-SE, and NNE-SSW directions, while minor gravity trends occurred in the WNW-SSE, N-S, ENE-WSW, and NNE-SSW directions. Euler deconvolution yielded depths of 717.7-4933.9 m for the magnetic data and 1029-5042 m for the gravity data, whereas SPI yielded depths of 691.7-5121.1 m and 180.3-5518 m, respectively. Two-dimensional forward modelling along the NE-SW profiles yielded depths of 0.8-2.8 km for the magnetic model and 0.4-3.4 km for the gravity model. The undulating basement indicates deep-seated structures that may provide migration pathways and traps for hydrocarbon accumulation. The results therefore indicate sedimentary depths and fault-fracture systems that justify further detailed hydrocarbon exploration studies.