Download Pollution Control and Other Measures to Protect Biodiversity in Lake

The Biodiversity of Lake Tanganyika
By Dr. Muderhwa NSHOMBO
Director General of the Center for Hydrobiological
Research in Uvira
DR Congo
Biodiversity...
• "Biological diversity" means the variability among living
organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial,
marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological
complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within
species, between species and of ecosystems’.
Article 2, Convention on Biological Diversity 1992)
Lake Tanganyika’s Biodiversity
There are more than 2,150 species of plants and animals in the Lake
# species
• Molluscs
– Gastropoda
– Bivalvia
• Arthropod
– Decapoda
– Ostracoda
– Copepoda
• Fish
– Cichlidae
– Noncichlidae
% endemic
64
15
94%
60%
15
84
69
97%
71%
47%
185
145
97%
42%
Objectives of Biodiversity Special Study:
• Review the current levels of Biodiversity in Lake Tanganyika
• Identify the distribution of major habitat types, with a focus on
existing and suggested protected areas
• Suggest priority zones for conservation
• Develop a sustainable monitoring programme for biodiversity
Results: I. Review of current levels of biodiversity
Literature Database
Training of National Teams
National teams were trained in
underwater research methods
(SCUBA) and taxonomy
Distribution of major habitat types
Dive teams mapped substrates
around the lake
Suggestions for priority zones for conservation
Rusizi
Gombe
Mahale
Nsumbu
• Burundi:
– Rusizi Natural Reserve
• DRC:
– Pemba/Luhanga/Bangwe
• Tanzania:
– Gombe Stream N.P.
– Mahale Mountains N.P.
• Zambia:
– Nsumbu N.P.
– Lufubu/Chisala
65.0%
76.5%
73.3%
56.4%
70.8%
75.3%
Development of monitoring programme
Biodiversity team
at a monitoring site
Development of monitoring programme
Key Activities Supporting the monitoring program:
•
•
•
•
•
Identification of key indicator groups for biodiversity
Maintenance of a specimen reference collection
Production of field identification keys for major groups
Collation of relevant literature at all field stations
Maintenance and updating of literature database
Achievements:
• Establishment of databases detailing the current levels of
Biodiversity in Lake Tanganyika
• Establishment of national dive teams ready to collect and
analyze and produce reports
• Recommendations of priority zones for conservation
• Establishment of a sustainable monitoring programme for
biodiversity
Recommendations
• Continue with biological surveys especially in DR Congo and
Tanzania which have long coastlines
• Research the possibility of developing tourism around
biodiverisity
• Create new protected areas for conservation of diversity
identified by BIOSS in each country, and assist governments in
setting up adequate legislation relating to management of these
areas.