3rd Drop: Provision Ecosystem Services

Hello~~ Firstly I am really sorry to the 2 of you who have commented, I would really love to reply them but have been caught up with other things in life (like procrastinating)...In any case I really hope to be posting more often and actively reply your comments, do bear with me...

Provision Ecosystem Service: Fisheries

Now we have generally been focusing on the more obvious ecosystem service of water provision in Africa. However it is important to realise that water is merely a single type of provision ecosystem service that actually come as part of a bundle of associated flood-dependent services in complex socio-ecological landscapes. The article that I have chosen to share this week focuses on another of such provision ecosystem service: food through fisheries. 

Fisheries in Lower Rufiji floodplains, Tanzania

'To connect or not to connect? Floods, fisheries and livelihoods in the Lower Rufiji floodplain lakes, Tanzania' by Hamerlynck et al. 2011 analyses village-based water-level and fisheries data collected locally from lakes across the floodplain to understand the potential impacts of changes in flood hydrographs on fisheries within these floodplains lakes. Fisheries within these lakes are critical to the livelihoods of locals living within the floodplains - 50% of households in the floodplain practice some form of fishery as an income-generating activity and is a key source of protein for all households living there. However floodplains and lakes are subjected to highly variable and often bi-annual flood peaks, which are critical to connecting the lakes with the rest of the floodplains and river system. These episodes of connection (when flood peak exceeds the altitude of the threshold that separates the lake from the river) are essential for the maintaining of the ecosystems of these lakes because it allows for the exchange of water, suspended matter and biological material, all highly beneficial for improving fisheries productivity. 

Here are some key reflections I had:

1) Flood hydrographs => Episodes of connection => Ecosystem of lakes => Fisheries productivity

• Data of drought years have shown that lack of peak flooding can affect the episodes of connection and hence ecosystem of lakes (biodiversity health and fish quality)
• Productivity of the fisheries reduced
• Findings thus warn against further flood control and dam constructions along Rufiji River
• Proper cost-benefit analysis should be considered; benefits of hydropower and irrigation vs. bundle of associated flood-dependent ecosystem services (water provision, food provision in terms of agriculture, fisheries, wild harvest etc.

> Importance of proper considerations of the values of ecosystem services is repeated here again. More often than not the variability of flood hydrographs affect beyond just water provision but food provision as well. Food provision within Africa should especially be considered carefully, given the vulnerabilities of individuals living within the continent.

2) Important to also consider strategies of coping adopted by locals

• Data showed that a fairly constant Income per Hour of Fishing sustained despite droughts and changes within fisheries
• User strategies generally revolve around increasing effort by altering gears used
• Represents trade-off between fishing and agricultural activities as well, typically fishing activities undertaken as a side income during agriculturally inactive periods but given drought period and increased effort, agriculture activities affected
• Reactions by the authorities with regards to the drought situations should thus also consider such coping strategies instead of prevent them (misdirected approach of preventing people from adapting fishing strategies)

> Authors have poignantly highlighted the effects of flood hydrograph changes from the perspective of locals who are most dependent on the ecosystem services. While clearly these coping strategies may not be healthy for the lakes in the long term as well, nonetheless management strategies need to start from understanding the perspectives of the locals to be most effective.

CHEERS to surviving through this moderately long post again. Hope these reflections have helped :)

~Till Next Time~

National Geographic Society Photo by ORF/ Science Vision/ Rita Schlambergr