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DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE BENTHOS IN THE SEDIMENTS OF LAKE CUBHU: A FRESHWATER COASTAL LAKE IN ZULULAND SOUTH AFRICA
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Journal of the Limnological Society of Southern Africa • Authors: D.P. Cyrus --- Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, Department of Zoology, South Africa T.J. Martin --- Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, Department of Zoology, South AfricaA preliminary investigation of the macrobenthic invertebrates of the sediments of Lake Cubhu, a freshwater coastal lake near Richards Bay was conducted on a quarterly basis during 1987. The most important factor which determined the abundance and distribution of each... -
THE BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE FAUNA OF A SOUTH AFRICAN MOUNTAIN STREAM AND ITS RESPONSE TO FIRE
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Southern African Journal of Aquatic Sciences • Authors: D.L. Britton --- Freshwater Research Unit, Zoology Department, South AfricaThe effects of a late-summer prescribed burn on the temperature and benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of a south-western Cape mountain stream were investigated over a period of 12 months. Temperature and discharge regimes appear well-defined and relatively predictable from year to... -
A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF ASPECTS OF SASS (SOUTH AFRICAN SCORING SYSTEM) FOR THE RAPID BIOASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY IN RIVERS, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE INCORPORATION OF SASS IN A NATIONAL BIOMONITORING PROGRAMME
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Southern African Journal of Aquatic Sciences • Authors: H. F. Dallas --- , , South AfricaThe rapid bioassessment method, SASS (South African Scoring System) has been developed to assess water quality in riverine ecosystems. It is a scoring system based on the presence or absence of macroinvertebrate groups, and yields three values, namely SASS4 Score,... -
VARIABILITY IN THE INVERTEBRATE FAUNA OF AN INTERMITTENT STREAM OVER THREE CONSECUTIVE MIDSUMMER PERIODS
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Southern African Journal of Aquatic Sciences • Authors: M. C. Uys --- , South Africa J. H. O'Keeffe --- , South AfricaNon-perennial rivers in semi-arid regions are exposed to unpredictable and highly variable rainfall and hydrology which can have considerable effects on faunal organisation at different scales. Spatial and temporal dynamics in the aquatic invertebrate fauna of an aseasonal intermittent river... -
THE EFFECT OF SEASON ON A BIOTIC WATER QUALITY INDEX: A CASE STUDY OF THE YELLOW JACKET AND MAZOWE RIVERS, ZIMBABWE.
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Southern African Journal of Aquatic Sciences • Authors: B. Gratwicke --- , , ZimbabweThe effect of season on the South African Scoring System (SASS) biotic index for rapid assessment of water quality using benthic macroinvertebrates was investigated using the Yellow Jacket and Mazowe Rivers in Zimbabwe as a case study. Several impacts in... -
An assessment of the health of two rivers within Harare, Zimbabwe, on the basis of macroinvertebrate community structure and selected physicochemical variables
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: C PhiriThe aim of this study was to assess and compare the water quality of the Gwebi and Mukuvisi Rivers, on the basis of selected physicochemical variables and macroinvertebrate community structure. Five sites where selected on both rivers and these were... -
The macroinvertebrates of the Cunene River from the Ruacana Falls to the river mouth and assessment of the conservation status of the river
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: FC de Moor HM Barber-James AD Harrison CR Lugo-OrtizThe proposed construction of a second hydroelectric power-generating dam on the Cunene (Kunene) River on the Namibia-Angola border, more than 100km downstream of the Ruacana hydroelectric power plant, will have a major influence on the aquatic biota of this river... -
Available information on macroinvertebrates of the Mhlathuze coastal lakes: setting the ecological reserve (lake water requirements)
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: CF Mackay DP CyrusThis paper reviews current information on the macroinvertebrates of four coastal lakes in the Mhlathuze catchment of Zululand. The fauna are described in terms of the potential influence of lake level changes in response to increasing anthropogenic pressures for available... -
A comparison of several methods of assessing river condition using benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: CA BrownThis paper attempts to address some of the problems that are faced in the endeavour to minimise the time and financial costs of environmental monitoring. At the same time, it aims to assess the usefulness to freshwater studies of some... -
Beacons in the limnological landscape
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: BR AllansonAn overview is given of a number of major developments in the limnology of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. None was possible without the involvement of enthusiastic investigators who, over some 70 years, stimulated the growth of freshwater research in... -
Spatial variability in macroinvertebrate assemblages: comparing regional and multivariate approaches for classifying reference sites in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: HelenF DallasSpatial variability in macroinvertebrate assemblages was examined with the aim of evaluating the utility of regional classification systems in aquatic bioassessment. Sampling was undertaken at reference sites in the Western Cape and Mpumalanga, South Africa, using the rapid bioassessment method... -
Seasonal variability of macroinvertebrate assemblages in two regions of South Africa: implications for aquatic bioassessment
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: HelenF DallasSeasonal variability of macroinvertebrate assemblages was examined in two regions of South Africa: Western Cape and Mpumalanga. Sampling was undertaken at reference sites using the rapid bioassessment method SASS4 (South African Scoring System, Version 4). This study examined the influence... -
Towards the development of a macroinvertebrate sampling technique for palustrine wetlands in South Africa: a pilot investigation in the KwaZuluNatal midlands
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: Rebecca Bowd DonovanC Kotze CraigD Morris NevilW QuinnA study was undertaken in November 2003 to derive a suitable sampling technique for collecting a representative sample of aquatic macroinvertebrates from a selected emergent vegetation biotope in a palustrine wetland, Melmoth Vlei, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The aim was to... -
Bioassessment of the ecological integrity of river ecosystems using aquatic macroinvertebrates: an overview with a focus on South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: DeanJ Ollis HelenF Dallas KarenJ Esler Charles BoucherAn overview is given of the bioassessment of the ecological integrity of river ecosystems using aquatic macroinvertebrates, focussing on the South African situation within a global context. Biotic indices and their use in aquatic bioassessment are covered, and comparative descriptions... -
Testing the applicability of the SASS5 scoring procedure for assessing wetland health: a case study in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: Rebecca Bowd DonovanC Kotze CraigD Morris NevilW QuinnA study was undertaken between 29th January and 17th February 2004 to test the applicability of the South African Scoring System Version 5 (SASS5) scoring and calculation procedure in nutrient-enriched palustrine wetlands in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Four... -
Water quality impacts on instream biota of the Shingwedzi River, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: PSO Fouche --- Department of Zoology, South Africa W Vlok --- Department of Zoology, South AfricaWater quality, macroinvertebrate diversity (using SASS5) and fish diversity (using the fish response assessment index) of the Shingwedzi River system were monitored in 2007/2008 to determine the present status of the system. Possible water pollution sources were identified by aerial... -
Benthic faunal distribution and abundance in the Mfolozi–Msunduzi estuarine system, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: SG Ngqulana --- Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, Department of Zoology, South Africa RK Owen --- Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, Department of Zoology, South Africa L Vivier --- Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, Department of Zoology, South Africa DP Cyrus --- Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, Department of Zoology, South AfricaThe Mfolozi–Msunduzi estuarine system historically shared a common mouth with the St Lucia estuarine system. In 1952, a separate mouth was created, 1.5 km south of St Lucia mouth, to prevent silt carried by the Mfolozi River from entering Lake... -
Ecological health of the Usuthu and Mbuluzi rivers in Swaziland based onselected biological indicators
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: CN Magagula --- Department of Biological Sciences, Swaziland AB Mansuetus --- Department of Biological Sciences, Swaziland JO Tetteh --- Department of Biological Sciences, SwazilandBiological monitoring, using coliform bacteria and macroinvertebrate populations and diversity, was carried out monthly from August 2004 to January 2005 to determine the ecological health of the Usuthu and Mbuluzi rivers in Swaziland. Water temperature and pH were not significantly... -
The influence of pool size on species diversity and water chemistry in temporary rock pools on Domboshawa Mountain, northern Zimbabwe
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: A Anusa --- Tropical Resources Ecology Programme (TREP), Department of Biological Sciences, Zimbabwe HGT Ndagurwa --- Tropical Resources Ecology Programme (TREP), Department of Biological Sciences, Zimbabwe CHD Magadza --- Tropical Resources Ecology Programme (TREP), Department of Biological Sciences, ZimbabweThe effect of pool size (area and depth) on species diversity and physicochemical characteristics of rock pool habitats on Domboshawa Mountain, northern Zimbabwe, was studied from December 2006 to May 2007. Pools were categorised based on maximum depth. Pool duration... -
A preliminary survey of biotic composition of the Olifantspruit catchment, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: ZCC Khoza --- Department of Biodiversity, South Africa MJ Potgieter --- Department of Biodiversity, South Africa W Vlok --- Department of Zoology, South AfricaAs a major tributary of the Nyl River, and ultimately for the Nylsvley wetland, the Olifantspruit, Limpopo province, South Africa, was investigated during the summer (high flow) and winter (low flow) of 2007 at three sites. This preliminary study used... -
Turnover patterns in fish versus macroinvertebrates — implications for conservation planning
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: NA Rivers-Moore --- School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, South AfricaSpatial patterns in taxonomic richness and turnover for fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates are compared to assess the relative usefulness of each taxonomic group in mapping biodiversity patterns. Fish and aquatic macroinvertebrate species data for sites down the longitudinal axes of... -
Rapid colonisation of artificial substrates by macroinvertebrates in a South African lentic environment
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: AJ Booth --- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, South Africa WT Kadye --- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, South Africa T Vu --- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, South Africa M Wright --- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, South AfricaMacroinvertebrate colonisation patterns on artificial substrates were investigated in a small reservoir in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Semi-closed 1 000 cm3 polythene netting cages filled with either brick, gravel, shredded plastic, or equal proportions of these three materials, were... -
Relationship between water temperature predictability and aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages in two South African streams
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: BR Eady --- Discipline of Geography, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, South Africa NA Rivers-Moore --- Centre for Water Resources Research, South Africa TR Hill --- Discipline of Geography, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, South AfricaVariable seasonal stream temperatures are a critical factor in maintaining aquatic invertebrate community patterns. We investigated whether the degree of predictability in a stream's water temperature profile provides insights into the structure and functional predictability of macroinvertebrate communities. Quarterly macroinvertebrate... -
Epiphytic seaweeds and invertebrates associated with South African populations of the rocky shore seagrass Thalassodendron leptocaule — a hidden wealth of biodiversity
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Marine Science • Authors: CM Browne --- Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Research Institute, South Africa R Milne --- Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Research Institute, South Africa C Griffiths --- Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Research Institute, South Africa JJ Bolton --- Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Research Institute, South Africa RJ Anderson --- Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Research Institute, South AfricaSeagrasses support a great diversity of epiphytic organisms. There are no detailed published accounts of algae and animals growing on seagrasses in South Africa. The seagrass Thalassodendron leptocaule (previously known as Thalassodendron ciliatum) is unique among southern African seagrasses in... -
Large-scale spatial patterns within soft-bottom epibenthic invertebrate assemblages along the west coast of South Africa, based on the Nansen trawl survey
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Marine Science • Authors: L Lange --- Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Biology Research Centre, South Africa CL Griffiths --- Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Biology Research Centre, South AfricaKnowledge of benthic invertebrate biodiversity and distribution patterns over the continental shelf of South Africa is poor and this is hampering efforts to design a network of marine protected areas aimed at conserving regional benthic biota. We analysed invertebrate biodiversity... -
The impact of invasive fish and invasive riparian plants on the invertebrate fauna of the Rondegat River, Cape Floristic Region, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: StevenR Lowe DarraghJ Woodford DeanN Impson JennyA DayInvasive fish and plants are widespread in the rivers and riparian zones of the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa and represent potential threats to the highly endemic freshwater fauna. We investigated the impact of invasive smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)... -
A preliminary assessment of the impact of forest conversion from natural to pine plantation on macroinvertebrate communities in two mountain streams in Zimbabwe
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: A Chakona B MarshallThis study presents preliminary data on the influence of forest conversion from natural to pine plantation on benthic macroinvertebrates in streams in the Chimanimani Mountains in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, a region that has received little attention with respect... -
Impact of winter flow regulation on pest-level populations of blackfly (Diptera: Simuliidae) and non-target faunal communities in a South African river
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: NA Rivers-Moore FC de MoorThe mid-reaches of the Great Fish River in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa experience regular outbreaks of the pest blackfly Simulium chutteri as a direct consequence of increased flows caused by an inter-basin transfer scheme. There are opportunities... -
Macroinvertebrate colonisation of artificial substrates in a Nigerian river I: gravel and leaf litter
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: JO Olomukoro U OkologumeBenthic macroinvertebrate colonisation of artificial gravel and leaf litter substrates over periods of four to 40 days was examined in the Ogba River, Benin City, Nigeria. Of all the assemblages of organisms identified (398 individuals, 27 taxa) on different substrates,... -
Macroinvertebrate assemblages as biological indicators of water quality in the Moiben River, Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: FO Masese M Muchiri PO RaburuBenthic macroinvertebrate assemblages at eight stations in the Moiben River, corresponding to different catchment land uses, were assessed in 2006 as indicators of water quality. The relative abundance per taxon, diversity index, richness index, evenness, dominance, percentage of five dominant... -
The role of macroinvertebrates in the diets of the dominant fish species in Lake Nokoué, Benin
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: P Gnohossou --- Laboratoire d'Hydrobiologie et d'Aquaculture, P Laleye --- Laboratoire d'Hydrobiologie et d'Aquaculture, P Atachi --- Laboratoire d'Hydrobiologie et d'Aquaculture, J Moreau --- Laboratoire d’Agronomie, Environnement et Écotoxicologie, FranceBetween 2003 and 2006 the diets of 22 fish species, comprising approximately 90% of the Lake Nokoué fish biomass, were analysed. Macroinvertebrates dominated the diet of ten species, fishes were the preferential prey of six fish species, and detritus and... -
Influence of selected abiotic factors on aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Olifants River catchment, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: M Kemp --- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, South Africa KN de Kock --- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, South Africa V Wepener --- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, South Africa W Roets --- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, South Africa L Quinn --- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, South Africa CT Wolmarans --- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, South AfricaBiodiversity is frequently seen as an indicator of ecological health. Therefore a survey of the macroinvertebrates of the Olifants River, one of the most polluted rivers in South Africa, was conducted in 2010–2011. Four surveys were conducted at a total... -
Macroinvertebrate distributions in relation to human and animal-induced physical disturbance of the sediment surface in two Kenyan tropical Rift Valley streams
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: CM M'Erimba --- Department of Biological Sciences, Kenya JM Mathooko --- Global Research Akademik and Mentoring Services, Kenya KO Ouma --- Department of Biological Sciences, KenyaA study of macroinvertebrate distribution in relation to different levels of human and animal physical disturbance of the sediments of the Njoro (highly disturbed) and Ellegirini (less disturbed) rivers was conducted from October 2001 to June 2002, and again in... -
Do SASS5 scores vary with season in the South African highveld? A case study on the Skeerpoort River, North West province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: HE Fourie --- Department of Zoology and Entomology, South Africa C Thirion --- Department of Water Affairs: Resource Quality Services, South Africa CW Weldon --- Department of Zoology and Entomology, South AfricaMacroinvertebrate assemblages can vary with season as a result of changing environmental conditions and phenology of individual species. The objective of this study was to determine whether results from the South African Scoring System version 5 (SASS5) are affected by... -
Rapid bioassessment of the effects of repeated rotenone treatments on invertebrate assemblages in the Rondegat River, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: TA Bellingan --- Department of Zoology and Entomology, South Africa DJ Woodford --- Centre for Invasion Biology, South Africa J Gouws --- Scientific Services, CapeNature, South Africa MH Villet --- Department of Zoology and Entomology, South Africa OLF Weyl --- Centre for Invasion Biology, South AfricaThe potential collateral effects of eradicating invasive fishes in streams necessitate the monitoring of invertebrate communities during treatment. In an environmental rehabilitation programme, non-native smallmouth bass were removed from the lower reaches of the Rondegat River, Western Cape, South Africa,... -
Towards a classification of Tanzanian rivers: a bioassessment and ecological management tool. A case study of the Pangani, Rufiji and Wami–Ruvu river basins
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: LT Kaaya --- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, TanzaniaRiver classification is important for reporting ecological status and for the general ecological management of river systems by partitioning natural variability. A priori river classification by abiotic variables and validation of classifications obtained using aquatic macroinvertebrates from reference sites for... -
Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage composition and distribution pattern in the upper Mthatha River, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: AS Niba --- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, South Africa SP Mafereka --- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, South AfricaBenthic macroinvertebrates were sampled and environmental variables measured at Langeni Forest and Kambi Valley, two sites of varying degrees of human impact in the upper Mthatha River, South Africa, in 2010–2011. Four species, Simulium adersi Pomeroy, Baetis harrisoni Barnard, Pseudocloeon... -
Aquatic macroinvertebrate responses to pollution of the Boesmanspruit river system above Carolina, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: RB Tate --- Digby Wells Environmental, South Africa A Husted --- Digby Wells Environmental, South AfricaThe upper Boesmanspruit river system received much attention in 2012 when a pollution event in January rendered the drinking water of the town of Carolina non-potable. The responses of aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages in the upper Boesmanspruit system to that event... -
Tanzania River Scoring System (TARISS): a macroinvertebrate-based biotic index for rapid bioassessment of rivers
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: LT Kaaya --- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, Tanzania JA Day --- Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa HF Dallas --- Department of Botany, South AfricaThe biological assessment of rivers using aquatic macroinvertebrates is an internationally recognised approach for the determination of riverine ecological conditions. In this study a Tanzanian macroinvertebrate-based biotic method, Tanzania River Scoring System (TARISS), was developed in 2012, based on the... -
Macroinvertebrate variation in endorheic depression wetlands in North West and Mpumalanga provinces, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: L Foster --- Department of Zoology, South Africa W Malherbe --- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Science and Management, South Africa M Ferreira --- Department of Zoology, South Africa JHJ van Vuren --- Department of Zoology, South AfricaAquatic macroinvertebrates are rarely used in wetland assessments due to their variation. However, in terms of biodiversity, these invertebrates form an important component of wetland fauna. Spatial and temporal variation of macroinvertebrate assemblages in endorheic depressions (locally referred to as... -
Response of instream animal communities to a short-term extreme event and to longer-term cumulative impacts in a strategic water resource area, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: SH Foord --- Department of Zoology, Chair in Biodiversity Value and Change, Centre for Invasion Biology, South Africa PSO Fouché --- Department of Zoology, South AfricaDisturbance plays an integral part in generating heterogeneity required for ecosystem persistence, but the increased amplitude and duration of disturbances linked to drivers of global change could result in ecosystem shifts or collapse. Biomonitoring over time provides insights into trajectories... -
Does the exclusion of meiofauna affect the estimation of biotic indices using stream invertebrates?
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: John G Mbaka --- Biological Sciences Department, Kenya Charles M M’Erimba --- Biological Sciences Department, Kenya Henry T Karanja --- Natural Resources Department, Kenya Jude M Mathooko --- Global Research Akademic and Mentoring Services, Kenya Mercy W Mwaniki --- Department of Geomatic Engineering and Geospatial Information Sciences, KenyaBiomonitoring of rivers is usually undertaken using information based on macroinvertebrate assemblages. However, exclusion of meiofauna (i.e. invertebrates less than 0.5 mm in size) when sorting benthic invertebrates can affect the estimation of densities and other biotic indices. In the present... -
Effects of land-use changes on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in the tropical Umfurudzi River, Zimbabwe
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: T Bere --- Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe G Chiyangwa --- Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe T Mwedzi --- Chinhoyi University of Technology, ZimbabweThe responses of benthic macroinvertebrates to land-use-induced changes in water quality and habitat because of contrasting land-use types along the Umfurudzi River, Zimbabwe, were investigated in 2013. Five stations in a communal area upstream of Umfurudzi National Park, four on... -
The ecological integrity of the Lower Olifants River, Limpopo province, South Africa: 2009–2015 – Part A: Olifants River main stem
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: SM Marr --- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa TD Mohlala --- SAEON Ndlovu Node, Kruger National Park, South Africa A Swemmer --- SAEON Ndlovu Node, Kruger National Park, South AfricaThe major rivers of the South African ‘Lowveld’ (low-latitude savanna) suffer numerous impacts from upstream economic activities. Whereas monitoring these rivers is required to detect biodiversity losses, record pollution events and devise mitigation strategies, current monitoring programmes are inadequate. In... -
The ecological integrity of the lower Olifants River, Limpopo province, South Africa: 2009–2015 – Part B: Tributaries of the Olifants River
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: SM Marr --- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa TD Mohlala --- SAEON Ndlovu Node, Kruger National Park, South Africa A Swemmer --- SAEON Ndlovu Node, Kruger National Park, South AfricaMonitoring on the Lowveld reaches of the Olifants River, Limpopo River System, and its Steelpoort, Blyde, Klaserie and Selati tributaries was initiated in 2009. Analysis of the 2009–2015 data from four Olifants River sites showed deterioration in the river’s ecological... -
Improving the performance of the EPT Index to accommodate multiple stressors in Afrotropical streams
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: FO Masese --- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Kenya PO Raburu --- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, KenyaThe EPT index (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) may be skewed by the wide tolerance to multiple stressors of the Baetid, Caenid and Hydropsychid families, which affects the performance of the EPT index as an indicator of multiple stressors in aquatic... -
Effect of drift sampler exposure time and net mesh size on invertebrate drift density in the Njoro River, Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: PW Mureithi --- Department of Biological Sciences, Kenya JG Mbaka --- Department of Land and Water Management, Kenya CM M’Erimba --- Department of Biological Sciences, Kenya JM Mathooko --- Department of Biological Sciences, KenyaAlthough invertebrate drift is an important ecological process in lotic ecosystems, very little is known about it in Kenyan rivers. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of driftnet mesh size and exposure duration on drift... -
Impact of shorebird predation on intertidal macroinvertebrates in a key North African Atlantic wintering site: an experimental approach
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Marine Science • Authors: L Joulami --- Faculty of Sciences Ben M’sik, Morocco R El Hamoumi --- Faculty of Sciences Ben M’sik, Morocco Z Daief --- Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock, Morocco H Bazairi --- Faculty of Sciences, Morocco RJ Lopes --- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), InBio Laboratório Associado, PortugalShorebirds, as migratory aquatic birds and top predators in intertidal ecosystems, can be affected by global environmental changes and escalations in local impacts on coastal lagoons and estuarine trophic networks. Many shorebirds winter in North African Atlantic coastal sites, most... -
Ecological, recreational and educational potential of a small artificial wetland in an urban environment
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: PN Gitau --- School of Biological Sciences, Kenya GG Ndiritu --- School of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Kenya NN Gichuki --- School of Biological Sciences, KenyaPertinent questions remain on whether small, artificial wetlands, such as abandoned quarries play any ecological or socio-economic role in the environment. To increase information on roles played by small-sized artificial wetlands in the environment, an assessment study was carried out... -
Characterisation of selected micro-estuaries and micro-outlets in South Africa using microalgal, zooplanktonic and macrozoobenthic assemblages
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: ML Magoro --- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa T Dalu --- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa LRD Human --- Department of Botany, South Africa R Perissinotto --- DST/NRF SARChI Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems, South Africa SHP Deyzel --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), South Africa TH Wooldridge --- Department of Zoology, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research (CMR), South Africa JB Adams --- DST/NRF SARChI Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems, South Africa AK Whitfield --- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South AfricaSouth Africa has approximately 200 micro-estuaries and micro-outlets along its more than 3 000 km of coastline. Many of these microsystems (i.e. micro-outlets and micro-estuaries) share some characteristics with temporarily open/closed estuaries, but differ in that they are supplied by... -
High flow variability and storm events shape the ecology of the Mbhashe Estuary, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: NC James --- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa JB Adams --- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, South Africa AD Connell --- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa SJ Lamberth --- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa CF MacKay --- Oceanographic Research Institute, South Africa GC Snow --- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, South Africa L van Niekerk --- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, South Africa AK Whitfield --- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South AfricaThe possible impacts of extreme events on the ecology of selected aquatic biota within the Mbhashe Estuary were investigated during a four year (2010–2013) spring sampling programme. During periods of low to average flow conditions the estuary is shallow, turbid... -
Effects of untreated industrial effluents on water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages of Lake Hawassa and its tributaries, Southern Ethiopia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: ST Mereta --- , Ethiopia A Ambelu --- , Ethiopia A Ermias --- , Ethiopia Y Abdie --- , Ethiopia M Moges --- , Ethiopia A Haddis --- , Ethiopia D Hailu --- , Ethiopia H Beyene --- , Ethiopia B Kebede --- , Ethiopia WL Mulat --- , United StatesThe present study investigates the impacts of industrial effluents on the macroinvertebrate assemblages and water quality of the Lake Hawassa watershed. The water quality and macroinvertebrate assemblages were assessed at 40 sampling sites. The chemical and ecological water quality was... -
Longitudinal species turnover rates are predictable and should guide location of sampling sites for South African river surveys to assess aquatic biodiversity
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: NA Rivers-Moore --- , South Africa FC de Moor --- , South AfricaRepresentative samples of biota collected relative to environmental gradients are important for measuring present distributions and predicting shifts in distribution of taxa in response to climate change or reduced river connectivity. Based on river ecology theory and established measures of... -
Macrofauna associated with intertidal mussel beds in the Knysna estuarine embayment, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: Alan N Hodgson --- , South Africa Frances Smith --- , South Africa Peter Smith --- , South Africa Louw Claassens --- , South AfricaThe alien invasive mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, forms biogenic habitats in the embayment of Knysna Estuary. Invertebrate macrofauna inhabiting mussel beds were sampled from six sites in the embayment. In addition, mussel cover, mussel bed depth, density and size of mussels... -
Species composition and distribution of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) in relation to land use systems along the Thika River, Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: C Maina --- , Kenya BM Mwangi --- , Kenya JJ Jumbe --- , KenyaMayflies (order Ephemeroptera) are widely distributed and commonly used in biological assessment of water quality because of their sensitivity. Their application as bio-indicators in tropical streams and rivers, however, is hampered by lack of adequate information about their status in... -
Diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates in anthropogenically disturbed Aturukuku River, Eastern Uganda
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: Hannington Ochieng --- , Uganda Willy P Gandhi --- , Uganda Godfrey Magezi --- , Uganda James Okot-Okumu --- , Uganda Robinson Odong --- , UgandaBiodiversity conservation has focused on large vertebrates and plants with pronounced economic value, compared with smaller organisms such as benthic macroinvertebrates that play a particular role in freshwater ecosystems. The increasing loss and degradation of freshwater habitats, coupled with low... -
A review of the limnology of the Okavango Delta, Botswana
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: Mangaliso J Gondwe --- , Botswana Mike Murray-Hudson --- , Botswana Nashaat M Mazrui --- , Botswana Oliver Moses --- , Botswana Edwin Mosimanyana --- , Botswana Oarabile Mogobe --- , BotswanaWater quantity and quality are important aspects in the management of aquatic ecosystems, including wetlands. This paper has integrated available knowledge from literature on the limnology of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. The current near-natural solute concentrations in the inflow waters... -
Short-term recovery of macroinvertebrate communities following a flash flood in an urban river: a case study of the Palmiet River in Durban, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: N Khumalo --- , South Africa S Mdluli --- , South Africa J Lebepe --- , South AfricaExtreme floods have become frequent in the urban Palmiet River due to exacerbating climate change. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore a short-term recovery of macroinvertebrate communities following a flash flood in the Palmiet River, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Different... -
Macroinvertebrate community structure and diversity in relation to environmental factors in wetlands of the lower Gilgel Abay River catchment, Ethiopia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: Habtamu Getnet --- , Ethiopia Seyoum Mengistou --- , Ethiopia Bikila Warkineh --- , EthiopiaThe influence of environmental factors on the diversity of macroinvertebrates was studied in the wetlands of the Gilgel Abay River (GAR) catchment in Ethiopia. The study was done between September 2017 and March 2018, encompassing both wet and dry seasons... -
Environmental stressors influence the biological water quality of a lotic system in southwestern Nigeria
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: EO Akindele --- Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria SA Olaniyan --- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria AM Adedapo --- Obafemi Awolowo University, NigeriaDeforestation in the Afrotropical realm is extensively encroaching on riparian corridors, causing increasingly negative impacts on freshwater biota. This study aimed to assess the biological water quality of an Afrotropical river in southwestern Nigeria whose riparian corridor is threatened by... -
Perceptions and knowledge about the use of biological indicators in freshwater ecosystem monitoring in Rwanda
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: A Nzarora --- College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda, Rwanda C Cocquyt --- , Belgium V Nzibaza --- Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management, University of Rwanda, Rwanda V Nsengimana --- College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda, Rwanda PJ Mugume --- Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management, University of Rwanda, Rwanda BA Kaplin --- College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda, RwandaThe use of biological monitoring (biomonitoring) to assess water quality is recognised alongside the use of chemical and physicochemical parameters due to its ability and efficiency in providing information about both current and long-term changes. Indeed, biomonitoring is applied in... -
Impact of agricultural land-use on functional feeding groups of Afrotropical Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera in the Kat River, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: Frank Chukwuzuoke Akamagwuna --- Rhodes University, South Africa Oghenekaro Nelson Odume --- Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, South Africa Nicole Bertine Richoux --- Rhodes University, South AfricaDespite Africa experiencing a substantial rise in inadequately managed agricultural practices, studies examining the effects of these activities on the functional organisation of macroinvertebrates in tropical streams are underdeveloped. The responses of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPTs) functional feeding groups... -
Investigation on the foraging ecology of black crowned cranes at Lake Tana, Ethiopia, in the context of climate change impacts
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: SA Zelelew --- Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia C Relton --- , South AfricaThere are significant gaps in understanding the food resources of the black crowned crane in the Lake Tana wetlands. This study examined macroinvertebrates in crane habitats, investigated the impact of rainfall on macroinvertebrates in relation to pollution tolerance, and identified... -
Benthic macrofaunal changes in response to restoration efforts in the St Lucia estuarine lake, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Marine Science • Authors: PC Moloi --- School of Agriculture and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa GM Rishworth --- Department of Zoology, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa MS Bird --- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa NK Carrasco --- School of Agriculture and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaThe St Lucia estuarine lake and Mfolozi River mouth on the Indian Ocean coast of South Africa were once a single, connected system but were artificially separated in 1952 to prevent siltation from the Mfolozi River catchment which risked shallowing...