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Temporal patterns in phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish composition, abundance and biomass at Shirati Bay, Lake Victoria, Tanzania.

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dc.creator Revania K., Waya
dc.creator Samwel Mchele Limbu
dc.creator Godfrey W., Ngupula
dc.creator Chacha, Mwita
dc.creator Yunus D., Mgaya
dc.date 2019-05-07T13:02:42Z
dc.date 2019-05-07T13:02:42Z
dc.date 2017-03-22
dc.date.accessioned 2021-05-07T07:47:50Z
dc.date.available 2021-05-07T07:47:50Z
dc.identifier http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/5213
dc.identifier http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/lre.12161
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/5213
dc.description Shirati Bay is among the important breeding and nursery sites for major fish species in Lake Victoria. Weekly samplings were conducted to assess the temporal patterns in phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish composition, abundance and biomass in relation to prevailing water quality parameters. The study also determined the influences of plankton dynamics and water quality on the fish catch composition and biomass. It was hypothesized that temporal patterns in the composition, abundance and biomass in the plankton in the bay are controlled by water quality parameters that, in turn, affect the composition and biomass of fish catches. The phytoplankton comprised mainly cyanophytes and bacillariophytes, while the zooplankton were dominated by copepods. The heavy rain season exhibited a significantly higher plankton abundance and biomass than the dry season. The plankton abundances in both seasons exhibited significant positive correlations with water temperature and transparency. The phytoplankton community was controlled by calanoid and cyclopoid species. At higher trophic levels, Lates niloticus juveniles, Oreochromis niloticus juveniles and haplochromines controlled Cladocera and Cyclopoid copepods, while Tilapia rendalli juveniles controlled the Rotifera. This study revealed that Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta are the dominant phytoplankton, whereas cyclopoids dominate the zooplankton species in the bay. These dominant plankton groups are partly controlled by rainfall, water temperature and transparency. Fish biomass, zooplankton and phytoplankton exhibit a typical predator–prey inverse relationship. Thus, evaluation of the plankton composition, abundance and biomass should be mandatory during fisheries stock assessments to effectively manage the fishery resources in the bay.
dc.description The Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI)
dc.publisher Wiley
dc.subject Bacillariophyta
dc.subject biomass
dc.subject copepod
dc.subject predation
dc.subject transparency
dc.title Temporal patterns in phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish composition, abundance and biomass at Shirati Bay, Lake Victoria, Tanzania.
dc.type Journal Article, Peer Reviewed


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