Beurteilende*r| Name: | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wolfram Graf |
| Herkunftsbetrieb: | |
| Arbeit |
| Typ der Arbeit: | Masterarbeit |
| Sprache der Arbeit: | Englisch |
| Titel der Arbeit in Originalsprache: | Structural and functional responses of macroinvertebrate communities to land use patterns - a case study at Mt Elgon, Kenya |
| Titel der Arbeit in deutsch: | Structural and functional responses of macroinvertebrate communities to land use patterns - a case study at Mt Elgon, Kenya |
| Titel der Arbeit in englisch: | Structural and functional responses of macroinvertebrate communities to land use patterns - a case study at Mt Elgon, Kenya |
| Publikationsmonat: | 04.2020 |
| Seitenanzahl: | 113 |
| Volltext |
| Volltext der Arbeit: | Volltext der Arbeit im PDF-Format laden |
| Online-Katalog der Universitätsbibliothek Bodenkultur |
| AC-Nummer: | AC15696863 |
| Abstract |
| Abstract in Deutsch: | Benthic macroinvertebrates play a unique role in aquatic ecosystems by acting as processors of nutrient and organic energy from allochthonous and autochthonous sources. Mt. Elgon, the catchment area for the drainage systems of Lake Victoria, is experiencing human influences of deforestation and expansion of agricultural lands. These actions impact the integrity of streams through degradation of habitat and water quality. This study investigated the shifts in structural and functional composition of macroinvertebrate communities influenced by changes in land use within Mt. Elgon catchment. A total of 21 sampling sites in 12 streams, ten within forested areas and eleven within agricultural areas were sampled for physico-chemical water parameters, substrate distribution and macroinvertebrate community composition. Significant (p<0.05) spatial variation was observed in total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity (EC) between forested and agricultural areas with higher values recorded in agricultural streams. Simuliidae and Baetidae taxa were the most abundant and widely distributed within the investigated catchment. Higher taxa richness, biomass and abundance occurred in forested streams than in agricultural streams. Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of macroinvertebrate communities showed a clear separation between land-use types and altitudinal zones. Water temperature, Electrical Conductivity, Total Suspended Solids, Total Dissolved Solids and sediment size distribution were significantly associated with the structure of macroinvertebrate communities. Land use change from forest to agriculture was seen to be a major driver of changes in physico-chemical water parameters and habitat quality, which significantly influenced the diversity and distribution of macroinvertebrate taxa. This work highlights the need to conserve forested and riparian areas in Mt Elgon catchment in order to preserve sustainably the ecological functioning of freshwaters and the linked aquatic biodiversity. |
| Abstract in Englisch: | Benthic macroinvertebrates play a unique role in aquatic ecosystems by acting as processors of nutrient and organic energy from allochthonous and autochthonous sources. Mt. Elgon, the catchment area for the drainage systems of Lake Victoria, is experiencing human influences of deforestation and expansion of agricultural lands. These actions impact the integrity of streams through degradation of habitat and water quality. This study investigated the shifts in structural and functional composition of macroinvertebrate communities influenced by changes in land use within Mt. Elgon catchment. A total of 21 sampling sites in 12 streams, ten within forested areas and eleven within agricultural areas were sampled for physico-chemical water parameters, substrate distribution and macroinvertebrate community composition. Significant (p<0.05) spatial variation was observed in total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity (EC) between forested and agricultural areas with higher values recorded in agricultural streams. Simuliidae and Baetidae taxa were the most abundant and widely distributed within the investigated catchment. Higher taxa richness, biomass and abundance occurred in forested streams than in agricultural streams. Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of macroinvertebrate communities showed a clear separation between land-use types and altitudinal zones. Water temperature, Electrical Conductivity, Total Suspended Solids, Total Dissolved Solids and sediment size distribution were significantly associated with the structure of macroinvertebrate communities. Land use change from forest to agriculture was seen to be a major driver of changes in physico-chemical water parameters and habitat quality, which significantly influenced the diversity and distribution of macroinvertebrate taxa. This work highlights the need to conserve forested and riparian areas in Mt Elgon catchment in order to preserve sustainably the ecological functioning of freshwaters and the linked aquatic biodiversity. |
| Schlagworte |
| Schlagwörter Deutsch: | Landnutzung, Makroinvertebraten, funktionelle Zusammensetzung, Bioindikation, afro-tropische Bäche, Einzugsgebiet des Flusses Nzoia |
| Schlagwörter Englisch: | Land use, macroinvertebrates, functional composition, bioindication, afro-tropical streams, Nzoia river basin |
| Sonstiges |
| Signatur: | D-21667 |
| Organisationseinheit, auf der die Arbeit eingereicht wird: | H81200 Institut für Hydrobiologie und Gewässermanagement (IHG) |
Zurück zu den Suchergebnissen
