Condition Factor and Length-Weight Relationship of Labeo victorianus (Boulenger, 1901) in the Selected Rivers of the Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2200/aerj.v4i2.163Keywords:
Allometric growth, Anthropogenic InfluenceAbstract
We studied the length‐weight relationship (LWR) and condition factor of Labeo victorianus (Boulanger, 1901) in four rivers (Awach, Mara, Nyando and Sondu-Miriu) in Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya. A total of 421 fish individuals of the species were measured for length and weighed. There was no significant variation in mean relative condition (Kn) of L. victorianus (ANOVA F= 0.54, df=3, p=0.65) in the rivers. The species from Mara and Sondu Miriu showed positive allometric growth while those from Awach and Nyando rivers showed negative allometric growth. The lowest mean condition factor K was recorded for females in the Mara and Nyando rivers (0.975 and 0.872 respectively). The length (ANOVA F=64.20, df=3, p<0.001) and weight (ANOVA F= 25.56, df=3, p< 0.001) were significantly different in Mara River. The relative condition factor showed significant variation with the total length (p<0.0001 and VIF <1). Variations in the length-weight relationship indicates the degree of environmental degradation to which the fish species is subjected to in the rivers of the LVB. This study recommends that environmental management should be considered as one of the strategies for conserving this and other threatened species in the LVB.
References
Achieng, A. O., Masese, F. O. and Kaunda-Arara, B. (2020). Fish assemblages and size-spectra variation among rivers of Lake VictoriaBasin, Kenya. Ecological Indicators, 118, 106745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.10674 5
Achieng, A. O., Masese, F. O., Coffey, T. J., Raburu, P. O., Agembe, S. W., Febria, C. M. and Kaunda-Arara, B. (2021). Assessment of the ecological health of Afrotropical rivers using fish assemblages: A case study of selected rivers in the Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya. Frontiers in Water 2:620704. doi: 10.3389/frwa.2020.620704.
Balirwa, J. S., Chapman, C. A., Chapman, L. J., Cowx, I. G., Geheb, K., Kaufman, L. E. S. and Witte, F. (2003). Biodiversity and fishery sustainability in the Lake Victoria basin: an unexpected marriage? BioScience, 53(8), 703-715. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[0703:BAFSIT]2.0.CO;2
Cadwalladr, D. A. (1965). The decline in the Labeo victorianus Boulanger 1901 (Pisces: Cyprinidae) fishery of Lake Victoria and an associated deterioration in some indigenous fishing methods in the Nzoia River, Kenya. East African Agricultural and Forestry Journal, 30(3), 249-256. https://doi.org/10.1080/00128325.1965.1166 1990
Corbet, P. S. (1961). The food of non-cichlid fishes in the Lake Victoria Basin with remarks on their evolution and adaptation to lacustrine conditions. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 136:1-101
Cornelissen, I. J. M., Vijverberg, J., Van Den Beld, A. M., Helmsing, N. R., Verreth, J. A. J. and Nagelkerke, L. A. J. (2018). Stomach contents and stable isotopes confirm ontogenetic diet shifts of Nile perch, Lates niloticus, in southern Lake Victoria. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 44(6), 1264-1272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2018.08.008
Hossen, M., Hossain, M., Khatun, D., Nawer, F., Parvin, M. F., Arabi, A. and Bashar, M. (2018). Population Parameters of the Minor carp Labeo bata (Hamilton, 1822) in the Ganges River of Northwestern Bangladesh. Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences, 11(2).4
IUCN 2018. The IUCN Red List of threatened Species. Version 2018-1 (online journal) <http://www.iucnredlist.org>. Accessed 13 September 2020.
Lizama, M. De Los A. P. and Ambrósio, A. M. (2002). Condition factor in nine species of fish of the Characidae family in the upper Paraná river floodplain, Brazil, Brazilian Journal of Biology, vol.62 no.1 São Carlos Feb. 2002, https://doi.org/10.1590/S1519- 69842002000100014
Hecky, R. E. (2002). History and timing of human impact on Lake Victoria, East Africa. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 269(1488), 289-294.
Kembenya, E. M., Ogello, E. O., Githukia, C. M., Aera, C. N., Omondi, R. and Munguti, J. M. (2017). Seasonal changes of length-weight relationship and condition factor of five fish species in Lake Baringo, Kenya. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR), 14(2), 130-140. Kibaara, D. (1986). Endangered fish species of Kenya's inland waters with emphasis on Labeo spp. Kenya Aquatic Bulletin 3, pp. 14- 21
Kuriakose, S. (2017). Estimation of length weight relationship in fishes. 215-220. In: Course Manual Summer School on Advanced Methods for Fish Stock Assessment and Fisheries Management. Lecture Note Series No. 2/2017 . CMFRI; Kochi, Kochi, pp. 215-220
Le Cren, E. D. (1951). The length-weight relationship and seasonal cycle in gonad weight and condition in the Perch (Perca fluviatilis). The Journal of Animal Ecology, 20(2), 201. https://doi.org/10.2307/1540
Lloret J, Gil de Sola L, Souplet A. and Galzin R (2002) Effects of large-scale habitat variability on condition of demersal exploited fish in the North-Western Mediterranean. ICES J Mar Sci 59:1215–1227
Lytle, D. A. and Poff, N. L. (2004). Adaptation to natural flow regimes. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 19(2), 94 100. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2003.10.002
Masese F. O., Achieng’ O. A., Raburu P. O., Lawrence T., Ives J. T., Nyamweya C. and Kaunda-Arara B. (2020). Patterns of diversity and distribution of riverine fishes of the Lake Victoria basin, Kenya. International Review of Hydrobiology. https://doi.org/10.1002/iroh.202002039
Masese, F. O., Kitaka, N., Kipkemboi, J., Gettel, G. M., Irvine, K., and McClain, M. E. (2014). Macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups in Kenyan highland streams: evidence for a diverse shredder guild. Freshwater Science, 33(2), 435-450. https://doi.org/10.1086/675681
Masese, F. O. and McClain, M. E. (2012). Trophic resources and emergent food web attributes in
rivers of the Lake Victoria Basin: a review with reference to anthropogenic influences. Ecohydrology, 5(6), 685-707. DOI: 10.1002/eco.1285
Mayo, A. W., Muraza, M. and Norbert, J. (2018). Modelling nitrogen transformation and removal in mara river basin wetlands upstream of Lake Victoria. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, 105, 136-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2018.03.005
Mboya, D. O. (2012). Feeding Ecology of Barbus (Cuvier and Cloquet, 1816) (Pisces: Cyprinidae) in River Nyando Floodplain, Lake Victoria. Kenya (Doctoral dissertation).
Muchlisin, Z. A., Musman, M. and Siti Azizah, M. N. (2010). Length‐weight relationships and condition factors of two threatened fishes, Rasbora tawarensis and Poropuntius tawarensis, endemic to Lake Laut Tawar, Aceh Province, Indonesia. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 26(6), 949-953.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439- 0426.2010.01524.x
Muzzalifah, A. H., Mashhor, M. and Siti, A. M. N. (2015). Length-weight relationship and condition factor of fish populations in Temengor Reservoir: Indication of Environmental Health. Sains Malaysiana, 44(1), 61-66. https://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2015-4401-09
Nyamweya, C. S., Natugonza, V., Taabu- Munyaho, A., Aura, C. M., Njiru, J. M.,Ongore, C. and Kayanda, R. (2020). A century of drastic change: Human-induced changes of Lake Victoria fisheries and ecology. Fisheries Research, 230, 105564.
Ochumba, P. B. O. and Manyala, J. O., (1992).Distribution of fishes along the Sondu‐Miriu River of Lake Victoria, Kenya with special reference to upstream migration, biology and yield. Aquaculture Research, 23(6), 701-719. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365- 2109.1992.tb00813.x
Ogutu-Ohwayo, R. (2001). Efforts to incorporate biodiversity concerns in management of the fisheries of Lake Victoria, East Africa. Blue Millennium: Managing Global Fisheries for Biodiversity, Victoria, British Columbia, Global Environment Facility and United Nations Environment Programme.
Ojwang, W. O., Kaufman, L., Soule, E. and Asila, A. A. (2007). Evidence of stenotopy and anthropogenic influence on carbon source for two major riverine fishes of the Lake Victoria watershed. Journal of Fish Biology, 70(5), 1430-1446. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095
Ondhoro C. C., Masembe C., Maes G. E., Nkalubo N. W., Walakira J. K., Naluwairo J. and Mwanja M. T. and Efitre J., (2016). Condition factor, Length – Weight relationship, and the fishery of Barbus altianalis (Boulenger 1900) in Lakes Victoria and Edward basins of Uganda. Environmental Biology of Fishes (2017) 100:99–110. DOI 10.1007/s10641-016-0540-7
Pervin, M. R. and Mortuza, M. G. (2008). Notes on length-weight relationship and condition factor of fresh water fish, Labeo boga (Hamilton) (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae). University Journal of Zoology, Rajshahi University, 27, 97-98. https://doi.org/10.3329/ujzru.v27i0.1964
Sayer, C. A., Máiz-Tomé, L. and Darwall, W. R. T. (Eds.). (2018). Freshwater Biodiversity in the Lake Victoria Basin: Guidance for Species Conservation, Site Protection, Climate Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods. Cambridge, Gland: International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Sheriff, M. A. and Altaff, K. (2018). Allometric growth patterns during larval stages of two major carps, Catla (Catla catla) and Rohu (Labeo rohita). International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences, 3(2), 199- 205.
Singh, M. and Serajuddin, M. (2017). Length- weight, length-length relationship and condition factor of Channa punctatus collected from three different rivers of India. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 5(1), 191-197.
Verschuren, D., Johnson, T. C., Kling, H. J., Edgington, D. N., Leavitt, P. R., Brown, E. T. and Hecky, R. E. (2002). History and timing of human impact on Lake Victoria, East Africa. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 269(1488), 289-294. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2001.1850
Weigelhofer, G., Hein, T. and Bondar-Kunze, E. (2018). Phosphorus and nitrogen dynamics in riverine systems: Human impacts and management options. Riverine Ecosystem Management, 187.
Witte, F., Wanink, J. H., Ligtvoet, W., Van Oijen, M. J. P., Goldschmidt, T. and Goudswaard, P. C. (1991). Species Extinction and Concomitant Ecological Changes in Lake Victoria. Netherlands Journal of Zoology, 42(2), 214– 232. https://doi.org/10.1163/156854291X002
