A Directory of African Wetlands


Book Description

A directory of Afrotropical wetlands of international importance. Contents -Region 1: North West Africa, Region 2: North East Africa, Region 3: West Africa, Region 4: Central Africa, Region 5: Southern Africa, Region 6: Madagascar.













The ecology and management of African wetland vegetation


Book Description

Interest in the biology of African 'wetlands' was initiated in the last century with the hypothesis that Lake Tanganyika was once part of a Jurassic sea, and was furthered by Cunnington's expedition at the beginning of this century which proved that it was not. In the late 1920's, ecological studies, encouraged by the growing importance of inland fisheries, were started hy British, French and Belgian biologists. Some twenty years later several government limnological research centres and fishery departments were established in tropical Africa, and scientific progress was accelerated. Scientific collaboration between the regions south of the Sahara was started formally in 1951 by the Scientific Council for Africa and stimulated by the International Biological Programme (1964-74) with its emphasis on biological productivity. Some of its interests were takcn on by SCOPE which recently selected continental wetlands as a Special Project; hence this book. The five authors, with-Patrick Denny as editor, have made a very valuable contribution both to science and to thc management of Africa's natural rcsourccs: thcy have filled a gap in the synthesis of knowledge about Africa's environments which is long overdue. The term 'wetland' is used today in several different contexts. For this purpose, it excludes the seas and large open inland waters. which are too deep for rooted plants, but includes the huge areas of floodplains and dambos which may change seasonally from standing water to very dry lands.




The ecology and management of African wetland vegetation


Book Description

Interest in the biology of African 'wetlands' was initiated in the last century with the hypothesis that Lake Tanganyika was once part of a Jurassic sea, and was furthered by Cunnington's expedition at the beginning of this century which proved that it was not. In the late 1920's, ecological studies, encouraged by the growing importance of inland fisheries, were started hy British, French and Belgian biologists. Some twenty years later several government limnological research centres and fishery departments were established in tropical Africa, and scientific progress was accelerated. Scientific collaboration between the regions south of the Sahara was started formally in 1951 by the Scientific Council for Africa and stimulated by the International Biological Programme (1964-74) with its emphasis on biological productivity. Some of its interests were takcn on by SCOPE which recently selected continental wetlands as a Special Project; hence this book. The five authors, with-Patrick Denny as editor, have made a very valuable contribution both to science and to thc management of Africa's natural rcsourccs: thcy have filled a gap in the synthesis of knowledge about Africa's environments which is long overdue. The term 'wetland' is used today in several different contexts. For this purpose, it excludes the seas and large open inland waters. which are too deep for rooted plants, but includes the huge areas of floodplains and dambos which may change seasonally from standing water to very dry lands.




The World's Largest Wetlands


Book Description

This volume presents the views of leading experts on each of the world's largest wetland systems. This international team of authors share their understanding of the ecological dynamics of large wetlands and their significance, and emphasise their need of conservation.




Classification and Inventory of the World’s Wetlands


Book Description

This book brings together, for the first time, information on various wetland classification systems and wetland inventories from around the world, outlining regional, national and local wetland classifications developed in Africa, Australia, Canada, China, Europe, India, South America and the USA. Oriented towards the conservation and management of wetlands, these existing national and regional classification systems have been useful in providing an essential base for the development of an international system. The volume also reviews various attempts at drawing up an inventory of wetlands in different parts of the world, ranging from field and literature surveys to highly sophisticated efforts using aerial photography and satellite imaging. Audience: Workers in wetland ecology, especially those working on classification, inventory, conservation, or management of wetlands at the local, national, regional or international levels.




Limnology, Climatology and Paleoclimatology of the East African Lakes


Book Description

The large lakes of the East African Rift Valley are among the oldest on Earth, and are vital resources for the people of their basins. They are unique among the large lakes of the world in terms of their sensitivity to climatic change, rich and diverse populations of endemic species, circulation dynamics and water-column chemistry, and long, continuous records of past climatic change. A comprehensive study of the large African lakes is long overdue. The scientific justification for such an effort is noted in the previous paragraph and is illustrated in great detail in this volume. Societal need for the sustainable utilization of these lakes offers an even more compelling reason for examination of biological food webs, water quality, and past climate variability in East Africa. The lakes provide the most important source of protein for the people of the African Rift Valley, and fish populations are shifting dramatically in response to fishing pressure, introduction of exotic species, land use impact on water quality, and perhaps climatic change. Current estimates of primary productivity, the underpinning of the food resource, are extremely crude and based on only a few spot measurements.




Wetland Restoration, Flood Pulsing, and Disturbance Dynamics


Book Description

While it is generally accepted that flood pulsing and disturbance dynamics are critical to wetland viability, there is as yet no consensus among those responsible for wetland restoration about how best to plan for those phenomena or even whether it is really necessary to do so at all. In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Beth Middleton draws upon the latest research from around the world to build a strong case for making flood pulsing and disturbance dynamics integral to the wetland restoration planning process. While the initial chapters of the book are devoted to laying the conceptual foundations, most of the coverage is concerned with demonstrating the practical implications for wetland restoration and management of the latest ecological theory and research. It includes a fascinating case history section in which Dr. Middleton explores the restoration models used in five major North American, European, Australian, African, and Asian wetland projects, and analyzes their relative success from the perspective of flood pulsing and disturbance dynamics planning. Wetland Restoration also features a wealth of practical information useful to all those involved in wetland restoration and management, including: A compendium of water level tolerances, seed germination, seedling recruitment, adult survival rates, and other key traits of wetland plant species A bibliography of 1,200 articles and monographs covering all aspects of wetland restoration A comprehensive directory of wetland restoration ftp sites worldwide An extensive glossary of essential terms Wetland Restoration, Flood Pulsing, and Disturbance Dynamics is a valuable working resource for wetland restoration consultants, employees of government agencies, and professional land managers, as well as ecologists, foresters, and geologists involved with wetland restoration and management. It is also an excellent text for advanced courses in wetland restoration.