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Mataba GR, Kafula YA, Mwaijengo GN, Snoeks JM, Munishi L, Brendonck L, Vanschoenwinkel B. Keep your natural enemies close - native predators can maintain low mosquito densities in temporary ponds in a malaria expansion area in Northern Tanzania. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 794:148606. [PMID: 34225145 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit are a global public health threat that affects most human populations. Mosquito abundances are strongly linked to the number of suitable larval habitats available. However, it is still not well understood how different land uses impact larval habitat quality in different parts of the world. We investigated links between land use practices and abundance of mosquito larvae in temporary ponds located in different land uses in a malaria expansion zone in Tanzania. Temporary ponds are often cited as important sources of mosquitoes but are also of substantial conservation concern being home to a unique fauna and flora. Often, they also have high socio-economic importance. Overall, encountered mosquito larval abundances were very low, both for the collected Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Culex quinquefasciatus. Although temporary ponds are important mosquito larval habitats in other parts of Africa, currently they are unlikely to be an important factor affecting the prevalence of mosquito borne diseases in the Manyara study region. Larval abundances in temporary ponds were higher in agricultural areas where more eutrophic conditions were found and minimal in residential areas. Overall, even though temporary ponds are often modified as rice paddies in the rainy season, they were in a good ecological condition and hosted a diverse assemblage of aquatic predators that likely prevented larval mosquitoes from reaching high densities. Maintaining this good condition by preventing pesticide and nutrient input as much as possible, can be important to prevent pond degradation that is likely to make these habitats more suitable for mosquitoes in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordian Rocky Mataba
- School of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania; Community Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Yusuph Aron Kafula
- School of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania; Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 976, Musoma, Tanzania; Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Global Change and Sustainable Development, KU Leuven, Charles Deberiotstraat 32, Box 2439, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Grite Nelson Mwaijengo
- School of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Joren M Snoeks
- Community Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Linus Munishi
- School of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Luc Brendonck
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Global Change and Sustainable Development, KU Leuven, Charles Deberiotstraat 32, Box 2439, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Vanschoenwinkel
- Community Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Janssens de Bisthoven L, Vanhove MPM, Rochette AJ, Hugé J, Verbesselt S, Machunda R, Munishi L, Wynants M, Steensels A, Malan-Meerkotter M, Henok S, Nhiwatiwa T, Casier B, Kiwango YA, Kaitila R, Komakech H, Brendonck L. Social-ecological assessment of Lake Manyara basin, Tanzania: A mixed method approach. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 267:110594. [PMID: 32349949 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The social-ecological system of the Lake Manyara basin (Northern Tanzania), a UNESCO Biosphere reserve (BR) suffers from social-economic and environmental problems due to decreasing water levels, erosion and land and water use conflicts. We propose an integrated assessment of the social-ecological interactions of the area to support future sustainable management. Within the Drivers-Pressures-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework an integrated literature review and several methods of knowledge collection were combined to identify future management priorities and challenges. During focus groups with farmers and pastoralists, stakeholders confirmed the role played by land use changes as driver and pressure in the landscape, e.g. through increased erosion rates and siltation of the lake. Moreover, economic and social issues were identified as prominent factors being influenced by, or influencing these processes. These statements match the scientific literature. During participatory mapping exercises different spatial and resource allocation perceptions appeared amongst pastoralists and farmers. The multidisciplinary approach proved to be useful to acquire an integrated and comprehensive understanding of the state, challenges and opportunities of Lake Manyara BR, to feed into a decision support system in service of an integrated management plan. Our assessment suggests that improved water governance in a multi-actor approach (with a focus on distribution of benefits, rights, and a specific role of the water authorities) should be a priority for future integrated management strategies. Also, awareness raising amongst decision makers, scientists and local communities is needed to demonstrate the advantages of an integrated approach. And finally, visible and fair mechanisms to share conservation revenues should be designed in a way that local benefits can be obtained together with incentive mechanisms for co-management and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Janssens de Bisthoven
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, OD Nature, CEBioS Programme, Vautier Straat 29, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - M P M Vanhove
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, OD Nature, CEBioS Programme, Vautier Straat 29, 1000, Brussels, Belgium; KU Leuven, Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation, Charles Deberiotstraat 32 - box 2439, 3000, Leuven, Belgium; Hasselt University, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, P.O.Box 17, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - A-J Rochette
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, OD Nature, CEBioS Programme, Vautier Straat 29, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - J Hugé
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, Département de Biologie des Organismes, Écologie des Systèmes et Gestion des Ressources, Campus du Solbosch, CP 169, Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt 50, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium; Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Biology Department, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Open University of the Netherlands, Valkenburgerweg 177, 6419, AT, Heerlen, the Netherlands; Hasselt University, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Research Group Environmental Biology, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - S Verbesselt
- KU Leuven, Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation, Charles Deberiotstraat 32 - box 2439, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - R Machunda
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), PO Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - L Munishi
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), PO Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - M Wynants
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, UK
| | - A Steensels
- KU Leuven, Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation, Charles Deberiotstraat 32 - box 2439, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - M Malan-Meerkotter
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
| | - S Henok
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
| | - T Nhiwatiwa
- University of Zimbabwe, Lake Kariba Research Station, P.O. Box 78, Kariba, Zimbabwe
| | - B Casier
- Trias, P.O. Box 12005, Arusha, Tanzania
| | | | - R Kaitila
- TANAPA, P. O. Box 3134, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - H Komakech
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), PO Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - L Brendonck
- KU Leuven, Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation, Charles Deberiotstraat 32 - box 2439, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
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Speelman S, Mombo F, Vandermeulen V, Phillip D, Van Huylenbroeck G. Capturing and explaining preference heterogeneity for wetland management options in the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2015; 55:100-112. [PMID: 25403812 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-014-0403-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Wetland degradation has recently received considerable research attention. Although wetlands are valuable ecosystems, their actual value is difficult to measure because the services they provide often do not have market values. The current study seeks to investigate the preferences for wetland management options in the Kilombero Valley, central Tanzania using choice modeling. The results show that both respondents from the Kilombero Valley and Morogoro Municipality desire improvements in the condition of the wetlands. This indicates that the ongoing degradation is not socially optimal. A second finding is that the preferences for wetland conservation are heterogeneous and can be linked to livelihood characteristics. Communities living in the area, for example, are highly dependent on the wetland for their livelihood and would be impacted by conservation measures. Therefore, in order to reduce the pressure on wetlands, it is necessary and imperative to explore the options for alternative income-generating activities or to focus, for example, on technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness in crop production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn Speelman
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium,
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