The Consequences of Anthropogenic Stressors on Cichlid Fish Communities: Revisiting Lakes Victoria, Kyoga, and Nabugabo

Natugonza, Vianny; Musinguzi, Laban; Kishe, Mary A.; van Rijssel, Jacobus C.; Seehausen, Ole; Ogutu-Ohwayo, Richard (2021). The Consequences of Anthropogenic Stressors on Cichlid Fish Communities: Revisiting Lakes Victoria, Kyoga, and Nabugabo. In: Abate, Maria E.; Noakes, David L.G. (eds.) The Behavior, Ecology and Evolution of Cichlid Fishes (pp. 217-246). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands 10.1007/978-94-024-2080-7_7

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Lakes Victoria, Kyoga, and Nabugabo (“the Lake Victoria region”) are remarkable for hosting one of the largest assemblages of cichlid fishes among the African inland lakes. Here, we review the role and severity of anthropogenic and environmental stressors on the cichlid communities in the Lake Victoria region to understand the mechanisms leading to the persistence and resurgence of some of the cichlid fishes. Our review suggests that (1) the native Oreochromis species populations primarily collapsed due to overfishing and that the introduced species and habitat change suppressed their ability to recover; (2) without primary triggers associated with change in the environment and habitat conditions, particularly eutrophication and associated anoxia and reduced water transparency, Nile perch (Lates niloticus) predation alone may not have caused the massive loss of species diversity; and (3) the resurgence of haplochromine cichlids is due to a combination of general improvement in the environment and reduction in L. niloticus abundance, with additionally possibly some rapid ecological adaptations. We conclude that environmental stressors will likely continue to shape the ecosystems in which the remaining endemic cichlid fish diversity continue to evolve, clearly involving genetic exchange between species. If water clarity can be improved again, it is possible to maintain a diverse assemblage of endemic species.

Item Type:

Book Section (Book Chapter)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE)
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) > Aquatic Ecology

UniBE Contributor:

van Rijssel, Jacobus Cornelis, Seehausen, Ole

Subjects:

500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology

ISBN:

978-94-024-2078-4

Publisher:

Springer Netherlands

Language:

English

Submitter:

Marcel Häsler

Date Deposited:

16 Mar 2022 16:16

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 16:13

Publisher DOI:

10.1007/978-94-024-2080-7_7

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/166832

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/166832

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