Species richness and relative abundance of montane forest birds in the Udzungwa Mountains are presented for the 11 forests larger than 1 km2. A high positive correlation between the number of montane bird species and the size of the forest is found with the highest species richness recorded in the largest forest. A few small (< 5 km2) forest fragments also support a high richness of forest birds. Their isolation from larger forest tracts is probably relatively recent (within the last 100–200 years) and their high bird species numbers may be partly due to delayed extirpations. Twenty-three restricted range montane forest species were recorded, and many of these were widespread in the Udzungwas. The largest populations of White-winged Apalis Apalis chariessa, Dapple-throat Arcanator orostruthus, Iringa Akalat Sheppardia lowei and Usambara Weaver Ploceus nicolli are most likely in Udzungwa forests.
Keywords: Tanzania, Udzungwa Mountains, montane forest birds, distribution, abundance, extinction debt
Summary Lake Junín is famous for the abundance and diversity of breeding, staging and wintering waterbirds. The lake supports the entire world population of three species or subspecies: Junín Grebe Podiceps taczanowskii, Junín Rail Laterallus tuerosi and the endemic subspecies of the White-tufted Grebe Rollandia rolland morrisoni . Surveys undertaken in the 1930s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s confirmed the lake’s importance in the Andes, however there has been no recent assessment of its waterbird community. We undertook waterbird counts between 6 and 20 February 2014 from the lakeshore and by boat. Despite using differing survey methods, we nevertheless conclude that the relative abundance of waterbird species has changed dramatically compared to earlier counts. Most notably, the Junín Grebe has experienced a major decline since the 1930s when the species was considered extremely abundant and another native fish-eating species the White-tufted Grebe also appears to have declined. In contrast the Northern Silvery Grebe Podiceps juninensis , classified as ‘Near Threatened’, has apparently become more abundant. Numbers of Puna Teal Spatula puna and Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata seem to have crashed, presumably reflecting the general loss of submerged vegetation. In spite of a major decline in waterbirds overall, the Junín area holds numbers of migratory shorebirds, perhaps as a consequence of local hunting restrictions and awareness campaigns. Lake Junín is a candidate for listing on the Montreux Record under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland showing serious change in ecological character. Management planning should proceed to balance conflicting interests at the lake. Actions to re-establish a clear water column by reducing eutrophication (from settlements in the catchment) as well as sedimentation and heavy metals (from upstream mining) will contribute to improving ecological functions and to secure waterbirds including the endemics.
Introduction: Azathioprine (AZA) is frequently used to manage IBD patients and opportunistic infections are well documented in long-term use.Amongst non-HIV patients on immunosuppressants for other conditions, there are reports of lymphopenia (LP) related infections.LP is a recognised effect of treatment with AZA but LP related complications in IBD patients have not been widely reported.This raises the question of whether antibiotic prophylaxis is indicated for IBD patients on immunomodulators.However, there is no consensus on how to manage LP in this group.Aims: To assess the incidence of LP and any related complications in a cohort of IBD patients started on AZA.Methods: This is a prospective observational study of all patients started on AZA between 1/8/2007 and 30/9/2008 in two tertiary gastroenterology units in the UK.Data was collected on demographics, diagnosis, disease anatomy, LP episodes, relapses and concurrent therapy.LP was defined as <1×10 9 /l and severe LP as <0.6×10 9 /l.Fisher's Test and the student's t-test were used to compare groups.Results: 52 patients were studied with a median age of 34 years (17 39).31 patients (59.6%) had Crohn's disease and 21 (40.4%) had ulcerative colitis.30 patients (57.7%) were on steroids at the start of treatment with AZA.AZA was stopped in 22 patients (42.3%), most commonly due to GI side-effects (45%).18 patients (34.6%) developed LP during the course of treatment and 10 of these patients had severe LP. 7 patients had more than one LP episode.The median time to the first LP episode was 31 days (2 282).The median length of time between starting AZA and the nadir lymphocyte count was 102.5 days (7 393).Mean LP duration was 85.4 days (7 365) and spontaneously resolved in 13 patients (72.2%).No LP related infections or other complications were documented during the study period.3 patients with severe LP had CD4 counts checked and it was <250×10 6 /l in only one of them.AZA was stopped due to severe LP in only 1 patient, however, he did not develop adverse events.There was no statistically significant relationship between LP and age, gender or diagnosis.Patients treated with steroids had a significantly higher rate of LP (83.3% vs 44.1%, p = 0.0083).Clinical relapses were more frequent in the LP group compared to the non-LP group (44.4% vs. 11.7%,p = 0.014).Conclusion: LP is common amongst IBD patients treated with AZA, particularly when there is concurrent treatment with steroids.However, it did not seem to be associated with a higher risk of opportunistic infections in our cohort and spontaneously resolved in most cases.Based on our findings and the current literature, changes to AZA treatment are not indicated in the context of uncomplicated LP and prophylactic treatment with antibiotics may not be necessary.However, long term studies are needed to answer this question.
An evaluation of biodiversity values of ten forest areas has been made in the Udzungwas, based on all data available on the distribution of restricted-range forest birds. The analysis shows that the evergreen forests in West Kilombero (Ndundulu and Nyumbanitu Mountains), Udzungwa Scarp north, Mwanihana and Udzungwa Scarp south contain all species of concern and have the highest conservation priority. The other forest areas: Kisinga-Rugaro, Dabaga, Kigogo, Image and Matundu are of lower importance for restricted-range birds; however, they still have high conservation value. For two areas, Nyanganje and Iyondo (forest at river Mngeta), no data were available. Mwanihana (3rd priority) is within the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. It is proposed that the 1st (West Kilombero), 2nd (Udzungwa Scarp North) and 4th (Udzungwa Scarp South) ranked sites should be conserved by supporting adjacent local communities and by giving one or more of these areas National Park status. Some management options are discussed.
Background:The initial outcome, likelihood of recurrence and long-term prognosis of acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) are measures of the burden of disease and therefore influence therapeutic decisions.There are few data on the prevalence and characteristics of ASUC, although the UK National IBD Audit (2006) estimates that 1 patient is admitted to every UK hospital each month.Methods and Aims: The aims of this study were to define these characteristics and determine if the outcome was related to the number of Truelove and Witts' criteria (TWC) on admission.A systematic, retrospective study of all patients with UC diagnosed in Oxford from 1950-2007 was performed.Non-Oxford diagnosed patients were excluded from the analysis.ASUC as defined by TWC was the indication for admission for intensive therapy throughout this period.Demographic, clinical and biomedical characteristics on admission were recorded, with medical or surgical treatment and outcome.Results: 747 patients with UC diagnosed in Oxford between 1950-2007 (median follow up 129.0 months, range 0-647.6 months) were evaluated out of a total cohort of 1827 patients.Of these, 27.6% (206/747) had ASUC as defined by TWC.There were 317 admissions in 206 patients.Age at latest follow up in those with an episode of ASUC was significantly lower than those without an episode (49.6 vs 53.1 yr, p=0.007), but there was no significant difference in gender or duration of disease.49.3% were admitted within 1 year of initial diagnosis (median time to admission 12.7 months, range 0-453.4months).67% had a single episode, 20% had two, and 13% three or more episodes.87/227 (38.7%) of patients with one or more episodes of ASUC had a colectomy.The likelihood of colectomy on the first, second, third, fourth and fifth admissions was 19.9%, 29.0%, 36.6%,38.2%, 39.8% respectively.Although half of all colectomies (36/75) occurred on the first admission the colectomy rate on the first admission (48/152, 31.5%) was lower than on the second or subsequent admissions (39/75, 52.0%; OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.33-4.14,p=0.003).18/147 patients who had a single TWC in addition to a bloody stool frequency 6/day required colectomy, whilst 61/170 patients who had ≥2 additional TWC required colectomy (p=1.2x10 - ; OR 4.01, 95% C.I. 2.24-7.19)(+1 additional criterion = 18/147 (12.2%); +2 = 30/99 (31.3%); +3 =27/59 (45.8%); +4 = 4/12 (33.3%).Conclusions: This is the largest single centre cohort study on the natural history of ASUC.A quarter of all UC patients experience at least one episode of ASUC.A third come to colectomy on the first admission, but half of those who have two or more admissions come to colectomy.When there are two or more TWC in addition to a bloody stool frequency ≥6/day, the risk of colectomy is four fold-higher than when there is only one additional TW criterion on admission.
Rufous-winged Sunbird Cinnyris rufipennis is known only from Udzungwa Mountains in central Tanzania where it occurs in nine montane forests. Based on field surveys between 2011 and 2014, supplemented by observations made by all authors since the early 1990s, we provide a map showing its distribution and relative abundance. We estimate the size of the core areas where Rufous-winged Sunbird is common to c. 120 km2 and the total range to about 200 km 2 . We also provide data that suggests that breeding takes place during the rainy season from November to February with the breeding area usually centred on a forest glade or tree-fall gap. Finally, we describe observations of presumed lekking courtship display with up to three males assembling in a clearing and excitedly hopping from branch to branch, singing aggressively at each other with a single female observing.
