Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T15:30:58.209Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Size, diversity, dominance and trophic structures of the fish community in a tropical lake: a case study for the Sinazongwe area, Lake Kariba, Zambia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2006

Joseph Munyandorero
Joseph Munyandorero*
Affiliation:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 100 Eighth Avenue SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
*
Joseph.Munyandorero@myfwc.com jmunyand@yahoo.com
Get access

Abstract

This study investigated the size, diversity, dominance and trophic structures of the exploited inshore fish community of the Sinazongwe area, Lake Kariba, Zambia, for the period 1980-1995. It was based on fish records of scientific gillnet surveys and on data available in the literature. The size and diversity spectra exhibited, like those of exploited demersal marine fish communities, regular decreasing patterns, indicative of high fish numbers and diversity in smaller sizes and vice versa among larger sizes. The size spectra patterns were recurrent from year to year and well fitted by quadratic functions. The diversity (Shannon index) and dominance (J' index) decreased and increased linearly, respectively, with fish length. Diversity for larger lengths has decreased as evidenced by the annual variations of diversity spectra's slopes. The abundance-biomass comparison plots indicated years of undisturbed, strongly and moderately stressed fish community. The proportions of predators, especially of Hydrocynus vittatus, and the mean trophic level decreased linearly over years. The average diversity trophic spectra remained unchanged. The mean abundance and biomass trophic spectra indicated a top-predator controlled community over 1980-1984, and vice versa thereafter. The trophic structure descriptors better captured the fish community changes under increasing fishing pressure and revealed for the first time the “fishing down marine food webs” effects for Lake Kariba. The community attributes studied are potentially promising alternatives for the assessment and management of tropical exploited freshwater fish communities.

Keywords

Inshore fish community structuresTrophic levelFishing effectsLake KaribaZambia
Type
Research Article
Information
Aquatic Living Resources , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , April 2006 , pp. 123 - 136
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD, 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Albaret, J.-J., Laë, R., 2003, Impact of fishing on fish assemblages in tropical lagoons: the example of the Ebrié lagoon, West Africa. Aquat. Living Resour. 16, 1-9. CrossRef
Balon E.K., Coche A.G., 1974, Lake Kariba. A man-made tropical ecosystem in Central Africa. Dr. W. Junk b.v. Publishers, The Hague.
Bianchi, G., Gislason, H., Graham, K., Hill, L., Jin, X., Koranteng, K. Manickchand-Heileman, S., Payá, I., Sainsbury, K., Sanchez, F., Zwanenburg, K., 2000, Impacts of fishing on size composition and diversity of demersal fish communities. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 57, 558-571. CrossRef
Blackburn, T.M. Gaston, K.J., 1994, Animal body size distributions: patterns, mechanisms and implications. Trends Res. Ecol. Evol. 9, 471-474. CrossRef
Blanchard, F., 2001, Une approche de la dynamique des peuplements de poissons démersaux exploités: Analyse comparée de la diversité spécifique dans le golfe de Gascogne (océan Atlantique) et dans le golfe du Lion (mer Méditerranée). Aquat. Living Resour. 14, 29-40. CrossRef
Blanchard F., Leloc'h F., Hily C., Boucher J. 2004, Fishing effects on diversity, size and community structure of the benthic invertebrate and fish megafauna on the Bay of Biscay coast of France. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 280, 249-260.
Bozec, Y.-M., Ferraris, J., Gascuel, D., Kulbicki, M., 2003, The trophic structure of coral reef assemblages: “trophic spectra” as indicators of human disturbances. J. Rech. Océanogr. 28, 15-20.
Boudreau, P.R., Dickie, L.M., 1992, Biomass spectra of aquatic ecosystems in relation to fisheries yield. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49, 1528-1538. CrossRef
Chassot E., 2005, Approche écosystémique des pêches : de l'utilisation d'indicateurs à la simulation théorique ; vers un modèle couple écologie/économie appliqué au Finistère. Ph. D. Thesis. École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Rennes.
Clarke, K.R., 1990, Comparison of dominance curves. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 138, 143-157. CrossRef
Cyr, H., Peters, R.H., 1996, Biomass-size spectra and the prediction of fish biomass in lakes. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 53, 994-1006. CrossRef
Daan, N., 2005, An afterthought: ecosystem metrics and pressure indicators. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 612-613. CrossRef
Daan N., Christensen V., Cury P.M. (Eds.), 2005, Quantitative ecosystem indicators for fisheries management. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 307-614.
Davenport, R.S., Bax, J.N., 2002, A trophic study of a marine ecosystem off southeastern Australia using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 59, 514-530. CrossRef
Froese R., Pauly D., (Eds.), 2005, FishBase world wide web electronic publication (www.FishBase.org).
Gascuel D., 2004, Cinquante ans d'évolution des captures et biomasses dans l'Atlantique Centre-Est: analyse par les spectres trophiques de captures et de biomasses. In: Chavance P., Bah M., Gascuel D., Vakily M., Pauly D. (Eds.), Pêcheries maritimes, écosystèmes et sociétés en Afrique de l'Ouest : un demi-siècle de changements. ACP-UE Rep. 15, Brussels, pp. 415-420.
Gascuel, D., Bozec, Y.-M., Chassot, E., Colomb, A., Laurans, M., 2005, The trophic spectrum: theory and application as an ecosystem indicator. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 443-452. CrossRef
Gislason, H., Rice, J., 1998, Modelling the response of size and diversity spectra of fish assemblages to changes in exploitation. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 55, 362-370. CrossRef
Henderson, H.F., Welcomme, R.L., 1974, The relationship of yield to morpho-edaphic index and number of fishermen in African inland fisheries. CIFA Occas. Pap. 1, 1-19.
Jennings S., Kaiser M.J. Reynolds J.D., 2001, Marine fisheries ecology. Blackwell Science Ltd., Oxford.
Johst K., Brandl R., 1997, Body size and extinction risk in a stochastic environment. Oikos, 78, 612-617.
Jouffre, D., Inejih, C.A., 2005, Assessing the impact of fisheries on demersal fish assemblages of the Mauritanian continental shelf, 1987-1999, using dominance curves. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 380-383. CrossRef
Karenge, L., Kolding, J., 1995a, On the relationship between hydrology and fisheries in man-made Lake Kariba, Central Africa. Fish. Res. 26, 205-226. CrossRef
Karenge L., Kolding J., 1995b, Inshore fish population changes in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. In: Pitcher T.J., Hart P.J.B (Eds.), Impacts of species changes in African lakes. Chapman & Hall, London, pp. 245-275.
Kenmuir D., 1983, Fishes of Kariba. Longman Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd., Harare.
Laë, R., 1997, Does overfishing lead to a decrease in catches and yields? An example of two West African coastal lagoons. Fish. Manage. Ecol. 4, 149-164. CrossRef
Laë, R., Ecoutin, J.-M., Kantoussan, J., 2004, The use of biological indicators for monitoring fisheries exploitations: Application to man-made reservoirs in Mali. Aquat. Living Resour. 17, 95-105. CrossRef
Laurans, M., Gacuel, D., Chassot, E., Thiam, D., 2004, Changes in the trophic structure of fish demersal communities in West Africa in the three last decades. Aquat. Living Resour. 17, 163-173. CrossRef
Lévêque C., Bruton M.N., Ssentongo G.W., 1988, Biology and ecology of African freshwater fishes. Editions ORSTOM, Paris.
Link, J.S., 2005, Translating ecosystem indicators into decision criteria. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 569-576. CrossRef
Losse G.F., 1998, The small-scale fishery on Lake Kariba in Zambia. Universum Verlagsanstalt GmbH KG, Wiesbaden.
Machena C., 1988, Predator-prey relationships, fisheries productivity and fish population dynamics in Lake Kariba – a review. In: Lewis D. (Ed.), Predator-prey relationships, fish population dynamics and fisheries productivities of large African lakes. CIFA Occas. Pap. 15, pp. 26-44.
Machena C., Mabaye A.B.E., 1987, Some management aspects and constraints in the Lake Kariba fishery. Naga 10 (4), 10-12.
Mhlanga W., 2003, Food and feeding habits of tigerfish, Hydrocynus vittatus, in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. In: Palomares M.L.D., Samb T., Vakily J.M., Pauly D. (Eds.), Fish biodiversity: local studies as basis for global inferences ACP-EU Fisheries Research Report 14.
Morand P., Bousquet F., 1994, Relations entre effort de pêche, la dynamique du peuplement ichtyologique et le niveau des captures dans un système fleuve-plaine. In : Quensière J. (Ed.), La pêche dans le delta central du Niger. Approche pluridisciplinaire d'un système de production halieutique. Editions ORSTOM-KARTHALA-IER, Paris, pp. 267-281.
Morand P., Bousquet F., 2000, Simulations de l'exploitation de ressources (fleuve Niger). In : Gillon Y., Chaboud C., Boutrais J., Mullon C. (Eds.), Du bon usage des ressources renouvelables. Editions de l'IRD, Collection Latitudes 23, Paris, pp. 375-392.
Moreau J., Palomares M.L.D., Torres, JR. F.S.B., Pauly D., 1995, Atlas démographique des populations de poissons d'eau douce d'Afrique. ICLARM, Makati - ACCT, Paris.
Musando B., 1996, Inshore fish population changes in the Zambian waters of Lake Kariba from 1980 to 1995. M.Phil. Thesis, University of Bergen.
Neter J., Kutner M.H., Nachtscheim C.J., Wasserman W., 1996, Applied linear statistical models – 4th edition, Irwin.
Pinnegar, J.K., Jennings, S., O'Brien, M., Polunin, V.C.N., 2002, Long-term changes in the trophic level of the Celtic Sea fish community and fish market distribution. J. Anim. Ecol. 39, 377-390. CrossRef
Pauly, D., Christensen, V., Dalsgaaard, J., Froese, R., Torre, F. Jr., 1998, Fishing down marine food webs. Science 279, 860-863. CrossRef
Pauly, D., Palomares, M.L., Froese, R., Sa-a, P., Vakily, M., Preikshot, D., Wallace, S., 2001, Fishing down Canadian aquatic food webs. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 58, 51-62. CrossRef
Rice, J., Gislason, H., 1996, Patterns of changes in the size spectra of numbers and diversity of the North Sea fish assemblage, as reflected in surveys and models. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 53, 1214-1225. CrossRef
Rochet, M.-J., Trenkel, V.M., 2003, Which community indicators can measure the impact of fishing? A review and proposals. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 60, 86-99. CrossRef
Rochet, M.-J., Trenkel, V., Bellail, R., Coppin, F., Le Pape, O., Mahé, J.-C., Morin, J., Poulard, J.-C., Schlaich, I., Souplet, A. Vérin Y., Bertrand J., 2005, Combining indicator trends to assess ongoing changes in exploited fish communities : diagnostics of communities off the coasts of France. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 1647-1664. CrossRef
Scholz U., 1993, The development of inshore fish stocks and small-scale fishery on the Zambian side of Lake Kariba, 1961-1990. PhD Thesis. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel.
Scholz U., Mudenda G., Möller H., 1997, Some aspects of the development of the small-scale fishery on the Zambian side of Lake Kariba 1961-90 and implications for fisheries management. In: Remane K. (Ed.), African inland fisheries, aquaculture and the environment, Fishing News Books, Oxford, pp. 255-271.
Shin Y.-J., 2000, Interactions trophiques et dynamiques des populations dans les écosystèmes marins exploités. Approche par modélisation individus-centrée. Ph. D. Thesis. Université Paris 7.
Shin, Y.-J., Cury, P., 2004, Using and individual-based model of fish assemblages to study the response of size spectra to changes in fishing. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 61, 414-431. CrossRef
Shin, Y.-J., Rochet, M.-J., Jennings, S., Field, J.G., Gislason, H., 2005, Using size-based indicators to evaluate the ecosystem effects of fishing. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 384-396. CrossRef
Skelton P.H., 1993, A complete guide to the freshwater fishes of Southern Africa. Southern Book Publishers (Pty) Ltd.
Sprules, W.G., Munawar, M., 1986, Plankton size spectra in relation to ecosystem productivity, size and perturbation. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 43, 1789-1794. CrossRef
Sprules, W.G., Goyke, A.P., 1994, Size-based structure and production in the pelagia of Lakes Ontario and Michigan. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 51, 2603-2611. CrossRef
Sprules, W.G., Stockwell, J.D., 1995, Size-based biomass and production models in the St. Lawrence Great lakes. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 52, 705-710. CrossRef
Sprules, W.G., Brandt, S.B., Stewart, D.J., Munawar, M., Jin, E.H., Love, J., 1991, Biomass size spectrum of the Lake Michigan pelagic food web. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 48, 105-115. CrossRef
Stobberup, K.A., Inejih, C.A.O., Traoré, S., Monteiro, C., Amorim, P., Erzini, K., 2005, Analysis of size spectra off northwest Africa: a useful indicator in tropical areas? ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 424-429.
Takano, M., Subramaniam, S.P., 1988, Some observations on the predatory feeding habits of Hydrocynus vittatus Castelnau in Lake Kariba. In: Lewis D. (Ed.), Predator-prey relationships, fish population dynamics and fisheries productivities of large African lakes. CIFA Occas. Pap. 15, 130-139.
Thiam D., Traoré S., Domain F., Mané S.S., Monteiro C., Mbye E., Stobberup K.A., 2004, Size spectra analysis of demersal fish communities in Northwest Africa. In: Chavance P., Bah M., Gascuel D., Vakily M., Pauly D. (Eds.), Pêcheries maritimes, écosystèmes et sociétés en Afrique de l'Ouest : un demi-siècle de changements. ACP-UE Rep.15, Brussels, pp. 311-327.
Trenkel, V.M., Rochet, M.-J., 2003, Performance of indicators derived from abundance estimates for detecting the impact of fishing on a fish community. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 60, 67-85. CrossRef
Warwick, R.M., 1986, A new method for detecting pollution effects on marine macrobenthic communities. Mar. Biol. 92, 557-562. CrossRef
Warwick, R.M., Pearson, T.H., Ruswahyuni, 1987, Detection of pollution effects on marine macrobenthos: further evaluation of the species abundance/biomass method. Mar. Biol. 95, 193-200. CrossRef
Welcomme R.L., 2000, Principles and approaches for river fisheries management. In: Cowx I.G. (Ed.), Management and ecology of river fisheries. Fishing News Books, Oxford, pp. 331-345.
Yamane, D., Field, J.G., Leslie, R.W., 2005, Exploring the effects of fishing on fish assemblages using abundance biomass comparison (ABC) curves. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 374-379. CrossRef