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Assessment of water quality, macroinvertebrate biomass and primary productivity of small water bodies for increased fish production in the L ake V ictoria basin, K enya
Author(s) -
Ngodhe Steve O.,
Raburu Phillip O.,
Kasisi Geraldine M.,
Orwa Patrick O.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
lakes and reservoirs: research and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.296
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1440-1770
pISSN - 1320-5331
DOI - 10.1111/lre.12029
Subject(s) - biomass (ecology) , nutrient , water quality , environmental science , productivity , altitude (triangle) , zoology , ecology , hydrology (agriculture) , biology , mathematics , geometry , geotechnical engineering , engineering , economics , macroeconomics
This study investigated the suitability of small water bodies ( SWB s) in the Lake V ictoria basin, between N ovember 2010 and O ctober 2011 for increased food production through aquaculture. Sampling sites were stratified in terms of water availability and altitude. Low‐altitude sites were represented by Y enga and M auna dams in S iaya County, while high‐altitude sites were represented by K esses and K erita dams in U asin G ishu County. Variations in selected water quality parameters, nutrients, primary productivity ( PP ) and macroinvertebrate biomass of SWB s were investigated. The measured biological and water quality parameters measured in this study included PP of phytoplankton, macroinvertebrate biomass of the most abundant taxon, temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, biochemical oxygen demand, p H , total nitrogen concentration and total phosphorus concentration. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard error of the mean were conducted for water quality parameters and nutrient levels. The general linear model was used to test for significant difference in nutrients and physicochemical parameters, both within and between the SWB s. anova was used to test for any significant differences in both PP and biomass within and between the dams. PP and macroinvertebrate biomass were sufficiently high to support fish production, while all water quality parameters and nutrients were within acceptable ranges to support the life of the mostly cultured species. Based on the results of this study, the stocking of phytophagous and benthophagous fish is recommended as a means of exploiting the food resources and increasing fish production in these areas.