2008 HOORC Winter Course work

Nineteen University of Botswana undergraduate students completed their work for HOORC's Winter Course this week, wrapping up their fieldwork assignments with presentations of the results of their research. This year's work included economics studies from Mbakile P. Seabe - Household attitudes and willingness to pay for the conservation of Lake Ngami, Botswana -- Kaelo Galeage - The impact of Foot and Mouth Disease on livelihoods in Habu -- Bonang Keagakwa -- Firewood trade as a livelihood activity in the greater Maun area, and Charlotte Masiangwako -- Benefits and challenges facing community participation in CBNRM.

Environmental science students Kelebogile Cole, Mokganedi Tatlhego, Kesego Mogotsi, Sandra Middleton and Ndobane Lokae looked at Temporal patterns in feeding ecology of several floodplain fish, the effectiveness and contribution to conservation of veterinary fences, Assessment of CBNRM projects as a poverty alleviation: the case of Kwai village, Soil factors influencing the abundance and distribution of threatened and endangered species with particular emphasis on Enlophia angolensis, and Change in flood regimes in the two distributaries (Thaoge-Karangana and Xudum-Xene), Western Okavango Delta, since 1989.

Biology majors Nonofo Ntsima, Tsharagano Folai, Melitah Motlhale and Ipeleng Randome worked on Using time series data to assess the Tilapia fishery of the Okavango Delta, Effects of Cytobagous Salvinae on nitrogen content of Salvinia molesta Botswana, An assessment of factors influencing the abundance and distribution of Loeschea leuntzia ( mokodi) in disturbed areas of the Okavango Delta, and Environmental factors influencing the abundance and distribution of wetland plants in the Okavango Delta: the case of Tswii (Nymphaea nonchali).

Chemistry students Kagiso Phaladi, Collen Saudu and Shedreck Motsholabatho studied The influence of sediments on water quality in the Lake Ngami Basin, Total and bioavailable arsenic, chromium and cobalt in the sediments of the Okavango and Determination of potential environmental impacts of sewage effluents in Maun.

History major Michael Lopang worked on Highlighting of the importance of historical literature in the development of Botswana tourism package: Livingstone's travels in Ngamiland, while sociology student Lollies Sakuze looked at Cultural tourism as a form of livelihood diversification: the case of Gcwihaba caves.

And pre-med student Mmoloki Rodney Maswabi made A retrospective analysis of clinical data to determine the magnitude and distribution of malaria in Maun.

All the students' reports can be found in HOORC's Library.