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Zooplankton occurrences and abundance in the Lake Edward system, Uganda

Citation

Kiggundu V, Egessa R, Mwebaza-Ndawula L (2021). Zooplankton occurrences and abundance in the Lake Edward system, Uganda. National Fisheries Resources Research Institute. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/tpffw8 accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-06-13.

Description

The dataset presents occurrences and abundance of zooplankton taxa obtained from different surveys conducted between 1998 to 2020 in the Lake Edward system. The surveys were conducted in different water bodies and habitat types in different water bodies with in the system. The water bodies include lakes, wetlands and rivers or streams.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

The water bodies covered were sampled between 1998 and 2020. However, sampling was not consistent for the water bodies over the period. Data is available for specified waterbodies for 1998-99, 2011-14, 2016 and 2020.

Sampling

This work was part of research and monitoring studies conducted in predetermined sites and localities on water bodies within the Lake Edward system, including two nearby small lakes in the Lake Victoria basin. The lakes covered include Edward, George, Mutanda, Mulehe, Chahafi, Nakasanda, Bunyonyi and Kayumbu. The rivers covered are Rwimi and Lubilia. The wetlands covered are Kyase, Kiruruma and Ruhuma. The sites sampled represent different habitats based on the factors such as depth, distances from shoreline and water flow (lentic or lotic).
In lakes, zooplankton samples were collected with a conical plankton net (Nansen type; mesh size 60 µm or 100 µm; mouth diameter 0.25 m), towed vertically through the water column, as described by Fernando (2002) and Mwebaza-Ndawula (1994). In rivers and wetlands, sampling was done using Schindler trap with 5 litre capacity. Each sample was washed with tap water in the laboratory over a 53 µm sieve to remove the preservative and then diluted to a suitable volume, depending on the concentration of organisms in each sample. Sub-samples of 2, 2, 5 and 10 mL were taken with a wide bore automatic pipette from a well agitated sample. The sub-sample series were performed to consider the more abundant organisms in 2, 2 mL series, and the rarer organisms in 2, 2, 5, 10 mL series. Each sub-sample was put into a counting chamber and examined under inverted microscope (Hund, Wetzlar, Germany) at X100 magnification for taxonomic determination, and X40 for counting and organism body measurements.

Quality Control

Some zooplankton were able to be identified to species level using published taxonomic keys (Sars 1895; Pennak 1953; Brooks 1957; Rutner-Kolisko 1974; Koste 1978; Boxshall & Braide 1991; Korinek 1999). Taxonomic names were cross-checked using the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Volume densities of organisms were calculated from the counts data, with reference to the sample net mouth diameter and water column depth at each sampling site as per Fernando (2002).

Method steps

  1. Collection of the zooplankton In lakes, a conical plankton net (Nansen type; mesh size 60 or 100 µm; mouth diameter 0.25 m), towed vertically through the water column to have an integrated sample was used to collect the zooplankton. Collection of samples in rivers and wetlands used a Schindler trap. Three hauls were taken per site and were combined to make a composite sample.
  2. Preserving the samples Samples were preserved in a sugar-formalin mixture. The sugar was to stop the ballooning of cladocerans for easy identification.
  3. Identification of zooplankton taxa In the laboratory, samples were washed using a sieve of 53 µm to remove the fixatives. Organisms were identified to the smallest taxonomic level possible using taxonomic keys (Sars, 1895, Pennak, 1953, Brooks, 1957, Rutner-Kolisko, 1974, Koste, 1978, Boxshall and Braide, 1991, Korinek, 1999). Density of organisms were calculated from the counts data, with reference to the sample net mouth diameter and water column depth at each sampling site.

Taxonomic Coverages

The taxa include three broad groups of zooplankton: Copepoda, Cladocera and Rotifera
  1. Afrocyclops
    rank: genus
  2. Ascomorpha
    rank: genus
  3. Asplanchna
    rank: genus
  4. Brachionus
    rank: genus
  5. Brachionus angularis
    rank: species
  6. Brachionus bidentata
    rank: species
  7. Brachionus budapestinensis
    rank: species
  8. Brachionus calyciflorus
    rank: species
  9. Brachionus caudatus
    rank: species
  10. Brachionus dimidiatus
    rank: species
  11. Brachionus falcatus
    rank: species
  12. Brachionus forficula
    rank: species
  13. Brachionus patulus
    rank: species
  14. Brachionus quadridentatus
    rank: species
  15. Brachionus urceolaris
    rank: species
  16. Calanoidae
    rank: family
  17. Cephalodella
    rank: genus
  18. Ceriodaphnia cornuta
    rank: species
  19. Ceriodaphnia dubia
    rank: species
  20. Chydorus
    rank: genus
  21. Cyclopoidae
    rank: family
  22. Daphnia barbata
    rank: species
  23. Daphnia longispina
    rank: species
  24. Daphnia lumholtzi
  25. Diaphanosoma excisum
    rank: species
  26. Euclanis
    rank: genus
  27. Eucyclops
    rank: genus
  28. Filinia longiseta
    rank: species
  29. Filinia opoliensis
    rank: species
  30. Harpacticoida
    rank: order
  31. Hexanauplia
    rank: class
  32. Hexathra
    rank: genus
  33. Keratella cochlearis
    rank: species
  34. Keratella tropica
    rank: species
  35. Lecane bulla
    rank: species
  36. Lecane levistyla
    rank: species
  37. Lecane luna
    rank: species
  38. Macrothrix
    rank: genus
  39. Mesocyclops
    rank: genus
  40. Moina micrura
    rank: species
  41. Platyias
    rank: genus
  42. Platyias quadricornis
    rank: species
  43. Polyarthra
    rank: genus
  44. Polyarthra vulgaris
    rank: species
  45. Synchaeta
    rank: genus
  46. Synchaeta pectinata
    rank: species
  47. Testudinella parva
    rank: species
  48. Thermocyclops decipiens
  49. Thermocyclops emini
  50. Thermocyclops hyalinus
    rank: species
  51. Thermocyclops incisus
    rank: species
  52. Thermocyclops neglectus
    rank: species
  53. Thermocyclops oblongatus
    rank: species
  54. Thermodiaptomus galeboides
    rank: species
  55. Trichocerca
    rank: genus
  56. Trichocerca cylindrica
    rank: species
  57. Tropocyclops confinnis
    rank: species
  58. Tropocyclops tenellus
    rank: species
  59. Tropodiaptomus stuhlmanni
    rank: species

Geographic Coverages

Lake Edward system, including two nearby small lakes (Chahafi and Kayumbu) in the Lake Victoria Basin)

Bibliographic Citations

  1. Boxshall, G. A. & Braide, E. I. 1991. The freshwater cyclopoid copepods of Nigeria, with an illustrated key to all species. Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (zool), 57, 185-212. -
  2. Brooks, J. L. 1957. The systematics of North American Daphnia. Memoirs of the connecticut academy of Arts and Sciences, 13, 1-18. -
  3. Fernando, C. H. 2002. A Guide to Tropical Freshwater Zooplankton. Identification, Ecology and Impact on Fisheries, Leiden, The Netherlands, Backhuys Publishers. -
  4. Korinek, V. 1999. A guide to limnetic species of Cladocera of African inland waters (Crustacea, Branchiopoda). The International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology. SIL. -
  5. Koste, W. 1978. Rotatoria. Die Radertiere Mitteleuropas. Ein Bestimmungwerk, begrundet vo Max Voig. Uberrordnung Monogononta. Gebruder Borntraeger, Berlin, Stuttgart. -
  6. Pennak, R. W. 1953. Fresh-water invertebrates of the United States, New York, John Wiley & Sons. -
  7. Rutner-Kolisko, A. 1974. Planktonic rotifers: Biology and taxonomy, Biological Station Lunz of the Austrian Academy of Science. E. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung. -
  8. Sars, G. O. 1895. An account of the Crustacea of Norway, Christiania and Copenhagen Alb. Cammermeyer Forlag -

Contacts

Vincent Kiggundu
originator
position: Senior research technician
National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI)
Nile Crescent, Plot 39/45, Jinja
Jinja
343
UG
Robert Egessa
originator
position: Research officer
National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI)
Nile Crescent, Plot 39/45, Jinja
Jinja
343
UG
Lucas Mwebaza-Ndawula
originator
position: Senior research officer
National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI)
Nile Crescent, Plot 39/45, Jinja
Jinja
343
UG
Vincent Kiggundu
metadata author
position: Senior Research technician
National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI)
Nile Crescent, Plot 39/45, Jinja
Jinja
343
UG
Laban Musinguzi
administrative point of contact
National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI)
Nile Crescent, Plot 39/45, Jinja
Jinja
343
UG
Telephone: 0775701126
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