TITLE:
Ecological Devastation in Lake Victoria: Part B: Plankton and Fish Communities
AUTHORS:
Moshe Gophen
KEYWORDS:
Lake Victoria, Nile Perch, Ecological Changes, Fish, Plankton
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Ecology,
Vol.5 No.7,
July
15,
2015
ABSTRACT: A few specimens of the exotic fish, Nile Perch, (Lates niloticus,
Linnaeus 1758) were transferred into Lake Victoria in early 1950’s. In early
1980’s this fish occupied the Lake Victoria ecosystem eliminating the local
endemic Haplochromines (app. 400 species). As a result of this change, together
with intensification of pollution constrains from the catchment and dust
deposition the ecology of Victoria’s ecosystem was modified: cyanobacteria
replaced diatoms, anoxia enhanced, secchi depth became shallower, euphotic zone
became thinner, fishery enhanced fully comprised of Nile Perch and Rastrineobola.
The ecological significances are discussed and future propositions are
presented.