Limnology and the future of African inland waters

ABSTRACT

Limnology as a multidisciplinary science has a major role to play in achieving sustainable solutions for Africa’s water shortage and environmental problems and ensuring they are protected, conserved, and maintained for future generations. Collection and provision of scientific data to support knowledge-based management plans and policies, along with personnel training, are needed. Properly designed and implemented limnological programs are essential for realizing these objectives. We present an overview of the major stressors and current state of African inland waters and describe several major African limnological programs. We assess the reasons why these programs were scientifically successful but did not result in effective, or only limited, water management. It is crucial that future limnological programs in Africa be designed and executed to ensure that research results are transferred from scientists to decision makers in a way that they understand and can use. We propose that a Pan African Water Institute be formed in partnership with exciting new initiatives, such as the African Centre for Aquatic Research and Education (ACARE), with support of international (e.g., International Society of Limnology [SIL]) and participation of local limnological and other water-focused organizations. Such an entity would provide communication and coordination between regional water initiatives and government authorities. It would advocate for the implementation of sound recommendations and help ensure they were not ignored by local and national authorities, leading ultimately to a pan-African water framework directive. Several international conferences on African water have recommended such an umbrella organization – now is the time to implement it.

KEYWORDS:

• climate change
• eutrophication
• Pan African Institute
• pollution
• research and monitoring
• water management
• water quality
• water shortage

Acknowledgements

We thank the Kilham committee of SIL for the honor and invitation to present this work on African inland waters. We also thank Jean-Pierre Descy (Belgium), Ted Lawrence, and J. Ives (ACARE-USA) and William R. Harding (South Africa) for discussions, providing publications and comments on an earlier draft. RDR acknowledges that Prof. H.B.N. Hynes was instrumental in his decision to undertake limnological research in Africa and Prof. Brian R. Allanson for turning his decision into reality.

ORCID

Richard D. Robarts http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5081-3366

Tamar Zohary http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9615-6469