Abstract
An account is given of the seasonal succession and spatial distributionof phytoplankton derived from a one-year sampling programme (1961–62)on Lake Albert, a large African rift lake. There is evidence of regulationby both physical and nutrient factors. These are influenced by a markedseasonality of temperature/density stratification (temperature range <3°C) and of water input that induces some polarizationalong the axis of the lake. Prevailing concentrations of soluble reactivephosphorus are high (>100 µg l-1), but those ofinorganic nitrogen are low and, with large depletions of silicate-silicon,may limit algal production. The diatom and cyanophyte components of thephytoplankton show different relationships to the seasonal cycle of limitedstratification and vertical mixing. There are possible relationships, bygrazing, to the described seasonal and spatial abundance of planktonicCladocera. Comparisons are made with other African lakes, especially LakeTurkana which is of similar shape and size and shows end to end polarizationof the aquatic biota.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beadle, L. C., 1981. The Inland Waters of Tropical Africa (2nd edn). Longman, London.
Beauchamp, R. S. A., 1956. The electrical conductivity of the headwaters of the White Nile. Nature 178: 616–619.
Brooks, C. E. P., 1923. Variations in the levels of the Central African Lakes Victoria and Albert. Geophys. Mem., London. 11: 337–344.
Carpenter, S. R. & J. F. Kitchell (eds), 1993. The Trophic Cascade in Lakes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 385 pp.
Evans, J. H., 1962. Some new records and forms of algae in Central East Africa. Hydrobiologia 20: 59–86.
Evans, J. H., 1972. A modified sedimentation system for counting algae with an inverted microscope. Hydrobiologia 40: 247–250.
Fritsch, F. E., 1935 & 1945. The Structure and Reproduction of the Algae. Vols 1 and 2. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Gasse, F., 1986. East African diatoms. Taxonomy, ecological distribution. Bibliotheca Diatomologica 11. Cramer. Berlin.
Gasse. F., J. F. Talling & P. Kilham, 1983. Diatom assemblages in East Africa: classification, distribution and ecology. Revue Hydrobiol. trop. 16: 3–34.
Geitler, L., 1932. Cyanophyceae. In Kryptogamen-flora 14 (ed. L. Rabenhorst). Leipzig.
Green, J., 1967a. The distribution and variation of Daphnia lumholtzi (Crwstacea; Cladocera) in relation to fish predation in Lake Albert, East Africa. J. Zool., Lond. 151: 181–197.
Green, J., 1967b. Associations of Rotifera in the zooplankton of the lake sources of the White Nile. J. Zool., Lond. 151: 343–378.
Green, J., 1971. Associations of Cladocera in the zooplankton of the lake sources of the White Nile. J. Zool., Lond. 165: 373–414.
Grönblad, R., G. A. Prowse & A. M. Scott, 1958. Sudanese Desmids. Acta bot. fenn. 58: 1–82.
Grönblad, R., A. M. Scott & H. Croasdale, 1964. Desmids from Uganda and Lake Victoria collected by Dr Edna M. Lind. Acta bot. fenn. 66: 1–57.
Håkansson, H. & S. Locker, 1981. StephanodiscusEhrenberg 1846, a revision of the species described by Ehrenberg. Nova Hedwigia 35: 117–150.
Hamblyn, E. L., 1966. The food and feeding habits of Nile Perch (Lates niloticus. Pisces: Centropomidae). Revue Zool. Bot. Afr. 74: 1–28.
Harbott, B. J., 1982. Studies on algal dynamics and primary productivity in Lake Turkana. In Hopson, A. J. (ed.) Lake Turkana. A Report on the Findings of the Lake Turkana Project 1972–1975. Overseas Development Administration, London: 109–161.
Hartley, B., 1986. A Check-list of the freshwater, brackish and marine diatoms of the British Isles and adjoining coastal waters. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 66: 531–561.
Hecky, R. E. & H. J. Kling, 1981. The phytoplankton and protozooplankton of the euphotic zone of Lake Tanganyika: species composition, biomass, chlorophyll content and spatio-temporal distribution. Limnol. Oceanogr. 26: 548–564.
Hecky, R. E. & H. J. Kling, 1987. Phytoplankton ecology of the Great Lakes in the rift valleys of Central Africa. In Munawar, M. (ed.), Proceedings of an International Symposium on the Phycology of the Large Lakes of the World. Arch. Hydrobiol. Beih., Ergebn. Limnol. 25: 197–228.
Hecky, R. E., P. Campbell & L. L. Hendzel, 1993. The stoichiometry of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in particulate matter of lakes and oceans. Limnol. Oceanogr. 38: 709–724.
Holden, M. J., 1963. Report on the fisheries of Lake Albert. Lowestoft, Fisheries Laboratory, 112 pp.
Holden, M. J., 1970. The feeding habits of Alestes baremoseand Hydrocynus forskali(Pisces) in Lake Albert, EastAfrica. J. Zool., Lond. 161: 137–144.
Huber-Pestalozzi, G., 1938–1961. Das Phytoplankton des Süsswassers, Stuttgart: 1–5.
Hustedt, F., 1930. Bacillariophyta. Heft 10 in Die Süsswasserflora Mitteleuropas, Jena.
Hustedt, F., 1930–1966. Die Kieselalgen. In Kryptogamen-flora von Deutschland, Oesterreichundder Schweiz Bd 7, (ed. L. Rabenhorst), Leipzig.
Kilham, S. S. & P. Kilham, 1990. Tropical limnology: Do African lakes violate the ‘first law’ of limnology? Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 24: 68–72.
Kling, H. J., 1992. Valve development in Stephanodiscus hantzschii Grunow. (Bacillariophyceae) and its implications on species identification. Diatom Research 7: 241–257.
Moss, B., 1969. Limitation of algal growth in some Central African waters. Limnol. Oceanogr. 14: 591–601.
Nygaard, G., 1949. Hydrobiological studies of some Danish ponds and lakes. 2. Kon. danske Vidensk. Selsk. Biol. Skr. 7: 1–293.
Round, F. E., 1981. The diatom genus Stephanodiscus: an electron microscopic view of the classical species. Arch. Protistenk. 124: 455–470.
Round, F. E., 1982a. Some forms of Stephanodiscusspecies. Arch. Protistenk. 125: 357–371.
Round, F. E., 1982b. Cyclostephanos–a new genus within the Skeletonemataceae. Arch. Protistenk. 125: 323–329.
Talling, I. F., 1963. Origin of stratification in an African Rift lake. Limnol. Oceanogr. 8: 68–78.
Talling, J. F., 1966. The annual cycle of stratification and phytoplankton growth in Lake Victoria (East Africa). Int. Revue ges. Hydrobiol. 51: 545–621.
Talling, J. F., 1969. The incidence of vertical mixing, and some biological and chemical consequences, in tropical African lakes. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 17: 998–1012.
Talling, J. F., 1986. The seasonality of phytoplankton in African lakes. Hydrobiologia 138: 139–160.
Talling, J. F., 1987. The phytoplankton of Lake Victoria (East Africa). Arch. Hydrobiol., Ergebn. Limnol. 25: 229–256.
Talling, J. F. & I. B. Talling, 1965. The chemical composition of African lake waters. Int. Revue ges. Hydrobiol. 50: 421–463.
Uherkovitch, G., 1966. Die Scenedesmus-arten Ungarns. Akademiae Kiado, Budapest.
Van der Ben, D., 1959. La végétation des lacs Kivu, Edouard et Albert. Explor. Hydrobiol. lacs Kivu, Edouard et Albert (1952–54), 4. Inst. r. Sci. Nat. Belg., Bruxelles.
Verbeke, J., 1957. Recherches écologiques sur la faune des grands lacs de l’est Congo Belge. Explor. Hydrobiol. lacs Kivu, Edouard et Albert (1952–54), 3. Inst. r. Sci. Nat. Belg., Bruxelles.
Verbeke, J., 1959. Le régime alimentaire des poissons des lacs Edouard et Albert. Explor. Hydrobiol. lacs Kivu, Edouard et Albert (1952–54), 3: 1–66. Inst. r. Sci. Nat. Belg., Bruxelles.
Wayland, E. J., 1925. Geological Survey of Uganda Memoir No. 1, Petroleum in Uganda. Entebbe.
West, G. S. & F. E. Fritsch, 1932. A Treatise on the British Freshwater Algae. University Press, Cambridge, 534 pp.
West, W. & G. S. West, 1904–1911. A Monograph of the British Desmidiaceae. 1–4. r. Soc., London.
West, W., G. S. West & N. Carter, 1923. A Monograph of the British Desmidiaceae. 5. r. Soc., London.
World Meteorological Organization, 1974. Hydrometeorological Survey of the catchments of Lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Albert. 1: Meteorology and hydrology of the basin. World Meteorological Organization Report. Geneva.
Worthington, E. B., 1929. The life of Lake Albert and Lake Kioga. Geogr. J. 74: 109–132.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Evans, J.H. Spatial and seasonal distribution of phytoplankton in an African Rift Valley lake (L. Albert, Uganda, Zaire). Hydrobiologia 354, 1–16 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003026415788
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003026415788