Impact of water hyacinth, eichhornia crassipes mart. Effects of water hyacinth invasion of lake victoria on womens household activities, karachuonyo, homa bay county, kenya 1irene khabuchi, 2dr. In the late 1990s however it rapidly disappeared but since the causes. Once upon a time, lake victoria had a sandy shoreline with wide beaches and swaying palms. Albert and along the river nile, distributed in two distinct forms namely as stationary. Water hyacinth has become a major invasive plant species in lake victoria and while it is native to the continent of south america, human activity has introduced the greenery to lake victoria, where it is claimed to have negatively affected local ecosystems. Mailu abstract the paper presents preliminary data collected in an assessment of the social, economic and environmental impacts of water hyacinth in the lake victoria basin. But in december 2006, as the top satellite image reveals, the water hyacinth was back. Water hyacinth is a floating waterweed up to 65 cm tall and the leaves are dark green rounded leaves up to 510 cm in diameter.
Leaf stalks of young plants are swollen into spongy, bulbous structures. Lessons for effective management of water hyacinth. Water hyacinth threatens the future of fish and fishing. Water hyacinth can alter water clarity and decrease phytoplankton production, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, heavy metals and concentrations of other contaminants. The trends in the distribution and cover of mobile water hyacinth in the uganda portion of lake victoria are illustrated in tab. Effects of water hyacinth on economic activities of the. Eichhornia crassipes, commonly known as water hyacinth, is an aquatic fresh water plant native to the amazon basin and naturalized in the tropical and subtropical countries of south america penfound and earle, 1948, global invasive species database, 2006. Charcoal briquetting is an idea which has been proposed in kenya to deal with the rapidly expanding carpets of water hyacinth which are evident on many parts of lake victoria. Do not introduce water hyacinth to new ponds unless you are willing to monitor it and take action if its growth gets out of control. Lake victoria is boarded by kenya, tanzania and uganda and it is the second largest lake in the world with approximately 20 million people living within its. This study, conducted in nyanza gulf of lake victoria, assessed ecological succession and dynamic status of water hyacinth. Water hyacinths have dramatic effects on other activities. The consensus is that water hyacinth entered lake victoria from rwanda via the river kagera, probably in the 1980s.
Berky aquatic weed harvester 6520 water plant cleaner cleaning wild water hyacinth on a lake duration. Then, in the 1960s, big bad storms uprooted trees and carried the beautiful sand away. Partnerships and innovations until the local fishing industry in and around lake victoria was visibly affected, the killer weed water hyacinth eichhornia crassipes had been overlooked. No ones sure how the south american water hyacinth invaded africas lake victoria but theres little doubt as to the damages it has caused. A summary of the status of control and strategies for the future is given. Although water hyacinth continues to cause serious disruptions in the use of water bodies in kenya, the government has not promptly moved to contain the spread of this weed. Water hyacinth invades lake victoria with no end in sight. The invasion of water hyacinth weed into lake victoria was a game changer, especially on womens livelihoods.
Winam gulf is a large inlet from lake victoria that extends into kenya. The project components included management and control of water hyacinth, improved fisheries management and research, water quality monitoring, industrial. They allow the water hyacinth abundance to affect catchability. Growth of the water hyacinth in lake victoria has been tracked since 1993, reaching its maxima biomass in. With no natural insect opposition or environmental challenges, the plant has the opportunity to double its mass every five days in lake victoria, the largest tropical lake in the world.
Water hyacinth has become a major invasive plant species in lake victoria and while it is native to the continent of south america, human activity has introduced. Water hyacinth control and possible uses introduction water hyacinth eichhornia crassipes water hyacinth is an aquatic plant which can live and reproduce floating freely on the surface of fresh waters or can be anchored in mud. The lake victoria basin commission lvbc executive secretary alisaid matano said the. These images show the winam gulf, in the northeast corner of lake victoria in kenya. Impacts of water hyacinth on lake victorias ecology and economy. Youngsters swim in the hyacinthcovered lake victoria on kisumus lwangni beach last week. Water hyacinth an invasive species in lake victoria mosaic. Effect of water hyacinth infestation on the physicochemical characteristics of lake naivasha john momanyi mironga department of geography egerton university po box 53620115, egerton, kenya. Water hyacinth has been a cause of great concern in terms of environmental and socioeconomic impacts within lake victoria.
Until the local fishing industry in and around lake. Water hyacinth is firmly established in lakes victoria, kyoga. This article analyzes the effects of the invasion of water hyacinth on fishing in lake victoria. Mcnabb 2 abstract water hyacinth eichhornia crassipes mart. Water hyacinth, like many plants, are more effective with the presence of nitrogen and phosphate, and as a result, are more successful at germination perex et al. As hecky 1993 rightly said, we are indeed fortunate at lake victoria received the attention of some excellent limnologists and fisheries scientists in the 1950s and 1960s so that we have perspective on the lake s modern condition. Short communication the decline of water hyacinth on lake. Water hyacinth invades lake victoria with no end in sight friday january 4 2019 boats are trapped by hyacinth in lake victoria, homabay county, on september 11, 2018.
Lake victoria fish stocks and the effects of water hyacinth. Pdf the decline of water hyacinth on lake victoria was. For instance the use of beetles to control the spread of water hyacinth has been the center of research since the water hyacinth menace started to be felt in lake victoria in the early 1990s. In india, water hyacinth is also used to produce similar goods for the tourist industry.
Methods for water hyacinth control should include reduction of nutrients in the water bodies. Plant size ranges from a few inches to a metre in height. Despite millions of dollars spent in eradication and control programs, the severity of the infestation is largely unabated. The abundance and distribution of water hyacinth in lake. The rise and fall of water hyacinth in lake victoria and the kagera river basin, 19892001 article pdf available in journal of aquatic plant management 4242. Hyacinth takes over beaches in lake victoria the standard. The invasion of water hyacinth in lake victoria has presented a series of ecological and economic challenges for the east african region. Water hyacinth was reported in lake victoria basin in kenya in 1991 and has since become a menace in many beaches to some, the water hyacinth weed eichhornia crassipes is a blessing. Water hyacinth eichhornia crassipes is one of the worlds most invasive aquatic plants and is known to cause significant ecological and socio. Removal of water hyacinth could take longer, expert says. Onywere school of environmental studies and human sciences. Lake victoria is bordered by tanzania, kenya and uganda.
Impacts of water hyacinth and water quality change on. Lake victoria is boarded by kenya, tanzania and uganda and it is the second largest lake in the world with approximately 20 million people living within its catchment. Could lake victorias water hyacinth invasion have a. Osienala, a national ngo based in kisumu once again wishes to emphasize its stand on the implication of the proposed shredding and sinking of water hyacinth in lake victoria. Solms is an invasive aquatic macrophyte associated with major negative economic and ecological impacts. The abundance and distribution of water hyacinth in lake victoria and the kagera river basin, 19892001 6 figure 1. A freefloating aquatic plant with waxy leaves and violet flowers, the south american water hyacinth was first spotted in africa in the late 1980s. Lake victoria has constantly been under the threat of an invasive plant species the water hyacinth which may ending up choking pl. In lake kyoga association with vossia sp facilitated establishment of water hyacinth even along windswept shores and promoted extension of mats of the two machrophytes into the open lake.
Experience and lessons learned brief for lake victoria. Effects of water hyacinth on water quality of winam gulf, lake victoria. Water hyacinth has impacted these communities by reducing the supply of clean potable water and causing dif. Environmental impacts of water hyacinth in the lake victoria basin and the status of control a. Traditional basket making and weaving skills are used. Pdf the rise and fall of water hyacinth in lake victoria. World bank challenge regarding water hyacinth on lake victoria. The most effective methods of control rely on prevention. In order to study the effects of water hyacinth on water quality in the. The common water hyacinth has become an invasive plant species on lake victoria in africa after it was introduced into the area in the 1980s. Water hyacinth ecological value, environmental impacts. Preliminary assessment of the social, economic and.
Pdf gichuki et al water hyacinth succession in lake victoria. Make sure to control the nutrient levels in your pond or lake to prevent the rapid and explosive growth. Victoria was visibly affected, the killer weed water hyacinth eichhornia crassipes had been. Lake victoria, its catchment shown in light cyan, and major rivers. As you may be aware, an american firm, aquarius systems, won a tender for the mechanical removal of the hyacinth weed from lake victoria. The authors built two fairly standard schaefertype models that have one innovation. Ugandans, kenyans and tanzanians are all suffering as solutions are sought to manage the alien weed. For decades, water hyacinth has been wreaking havoc on lake victoria in kenya, covering vast swathes of its surface. Mathooko department of zoology egerton university po box 53620115 egerton, kenya. Kimfri scientists have recommended both biological, chemical and physical removal of the water hyacinth to restore the lake. Water hyacinth, any aquatic plant of the genus eichhornia of the pickerelweed family pontederiaceae, consisting of about five species, native primarily to tropical america. In lake kyoga association with vossia sp facilitated establishment of water hyacinth even along windswept shores and promoted extension of mats of. Water hyacinth infestation is a symptom of broader watershed management and pollution problems in the nyanza gulf of lake victoria. The water hyacinth problem became prominent in the 1990s with its impact mostly felt in 1995 when the weedcovered 90% of the lake victoria shoreline.
Impact of water hyacinth, eichhornia crassipes, lake victoria. The decline of water hyacinth on lake victoria was due to biological control by neochetina spp. Lake victoria fishermen struggle to remove water hyacinth. The hyacinth has since spread prolifically, due to a lack of natural predators, an abundance of space, agreeable temperature conditions, and abundant nutrients, including increasing heavy metal pollution in the lake. Studying the multiple usage of water hyacinth activity period june 2007may 2008 reported by gourab ghoshsoumen purkait under the technical guidance from enre, drcsc report is available at. Shading out of the aquatic plants below the water hyacinth, due to the colonies of mats it produces. A tanzanian vessel stuck in water hyacinth in lake victoria at the port of kisumu on february 14. Due to heavy infestation of water hyacinth in lake victoria catches of clarias gariepinus burchell and. The rise and fall of water hyacinth in lake victoria and the kagera river basin, 19892001 thomas p.
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