Lake Chad: Ecology and Productivity of a Shallow Tropical Ecosystem

ISBN-13: 9789400972681 / Angielski / Miękka / 2012 / 576 str.

J.P. Carmouze;J.R. Durant;C. Leveque

Opis

In 1963 the director general of the 'Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-Mer' (ORSTOM) asked me to form a well structured team of hydrobiologists based at Fort-Lamy (now N'Djamena) where a laboratory could be built as a branch of the already existing ORSTOM Center. The International Biological Program, IBP, had at this time recommended an integrated study of ecosystems selected in proportion to their representation of a particular zone or ecological conditions. I took this opportunity to propose Lake Chad as the model of a tropicallake in a semi-arid c1imate as part of the activity of the section Productivity of freshwater communities (PF). With the efficient help ofDr B. Dussart a research program was established involving the establishment of a permanent team of ten researchers in Chad. Apart from myself, ORSTOM only had three hydrobiologists: Mr R. Gras, Mr G. Loubens and Mr A. Iltis. These valuable researchers who had been working for the 'Centre Technique et Forestier Tropical' and had acquired considerable experience in African freshwaters, unhesitatingly accepted to join me at Fort-Lamy. It was necessary to enlarge this team with so me young and enthusiastic collaborators, namely, Mr C. Leveque, Mr C. Dejoux, Miss S. Duwat, Mr L. Lauzanne and Mr. J. R. Durand, later joined by Mr J. P. Carmouze and Mr J. Lemoalle.

Recenzje

`This book makes a valuable contribution to limnology...'
Ecology, 66:1 (1985)
`...this volume presents what is probably the most comprehensive overall data set for any tropical lake... no aquatic research group should be without a copy.'
Revue D'Hydrobiologie Tropicale, 17:1 (1984)

Spis treści

Historical background.- I. The lacustrine environment and its evolution.- 1. Paleolimnology of an upper quaternary endorheic lake in Chad Basin.- 2. The lacustrine environment.- 3. Physical and chemical characteristics of the waters.- 4. Hydrochemical regulation of the lake.- II. The main types of communities and their evolution during a drought period.- 5. The aquatic vegetation of Lake Chad.- 6. The phytoplankton.- 7. The zooplankton.- 8. The benthic fauna: ecology, biomass and communities.- 9. The fauna associated with the aquatic vegetation.- 10. Fish communities of Lake Chad and associated rivers and flood-plains.- III. The balance of a lacustrine ecosystem during ‘Normal Chad’ and a period of drought.- 11. Phytoplankton production.- 12. Secondary production (zooplankton and benthos).- 13. The exploitation of fish stocks in the Lake Chad region.- IV. Trophic relations.- 14. Trophic relations between the phytoplankton and the zooplankton.- 15. Trophic relations of fishes in Lake Chad.- 16. The impact of birds on the lacustrine ecosystem.- V.- 17. The lacustrine ecosystem during the ‘Normal Chad’ period and the drying phase.- Systematic index.- General index.