Browsing by Author "Kityo, Robert"
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Item The biodiversity of the Albertine Rift(Biological conservation, 2007) Plumptre, Andrew J.; Davenport, Tim R.B.; Behangana, Mathias; Kityo, Robert; Eilu, Gerald; Ssegawa, Paul; Ewango, Corneille; Meirte, Danny; Kahindo, Charles; Herremans, Marc; Peterhans, Julian Kerbis; Pilgrim, John D.; Wilson, Malcolm; Languy, Marc; Moyer, DavidThe Albertine Rift is one of the most important regions for conservation in Africa. It contains more vertebrate species than any other region on the continent and contains more endemic species of vertebrate than any other region on mainland Africa. This paper compiles all currently known species distribution information for plants, endemic butterfly species and four vertebrate taxa from the Albertine Rift. The literature on fish species richness and endemism is also reviewed to assess the importance of the larger lakes in the Rift for conservation. We use data from 38 protected and unprotected areas to prioritise sites within the Albertine Rift for conservation based upon their numbers of endemic and globally threatened species. Virunga and Kahuzi Biega National Parks and Itombwe Massif in Democratic Republic of Congo, Bwindi Impenetrable and Kibale National Parks in Uganda, and Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda rank highest in terms of numbers of both endemic and globally threatened species. Six conservation landscapes are described that include most of these sites and it is argued that a focus on these landscapes may be a more holistic method to ensure the safety of the priority areas of the Albertine Rift.Item The biodiversity of the Albertine Rift(Biological conservation, 2007) Plumptre, Andrew J.; Davenport, Tim R.B.; Behangana, Mathias; Kityo, Robert; Eilu, Gerald; Ssegawa, Paul; Ewango, Corneille; Meirte, Danny; Kahindo, Charles; Herremans, Marc; Kerbis Peterhans, Julian; Pilgrim, John D.; Wilson, Malcolm; Languy, Marc; Moyer, DavidThe Albertine Rift is one of the most important regions for conservation in Africa. It contains more vertebrate species than any other region on the continent and contains more endemic species of vertebrate than any other region on mainland Africa. This paper compiles all currently known species distribution information for plants, endemic butterfly species and four vertebrate taxa from the Albertine Rift. The literature on fish species richness and endemism is also reviewed to assess the importance of the larger lakes in the Rift for conservation. We use data from 38 protected and unprotected areas to prioritise sites within the Albertine Rift for conservation based upon their numbers of endemic and globally threatened species. Virunga and Kahuzi Biega National Parks and Itombwe Massif in Democratic Republic of Congo, Bwindi Impenetrable and Kibale National Parks in Uganda, and Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda rank highest in terms of numbers of both endemic and globally threatened species. Six conservation landscapes are described that include most of these sites and it is argued that a focus on these landscapes may be a more holistic method to ensure the safety of the priority areas of the Albertine Rift.Item Complex population structure in African village dogs and its implications for inferring dog domestication history(National Academy of Sciences, 2009) Boyko, Adam R.; Boyko, Ryan H.; Boyko, Corin M.; Parker, Heidi G.; Castelhano, Marta; Corey, Liz; Degenhardt, Jeremiah D.; Auton, Adam; Hedimbi, Marius; Kityo, Robert; Ostrander, Elaine A.; Schoenebeck, Jeffrey; Todhunter, Rory J.; Jones, Paul; Bustamante, Carlos D.High genetic diversity of East Asian village dogs has recently been used to argue for an East Asian origin of the domestic dog. However, global village dog genetic diversity and the extent to which semiferal village dogs represent distinct, indigenous populations instead of admixtures of various dog breeds has not been quantified. Understanding these issues is critical to properly reconstructing the timing, number, and locations of dog domestication. To address these questions, we sampled 318 village dogs from 7 regions in Egypt, Uganda, and Namibia, measuring genetic diversity >680 bp of the mitochondrial D-loop, 300 SNPs, and 89 microsatellite markers. We also analyzed breed dogs, including putatively African breeds (Afghan hounds, Basenjis, Pharaoh hounds, Rhodesian ridgebacks, and Salukis), Puerto Rican street dogs, and mixed breed dogs from the United States. Village dogs from most African regions appear genetically distinct from non-native breed and mixed-breed dogs, although some individuals cluster genetically with Puerto Rican dogs or United States breed mixes instead of with neighboring village dogs. Thus, African village dogs are a mosaic of indigenous dogs descended from early migrants to Africa, and non-native, breed-admixed individuals. Among putatively African breeds, Pharaoh hounds, and Rhodesian ridgebacks clustered with non-native rather than indigenous African dogs, suggesting they have predominantly non-African origins. Surprisingly, we find similar mtDNA haplotype diversity in African and East Asian village dogs, potentially calling into question the hypothesis of an East Asian origin for dog domestication.Item Conservation of vertebrates and plants in Uganda: Identifying Key Biodiversity Areas and other sites of national importance(Conservation Science and Practice, 2019) Plumptre, Andrew J.; Ayebare, Sam; Behangana, Mathias; Forrest, Tom G.; Hatanga, Paul; Kabuye, Christine; Kirunda, Ben; Kityo, Robert; Mugabe, Hamlet; Namaganda, Mary; Nampindo, Simon; Nangendo, Grace; Nkuutu, David N.; Pomeroy, Derek; Tushabe, Herbert; Prinsloo, SarahUganda is one of the most species rich countries in Africa because of the presence of several major biomes. However, it is also a country that has lost much of its natural habitat to agriculture. Uganda is a country that has been better surveyed for its biodiversity than many African countries, but despite this, there has not been a comprehensive analysis of the critical sites that contribute to biodiversity conservation at a global, as well as at a national level. We here present such an assessment using mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and plants as surrogate taxa. We identified 36 terrestrial sites that are of sufficient global importance to qualify as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), using the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs, which complement an additional nine freshwater sites. National red listing of species and ecosystems was used to identify sites of national importance for conservation. We employ a conservation planning approach using Marxan to identify the minimum set of sites needed to conserve all the globally and nationally threatened species and nationally threatened habitats in Uganda. The findings show that most of the remaining natural habitat in Uganda is important for the conservation of globally and nationally threatened species and threatened habitat. Large areas of irreplaceable habitat occur outside protected areas, although more extensive surveys of these areas would likely reduce the area that is irreplaceable.Item Detection of Entebbe Bat Virus after 54 Years(The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2015) Kading, Rebekah C.; Kityo, Robert; Nakayiki, Teddie; Ledermann, Jeremy; Crabtree, Mary B.; Lutwama, Julius; Miller, Barry R.Entebbe bat virus (ENTV; Flaviviridae: Flavivirus), closely related to yellow fever virus, was first isolated from a little free-tailed bat (Chaerephon pumilus) in Uganda in 1957, but was not detected after that initial isolation. In 2011, we isolated ENTV from a little free-tailed bat captured from the attic of a house near where it had originally been found. Infectious virus was recovered from the spleen and lung, and the viral RNA was sequenced and compared with that of the original isolate. Across the polypeptide sequence, there were 76 amino acid substitutions, resulting in 97.8% identity at the amino acid level between the 1957 and 2011 isolates. Further study of this virus would provide valuable insights into the ecological and genetic factors governing the evolution and transmission of bat- and mosquitoborne flaviviruses.Item Diversity of rodents and shrews along an elevational gradient in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, south-western Uganda(African Journal of Ecology, 2003) Kasangaki, Aventino; Kityo, Robert; Kerbis, JulianSmall mammal species diversity in the major vegetation zones of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is discussed in relation to altitude. Species richness of the smallmammals was found to decrease with an increase in altitude. The main factors accounting for the observed diversity are the wide altitudinal variation and a complex array of vegetation types. Sixty-seven species of rodents and shrews were found to exist in the Park; 47 of which were rodents and 20 shrews. Of these, 26 species are new to theBwindi Park list.Three species have probably notbeen described before. The study found 10 species of small mammals to be Albertine Rift endemics. Three genera are recorded in Uganda for the ¢rst time: Rwenzorisorex, Suncus and Paracrocidura. Five species are new records for East Africa. These are Crocidura stenocephala, Lophuromys rahmi, L. medicaudatus, Paracrocidura maxima and Hylomyscus aeta. Because of thehigh endemismof plants, butter£ies, birds and now of small mammal species, Bwindi forest is a unique biodiversity hotspot and is among the highest conservation priorities in the Albertine Rift.Item Factors that affect distribution of Small Mammal Communities in Mabira Central Forest Reserve (MCFR) and Kibale Forest National Park (KFNP)(ResearchGate, 2016) Babyesiza, Waswa Sadic; Kityo, Robert; Peterhans, Julian Kerbis; Sisiria, AkothThe study was completed through the use of conventional rodent traps, Pit falls and mist nets, and conducted in different survey areas 4 in MCFR and 2 in KFNP for a period of four months. It was observed that different habitat characteristics significantly influence the distribution of species within the environs of MCFR and KFNP. For example, closed canopy and leaf litter significantly correlated with the distribution of Crocidura nov, Crocidura dolichura, Suncus hututsi and Sylvisorex johnstoni. Much as different habitat variables have been assessed and found to influence the distribution of different small mammal species, it should be noted that population size and the factors that affect it, such as food, weather, and predators, could also be important determinant of small mammal distribution.Item A Hominoid Genus from the Early Miocene of Uganda(Reports, 1997) Gebo, Daniel L.; MacLatchy, Laura; Kityo, Robert; Deino, Alan; Kingston, John; Pilbeam, DavidFossils from a large-bodied hominoid from early Miocene sediments of Uganda, along with material recovered in the 1960s, show features of the shoulder and vertebral column that are significantly similar to those of living apes and humans. The large-bodied hominoid from Uganda dates to at least 20.6 million years ago and thus represents the oldest known hominoid sharing these derived characters with living apes and humansItem Infestation Levels of Some Pests, Predators and Enemies of Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) in Two Agro-Ecological Zones of Uganda(Journal of Biology and Nature, 2018) Chemurot, Moses; Onen, Hudson; Kasangaki, Patrice; Kityo, Robert; Sande, Eric; De Graaf, Dirk C.Globally, honeybees are threatened by human-mediated factors like pests, diseases and pesticides. In this study, 370 honeybee colonies were surveyed for selected invertebrate and vertebrate pests in wet and dry seasons (December 2014 to September 2015). Observations were made on human activities, apiary characteristics, landscape and land use type. Counts of selected pests were made by carefully opening, smoking hives before physically searching for the target pests. The pests recorded included; rats (Graphiurus sp.), lizards (Agama sp.), small hive beetle (Aethina tumida), wax moth (Galleria mellonella) and ants (Dorylus sp.). Infestation levels of wax moths were significantly higher in wet season (0.6±2.9) than in the dry season (0.0±0.0) (P < 0.01). In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between wax moth infestation level and elevation (rho = - 0.194, n = 161, P = 0.014). Furthermore, wax moths infestation levels varied significantly across apiaries of different dominant vegetation types (P = 0.001). Old farmlands had significantly higher infestation level of pests wax moths, ant and lizard compared to new farmlands and protected areas (P<0.05). The results support locating apiaries in less disturbed habitats to reduce pest infestation.Item Kanyawara Virus: A Novel Rhabdovirus Infecting Newly Discovered Nycteribiid Bat Flies Infesting Previously Unknown Pteropodid Bats in Uganda(Scientific Reports, 2017) Goldberg, Tony L.; Bennett, Andrew J.; Kityo, Robert; Kuhn, Jens H.; Chapman, Colin A.Bats are natural reservoir hosts of highly virulent pathogens such as Marburg virus, Nipah virus, and SARS coronavirus. However, little is known about the role of bat ectoparasites in transmitting and maintaining such viruses. The intricate relationship between bats and their ectoparasites suggests that ectoparasites might serve as viral vectors, but evidence to date is scant. Bat flies, in particular, are highly specialized obligate hematophagous ectoparasites that incidentally bite humans. Using nextgeneration sequencing, we discovered a novel ledantevirus (mononegaviral family Rhabdoviridae, genus Ledantevirus) in nycteribiid bat flies infesting pteropodid bats in western Uganda. Mitochondrial DNA analyses revealed that both the bat flies and their bat hosts belong to putative new species. The coding-complete genome of the new virus, named Kanyawara virus (KYAV), is only distantly related to that of its closest known relative, Mount Elgon bat virus, and was found at high titers in bat flies but not in blood or on mucosal surfaces of host bats. Viral genome analysis indicates unusually low CpG dinucleotide depletion in KYAV compared to other ledanteviruses and rhabdovirus groups, with KYAV displaying values similar to rhabdoviruses of arthropods. Our findings highlight the possibility of a yetto- be-discovered diversity of potentially pathogenic viruses in bat ectoparasites.Item A New Lorisid Humerus from the Early Miocene of Uganda(Primates, 1997) Gebo, Daniel L.; Maclatchy, Laura; Kityo, RobertAn early Miocene (18-20 mya) distal humerus from Napak, Uganda, is the only element of the forelimb to be allocated to African Lorisinae. Its loris-like features distinguish it from other East African material that more closely resembles galagids. Tracing the evolution of the lorisoid body has been a difficult task due to the lack of good fossil material. Here, we add a single specimen to this poor record. This humerus helps to document the beginning of extant lorisid locomotor specialization and function.Item Oligocene and Early Miocene Ruminants (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from Pakistan and Uganda(Palaeontologia Electronica, 2005) Barry, John C.; Cote, Susanne; MacLatchy, Laura; Lindsay, Everett H.; Kityo, Robert; Rajpar, A. RahimLate Oligocene and Early Miocene fossil ruminants from Napak and Moroto in Uganda and the Zinda Pir sequence in Pakistan comprise at least eight taxa, including an indeterminate lophiomerycid, ?Gelocus gajensis, Walangania africanus, Bugtimeryx pilgrimi, an indeterminate large cervoid, Progiraffa exigua, Palaeohypsodontus zinensis, and an unnamed bovid. The fossils range in age between 25 and 16 million years old and together with species of tragulids provide evidence for the existence of diverse latest Oligocene and earliest Miocene ruminant faunas in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. The fossils from Pakistan may also document the first appearance and subsequent radiation of giraffes and bovids, two groups that dominate later Neogene and modern herbivore faunas.Item Postcranial functional morphology of Morotopithecus bishopi, with implications for the evolution of modern ape locomotion(Journal of Human Evolution, 2000) MacLatchy, Laura; Gebo, Daniel; Kityo, Robert; Pilbeam, DavidThe large-bodied hominoid from Moroto, Uganda has until recently been known only from proconsulid like craniodental remains and some vertebrae with modern ape like features. The discovery of two partial femora and the glenoid portion of a scapula demonstrates that the functional anatomy of Morotopithecus differed markedly from other early and middle Miocene hominoids. Previous studies have consistently associated the vertebral remains with a short, stiff back and with orthograde postures. Although the proximal femur more closely resembles the femora of monkeys than of apes and suggests a moderate degree of hip abduction, the distal femur resembles those of extant large bodied apes and suggests a varied loading regime and an arboreal repertoire that may have included substantial vertical climbing. The femoral shaft displays uniformly thick cortical bone, beyond the range of thickness seen in extant primates, and signifies higher axial loading than is typical of most extant primates. The glenoid fossa is broad and uniformly curved as in extant suspensory primates. Overall, Morotopithecus is reconstructed as an arboreal species that probably relied on forelimb-dominated, deliberate and vertical climbing, suspension and quadrupedalism. Morotopithecus thus marks the first appearance of certain aspects of the modern hominoid body plan by at least 20 Ma. If the suspensory and orthograde adaptations linking Morotopithecus to extant apes are synapomorphies, Morotopithecus may be the only well-documented African Miocene hominoid with a close relationship to living apes and humans.Item Selective deforestation and exposure of African wildlife to bat-borne viruses(Nature Publishing Group UK, 2024-04) Fedurek, Pawel; Asiimwe, Caroline; Rice, Gregory K.; Akankwasa, Walter J; Reynolds, Vernon; Hobaiter, Catherine; Kityo, Robert; Muhanguzi, Geoffrey; Zuberbühler, Klaus; Crockford, Catherine; Cer, Regina Z; Bennett, Andrew J; Rothman, Jessica M; Bishop-Lilly, Kimberly A; Goldberg, Tony L.Proposed mechanisms of zoonotic virus spillover often posit that wildlife transmission and amplification precede human outbreaks. Between 2006 and 2012, the palm Raphia farinifera , a rich source of dietary minerals for wildlife, was nearly extirpated from Budongo Forest, Uganda. Since then, chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus, and red duiker were observed feeding on bat guano, a behavior not previously observed. Here we show that guano consumption may be a response to dietary mineral scarcity and may expose wildlife to bat-borne viruses. Videos from 2017–2019 recorded 839 instances of guano consumption by the aforementioned species. Nutritional analysis of the guano revealed high concentrations of sodium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Metagenomic analyses of the guano identified 27 eukaryotic viruses, including a novel betacoronavirus. Our findings illustrate how “upstream” drivers such as socioeconomics and resource extraction can initiate elaborate chains of causation, ultimately increasing virus spillover risk. A study in Uganda found that local extirpation of a mineral-rich tree species used in tobacco farming forced wildlife to obtain minerals by eating bat guano, in which 27 eukaryotic viruses were identified, including a novel betacoronavirus.Item Students and Scientists Connect with Nature in Uganda, East Africa(International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 2014) Johnson-Pynn, Julie S.; Johnson, Laura R.; Kityo, Robert; Lugumya, DouglasWe studied the impact of environmental education (EE) workshops on Ugandan youth’s (N = 84) perceptions of their relationship with nature, self efficacy, and civic attitudes and skills. Two nature-related measures and two measures related to social competencies were administered before and after EE workshops that were designed to educate youth about environmental conservation through field experiences with university scientists and inquiry-based activities with environmental educators. Pre- and post-workshop scores were analyzed using Mixed Design ANOVAs to determine if EE workshop program format length and setting differentially affected male (n = 43) and female (n = 41) participants’ perceived benefits of EE workshops. Participants’ scores increased following EE workshops, except those in the urban setting, who reported a decrease in their connections to nature compared to those in the rural setting. Longer workshops with more field experiences had the most profound impact on participants’ feelings of connection to nature, social competencies, and commitment to civic action. Males showed increases in self efficacy in the rural workshop and greater connectedness to nature in the longer workshops compared to females. Results underscore the importance of considering geographical and cultural contexts when developing and evaluating EE.Item Subgenomic flavivirus RNA (sfRNA) associated with Asian lineage Zika virus identified in three species of Ugandan bats (family Pteropodidae)(Scientific reports, 2021) Fagre, Anna C.; Lewis, Juliette; Miller, Megan R.; Mossel, Eric C.; Lutwama, Julius J.; Nyakarahuka, Luke; Nakayiki, Teddy; Kityo, Robert; Nalikka, Betty; Towner, Jonathan S.; Amman, Brian R.; Sealy, Tara K.; Foy, Brian; Schountz, Tony; Anderson, John; Kading, Rebekah C.Serological cross-reactivity among flaviviruses makes determining the prior arbovirus exposure of animals challenging in areas where multiple flavivirus strains are circulating. We hypothesized that prior infection with ZIKV could be confirmed through the presence of subgenomic flavivirus RNA (sfRNA) of the 3′ untranslated region (UTR), which persists in tissues due to XRN-1 stalling during RNA decay. We amplified ZIKV sfRNA but not NS5 from three experimentally-infected Jamaican fruit bats, supporting the hypothesis of sfRNA tissue persistence. Applying this approach to 198 field samples from Uganda, we confirmed presence of ZIKV sfRNA, but not NS5, in four bats representing three species: Eidolon helvum (n = 2), Epomophorus labiatus (n = 1), and Rousettus aegyptiacus (n = 1). Amplified sequence was most closely related to Asian lineage ZIKV. Our results support the use of sfRNA as a means of identifying previous flavivirus infection and describe the first detection of ZIKV RNA in East African bats.Item Taxonomy of the order Mononegavirales: update 2018(Archives of virology, 2018) Amarasinghe, Gaya K.; Aréchiga Ceballos, Nidia G.; Banyard, Ashley C.; Basler, Christopher F.; Hyndman, Timothy H.; Jiāng, Dàohóng; Kityo, Robert; Kobinger, Gary P. ·; Kondō, Hideki; Kuhn, Jens H.In 2018, the order Mononegavirales was expanded by inclusion of 1 new genus and 12 novel species. This article presents the updated taxonomy of the order Mononegavirales as now accepted by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) and summarizes additional taxonomic proposals that may affect the order in the near future.