The effects of increased sediment load on the Biota of Lake Tanganyika, East Africa

Abstract

Before the work described in this thesis, no studies had been done to test the direct effects of increased sediment load on the biota of Lake Tanganyika. The aim of this research was to assess the effects of increased sediment load on the structure of benthic communities of the littoral zone, where the effects of sediment input are most apparent, through the integration of field-based surveys, in-situ field experiments and ex-situ laboratory experiments. This combined approach was designed to allow the evaluation of the impact of sediment on benthic communities, and the identification of mechanisms of impact.