Conservation of fishes in the Elands River, Mpumalanga, South Africa: Past, present and future
In an isolated reach, between two large natural waterfalls in the Elands River in Mpumalanga, populations of a critically endangered Kneria sp., the endangered Chiloglanis bifurcus and a genetically unique population of Labeobarbus polylepis occur. The aim of this article was to evaluate past effort...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2014-02-01
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| Series: | Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1118 |
| _version_ | 1828482050282225664 |
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| author | Gordon C. O’Brien Nico J. Smit Victor Wepener |
| author_facet | Gordon C. O’Brien Nico J. Smit Victor Wepener |
| author_sort | Gordon C. O’Brien |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In an isolated reach, between two large natural waterfalls in the Elands River in Mpumalanga, populations of a critically endangered Kneria sp., the endangered Chiloglanis bifurcus and a genetically unique population of Labeobarbus polylepis occur. The aim of this article was to evaluate past efforts to conserve these fishes, describe the current status and propose future conservation and management actions. The population status assessments were based on a series of fish community composition and population structure evaluations from surveys undertaken at 22 sites during seven surveys from 2002 to 2006. Although water-use activities have continued to increase in the area, impacts have been offset by conservation efforts initiated almost 30 years ago. The existing C. bifurcus population appears to be stable, which is reflected in the downgrading of the conservation status of the species from critically endangered to endangered. The abundance of the kneriid population appears to be increasing and spreading to other tributaries in the study area. The abundance of L. polylepis appears to be increasing but has still not reached historical levels.
Conservation implications: Continued conservation efforts are required to protect these fishes. This case study presented a rare example of how the impacts associated with the use of aquatic resources in South Africa can successfully be offset by conservation efforts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:07:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8598b0a2bbd34a76966b6e6f0ddb6fa0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0075-6458 2071-0771 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:07:07Z |
| publishDate | 2014-02-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-8598b0a2bbd34a76966b6e6f0ddb6fa02022-12-22T01:14:58ZengAOSISKoedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science0075-64582071-07712014-02-01561e1e810.4102/koedoe.v56i1.11181048Conservation of fishes in the Elands River, Mpumalanga, South Africa: Past, present and futureGordon C. O’Brien0Nico J. Smit1Victor Wepener2Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University; Department of Zoology, University of JohannesburgUnit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West UniversityUnit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West UniversityIn an isolated reach, between two large natural waterfalls in the Elands River in Mpumalanga, populations of a critically endangered Kneria sp., the endangered Chiloglanis bifurcus and a genetically unique population of Labeobarbus polylepis occur. The aim of this article was to evaluate past efforts to conserve these fishes, describe the current status and propose future conservation and management actions. The population status assessments were based on a series of fish community composition and population structure evaluations from surveys undertaken at 22 sites during seven surveys from 2002 to 2006. Although water-use activities have continued to increase in the area, impacts have been offset by conservation efforts initiated almost 30 years ago. The existing C. bifurcus population appears to be stable, which is reflected in the downgrading of the conservation status of the species from critically endangered to endangered. The abundance of the kneriid population appears to be increasing and spreading to other tributaries in the study area. The abundance of L. polylepis appears to be increasing but has still not reached historical levels. Conservation implications: Continued conservation efforts are required to protect these fishes. This case study presented a rare example of how the impacts associated with the use of aquatic resources in South Africa can successfully be offset by conservation efforts.https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1118conservationElands Riverextinctionlocal tribal authoritynature reserve |
| spellingShingle | Gordon C. O’Brien Nico J. Smit Victor Wepener Conservation of fishes in the Elands River, Mpumalanga, South Africa: Past, present and future Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science conservation Elands River extinction local tribal authority nature reserve |
| title | Conservation of fishes in the Elands River, Mpumalanga, South Africa: Past, present and future |
| title_full | Conservation of fishes in the Elands River, Mpumalanga, South Africa: Past, present and future |
| title_fullStr | Conservation of fishes in the Elands River, Mpumalanga, South Africa: Past, present and future |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conservation of fishes in the Elands River, Mpumalanga, South Africa: Past, present and future |
| title_short | Conservation of fishes in the Elands River, Mpumalanga, South Africa: Past, present and future |
| title_sort | conservation of fishes in the elands river mpumalanga south africa past present and future |
| topic | conservation Elands River extinction local tribal authority nature reserve |
| url | https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1118 |
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