The Nile perch invasion in Lake Victoria: cause or consequence of the haplochromine decline?

Zwieten, P.A.M. van; Kolding, Jeppe; Plank, Michael J.; Hecky, Robert E.; Bridgeman, Thomas B.; MacIntyre, Sally; Seehausen, Ole; Silsbe, Gregory M.

doi:10.1139/cjfas-2015-0130

Cited by 43 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Dramatic changes were observed at the beginning of the 1980s, when the Nile perch population expanded, haplochromines in sub‐littoral and offshore areas vanished, the remaining large native fishes declined, the lake became eutrophic and the fishery became dominated by three species; the two non‐native species, Nile perch and Nile tilapia, O. niloticus (L.), and the pelagic cyprinid, Rastrineobola argentea (Pellegrin) , commonly known as dagaa (Hecky, ; Ogutu‐Ohwayo, ; Verschuren et al., ; Witte et al., ). These changes were largely attributed to predation by Nile perch (Ogutu‐Ohwayo, ; Ogutu‐Ohwayo & Hecky, ; Taabu‐Munyaho, Marshall, Tomasson & Marteinsdottir, ; Witte et al., ), although other researchers suggest that climate variability and change played a more significant role in alteration of ecosystem factors that culminated into the changes (Hecky, Mugidde, Ramlal, Talbot & Kling, ; van Zwieten, Plank, Kolding, Seehausen & Law, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…| 407 MANGENI-SANDE Et Al. predation by Nile perch (Ogutu-Ohwayo, 1990;Ogutu-Ohwayo & Hecky, 1991;Taabu-Munyaho, Marshall, Tomasson & Marteinsdottir, 2016;Witte et al, 1992), although other researchers suggest that climate variability and change played a more significant role in alteration of ecosystem factors that culminated into the changes (Hecky, Mugidde, Ramlal, Talbot & Kling, 2010;van Zwieten, Plank, Kolding, Seehausen & Law, 2016).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Spatial and temporal differences in life history parameters of Rastrineobola argentea (Pellegrin, 1904) in the Lake Victoria basin in relation to fishing intensity

Mangeni-Sande

Taabu‐Munyaho

Ogutu‐Ohwayo

et al. 2018

Fisheries Management Eco

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The small pelagic cyprinid, Rastrineobola argentea (Pellegrin), commonly known as dagaa, accounted for 60% of the total fish biomass and 40% of the commercial catches in Lake Victoria in 2015. However, some aspects of the biology of species (from which management interventions are based) have changed since 1970s; and yet harvest regulations have remained the same. In this study, spatial and temporal variations in life history traits of dagaa in the northern portion of Lake Victoria were examined in relation to fishing intensity to offer guidance on possible adjustments in managing the fishery. The mean standard length halved, whilst the length at 50% maturity (Lm50) reduced by 27%, between the 1970s and 2015; however, the decline in Lm50 was more pronounced in males than females. Data collected between 2014 and 2015 showed that immature individuals are largely harvested from inshore and mid‐island areas, whilst most of the fishes caught in open water areas are largely mature irrespective of the size of the gear used. The causes of the changes in these biological aspects, and the need for policy adjustment, are discussed in the context of changes in fishing pressure.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal differences in life history parameters of Rastrineobola argentea (Pellegrin, 1904) in the Lake Victoria basin in relation to fishing intensity

Mangeni-Sande

Taabu‐Munyaho

Ogutu‐Ohwayo

et al. 2018

Fisheries Management Eco

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“…The paper by van Zwieten et al (2016) is one example: by making explicit predictions of temporal changes in the size distribution of Nile perch, their model focused attention on extensive data that had previously been overlooked, providing new evidence in favor of the depensation hypothesis (i.e., the collapse of haplochromine cichlids caused the upsurge of perch in Lake Victoria, not the other way round). Using size distributions in this manner highlights the usefulness of a pattern-oriented modelling approach in ecology (Grimm and Railsback 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Size-based approaches to aquatic ecosystems and fisheries science: a symposium in honour of Rob Peters

Giacomini

Shuter

Baum

2016

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

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This special issue honours Rob Peters' outstanding contributions to the field of aquatic ecology. It focuses on the size spectrum approach -in which individual organisms, rather than species, are the most basic biological unit -and highlights applications of this approach to fisheries management. The 21 papers in this issue cover three subject areas: (i) the use of size spectra to characterize variation in community structure, (ii) the development of size-based models of ecosystem dynamics to address fisheries questions, and (iii) applications of size-based theory to examine the consequences of variation in predator-prey size relationships, body size -trophic level relationships, and body size -life history relationships. The empirical studies herein demonstrate the utility of size spectra as indicators of population or community structure and for detecting impacts associated with environmental change. Future research focused on refining size-based sampling methods, standardizing metrics and analytical methods, understanding model sensitivity to the underlying assumptions, and comparative studies across ecosystems will enhance our ability to reliably interpret changes in size spectrum characteristics, thus facilitating their use as indicators of ecological change.Résumé : Le présent numéro spécial souligne la contribution exceptionnelle de Rob Peters au domaine de l'écologie aquatique. Il se penche sur l'approche axée sur les spectres de tailles, selon laquelle l'individu, plutôt que l'espèce, constitue l'unité biologique la plus fondamentale, et il présente des applications de cette approche de gestion des pêches. Les vingt et un articles qu'il renferme couvrent trois grands secteurs d'étude, à savoir (i) l'utilisation des spectres de tailles pour caractériser les variations de la structure de communautés, (ii) le développement de modèles basés sur la taille de la dynamique des écosystèmes pour examiner des questions touchant aux ressources halieutiques, et (iii) des applications de la théorie basée sur la taille pour examiner les conséquences des variations des relations de la taille des prédateurs et proies, des relations entre la taille du corps et le niveau trophique et des relations entre la taille du corps et le cycle biologique. Les études empiriques présentées démontrent l'utilité des spectres de tailles comme indicateurs de la structure des populations ou des communautés et pour détecter les impacts associés aux modifications de l'environnement. Des travaux de recherche futurs visant le raffinement des méthodes d'échantillonnage basées sur la taille, la normalisation des paramètres et méthodes analytiques, la compréhension de la sensibilité des modèles aux hypothèses sous-jacentes et des études comparatives de différents écosystèmes accroîtront la capacité d'interpréter de manière fiable les variations des caractéristiques des spectres de tailles, en facilitant ainsi l'utilisation comme indicateurs de changements écologiques. [Traduit par la Rédaction]

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“…However, a recent review by van Zwieten et al . () reassessed Lake Victoria's Nile perch takeover and concurrent reduction in native fishes and suggested that increased eutrophication (driven by catchment degradation) resulted in changes in algal and zooplankton composition, decreased water transparency, and widespread hypoxia, which most likely caused an initial native fish population crash. This then facilitated the rapid increase in Nile perch by reducing predation on larval Nile perch by native zooplanktivorous cichlids.…”

Section: Multiple Stressorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking key environmental stressors with the delivery of provisioning ecosystem services in the freshwaters of southern Africa

Jackson

Woodford

Weyl

2016

Geography and Environment

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Societies' growing global footprint is causing a rapid increase in the demand for natural resources (i.e. ecosystem services), while also reducing the capacity of ecosystems to provide them. Freshwater ecosystems contribute disproportionately to ecosystem services but are also particularly vulnerable to global environmental change. The provisioning of freshwater services, such as water and food production, is especially important in developing countries. Here, we review the evidence which demonstrates the impacts of key environmental stressors on these two important provisioning services in southern Africa. Land use change, species invasions and climate change can all be linked to a loss of the provisioning services provided by freshwater ecosystems in southern Africa. Water resources for drinking, agriculture, sanitation and power are expected to decline as a result of both climate and land use change. Fish production may be negatively or positively affected by the different stressors, highlighting the high context‐dependency associated with their impacts. Evidence also suggests that these stressors can interact to alter one another's impacts or promote the proliferation of further stressors. For instance, land use change can promote aquatic plant invasions and, subsequently, the stressors may interact synergistically to cause fish kills. Stressors may also interact to mitigate one another's impact, for instance fish invasions may enhance total fish catch following a pollution event. Since stressors are unlikely to occur in isolation and multiple stressors frequently result in complex ‘ecological surprises’, it is urgent that we increase research effort on the links between multiple stressors and the loss of ecosystem services. Future research should, therefore, focus on the combined impacts of multiple environmental, social, and economic stressors on natural resources and provisioning ecosystem services in southern Africa.

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The Nile perch invasion in Lake Victoria: cause or consequence of the haplochromine decline?

Abstract: 27We review alternative hypotheses and associated mechanisms to explain Lake Victoria's Nile 28 perch takeover and concurrent reduction in haplochromines through a (re)analysis of long term

Cited by 43 publications

References 52 publications

Spatial and temporal differences in life history parameters of Rastrineobola argentea (Pellegrin, 1904) in the Lake Victoria basin in relation to fishing intensity

Spatial and temporal differences in life history parameters of Rastrineobola argentea (Pellegrin, 1904) in the Lake Victoria basin in relation to fishing intensity

Size-based approaches to aquatic ecosystems and fisheries science: a symposium in honour of Rob Peters

Linking key environmental stressors with the delivery of provisioning ecosystem services in the freshwaters of southern Africa

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