This volume is taken from an ecological study of wetlands undertaken in northern Lake Victoria (East Africa) between 1993 and 1996 with the major aim of characterizing shallow vegetation-dominated interface habitats, and evaluating their importance for fish, in particular, for the Nile tilapia.

This volume is taken from an ecological study of wetlands undertaken in northern Lake Victoria (East Africa) between 1993 and 1996 with the major aim of characterizing shallow vegetation-dominated interface habitats, and evaluating their importance for fish, in particular, for the Nile tilapia.

This book employs a suite of remotely sensed products and advanced technologies to provide the first comprehensive space-based sensing of Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest freshwater lake that supports a livelihood of more than 42 million people, modulates regional climate, but faces myriads of challenges. Proper understanding of the lake and changes in its physical dynamics (e.g., water level, shorelines and areal dynamics) resulting from the impacts of climate variation and climate change as well as anthropogenic (e.g., hydropower and irrigation) is important for its management as well as for strategic development before, during and after climate extremes (e.g., floods and droughts) in order to inform policy formulations, planning and mitigation measures. Owing to its sheer size, and lack of research resources commitment by regional governments that hamper its observations, however, it is a daunting task to undertake studies on Lake Victoria relying solely on in-situ “boots on the ground” measurements, which are sparse, missing in most cases, inconsistent or restricted by governmental red tapes. To unlock the potentials of Lake Victoria, this book argues for the removal of obsolete Nile treaties signed between Britain, Egypt and Sudan in the 1920s and 1950s, which prohibits its utilization by the upstream countries. The book is useful to those in water resources management and policy formulations, hydrologists, environmentalists, engineers and researchers. In a unique cross-disciplinary approach, the Book articulates the various climatic impacts and explanations from natural and anthropogenic origins, which affected Lake Victoria and its vicinity, including the drastic increase and depletion of water level in the Lake and dams, floods and droughts, water quality/security, crop health, food security, and economic implications. With no exception as in his many publications, Joseph L. Awange used data analysis methodologies including filtering, adjustment theory, and robust statistics, to quantify the hydrologic and other parameters, and their estimated uncertainties. The Book is recommended for readers from a diverse disciplines, including physical and social sciences, policy, law, engineering, and disaster management. Professor C.K. Shum, Ohio State University.

This volume constitutes the most recent and most comprehensive consideration of the largest family of bony fishes, the Cichlidae. This book offers an integrated perspective of cichlid fishes ranging from conservation of threatened species to management of cichlids as invasive species themselves. Long-standing models of taxonomy and systematics are subjected to the most recent applications and interpretations of molecular evidence and multivariate analyses; and cichlid adaptive radiations at different scales are elucidated. The incredible diversity of endemic cichlid species in African lakes is revisited as possible examples of sympatric speciation and as serious cases for management in complex anthropogenic environments. Extreme hydrology and bathymetry as driver of micro-allopatric speciation is explored in the African riverine hotspot of diversity of the lower Congo River. Dramatic new molecular evidence draws attention to the complex taxonomy and systematics of Neotropical cichlids including the crater lakes of Central America. Molecular genetics, genomics, imaging tools and field study techniques assess the roles of natural, sexual and kin selection in shaping cichlid traits and beyond. The complex behavioral adaptations of cichlids are considered from a number of sub-disciplines including sensory biology, neurobiology, development, and evolutionary ecology. Most importantly, this volume puts forth a wealth of new interpretations, explanatory hypotheses and proposals for practical management and applications that will shape the future for these remarkable fishes in nature as well as their use as models for the study of biology.

Scattered over several continents, the ancient lakes of the world have a unique uninterrupted history dating back beyond 100,000 years. Ancient lakes are, in effect, aquatic islands in which a complex of ecology, genetics and evolutionary constraints have shaped in isolation their biotas over hundreds of thousands to millions of years. The diverse faunas achieve some of the highest levels of diversity known to any habitat, offering unique opportunities as 'natural laboratories' for studying the mechanisms of evolution and speciation in situ. This internationally authored volume contains the latest research results and theories to emerge from a diverse range of studies in these lakes. Containing exciting new findings in the ecology, evolution and systematic studies of ancient lake biotas together with many suggested areas for future research, it will be essential reading for all those with a general interest in ecology, evolution and natural history. In this volume expert scientists present the latest results and perspectives from their research on the organisms of the ancient lakes. Diverse in its taxonomic coverage and themes, and international in its authorship and coverage, Ancient Lakes will appeal to all biologists interested in evolution, ecology and biodiversity. Ancient lakes are increasingly recognised as important models of evolution and speciation This volume presents a diverse range of exciting new hypotheses and perspectives on ancient lake biotas Information is included on Russian and Chinese faunas, available in English here for the first time