TY - JOUR
T1 - Habitat associations, reproduction and diet of the Guinean tilapia Tilapia guineensis of the Gambia River floodplains
AU - Louca, Vasilis
AU - Lindsay, S. W.
AU - Piyapong, C.
AU - Lucas, M. C.
PY - 2010/6/14
Y1 - 2010/6/14
N2 - The ecology of the Guinean tilapia Tilapia guineensis a dominant species of the lower Gambia River floodplains and an important food source in parts of West Africa was studied to better understand the threat posed from construction of a barrage across the river. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) of T. guineensis was positively associated with conductivity and dissolved oxygen and negatively associated with water depth and the % vegetation cover. Diet studies indicated that the T. guineensis is primarily an iliophage. The peak of reproduction was at the beginning of the rainy season. CPUE peaked in May, just before the first rains, and subsequently declined, probably reflecting movement into newly flooded habitat. Median size at maturity was 11·6 cm total length, LT, for females and 12·5 cm LT for males. LT-frequency analysis indicated several juvenile cohorts as well as very young fish on the floodplains each month, suggesting continuation of reproduction throughout the rainy season. The impending construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Gambia River is likely to affect T. guineensis negatively through anticipated changes in the hydrology of the river.
AB - The ecology of the Guinean tilapia Tilapia guineensis a dominant species of the lower Gambia River floodplains and an important food source in parts of West Africa was studied to better understand the threat posed from construction of a barrage across the river. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) of T. guineensis was positively associated with conductivity and dissolved oxygen and negatively associated with water depth and the % vegetation cover. Diet studies indicated that the T. guineensis is primarily an iliophage. The peak of reproduction was at the beginning of the rainy season. CPUE peaked in May, just before the first rains, and subsequently declined, probably reflecting movement into newly flooded habitat. Median size at maturity was 11·6 cm total length, LT, for females and 12·5 cm LT for males. LT-frequency analysis indicated several juvenile cohorts as well as very young fish on the floodplains each month, suggesting continuation of reproduction throughout the rainy season. The impending construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Gambia River is likely to affect T. guineensis negatively through anticipated changes in the hydrology of the river.
KW - Catch per unit effort
KW - Length and mass relationship
KW - Population size structure
KW - Sex ratio
KW - Tropical fresh waters
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954718683&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02634.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02634.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 20557603
AN - SCOPUS:77954718683
SN - 0022-1112
VL - 76
SP - 2469
EP - 2485
JO - Journal of Fish Biology
JF - Journal of Fish Biology
IS - 10
ER -