Fish community dynamics in an inland floodplain system of the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Mosepele, Ketlhatlogile; Kolding, Jeppe; Bokhutlo, Thethela

doi:10.1016/j.ecohyd.2017.01.005

Cited by 12 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 41 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Schilbe intermedius) [67]. Therefore, consistently poor flood years in the Delta will be dominated by C. gariepinus while predominantly good flood years will be dominated by S. intermedius [67]. Furthermore, at a large spatial scale, [71] observed spatial differences in fish community structure among several lagoons in the Delta.…”

Section: Adult Fishmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Community structure and distribution: Floodplain fish dynamics are tied to the flooding regime [64] and the fish communities are structured along a hydrology-water chemistry gradient [65], [66]. However, due to interannual differences in flooding regimes, fish communities among years are stochastically different driven by the seasonal, dilution and expansion dynamics [43], [67].…”

Section: Adult Fishmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other studies show that good flood years are dominated by iliophagous (mud-eaters) species, which are preceded by piscivores in poor flood years [70]. The Delta"s fish community is dominated by C. gariepinus at maximum flooded area, while H. vittatus dominates the fish community at minimum flooded area [67]. Furthermore, poor flood years are dominated by tolerant, multiple spawning species (i.e.…”

Section: Adult Fishmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…C gariepinus) while good/ high flood years are dominated by opportunistic, highly fecund, total spawning species (i.e. Schilbe intermedius) [67]. Therefore, consistently poor flood years in the Delta will be dominated by C. gariepinus while predominantly good flood years will be dominated by S. intermedius [67].…”

Section: Adult Fishmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Dynamics of the Seasonal Floodplain Fishery of the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Mosepele¹

2016

Environment and Water Resource Management / 837: Health Informatics / 838: Modelling and Simulation / 839: Power and Energy Sys

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Inland fisheries provide vital proteins, jobs and income, for some of the most marginalized communities of the world. Therefore, there is a compelling need to understand the dynamics of floodplain fisheries better because of their intrinsic value to riparian communities. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between fish dynamics and environmental variability. Establishing this relationship is important towards identifying the key drivers of change, restoration and persistence in floodplain fish communities. This paper reviews literature on floodplain fish communities to highlight their dynamics and contribute to their management. This paper highlights the dynamic interactions between seasonal hydrology and nutrient dynamics in floodplain systems. These dynamic processes, coupled with a heterogeneous system, sustain a diverse fish community that is a key source of livelihoods for the riparian community. Dynamic processes within the fish community, such as distribution, feeding and growth are driven by the seasonal flood pulse. Currently, the fishery is managed through a series of classical management approaches which are incongruent with the nature of the fishery. The best management approach is through balanced harvesting, which has inadvertently been implemented by traditional exploitation practices.

show abstract

Section: Adult Fishmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Adult Fishmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Adult Fishmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Adult Fishmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Dynamics of the Seasonal Floodplain Fishery of the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Mosepele¹

2016

Environment and Water Resource Management / 837: Health Informatics / 838: Modelling and Simulation / 839: Power and Energy Sys

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Fishing is practised on a small-scale commercial in Botswana [15,67], while it is predominantly artisanal employing crude fishing gear in the rest of the basin [10,15,22,23,68]. Several studies in the Okavango Delta have shown that the delta's fish stocks are not yet over-exploited [69], where fishing behaviour [70] and fish community dynamics [71,72] are driven primarily by seasonal flooding. A biodiversity survey in 2012 [23] revealed five previously undescribed fish species in the upper catchment of the ORB, while an earlier survey in 2003 [73] discovered an undescribed fish species in the delta.…”

Section: Ecosystem Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water, Ecosystem Dynamics and Human Livelihoods in the Okavango River Basin (ORB): Competing Needs or Balanced Use? A Review

Mosepele¹,

Hambira²,

Mogomotsi³

et al. 2019

Water and Sustainability

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Freshwater is essential to life, and its availability poses a significant challenge to developmental needs and environmental sustainability globally. Due to increasing populations, global water requirements have increased in the twentieth century, and the trend is similar in the Okavango River Basin (ORB). With a total annual flow of 11 km 3 , the ORB is characterised by a flood pulse regime that drives and supports a diverse ecosociological system. The Okavango River is a potential water source for the development of the semi-arid nation states of Botswana and Namibia. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that the water resource of this system is managed effectively to ensure water sustainability in the basin. Current water demand in the basin is less than 1% of the current total discharge, while projected demand over the next 10 years also falls below the total discharge. Moreover, the ORB is characterised by multi-functional use, where riparian communities have adapted to change hydrological conditions. While the ORB is relatively pristine, there are potential threats in this system, which can affect its water resources. We conclude that there is a need for a harmonised legislative framework in the basin to ensure that the ethos of water sustainability is maintained.

show abstract

Environmental DNA biomonitoring in biodiversity hotspots: A case study of fishes of the Okavango Delta

von der Heyden,

Neef,

Grevesse

et al. 2023

Environmental DNA

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Okavango Delta is the largest freshwater wetland in southern Africa and a recognized biodiversity hotspot and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region is extremely rich in floral and faunal diversity, including a fish fauna of ~90 species in 15 families, that also support recreational and subsistence fishing. Anthropogenic pressures and invasive species threaten the unique biodiversity and ecosystem services that the Delta provides, necessitating biomonitoring tools that can provide broad community‐level diversity insights. Here, we utilize environmental DNA metabarcoding of aquatic eDNA using the MiFish 12S rRNA primers, to investigate fish communities and also sequenced 211 mtDNA 12S barcodes for 74 species across 36 genera of fishes from the region. Metabarcoding recovered 11 of 15 families, with 40 species detected across 23 genera, representing ~50% of known diversity, with the mtDNA 12S fragment able to delineate all genera (except for the cichlid genera Serranochromis and Pharyngochromis that comprised a single clade) and most species, except for some in the Clarias, Enteromius, Labeo, Lacustricola, and Petrocephalus genera. Generally, abundant and wide‐spread taxa such as Clarias spp. and Marcusenius altisambesi, amongst others, were often detected in the surveys, with other species, including Zaireichthys kavangoensis, Schilbe intermedius, and Labeo sp. detected less frequently. Dissolved oxygen, temperature, and dissolved organic solids were positively correlated with community diversity, highlighting the influence of environmental factors in shaping fish communities in the region. Further, there was strong variability in the eDNA signal across only 1000 m, suggesting that future surveys need to consider spatio‐temporal aspects of sample collection. Our study highlights the potential of eDNA metabarcoding for surveying aquatic biodiversity in the Okavango Delta, particularly within the context of baseline biodiversity inventories, that underpin conservation and management initiatives. As such, we provide a number of recommendations that can help structure future sampling efforts in the region.

show abstract

Fish community dynamics in an inland floodplain system of the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Cited by 12 publications

References 41 publications

Dynamics of the Seasonal Floodplain Fishery of the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Dynamics of the Seasonal Floodplain Fishery of the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Water, Ecosystem Dynamics and Human Livelihoods in the Okavango River Basin (ORB): Competing Needs or Balanced Use? A Review

Environmental DNA biomonitoring in biodiversity hotspots: A case study of fishes of the Okavango Delta

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About