Abdullahi Ahmed Yusuf

Pollination is a key ecological process sustaining biodiversity and food security, yet global patterns of plant–pollinator specialization remain unresolved. Using a global dataset of quantitative plant–pollinator networks (>3,400 networks, >110,000 interactions), we show that specialization is latitudinally structured, but not as a single directional pattern. We find no consistent monotonic increase or decrease in specialization towards the Equator. Instead, network-level and pollinator specialization peak at low northern latitudes near the tropical–subtropical boundary, whereas plant specialization is hemispherically asymmetric. Climate is most often the best-supported predictor of specialization compared with latitude, biodiversity and environmental productivity. Network-level specialization declines with increasing mean annual temperature, with strong group-specific differences. Precipitation exerts nonlinear effects: plant specialization peaks at intermediate precipitation but is lower at the wettest sites, whereas pollinator specialization is lower at intermediate precipitation, although often in interaction with temperature. Pollinator groups diverge strongly, especially in contrasting precipitation-related patterns between birds and insects. These findings show that global plant–pollinator specialization is structured by latitude and climate in complex and taxon-specific ways, with implications for uneven responses of pollination networks to future climatic change.

Outbreaks of bean fly, Ophiomyia spp. (Diptera: Agromyzidae) constitute a major constraint to common bean production in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we investigate bean fly occurrence patterns, associated parasitoid complexes, and smallholder farmer perspectives across 3 major bean corridors. Three bean fly species [O. phaseoli (Tyron), O. spencerella (Greathead), and O. centrosematis (de Meijere)] were identified. An incidence of 22% to 41% was recorded, mostly associated with O. spencerella, which accounted for up to 57.1% of total species abundance. A diverse assemblage of parasitoids was recorded, with mean parasitism rates of 43.7%, 18.7%, and 32.0% in Kisumu, Nakuru, and Murang’a counties, respectively. Parasitism was primarily driven by Opius sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) (6.7% to 38.3%), followed by Afrostilba sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) (2.2% to 28.6%) and Herbertia sp. (Hymenoptera: Herbertiidae) (1.8% to 4.8%). Most farmers recognized typical bean fly damage symptoms, but approximately 75% were unaware that bean flies were the causal agent. Local bean varieties, late sowing, and poor soil fertility were associated with a 17% to 51% likelihood of bean fly outbreaks. Most farmers did not implement any control measures, except in Nakuru County, where nearly 80% relied on broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides [Chlorpyrifos, Duduthrin, Alpha-cypermethrin, and Lambda-cyhalothrin], although this was associated with only a 23% reduction in infestation likelihood. Therefore, targeted awareness campaigns are urgently needed to equip farmers with the basic knowledge for timely diagnosis of bean fly outbreaks. For effective management of bean fly, more research is needed to fully exploit and adopt potential natural enemies to maintain the balance of ecosystems and protect crops without resorting to harmful chemicals.

Despite the extensive use of Ziziphus species in South African traditional medicine to treat various ailments, they remain poorly studied. Therefore, this study aimed to scientifically validate the ethnomedicinal use of Z. mucronata Willd., Z. rivularis Codd, and Z. zeyheriana Sond. in the treatment of gonorrhea. Their roots, stem bark, and leaves were sequentially extracted using five different solvents. The extracts were evaluated against Neisseria gonorrhoeae using the broth microdilution assay and cytotoxicity in rat skeletal (L6) myoblast cell lines. Of the 48 successive extracts evaluated, 12.5% exhibited high antigonococcal activity (MIC < 1 mg/mL), 33.3% showed moderate activity (MIC 1–6.25 mg/mL), and 54.1% were inactive (MIC > 6.25 mg/mL). Furthermore, the extracts displayed low cytotoxicity profiles, with 81% exhibiting no cytotoxicity (CC ₅₀ > 0.05 mg/mL) and the remaining 19% cytotoxic (CC ₅₀ < 0.05 mg/mL). Phytoconstituents tentatively identified and putatively attributed to the observed antigonococcal activity were n ‐hexadecanoic acid, phytol, and betulin. These have not been previously studied against N. gonorrhoeae ; further bioactivity screening in both in vivo and in vitro models is still needed to confirm their antigonococcal activity. Future research should focus on isolating phytoconstituents and testing the antigonococcal activity in vitro and in vivo.

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor and its associated viruses threaten the health of honey bee ( Apis mellifera L.). Yet, African populations survive mite infestations without miticide treatment largely due to social immunity behaviors. However, little is known about these defense mechanisms in A. m. simensis populations from the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Therefore, this study investigated grooming and hygienic behaviors across lowland, midland, and highland areas during the wet and dry seasons in this region. Grooming behavior was quantified by measuring adult mite infestation rates, daily natural mite fall, and the proportion of mites showing physical damage per colony. Hygienic behavior was evaluated via the removal of pin‐killed brood cells. Results were compared with Kenya's resistant A. m. scutellata and susceptible European hybrids in the USA. Honey bees in the Amhara region maintained low mite infestations (< 3.5 mites/100 honey bees) and exhibited higher grooming rates, ranging between 15% to 43% and inflicted more frequently damage to legs and gnathosoma comparable to Kenya's resistant honey bees. In addition to the 10 previously known damage categories inflicted on the mites by honey bees, two new mite damage combinations were identified. Their hygienic behavior was also high, ranging between 79.9% to 98.6% within 24 h and reached 98.8% to 100% after 48 h. While adult grooming and hygienic behaviors significantly varied with landscape and/or season, neither significantly correlated with mite infestation loads, suggesting these traits confer tolerance rather than resistance. Other resistance mechanisms, such as suppressed mite reproduction in worker brood cells, may further reduce colony mite infestations and should be evaluated in future studies.

The influence of global change on species assemblage patterns is on the rise with evidence showing a steady decline in pollinator communities across the globe. As such, the implementation of rigorous monitoring efforts aimed at documenting the actual status of pollinators is of essence especially in the tropics. This can be possible through participatory studies with volunteers (citizen scientists) that emphasizes on apriori research hypotheses with the aim to draw inferences on the potential drivers of species community assemblage patterns. In ecology, photos have the ability to drive change and can provide unbiased evidence on species existence with a potential to compare changes over time and space. However, in the tropics and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, such ideas fall short of public participation. In this study, we aimed to assess and digitally document plants and their bee visitors as important data sources with immense potential to improve on the knowledge and awareness of the different plants and bee species in two counties of Kenya (Taita and Murang’a). Our results showed marked differences in bee community assemblage patterns between the two counties, with a huge number of unique species between them. We successfully digitalised and present photos of 114 bee and 262 plant species. Using these digitalised photographs, we herein elaborate on the community assemblage patterns of plants and their bee pollinators in the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot (EABH) of Kenya and further discuss the importance of exploiting images for research in biodiversity and conservation. We therefore conclude that, technological advances that helps in digitalising species through photography can be important in the successful implementation of community based environmental threat management agendas.

The current study assessed the implications of substituting fish meal (FM) with black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) on sustainable African catfish ( Clarius gariepinus ) production. Five isocaloric experimental diets were formulated and 168-days feeding trials were performed with 1400 improved strains of African catfish. Fish fed with 50% BSFLM expressed the lowest and highest feed conversion ratio, and daily weight gain and specific growth rate. Fillets from fish fed diet with 50 and 75% BSFLM inclusion expressed higher lauric (11.4–16.7%) and linoleic acids. Omega-6 fatty acid was 19-fold higher in fillets from fish fed diet with 75%BSFLM. There was 5–8% and 9–11% higher crude protein in fillet from fish fed diet with 50 and 75% BSFLM, respectively. Essential amino acids in the fillets, particularly lysine [11 – 18g/kg] and methionine [11 – 27g/kg] values were significantly higher in catfish fed diet with BSFLM diets than with FM. Diet integrated with 50% BSFLM showed the best return on investment (105.2%) and cost-benefit ratio (1.05). Integration of 50–75% BSFLM into African catfish diet offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional fish feed, with promising long-term nutritional and health benefits for the aquaculture industry.

Apiculture is a vital economic sector in Ethiopia, providing income and employment for over two million people. However, the classification of the honey bee subspecies in Ethiopia remains debatable. To shed light on this, we analysed wing geometric and classical morphometrics, mandibular gland pheromones, and COI–COII mitochondrial DNA sequences from worker honey bees collected across high, mid and low elevation gradients within Oromia, Amhara, and Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ (SNNP) regions. Our results revealed significant regional morphological and pheromonal variation driven by elevation. Wing size increased with altitude, suggesting adaptive responses to elevation. Classical morphometrics supported this trend, with bees at higher elevation exhibiting larger flight structures. Regional differences in mandibular gland pheromone secretion were also observed, with workers from Amhara secreting the least quantities of these compounds, including the queen substance 9-oxo-2( E )-decenoic acid (9-ODA) and its precursor 9-hydroxy-2( E )-decenoic acid (9-HDA), as well as the worker component 10-hydroxy-2 ( E )-decenoic acid (10-HDA) and its precursor 10-hydroxy-decanoic acid (10-HDAA). Furthermore, the secretion of 9-HDA and the total amount of mandibular gland pheromone significantly and negatively correlated with elevation. For mtDNA analysis, all samples from Ethiopia clustered with the Y lineage ( Apis mellifera simensis ) and separated from neighbouring honey bee populations of the A lineage ( A. m. scutellata and A. m. monticala ). Overall, our results reveal the significant influence of elevation on adaptive traits of Ethiopian honey bees, which are of the same subspecies.

Honeydew, a sugary excretion from sap‐feeding insects, significantly influences plant‐insect interactions. While extensive research has examined honeydew's composition, regulation, and role in insect‐plant relationships, its direct effects on plant physiology and health remain understudied. This review synthesizes current knowledge about the effects of insect honeydew deposition on plant physiology and health, focusing on both beneficial and detrimental effects. Adverse impacts include sooty mold development, increased pathogen susceptibility, and reduced photosynthetic capacity due to surface occlusion. Beneficial effects encompass enhanced flowering, strengthened direct and indirect plant defense mechanisms, and improved soil fertility through indirect pathways. This review examines the relationship between honeydew composition and its effects on plants, while highlighting critical knowledge gaps in molecular mechanisms and long‐term plant responses. This synthesis based on a comprehensive literature search provides a foundation for future research on honeydew's role in plant health and ecological interactions.