The inland waters of tropical West Africa

Más información sobre el libro

Freshwater is crucial for the nutrition and welfare of the African people, yet knowledge of the continent's aquatic systems lags behind that of Europe and North America. This became clear when I set out to write a brief review on the botany of inland waters in tropical West Africa. I found a surprising amount of information, though it was often scattered across research papers and obscure reports, making it difficult for researchers in Africa to access. Notably, there have been no recent reviews on the botany of major aquatic systems in tropical West Africa, apart from Lake Chad, while the vast man-made lakes created by damming rivers like the Volta and Niger remain largely unexamined. Existing reviews often focus on East Africa, reflecting the authors' field experiences and the wealth of research on the Rift Valley lakes. This work aims to balance that focus by compiling knowledge on aquatic plants in tropical West Africa. The initial chapters introduce the physical, chemical, and botanical features of the region's inland aquatic habitats, while later chapters discuss macrophytic vegetation and algae. To accurately represent aquatic macrophytes, I collaborated with an ecologist experienced in the region, as my expertise lies in algae. It is hoped this publication will encourage further research on African aquatic systems, particularly by African universities and research institutions, fostering local expertise.