Sindh University Research Journal - SURJ (Science Series)

New Suid Remains of Genus Potamochoerus from the Siwaliks of Pakistan

2024-04-24T15:30:36+00:00

The recent findings and subsequent documentation of dental remains belonging to Potamochoerus (Mammalia, Suidae) have emerged from the Middle Miocene Siwalik beds in the vicinity of Hasnot, situated within the province of Punjab, Pakistan. The fossils in question were discovered in the Jhelum district. The material consists of an isolated tooth, the left third maxillary molar. The genus Potamochoerus was comprised of small-sized suids. The material currently under discussion, specifically an upper third molar located on the left side, provides significant insights into the essential dental traits of this particular genus. This particular substance can potentially augment the existing understanding of the species documented in the vicinity of the Salt Range of the Siwaliks in Pakistan.

Reservoir Characterization of Lower Goru Formation Using 3D Seismic and Well Logs Data of Mubarak Area, Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan

2024-04-24T15:56:51+00:00

This research focuses on reservoir characterization of sand bodies of Lower Goru Formation in the Mubarak Gas Field, Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan. Mubarak Gas Field is located in Indus Platform, where Mesozoic extensional structures are concealed beneath Paleogene sequences. These extensional normal faults host largest hydrocarbon reserves of Pakistan. Source rock potential exist in Lower Cretaceous Sembar and Goru Formation, whereas Jurassic Chiltan limestone and Cretaceous Goru Formations are potential reservoir rock, sealed by shales of Upper Goru Formation. The study integrates seismic data and well logs to enhance understanding of the subsurface reservoir properties. Seismic interpretation indicate normal fault in subsurface, which host hydrocarbon reserves of Mubarak Gas Field. Other studies suggest that these faults are produced during rifting of Indian Plate during Mesozoic. Well log data suggest reservoir potential in Lower Goru B-sands and C-sands. The study will contribute to understanding of reservoir quality and future exploration strategies in the sand bodies of Goru Formation.

Analysis of phenolic compounds and allelopathic effects of Eucalyptus on Prosopis cineraria

2024-04-24T15:26:31+00:00

The Eucalyptus has been extensivley planted in Pakistan in native forests because of its fast-growing and adaptability to different habitats. Allelopathic and ecological effects are receiving severe concern with the growth of more plantations of Eucalyptus. Since the Eucalyptus has allelopathic effects on neighboring plants. The effect of the exotic Eucalyptus leaf litter and ash on Prosopis cineraria germination and growth was observed. The three concentrations of leaf litter and ash 10, 20 and 30% were applied, as were the controls (without leaf litter and ash). The germination and growth parameters of Prosopis cineraria were analyzed. The phenolic acids were identified and quantified through HPLC from laboratory experiments soil. The laboratory experiments soil was analyzed for soil properties such as; EC, pH, OM, N, P, K, and Na. The germination was observed to be reduced in leaf litter and ash applied treatments. After germination, mortality of seedlings at the early stage was recorded in leaf litter ash applied treatments. Leaf number, shoot elongation ratio, length of shoot, root length, relative biomass ratio, amount of chlorophyll, fresh and dry weight of seedlings were found to have decreased. In soil mixed with leaf litter, nine phenolics; hypogallic acid, gallic acid, 2, 4, 6-trihydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, pyrogallolaldehyde, caffeic acid, m-coumaric, o-coumaric and p-coumaric acid were analyzed through the HPLC. 2, 4, 6-trihydroxybenzoic acid was predominant with concentration of 34.51 mg/100g. In soil mixed with ash, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid and pyrogallolaldehyde were analyzed. Gallic acid was predominant in leaf litter ash 30% with concentration of 11.44 mg/100g. The pH of the soil decreased in leaf litter. OM, EC, K, N, P and Na have increased in treatments. Higher EC and Na were noted in the ash. A negative correlation was seen between concentration and the plant parameters studied. Eucalyptus has deleterious effects on the native species, Prosopis cineraria. Therefore, Eucalyptus should not be planted along with native trees or in native forests in Pakistan. Thus, it is also recommended that Eucalyptus trees be replaced with native species.

Impact of Urban sprawl would reduce potential carbon storage in Pakistan

2024-04-24T15:41:23+00:00

In recent years, carbon emission from land use change have become major global issues. How land use and land cover change affect carbon sequestration is important for carbon neutrality and climate change mitigation. This study evaluated the effect of urbanization on land use and the carbon cycle in Pakistan in the years 2050 and 2100. The outcome was achieved through the mapping of land use and land cover for the years through geosimulation. Using Geographic information system (GIS) to analyzed the territorial dynamics in Pakistan Land use change data and soil organic carbon density data (SOCD) to assets the country’s carbon stocks. The study noted an increase in farmland and urban area and a reduction in forestland, shrub land, and barren land areas during the study period. In 2050, the estimated areas for urban land under the four scenarios are (A1B 25,800 ~ A2 26,090 ~ B1 19,664 ~ B2 10,782 Km2). It is expected to rise to (A1B 26,269 ~ A2 36,449 ~ B1 19,718 ~ B2 14,339 Km2) in 2100. Carbon loss will also increase throughout the country. carbon loss is projected to rise from (A1B 24,034,560~ A2 24,405,760~ B1 16,180,480~ B2 4,811,520 t) in 2050 to (A1B 24,634,880~ A2 37,665,280~ B1 16,249,600~ B2 9,364,480 t) in 2100.This is attributed to economic development in the country, which increases industrialization in urban areas, we found that the carbon in major areas of Pakistan will be reduced in Punjab province of Pakistan, the predicted annual carbon loss will be increased (9.31 t to 13.28 t).This study provides important information that can be used by the government in conjunction with land managers to establish effective strategies that will enable sustainable management and protection of natural resources in the country.

Analysis of Academic Web Server Traffic and Workload Characterization for Performance Evaluation

2024-04-25T18:12:08+00:00

The web 3.0 considers the latest version of world wide web (www) is increasing rapidly nowadays, as the interest of users in online banking, commerce, business, and online learning about the web. Mostly, the requests made by the users have given a high response time due to the large traffic on the web-server. The services provided by the web-server must be available and maintainable, so there is an extremely need to analysis of web-server’s performance. The proposed study addressed the problem to analysis of real-world web-server workload characterization. Initially, the dataset was prepared for the analysis technique with the eliminations of anomalies, noises and null values. Next, the workload parameters have identified and defined for exploration. After that the techniques is used to group similar data according to their characteristics and further data analysis has performed to extract meaningful insights. Based on the workload characterization insights, performance evaluation has measured using regression analysis and measure of dispersion.

Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Using Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) for Crop Health Identification

2024-04-24T15:46:51+00:00

Human survival and existence have depended on agriculture and livestock products since the early days of human civilization when they started cultivating land for various products. However, growth in population increased the demand for efficient agriculture production with high quality and quantity to meet the needs of society, and this cannot be accomplished through traditional methods. Hence, routine agriculture production methods should be changed to match the advanced methods in today’s era. In this paper, we shall explore the technological advancement for assisting farmers during farming to utilize the technology fully; most companies are now involved in producing more intelligent and reliable devices to support and enhance the productivity of agricultural and industrial supplies. These solutions not only focus on providing real-time information about crop yield, soil health, pest management, herbicide resistance, weather forecasting, and weed management but can provide information based on the analysis of vast amounts of data available through drones and satellites. Artificial Intelligence and Image processing applications are yet to be utilized at their full potential for various reasons, including cost, availability, and awareness about the products offered by technology producers. While AI-driven and imaging methods have significantly enhanced the capability of monitoring plantations in developed countries, the usage of advanced methods can be cost-effective and increase the effectiveness of labor and time along with the usage of cameras for pest and disease identification, nutrient and yield monitoring related with inquiring about plant condition but undeveloped countries are still far behind in utilization of these advances in technology. This paper presents the current trends, challenges, and applications of technology in agriculture.