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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Article
Author(s)
Justine Nakintu and Julius Bunny Lejju
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DOI:10.17265/2162-5298/2016.12A.005
Affiliation(s)
Department of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara 1410, Uganda
ABSTRACT
Bio-proxies provide relevant information on ecosystem health and environmental
dynamics. In this study, diatom assemblages of two cores collected from the Ugandan
side of Lake Victoria at Napoleon Gulf (“NAPG1” (GPS, 00º25'44.5" N, 033º14'10.4"
E)) and Sango Bay (“SAGB2”
(GPS, 00º51'48.0" S, 031º42'47.8" E)) provide evidence of long term changes in the Lake Basin from ca 10,500 years
to present. Diatom information was supported by phytolith data from the same cores. The period from ca 10,500-8,100 calyrBP experienced moderate
precipitation, strong turbulence with reduced forest cover in the lake’s
catchments. During the phase ca
8,100-6,600 calyrBP, the lake basin experienced
increased precipitation but with reduced mixing of the water column. This period
was also characterized by increased forest vegetation cover as reflected by phytolith assemblages. The period
from ca 5,900-1,400 calyrBP was characterized by
regular changes in precipitation, turbulence and vegetation taxa in the catchment
areas. The phase from ca. 1,800 calyrBP to present was characterized
by significant increase in Fragilaria and Nitzschia species as well as increase
in Nitzschia: Aulacoseira ratio which may be attributed to human involvement
in the ecological functioning of Lake Victoria ecosystem.
KEYWORDS
Diatom, Napoleon Gulf, Sango Bay, Lake Victoria.
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