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IITA and Spanish ecologists advance understanding of avian diseases in Afrotropical urban and non-urban habitats
January 29, 2026
Dr Adewale Awoyemi collecting a blood sample from the brachial vein of a calm Simple Leaflove (Chlorocichla simplex) in Ado-Ekiti on 16 September 2023. The sample was taken to screen for haemosporidian parasites as part of data collection for the present study.
Dr Adewale Awoyemi collecting a blood sample from the brachial vein of a calm Simple Leaflove (Chlorocichla simplex) in Ado-Ekiti on 16
A new study, led by four scientists from Nigeria and Spain, is shedding light on how rapid urbanization in Africa is reshaping wildlife health, particularly among bird communities. The research—conducted by Dr Adewale Awoyemi, IITA Forest Center Manager, and colleagues from the University of Granada, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Spain, and A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Nigeria—provides detailed assessments of avian haemosporidian parasites across urban and non-urban landscapes in southern Nigeria. Haemosporidians are a diverse group of blood parasites, including Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon, that affect bird species globally. Yet, knowledge of their distribution and impact in the Afrotropics has remained limited, especially in fast-growing urban environments. Recognizing this gap, the research team screened 95 birds representing 31 different species across three sites in southwest Nigeria (Ado, Ibadan, and Lagos) to compare infection patterns between urban and non-urban areas, during both dry and wet seasons.
Pie charts showing the geographic (A) and avian host (B) distribution of Haemoproteus lineages found in birds sampled in the study. The asterisks show the birds examined in the study. The number of infected birds from the study is displayed near each pie chart.
Pie charts showing the geographic (A) and avian host (B) distribution of Haemoproteus lineages found in birds sampled in the study. The asterisks show the birds examined in the study. The number of infected birds from the study is displayed near each pie chart.
The findings reveal a complex and dynamic picture of host–parasite interactions in the region. Overall, 36.8% of sampled birds tested positive for haemosporidian infection. Notably, Haemoproteus infections were significantly more common in urban birds, with all detected Haemoproteus lineages occurring exclusively in urban habitats. In contrast, most Plasmodium lineages—responsible for avian malaria—were found only in non-urban environments, while Leucocytozoon infections showed no major differences between habitat types. Beyond highlighting habitat-related differences, the study expands scientific knowledge of parasite diversity in the Afrotropics. The researchers recorded two lineages—hPYNJOC1 (Haemoproteus) and pLUME2 (Plasmodium)—for the first time in the region. They also added new host species (Common Bulbul, Village Weaver, African Thrush, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, and Green Hylia) for more Haemoproteus and Plasmodium lineages, significantly enriching global databases used to understand the ecology and evolution of avian diseases. These discoveries come at a crucial moment. Africa is urbanizing at one of the fastest rates in the world, transforming habitats and altering ecological interactions that underpin biodiversity. The study underscores how human-driven landscape changes can reshape patterns of disease transmission in wildlife—sometimes in unexpected ways. As cities expand, exposure to certain parasites may increase for some bird species while others become less common, with potential implications for conservation, ecosystem health, and urban planning. The authors emphasize the need for continued research and surveillance, especially since haemosporidian parasites exhibit a wide range of effects, from benign infections to severe illness and population decline. Understanding how these parasites respond to environmental change is critical for managing risks to both wildlife and, indirectly, human populations. The study highlights IITA’s growing contribution to biodiversity and urban ecology research in Nigeria. It also strengthens the role of the IITA Forest Center as a hub for cutting-edge ecological studies informing conservation and sustainable development across Africa. Link to paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100330 About IITA Forest Center IITA Forest Center manages and utilizes forest resources for conservation, research, and education. The 350 hectares of Forest Reserve within the IITA-Ibadan’s 1000-hectare land support biodiversity and diverse habitats. IITA Forest is a haven for birds and is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. The IITA Forest Center has recorded remarkable successes in the propagation and conservation of over 100 native tree species in the Tree Heritage Park, with approximately half these species already listed as Red-Listed by the IUCN. In January 2022, the THP was awarded a Level II Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum. The IITA Forest supports over 450 plant species, 272 birds, 236 butterflies, 48 mammals, and 28 reptiles. Contributed by Folake Oduntan
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Olaosebikan, Olamide

Olamide Deborah Nwanze is a Senior Research Associate specializing in gender mainstreaming research to inform participatory and inclusive breeding, variety development, and seed systems policies regarding root, tuber, and banana (RTB) crops in the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Headquarters, Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a PhD candidate at the University of Ibadan and holds an MSc and B. Agric in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development. Olamide is a fellow of the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development – Gender Responsive Agricultural Systems Policy (AWARD-GRASP) and the Gender Responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation (GREAT). She seeks to apply her gender-mainstreaming learnings, gender-responsive research, and policy development, and review expertise to facilitate women, youth, children, and vulnerable social group’s access to and adoption of agricultural Innovations that guarantee food, nutrition, income, and livelihood security in Africa. Her current roles include mentoring research fellows, development of guides and training manuals, implementation and adaptation of gender frameworks and tools, value chain actors’ engagement as citizen science partners, policy review and redesign, data management, and analysis. Her current research explores mixed methods and participatory and interdisciplinary approaches to capture and highlight gender dynamics, needs, preferences, and challenges stakeholders face within the agricultural livelihood value chain to prioritize gender-inclusive strategies in breeding programs, policy design, and implementation.

At IITA, she contributes to the implementation of the CGIAR Accelerated Breeding Initiative and Genetic Innovation Programs; participatory and gender research within the NextGen Cassava, HarvestPlus, RTBFoods, and Tricot-ClimMob 1000Farms Projects; and gender knowledge communication via the G-LENS webinar series, video documentary, policy briefs, publications, and blogs.

 

Recent publications

de Sousa, K., van Etten, J., Manners, R. Bello, A., Teeken, B., Olaosebikan, O., et al. 2024. The tricot approach: an agile framework for decentralized on-farm testing supported by citizen science. A retrospective. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 44, 8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-023-00937-1

Madu, T., Onwuka, S., Nwafor, S., Onyemauwa, N., Ejechi, M., Ofoeze, M., Ukeje, B., Eluagu, C., Olaosebikan, O., Okoye, B., 2024. Gender-Inclusive Consumer Studies Improve Cassava Breeding in Nigeria in: Frontiers in Sociology, volume 9, number: 1224504, doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2024.1224504

Olaosebikan, O.; Bello, A.; Utoblo, O.; Okoye, B.; Olutegbe, N.; Garner, E.; Teeken, B.; Bryan, E.; Forsythe, L.; Cole, S.; Madu, T. 2023.  Stressors and Resilience within the Cassava Value Chain in Nigeria: Preferred Cassava Variety Traits and Response Strategies of Men and Women to Inform Breeding. Sustainability 15, 7837. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107837

Okoye, B., Ofoeze, M., Ejechi, M., Onwuka, S., Nwafor, S., Onyemauwa, N., Ukeje, B., Eluagu, C., Obidiegwu, J.*, Olaosebikan, O., Madu, T.* 2023. Prioritizing preferred traits in the yam value chain in Nigeria: a gender situation analysis in: Frontiers in Sociology, volume 8, number: 1232626, pages 1 – 9, ISSN 2297-7775, 2023. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1232626/full

Olaosebikan, O., Bello, A. A., de Sousa, K., Ndjouenkeu, R., Adesokan, M., Alamu, E. O., Agbona, A., van Etten, J., Kegah, F. N.*, Dufour, D., Bouniol, A., Teeken, B. 2023. Consumer acceptability of cassava gari-eba food products across cultural and environmental settings using the triadic comparison of technologies approach (tricot) in: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture,

Teeken, B., Olaosebikan, O., Bello, A. A., Madu, T.*, Cole, S. M. 2023. Qualitative assessment on the positionality and preferences of dyads in relation to cassava-related activities: working with tricot trial citizen scientists https://hdl.handle.net/10568/138326 Type: Manual

Bouniol, A., Ceballos, H., Bello, A. A., Teeken, B., Olaosebikan, O., Owoade, D., Agbona, A., Fotso Kuate, A., Madu, T.*, Okoye, B.*, Ofoeze, M.*, Nwafor, S.*, Onyemauwa, N.*, Adinsi, L.*, Forsythe, L., Dufour, D. 2023. Varietal impact on women’s labour, workload and related drudgery in processing root, tuber and banana crops: focus on cassava in sub-Saharan Africa in: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, pages 1 – 25, ISSN 0022-5142,

Bello, A. A., Agbona, A., Olaosebikan, O., Edughaen, G., Dufour, D., Bouniol, A., Iluebbey, P., Ndjouenkeu, R.*, Rabbi, I. Y., Teeken, B. 2023. Genetic and environmental effects on processing productivity and food product yield: drudgery of women’s work in: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, pages 1 – 32, ISSN 0022-5142, 5

Cavicchioli, M., Zimbiti, T., Teeken, B., Nwanze, D.O., Liani, M., Parkes, E. & Bello, A. 2023. IITA-Gender Responsive Breeding Training Report. Genetic Resources Center, IITA-HQ, Ibadan, 21-23 September, 2022. Ibadan, Nigeria: IITA, (34 p.).https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131368

Agbona, A. Peteti P., Teeken B., Olaosebikan O. Bello, A. A., Parkes, E., Rabbi, I. Y., Mueller, L., Egesi, C., Kulakow, P. 2022. Data Management in Multi-disciplinary African RTB Crop Breeding Programs. In: Williamson, H.F., Leonelli, S. (eds) Towards Responsible Plant Data Linkage: Data Challenges for Agricultural Research and Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13276-6_5

Lora Forsythe, Pricilla Marimo, Sarah Mayanja, Olamide D. Olaosebikan, Esme Stuart, Bela Teeken, Benjamin Okoye, Tessy Madu, (2021). Cross-product Gender Analysis of RTBfoods Step 2 Gendered Food Mapping on RTB Products. Understanding the Drivers of Trait Preferences and the Development of Multi-user RTB Product Profiles, WP1. London, UK: RTBfoods Field Scientific Report, 30 p.

Teeken, B., Garner, E., Agbona, A., Balogun, I., Olaosebikan, O., Bello, A., Madu, T., Okoye, B., Egesi, C., Kulakow, P. and Tufan, H.A. 2021. Beyond “Women’s Traits”: Exploring How Gender, Social Difference, and Household Characteristics Influence Trait Preferences. Frontiers Sustainable Food Systems 5:740926. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.740926

Teeken, B., Agbona, A., Bello, A., Olaosebikan, O., Alamu, E., Adesokan, M., Awoyale, W., Madu, T., Okoye, B., Chijioke, U., Owoade, D., Okoro, M., Bouniol, A., Dufour, D., Hershey, C., Rabbi, I., Maziya‐Dixon, B., Egesi, C., Tufan, H. and Kulakow, P. (020. Understanding cassava varietal preferences through pairwise ranking of gari‐eba and fufu prepared by local farmer–processors. Int J Food Sci Technol. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14862

Bela Teeken, Olamide Olaosebikan, Ireti Balogun, Benjamin Okoye, Tessy Madu, Steven Cole, Abolore Bello, Elizabeth Parkes. (2020). Piloting the G+ customer and product profile tools for gender-responsive cassava breeding in Nigeria. Nigeria: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/13000