Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Science

Health Risks Associated With Sources of Water: An Exploratory Study From Turag-Tongi Riparian Areas, Bangladesh

Shamima Prodhan — 2023-12-31

The present study aims to investigate the available water sources for drinking and domestic purposes and their relationship with the occurrence of diseases in a given community. To accomplish this, 1826 households in the Turag River area of Tongi at twelve different locations were surveyed. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) and twelve key informant interviews (KIIs) were also conducted in six different Turag River locations. Data on water quality has been gathered from various government surveys (BNDWQS, 2011; BBS, 2017; SVRS, 2019, etc.), international reports (WHO, World Bank, etc.), individual studies, and other relevant sources. Of all the recorded (13) drinking water sources, motorized tubewells were the most common and were used by 73.8 percent of respondents. Other sources include pipe connections into the yard (16.7%) and dwelling (4.5%), deep and shallow tube wells (2.6%), public tap water (2.1%) etc. The study also revealed that a notable percentage (2.8%) of the survey population still depended on open sources such as rainwater, rivers, lakes, ponds, etc., for drinking and domestic purposes. The respondents also reported the presence of yellow crust (iron) and other unwanted components in their water sources, with foul odors and unpleasant tastes. It has also been documented that the communities have been suffering from various diseases, such as diarrhea, skin diseases, dysentery, malaria, jaundice, typhoid, tuberculosis, pneumonia, cholera, etc. diseases over the past year. The Spearman's rho (ρ’s) test showed significant associations between these diseases and the water sources. The issues identified by the present study are likely to aid policymakers in including water and health concerns in national policy and ensuring access to sustainable water resources, aligning with SDGs 6.1, 6.3, and 6.4.

J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 121-138, December 2023

Analyzing the Landuse Land Cover Change of Sonadia Island From 1990 to 2020

Munira Nusrat — 2023-12-31

Remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are essential tools in determining the spatiotemporal extent of Landuse, and Land Cover (LULC) changes, as well as a variety of individual concerns, such as annual and seasonal changes in LULC caused by human interferences and interactions between the physical environment, cultural context, and anthropogenic factors. This study focuses on the LULC change of Sonadia Island, and it uses multi-temporal Landsat imagery from 1990 through 2020. The output analysis revealed four sub-features: mudflats, vegetation, open space, and water bodies. Vegetation cover decreased from 1486.71 hectares in 1990 to 986.13 hectares in 2000, and in 2020, the total area covered by vegetation increased significantly, reaching 1186.47 hectares, up from 497.97 hectares in 2010. Open space increased from 317.16 hectares in 1990 to 510.75 hectares in 2000. The net area expanded to 631.98 hectares in 2010 and then lost to 421.29 hectares in 2020. There was a consistent increase in the mudflats section from 1990 to 2010, when the amounts were 491.4 and 1179 hectares, respectively. By 2020, the area extent decreased to 796.41 hectares. From 1990 to 2000, the waterbody declined from 305.46 to 262.17 hectares, then slightly increased to 291.78 hectares in 2010, and then shrank again to 196.56 hectares in 2020. Therefore, this study could help policymakers decide on future landscape planning and evaluate Sonadia Island's current condition for long-term coastal management.

J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 139-148, December 2023

Meanders of the Kabodak River, Bangladesh

Munia Tahsin — 2023-12-31

The study explores the meandering patterns of the Kabodak River and investigates the relationship among geometric aspects like sinuosity, width, amplitude, radius of curvature, and wavelength. The variables like basin area, river length, and longitudinal profile were measured, and the geometric aspects such as sinuosity, radius of curvature, meander wavelength, and meander amplitude were interpreted and calculated using Google Earth Pro and ArcGIS 10.5. With the aid of the software SPSS and unscrambler X, the relationship among the geometrical aspects was examined. Besides, different meander patterns have been identified by analyzing the meander form. The result reveals that the upper and lower parts of Kabodak appear more sinuous than the middle. Nodal patterns in river sections vary, with the upper and lower sections experiencing increased sinuosity due to lower gradients, reduced flow, and blockage. In contrast, the middle section exhibits less sinuous characteristics because of neotectonics upliftment. Among the variables, meander wavelength, amplitude, and radius of curvature have weak positive correlations between and among them, except for the wavelength-amplitude relation. The relationship between wavelength and amplitude is inversely proportional. The variable width appears non-responsive with other variables, which makes sense as the river's width is already structuralized due to human interference. Theoretically, the Kabodak River's meandering pattern deviated from other meandering river studies due to human interference. Similar types of work on other meander rivers of the delta may be explored to see if the result corroborates. Besides, the effect of human intervention on meandering patterns and morphological processes needs further study.

J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 149-164, December 2023

Abundance and Control of Rugose Spiraling Whitefly, Aleurodicus Rugioperculatus Martin, Infesting Coconut in Seven Coastal Districts of Bangladesh

Md Mohasin Hussain Khan — 2023-12-31

A survey was conducted in the farmers’ orchards of 7 coastal districts, namely Patuakhali, Barguna, Barishal, Khulna, Bhola, Laxmipur, and Noakhali of Bangladesh to know the abundance of rugose spiraling whitefly on coconut and an experiment consisting of 5 treatments and an untreated control following RCBD with 3 replications was also carried out for controlling rugose spiraling whitefly at Patuakhlai Science and Technology University (PSTU) campus during January to May, 2022. Results revealed that the highest abundance (23 egg spirals, 34 nymphs, 31 adults per leaflet, respectively) of rugose spiraling whitefly was found at Khulna, followed by Noakhali (19 egg spirals, 31 nymphs, 27 adults per leaflet, respectively) while the lowest (9 egg spirals, 13 nymphs, 11 adults per leaflet, respectively) was in Patuakhali among 7 coastal districts. Although all insecticidal treatments (T₁ = Tyfos 48 EC (Chlorpyrifos) @ 1 ml/L of water, T₂= Caught 10 EC (Cypermethrin) @ 1 ml/L of water, T₃ = Nitro 505 EC (Chlorpyrifos + Cypermethrin) @ 1 ml/L of water, T₄= Fyfanon 57 EC (Malathion) @ 1 ml/L of water, T₅= Bioclean @ 1 ml/L of water) effectively reduced the different stages of rugose spiraling whiteflies compared to untreated control, the lowest mean number of egg spirals (0.00), nymphs (0.11) and adults (0.11) per leaflet were obtained by the application of Nitro 505EC @ 1 ml/L of water followed by Bioclean @ 1 ml/L of water at 3 DAS. The highest percent reduction of egg spirals (100%), nymph (98.82%), and adult (98.79%) of whitefly population over control were also obtained by the application of Nitro 505EC @ 1 ml/L of water followed by Bioclean @ 1 ml/l of water at 3 DAS. These two chemicals were found to be very effective for controlling rugose spiraling whiteflies. Considering environmental safety, Bioclean @ 1 ml/L of water is recommended to use against this pest as an eco-friendly approach for safe food production.

J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 165-177, December 2023

Livelihood Impact Due to Riverbank Erosion Among the Affected Households Along the River Jamuna of Bangladesh

Md Faruk Hossain — 2023-12-31

The present study examines the impacts of riverbank erosion on locals' lives and livelihoods in a particular area of the Jamuna River floodplain of Bangladesh. Riverbank erosion causes thousands of people to be affected, resulting in damage and loss of crops, cattle, housing structures, and farmland. It also erodes public infrastructures and communication networks significantly. This study undertakes empirical methods (including the open-ended questionnaire with a total of 155 households) to demonstrate the study's findings. The lack of adequate measures is the major factor associated with riverbank erosion in the study area. Land property loss becomes one of the major threats among the surveyed families. Some mitigation measures, such as using Geo bags and concrete blocks to protect the banks and operation of dredging machines to divert the water flow, are observed in the study area to reduce erosion. However, these measures are not bringing any effective solution to the local people’s livelihoods due to the slow ongoing work processes.

J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 179-191, December 2023

A New Species of Crab-Spider Under the Genus Thomisus Walckenaer, 1805 (Araneae: Thomisinae: Thomisidae) From Bangladesh

V Biswas — 2023-12-31

Taxonomic description of a new species of crab-spider genus Thomisus Walckenaer, 1805 is provided herewith. The species Thomisus aruni n. sp. was identified as new to science. The paper contains an illustrated description of the species together with the generic diagnosis and distribution of the species.

J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 193-201, December 2023

Vegetation Dynamics of Coastal Mangrove Forest

Md Abdul Quddus Miah — 2023-12-31

In the man-made coastal forest, the vegetation dynamics of protected and unprotected coastal forests have been identified. This study examined and quantified the impacts of grazing on coastal vegetation. The investigation was conducted between January 2013 and December 2020. In a transect line, fifty-two distinct tree, herb, and shrub species were found in unprotected coastal areas, and 36 were found in protected areas. After eight years, the number of saplings (p=0.031), poles (p=0.030), and total (p=0.026) (seedling, sapling, and pole) regeneration were substantially different between protected and unprotected areas. The current study found no significant differences in regeneration and tree density after one and five years of establishing the protected zones. The greatest number of natural poles were found in protected and unprotected areas from 2017 to 2020. The changes in tree density were considerable (p=0.03) after eight years. From 2014 to 2017, the highest rate of seedling recruitment was 36622 to 43439 individuals observed in protected and unprotected areas. In protected areas, Excoecaria agallocha L. and Avicinnia officinalis L. had the most extensive regeneration coverage, and nine species of seedlings, saplings, and poles were seen in 2013 protected areas. After 8 years, E. agallocha had a 47.01% while Phoenix paludosa Roxb. had a 30.81% success rate. In 2020, seedlings of Pongamia pinnata L. (6.6%), Herietiera fomes Buch.-Ham. (5.5%), A. officnalis (5.30%) and the remaining six species were also seen. The species E. agallocha comprised 69.11% of the trees at Soner Char tree density, followed by Sonneratia apetala Buch.-Ham. (23.30%), P. paludosa (8.82%), H. fomes (3.43%), and the remaining two species in 2020. After eight years, the species S. apetala declined by 43.64% and 23.90% in protected and unprotected areas, respectively. The species Phoenix paludosa, H. fomes, A. officinalis, and Dolichandrone spathacea (L.F) Baill. Ex K. Schum. was found to replace S. apetala in protected areas. Grazing affects the natural recruitment stage of saplings and poles and tree stem density in unprotected areas. The observations assume that S. apetala will diminish due to climatic conditions, and E. agallocha will become the main dominating species in coastal areas.

J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 203-224, December 2023

Nts on the Incidence and Damage of Flea Beetle (Phyllotreta Nigripes) and Thrips (Megalurothrips Usitatus) on Mungbean

Mohammad Habib Ullah — 2023-12-31

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments for the management of flea beetles and thrips of mungbean using BARI Mung-6 as experimental material. Nine treatments, viz., T₁= Use of White sticky trap, T₂= Bioneem plus (Azadirachtin) 1%EC @ 1 ml/L of water at 40 DAS, T₃= Virtako (Chlorantraniliprole + Thiamethoxam) 40 WG @ 0.15g/L of water at 40 DAS, T₄= Amithrin plus 3% WDG @ 1 ml/L of water at 40 DAS, T₅= Ecomec (Abamectin) 1.8 EC @ 1 ml/L of water at 40 DAS, T₆= Nitro (Chlorpyriphos + Cypermethrin) 505 EC @ 1 ml/l of water at 40 DAS, T₇= Raise (Chlorantraniliprole) 20 SL @ 3 ml/L of water at 40 DAS and T₈= control were applied. Data were recorded on the number of flea beetles per plant, leaf area damaged by flea beetles, number of thrips-infested flowers per plant, and number of thrips per 20 opened flowers. Results revealed that the lowest number of flea beetles (3.00/m²plants) and the highest percent reduction (64.71%) of flea beetle population over control were recorded in Virtako 80 WG at 0.15 g/L of water-treated plots. The lowest percent damage (3.75%) of leaf area and the highest percent reduction (79.73%) of leaf area damage over control were observed in Virtako-treated plots. The lowest number of thrips population (1.50/20 flowers), the highest percent of thrips population reduction (85.37%) over control, the lowest number of infested flowers (0.88/20 flowers) by thrips, and the highest percent reduction (88.65%) of flower infestation over control were found in mungbean plants treated with Raise 20 SL @ 3 ml/L of water. A strong negative correlation between the number of flea beetles and total yield was observed. There were negative relationships between the number of thrips, percent flower infestation, and total yield. Therefore, the application of Virtako 80 WG at 0.15 g/L and Raise (Chlorantraniliprole) 20 SL at 3 ml/L were found to be the best treatments for controlling flea beetles and thrips on mungbean.

J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 225-235, December 2023

A Comprehensive Review on Black Nightshade (Solanum Nigrum): Chemical Constituents, Pharmacological Activities and Its Role in COVID-19 Treatment

Sifat Anzoom — 2023-12-31

Three-fourths of the world’s population uses 30% of all plant species as a safe source of disease control and treatment. Similarly, Solanum nigrum (Black nightshade), a therapeutic herb with small, spherical berry fruits, is used as an herbal remedy to treat many different diseases, including respiratory diseases. According to recent research, this plant can aid in the management of COVID-19. Alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycoproteins, tannins, polysaccharides, polyphenolic compounds etc. are found in this plant. Among them, polyphenolic compounds are mostly responsible for showing various pharmacological activity. Anti-tumor, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-seizure, immunostimulant, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial activities are shown by S. nigrum according to multiple studies. The aim of this article is to compile different aspect of this plant like plant description, uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities and especially its role in the management of COVID-19 and probable mechanism behind this role.

J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 237-263, December 2023