Diatoms from surface sediments of the northern part of Lake Tanganyika

227 Diatom taxa were observed in the surface sediments of the northern part of Lake Tanganyika, including 1 new to science: Amphora tanganyikae. The diatom community of these sediments is mainly composed of benthic organisms while planktonic diatoms are rather rare. Many brackish-water and a few marine organisms were observed. Cosmopolitan organisms (77.1%) dominate the diatom flora but tropical, tropical African and African taxa are also well represented (22.9%)Deceased.Deceased.     

Phytoplankton pigments and community composition in Lake Tanganyika

1. A 2‐year (2002–2003) survey of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments is reported for two off‐shore stations of Lake Tanganyika, Kigoma (Tanzania) and Mpulungu (Zambia), and from three cruises between those sites. Chlorophyll a concentrations were low (0.3–3.4 mg m^?3) and average chlorophyll a integrated through the 100 m water column were similar for both stations and years (36.4–41.3 mg m^?2). Most pigments were located in the 0–60 m layer and decreased sharply downward. Chlorophyll a degradation products (phaeophytins and phaeophorbides) were detected at 100 m depth, whereas carotenoids became undetectable. Temporal and seasonal variation of the vertical distribution of pigments was high. 2. The biomass of phytoplankton groups was calculated from marker pigment concentrations over the 0–100 m water column using the CHEMTAX software. On average for the study period, chlorophytes dominated in the northern station, followed by cyanobacteria T1 (type 1, or Synechococcus pigment type), whereas cyanobacteria T1 dominated in the south. Cyanobacteria T2 (type 2, containing echinenone), presumably corresponding to filamentous taxa, were detected in the rainy season. Diatoms (and chrysophytes) developed better in the dry season conditions, with a deep mixed layer and increased nutrient availability. Very large variation in the vertical distribution of algal groups was observed. 3. Our observations on phytoplankton composition are broadly consistent with those from previous studies. Our pigment data provide evidence for the lake‐wide importance of picocyanobacteria and high interannual variation and spatial heterogeneity of phytoplankton in Lake Tanganyika, which may render difficult assessment of long‐term changes in phytoplankton driven by climate change.     

An initial measurement of photosynthetic productivity in Lake Tanganyika

Measurements of ¹⁴C uptake and oxygen evolution by phytoplankton in Lake Tanganyika provide the first direct estimates of the lake's primary productivity. These measurements at the expected nadir of the annual range suggest that Lake Tanganyika is as productive as other large, deep tropical lakes.     

Biparental mouthbrooding of the catfish Phyllonemus filinemus in Lake Tanganyika

This article reports biparental mouthbrooding of the bagrid catfish Phyllonemus filinemus in Lake Tanganyika, based on analysis of specimens collected during SCUBA diving. This catfish was nocturnally active, and in the daytime it was concealed singly or in pairs beneath rocks. Within a breeding pair, the male or female alone incubated all the brood in the mouth until the offspring attained 12 mm or so in total length, but thereafter joint mouthbrooding or guarding by both parents took place. Most females of nonbrooding pairs showed high values of gonadosomatic index (GSI), whereas all females of brooding pairs and most single females showed low GSI values. This fact indicated that a pair is formed at a time near the gonadal maturation of the female and separates after the brood is reared. No significant difference in body condition among parents of different reproductive states was observed, which suggested that their condition does not deteriorate markedly as the result of foraging by an off-duty parent. Received: September 16, 2000 / Revised: November 18, 2000 / Accepted: January 23, 2001     

Food and habitat of four Xenotilapia species (Teleostei, Cichlidae) in a sandy bay of northern Lake Tanganyika (Burundi)

The feeding ecology of four species of Xenotilapia (Teleostei, Cichlidae) from Lake Tanganyika was investigated by examining their intestine contents in three different habitats from two 24-h catch cycles. The fish were caught in a sandy bay 4 km north-west of Bujumbura (Burundi) during the dry season, from August until October 1993. Three different habitats were sampled: an area 600 m offshore at a depth of 15 m, a littoral zone near a reed bed (depth, 0–5 m), and an area near a sandy beach (depth, 5 m). The fish were most active in the early morning and at night, except for X. caudafasciata which was the most diurnal. X. ochrogenys was confined to the vicinity of the reeds, where few individuals of the other species were found, and prey comprised mainly ostracods, copepods and chironomid larvae (Tanytarsini). X. ornatipinnis and X. longispinis occurred in large numbers both at a depth of 15 m and near the sandy beach. X. ornatipinnis preyed mainly on copepods, oligochaetes, diatoms and chironomid larvae. X. longispinis had a wider range of temporal and spatial distribution compared with the other species and fed on copepods, ostracods and chironomid larvae (mainly Microchironomus spp.). X. caudafasciata (only caught at 15 m) fed mostly on profundal chironomid larvae (Tanypodinae and Microchironomus spp.). Trophic niche overlap between X. longispinis and X. caudafasciata appeared to be reduced through different activity patterns. Few intraspecific differences in food diet were found between sex and age groups.     

白洋淀硅藻分布及其与水环境的关系

记录了白洋淀不同水域发现的硅藻85个种、变种及未定种,隶属于22个科31个属,其中小环藻属(Cyclotella)、菱形藻属(Nitzschia)、美壁藻属(Caloneis)和舟形藻属(Navicula)等为优势类群。在白洋淀东北部景区水域,以梅尼小环藻(Cyclotellameneghiniana)为主;污染严重的入库河道水域,以半裸具席藻(Sellaphora seminulum)和蓝绿舟形藻(Navicula veneta)为代表;村落水域,以菱形藻属、舟形藻属硅藻为主;航道水域,以颗粒沟链藻(Aulacoseira granulata)为代表;荷塘以弯棒杆藻(Rhopalodia gibba)为代表;而鱼池以菱形藻属硅藻为主。典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)显示水体总磷浓度(total phosphorus,TP)和pH是影响白洋淀硅藻种群分布的重要因素。利用欧洲硅藻数据库对白洋淀TP和pH做了定量重建,TP为0.13-0.25 mg/L,pH为6.92-7.23,此估测值极为接近实测值。     

Alloparental care between catfishes in Lake Tanganyika

A bagrid catfish Auchenoglanis occidentalis cared for its brood, deposited within an accumulation of shells and gravel in the centre of a large saucer-like depression, for up to 2 weeks in Lake Tanganyika. Adults of another catfish Dinotopterus cunningtoni (Clariidae) persistently came to A. occidentalis nests near days of host spawning. Eggs of D. cunningtoni were found in the host nests on the day and within 2 days of host spawning. During and for a few days after the end of host brooding, associate species' young of much older ages than the host brood were often found in the nests together with those of a similar age to the host young. Associate young were rarely found in nests before spawning and in unused nests. These findings suggested that this brood-mixing has two origins: egg dumping by associate adults and voluntary intrusion of large associate young into host nests. Possible benefits to the associate species are to take advantage of nest preparation and parental behaviour of the host species and to feed on the host brood.     

A simple model of the eco-hydrodynamics of the epilimnion of Lake Tanganyika

1. The ecosystem response of Lake Tanganyika was studied using a four-component, nutrient–phytoplankton–zooplankton–detritus, phosphorus-based ecosystem model coupled to a nonlinear, reduced-gravity, circulation model. The ecosystem model, an improved version of the earlier eco-hydrodynamics model developed for Lake Tanganyika, was used to estimate the annual primary production of Lake Tanganyika and its spatial and temporal variability. The simulations were driven with the National Centres for Environmental Protection (NCEP) records for winds and solar radiation forcing.
2. The simulated annual cycles of the four ecosystem variables and the daily net primary production were compared with the observations. The comparison showed that simulations reproduced realistically the general features of the annual cycles of epilimnial phosphate, net primary production and plankton dynamics.
3. The climatic simulations for the years 1970–2006 yielded a daily averaged integrated upper layer net production ranging from 0.11 to 1.78 g C m⁻² day⁻¹ and daily averaged chlorophyll- a (chl- a ) from 0.16 to 4.3 mg m⁻³. Although the nutrient concentrations in the epilimnion during the strong wind years were high, the net production was low, which is partly because of the greater vertical mixing, produced by strong winds, exposing the phytoplankton to low light conditions in deeper waters. The simulated annual net production and chl- a agreed quite well with observed production available in the literature.
4. We envisage using this model to predict the future scenarios of primary productivity in the lake.     

Paternal mouthbrooding bagrid catfishes in Lake Tanganyika

 This article gives the first information about paternal mouthbrooding in bagrid catfishes, based on analysis of specimens collected while SCUBA diving in Lake Tanganyika, Africa. Lophiobagrus aquilus and L. cyclurus, endemic to the lake, were nocturnally active, and in the daytime were found concealed singly or in pairs beneath rocks. Among 39 L. aquilus and 52 L. cyclurus collected, 8 and 1 solitary males, respectively, were incubating eggs or young in the buccal cavity. Paired males and females and solitary females never took care of the offspring. In both species, females of pairs showed much higher gonadosomatic index values and had larger oocytes in the ovaries than did solitary females. This fact suggests that pair formation takes place at a time near the gonadal maturation of the female and that the pair separate after spawning. We tentatively propose an evolutionary transition route of care patterns in bagrid catfishes. Received: January 25, 2002 / Revised: April 13, 2002 / Accepted: April 17, 2002     

The impact of the River Ntahangwa, the most polluted Burundian affluent of Lake Tanganyika, on the water quality of the lake

Sources of pollution at the north end of Lake Tanganyika are concentrated around Bujumbura, Burundi. The impact of River Ntahangwa on the water quality of this part of Lake Tanganyika was compared with that of an unpolluted river, the Mugere. A shallow bay, not influenced by a river, was used as a reference station. Chemical analyses were carried out at four week intervals during nearly a year. Samples were taken at different distances from the shore and at different depths. River impact was detected up to 100 m from both river mouths. Even at 50 m from the mouth of the polluted River Ntahangwa, no important decrease of dissolved oxygen was detected. Chlorophyll-a maxima were found 100 m from the Ntahangwa mouth, but this was also the case 100 m from shore in the unpolluted bay. Lake water at 60 m depth was saturated with oxygen during the dry season, as it used to be in 1956. The rivers studied descent initially within the lake due to greater sediment load and lower water temperature. Nevertheless, it appears that these rivers mix completely in the lake within 100–300 m from the river mouths. The direct effects from organic pollution of the Ntahangwa on the lake seem to be rather negligible. Appropriate anti-erosion measures should reduce massive sediment discharge into the lake.     

Obligate feeding of cichlid eggs by Caecomastacembelus zebratus in Lake Tanganyika

This study examined food habits of four common species of spiny eels (Mastacembelidae) in Lake Tanganyika to find if they eat cichlid eggs and larvae. Diets of Caecomastacembelus zebratus consisted nearly exclusively of eggs of substratum-brooding cichlids, whereas two other species fed on eggs only facultatively and one species never did. More than half individuals of C. zebratus had empty guts, although the mean weight of their gut contents was highest. This spiny eel ate many eggs in the first and second quarters of the lunar cycle when the spawning of substratum-brooding cichlids was active, while it nearly ceased eating in the latter half of the cycle. It is suggested that this fish is an obligate egg-eater and one of the predators that cause the high mortality of early cichlid broods.     

在种与属两个级别评价太子河硅藻群落与环境因子的关系

2009年8—9月,对辽宁省太子河流域67个点位进行采样调查,以硅藻群落为研究对象,比较硅藻属级水平与种级水平相对多度、物种丰富度以及生物多样性指数间的相关性,并比较硅藻属级与种级属性与环境因子的相关性。实验结果表明,太子河流域硅藻属级水平的相对多度、丰富度和多样性指数与硅藻种级水平都极显著相关。Pearson相关性分析表明,硅藻属级水平的丰富度与环境显著相关的因子与种级水平丰富度与环境显著相关的因子相一致。Mantel-Test相关性分析表明,硅藻属级水平的相对多度与环境因子的相关性弱于种级水平与环境因子相关性。典范对应分析结果显示,影响硅藻属级和种级群落结构分布的主要环境因子均为悬浮物。基于硅藻生物评价指数的流域健康评价结果表明,应用硅藻属级和种级属性对太子河流域进行健康评价,其评价结果相一致。     

Sedimentary diatom assemblages and their utility in computing diatom-inferred pH in Sudbury Ontario lakes

Surface sediment diatoms from 30 Sudbury lakes were analyzed to establish a relationship between diatoms and limnological characteristics of these lakes. Factor analysis of various chemical and physical variables suggested that most of the variance was associated with the pH, pH-metal, and conductivity factors. Factor analysis of common diatom taxa indicated that the distribution of most of these diatoms is closely related to lake water pH and/or pH related factors. Regression analysis of various pH indicator assemblages with measured lake water pH also demonstrated significant relationships. Among the transfer functions employed to compute diatom-inferred pH, multiple regressions using pH indicator assemblages proved to be the best. Using this method an accuracy of about 0.3 pH unit can be achieved, even for lakes which have received large trace metal inputs concurrent with increase in acidity. The presence of planktonic diatoms in acidic lakes suggests that the widely accepted hypothesis that planktonic diatoms are greatly reduced in waters at pH below 5.6 is not always true.     

Differential response of phytoplankton to additions of nitrogen, phosphorus and iron in Lake Tanganyika

1. In order to evaluate limitation of different phytoplankton groups by inorganic nutrients, multiple nutrient enrichment bioassays using the addition of iron (Fe) and the combined addition of nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) were carried out in the north and the south of Lake Tanganyika during the rainy and dry seasons in 2003 and 2004. 2. Nutrient additions resulted in an increase in phytoplankton growth rate relative to control treatments in all experiments. HPLC pigment data and epifluorescence microscopy counts indicated differential stimulation of the dominant phytoplankton groups. Iron additions mainly stimulated prokaryotic picophytoplankton, while enrichments with nitrogen and phosphorus stimulated green algae and in some cases diatoms. Extended incubation (3 days) indicated co‐limitation of Fe and NP, in particular for picocyanobacteria.     

Tactic for bower acquisition by male cichlids,Cyathopharynx furcifer,in Lake Tanganyika

A tactic for bower acquisition by male cichlids,Cyathopharynx furcifer, was studied in Lake Tanganyika. Males held crater-shaped bowers of sand within their territories, which were located adjacent to each other. Females visited bowers to spawn eggs, subsequently brooding the eggs in their mouths. Some individuals held territories without bowers near those of males with bowers. Although only the males with bowers succeeded in reproduction, they were apparently exhausted by bower maintenance and reproduction, and often deserted their bowers. These were soon occupied by males which had held nearby territories without bowers, such males then engaging in reproductive activity. Although the construction of new bowers by males was observed, such was unsuccessful, probably because too much energy was required and/or the optimal space for bowers was limited. Direct aggression by males without bowers against bower-holding males to deprive the bowers was not observed, possibly due to the high costs of such competition. Therefore, waiting for bower desertion by other males may be the best bower acquisition tactic for males without bowers.     

Seasonal patterns of sediment loading and benthic invertebrate community dynamics in Lake Tanganyika, Africa

1. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of benthic invertebrate communities located close to the mouths of the Kalambo and Lunzua Rivers, at the southern end of Lake Tanganyika, and subject to varying degrees of sediment load. 2. Metrics of exposure to riverine sediments were associated inversely with abundance and diversity of benthic organisms at sampling locations adjacent to both river mouths, indicating a major effect of riverine sediments on the structure of near‐shore benthic communities. 3. A lower abundance of benthos was found at the mouth of the Lunzua River, which exports significantly higher sediment loads than the Kalambo. 4. Seasonal cycles of abundance and diversity in the benthos varied with distance from river mouths. This has important implications for monitoring programmes investigating benthic communities close to the mouths of rivers. 5. Our findings suggest that recent increases in the sediment loading of Lake Tanganyika, owing to anthropogenic catchment disturbance, impact significantly on biological diversity throughout the lake littoral, which provides habitat for the majority of species in the lake.     

Mating systems of two midwater-spawning cichlids,Cyprichromis microlepidotus andParacyprichromis brieni,in Lake Tanganyika

The breeding habits of 2 maternal mouthbrooding cichlids,Cyprichromis microlepidotus andParacyprichromis brieni, were investigated in Lake Tanganyika. Although spawning on the substrate in the male's mating territory is prevalent in maternal mouthbrooders, bothC. microlepidotus andP. brieni spawned in the water column. MaleC. microlepidotus established their mating territories in the open water column, while maleP. brieni did so around fixed spawning sites near a vertical rock surface. In both species, females visited male mating territories, departing soon after spawning and collecting the eggs. Sneaking, which was observed only inP. brieni, may be attributed to the presence of refuges for sneakers in this species. FemaleC. microlepidotus deposited their entire clutch of about 9 eggs in one male territory. In contrast, femaleP. brieni divided their clutch of about 11 eggs among several males. After the final egg-release, femaleC. microlepidotus repeatedly approached their mate, with the mouth near the abdomen of the latter (nuzzling), but femaleP. brieni often departed without nuzzling. Males may eject sperm during nuzzling to fertilize eggs inside the female's mouth. However, maleP. brieni is also known to eject sperm near spawning females when the females are not nuzzling. Such behavior seems to be a male countermeasure against female mate infidelity, because males could not ensure paternity of eggs by ejecting sperm only during female nuzzling.     

Phytoplankton of a recently landlocked brackish-water lagoon of Lake Tanganyika: a systematic account

The planktonic flora of a recently landlocked brackish-water lagoon of Lake Tanganyika was studied. 273 Taxa were observed including 5 new ones: Trachelomonas dubia Swir. emend. Defl. var. colliundulata Caljon, Tr. gatumbana Caljon, Tr. komarovii Skv. var. bicollaris Caljon, Chroomonas angusta Caljon, Scourfieldia chlorolateralis Caljon. Diatoms were qualitatively the most important group (37.7%) followed by the Chlorophyta (23.0%), the Euglenophyta (19.4%) and the Cyanophyta (13.6%). This algal composition compares well with that of other African water-bodies of similar ionic composition and salinity but shows a more important development of Euglenophyta taxa.Many typical brackish-water and marine algal taxa were observed.The algal flora was mainly composed of cosmopolitan and subcosmopolitan taxa (89%) and a small number of tropical and subtropical taxa (11%).     

Lunar synchronization of spawning in cichlid fishes of the tribe Lamprologini in Lake Tanganyika

Lunar synchronization of spawning was investigated for eight substrate brooding cichlid fishes belonging to the tribe Lamprologini. Their spawning activities all peaked during the second quarter of the lunar cycle. Comparison between their breeding styles and the degrees of spawning synchronization suggested that the nocturnal guarding-efficiency of eggs, especially exposed ones, is improved by the maximal amount of moonlight during full moon and, in species whose young leave the breeding sites about 2 weeks after spawning, the survival of dispersing young is enhanced by the darkness of moonless nights.     

Validation of the periodicity of increment formation in the otoliths of a cichlid fish from Lake Tanganyika, East Africa

Tetracycline was used as a chemical tag in a mark‐recapture study to examine the pattern of increment formation in the otoliths of Tropheus moorii , a rock‐dwelling cichlid from Lake Tanganyika. A total of 256 fish were captured by divers and injected with tetracycline. Of these, nine were recaptured after either 1 or 2 years at liberty and eight retained tags within their otoliths. Comparison of the number of growth increments formed after the tag and the time at liberty demonstrated that increments were deposited on an annual basis in the otoliths of this species. Furthermore, there was a strong relationship between otolith mass and age suggesting that otoliths grew at a predictable rate throughout the life of the fish. Validation of an annual pattern of increment deposition allowed age and growth information to be derived from otoliths. This showed that T. moorii grew rapidly to attain adult size by 3 years of age. Males grew faster than females and also attained a larger size than females (8·74 v . 7·91 cm L _S respectively). The longevity of some of these small freshwater fish was surprising; the oldest individual had an age of 10 years, while the average age of adults was 4 years.