https://blueprintacademicpublishers.com/index.php/JATEMS/issue/feed 2026-05-14T12:55:39+00:00 Open Journal Systems <p>The <strong>Journal of Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems (JATEMS) </strong>is an international, open access journal which publishes peer-reviewed original research, research notes, and reviews dealing with aquatic systems and terrestrial systems. The scope covers all aspects of biodiversity, ecological processes, ecosystem services, land-water interactions, ecosystem modeling and monitoring, socio-ecological systems, water quality, conservation and management, climate change and human impacts as well as other relevant fields on water and land environment. This scope is essential for understanding how these ecosystems are changing, how they can be conserved and how they can continue to provide the ecosystem services that are critical for human well-being. The journal follows the publication guidelines as outlined in Committee of Publication Ethics (COPE).</p> https://blueprintacademicpublishers.com/index.php/JATEMS/article/view/353 2026-05-14T12:55:39+00:00 Klara C. Kipsiro submit@blueprintacademicpublishers.com K. G. Kiptoo Kipkorir submit@blueprintacademicpublishers.com Lucy Wanjohi submit@blueprintacademicpublishers.com

<p>Contamination of soils by potentially toxic elements poses significant environmental and health hazards globally, especially in mismanaged waste disposal sites. This is due to deposition of solid and liquid substances in the dumpsites and industrial pollutions into the soil which form toxic chemicals as well as evaporation of harmful gases into the atmosphere. This study assessed the bioremediation potential of Actinobacteria in heavy metals contaminated soils in Kipkenyo dumpsite, Eldoret, Kenya. Initial concentrations of Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium, Copper, Nickel, Iron, Manganese and Zinc were quantified using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The dumpsite soil samples were characterized to identify the species of bacteria present. The most abundant species were isolated, cultured and used as a positive control in the bioremediation experimental set up.&nbsp; The isolated bacteria were identified using morphological characteristics and biochemical tests using Bergy’s manual of determinative bacteriology. <em>Streptomyces spp. </em>was isolated and cultured from soil samples from the University of Eldoret arboretum. The data was analyzed using R programming language version 4.4.2. The initial concentrations of heavy metal elements in Kipkenyo dumpsite soil samples had significant variations (P˂ 0.05). The final concentrations of elements also showed significant changes in samples treated with either <em>Streptomyces spp</em>. or <em>Bacillus spp </em>compared to that of negative control. <em>Bacillus spp.</em> was the most abundant in the dumpsite soil samples. Zinc had a higher degradation percentage (82.68% in <em>Streptomyces spp.</em> and 80.68% in <em>Bacillus spp</em>.) while chromium had the least percentage degradation (6.49% in <em>Streptomyces spp.</em> and 10.39% in <em>Bacillus spp</em>.).<em> Streptomyces spp.</em> had a higher percentage degradation in most heavy metal elements compared to <em>Bacillus spp.</em> These findings underscore the potential use of native actinobacteria in bioremediating heavy metal-contaminated soils and serve as a basis for creating environmentally friendly dumpsite rehabilitation techniques.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>

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