The Nile perch.
The Nile perch is an invasive species. This means that the fish is not a natural part of the ecology of Lake Victoria. The lake’s cichlids have no defense against the unfamiliar predator.
What two invasive species are taking over Lake Victoria in Uganda?
Invasive species has caused a lot of problems for the native species in Lake Victoria. The introduction of Nile perch (Lates niloticus), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has proven especially hard to handle for the ecosystem.
Which one is an example of alien species introduced into Lake Victoria in east Africa which led to extinction of more than 200 species of cichlid fish in the lake?
Nile perch
-The introduction of Nile perch into Lake Victoria in East Africa caused the extinction of 200 species of cichlid fish in the lake. So, the correct answer is ‘Invasion of alien species’.
What lives in Lake Victoria?
Many mammal species live in the region of Lake Victoria, and some of these are closely associated with the lake itself and the nearby wetlands. Among these are the hippopotamus, African clawless otter, spotted-necked otter, marsh mongoose, sitatunga, bohor reedbuck, defassa waterbuck, cane rats, and giant otter shrew.
Is cichlid fish extinct?
Cichlid species became extinct from Lake Victoria because of invasion by the predatory fish Nile perch. The Nile perch was an alien species that was introduced into the lake to improve fishing. However, this resulted in the extinction of the native cichlid fish.
What are the 5 most invasive species?
- Most damaging invasive species on the planet.
- Giant cane.
- Shoebutton ardisia.
- Aphanomyces.
- Asian long-horned beetle.
- Yellow crazy ant.
- Malaria mosquito.
- Asian tiger mosquito.
What is unusual about Lake Victoria?
Alongside its rich history, cultural wealth, and spectacular wildlife, Lake Victoria is special for being one of only two places in East Africa where it’s possible to watch the sunset over water without being on the coast! Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya is the other.
What is an example of invasive alien species?
Examples of invasive alien species
Grey squirrel: native to North America, these squirrels carry diseases that threaten the native red squirrel. Stone moroko: a small fish native to Eastern Asia that has escaped from garden ponds and now threatens native fish species.
What are two ways alien species are introduced to new ecosystems?
They can be introduced into the new area through humans (introduced species) or by a change in the environment.
What is alien and invasive species?
Generally, alien species do not pose a significant risk and many are even beneficial. However; when alien species are capable of causing significant harm to our environment, the economy or to society, they are referred to as “invasive alien species”.
What is the top predator in Lake Victoria?
The principal predatory fishes are Lates niloticus, Bagrus docmac, Clarias mossambicus, Schilbe mystus and some species of Haplochromis (sensu lato). Other predators in Lake Victoria include fish-eating birds, fish-eating snakes, crocodiles and otters.
Do sharks live in Lake Victoria?
Victorian waters are home to at least seven varieties of sharks, according to Fisheries Victoria. These include heavyweights like the seven-metre, three-tonne great whites but also smaller relatives of the shark family like the iridescent elephant sharks that don’t grow past 1.5 metres.
What happened to cichlids in Lake Victoria?
Nile perch (Lates niloticus) were introduced to Lake Victoria in the 1950s to boost the fishing industry. Though the introduction of Nile perch resulted in an economic boom, it almost caused cichlids, a native fish, to go extinct.
Is tilapia a cichlid?
The name tilapia actually refers to several species of mostly freshwater fish that belong to the cichlid family. Although wild tilapia are native to Africa, the fish has been introduced throughout the world and is now farmed in over 135 countries (1).
Has any fish gone extinct?
Ray-finned fishes
There are 64 extinct species, 85 possibly extinct species, and six extinct in the wild species of ray-finned fish evaluated by the IUCN.
What is the #1 most invasive species?
1. Asian Carp. Asian carp—including bighead, silver, black, and grass carp—were brought stateside in the 1970s as a means of cleaning up the country’s wastewater treatment plants and aquaculture ponds. Originally from China, they can now be found along the Mississippi River as well as many other spots in the U.S.
What is the #1 greatest threat to biodiversity?
Habitat loss
Habitat loss is the single greatest threat to biodiversity on Earth today and in fact it is the second largest threat to our existence on this planet next to Climate Change.
What are the worst invasive species?
List of species
| Species | Type | Common names |
|---|---|---|
| Capra hircus | mammal | Goat, feral goat |
| Carcinus maenas | crustacean | European green crab, European shore crab, green crab, shore crab |
| Caulerpa taxifolia | alga | Killer Alga(e) |
| Cecropia peltata | tree | Faux-ricin, pumpwood, trumpet tree, snakewood |
Will Lake Victoria dry up?
Global climate change could cause Africa’s Lake Victoria, the world’s largest tropical lake and source of the Nile River, to dry up in the next 500 years, according to new NSF-funded findings by a team led by University of Houston researchers.
What is killing fish in Lake Victoria?
Heavy pollutants and discharge of raw sewage into Lake Victoria are the causes of the recent mass fish deaths, the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) has established. The dumping led to an increase in population of algae and water hyacinth in the lake.
Is Lake Victoria a wonder of the world?
An Official Natural Wonder of the World
Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. It is in spectacular company made up of: The Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Harbour of Rio de Janeiro, Mount Everest, Polar Aurora, and Paricutin volcano.