Bivane River

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Chilo_glanis
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Bivane River

Post by Chilo_glanis »

Hi all

I thought I would procrastinate a bit this morning and write a brief narrative on one of my routine biomonitoring sites on the Bivane River, a tributary of the Phongolo River. The reason I selected to write about this particular site is that it possesses a unique ichthyofauna community compared to the remainder of the biomonitoring sites I usually sample.

Site Location and Description

The site is located between the towns of Vryheid and Paulpietersburg in KwaZulu-Natal. See map below.
Location of the Bivane River biomonitoring site W4BIVN-NTLSP
Location of the Bivane River biomonitoring site W4BIVN-NTLSP
The site lies within the Lowveld Ecoregion, proximal with the boundary of the North-Eastern Uplands Ecoregion. The topography of this specific area within the ecoregion is typically open hills and low mounatins with high relief. Mean annual precipitation tends to be moderate with approximately 1000 mm/pa.

This reach of the Bivane River is uniform in terms of channel features, is relatively constrained and possesses low sinuosity. The channel is typically a rapid-pool complex with a boulder and cobble dominated substrate. Pockets of sand are present along the margins with slower water velocities. The marginal zone is dominated by Phragmites australis. The photographs below illustrate the site during September and December 2016, respectively.

Image
Image

There is temporal variation pertaining to selected water quality variables. Although, temperature does not vary considerably, there is evidence that water clarity, Soluble Reactive Phosphate (SRP) and Chlorophyll-a variessubstantially. See figures below.
Line plot illustrating temporal dynamics of temperature and clarity
Line plot illustrating temporal dynamics of temperature and clarity
Line plot illustrating temporal dynamics of chlorophyll-a and SRP
Line plot illustrating temporal dynamics of chlorophyll-a and SRP
Impacts to the site include water quality alteration from upstream land-use, albeit the impact is low to moderate and further supported to some degree by the absence of excessive filamentous algal growth and the presence of water-quality sensitive insect families such as Perlidae (Plecoptera) and Heptageniidae (Ephemeroptera). A critical impact is the intensive and extensive growth of alien invasive plants within the non-marginal zone. The dam downstream is likely to negatively influence connectivity required for migratory species.

Ichthyofauna Species

The rheophilic guild within the site consisted of the following:


Image


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It was interesting to note the colour variation within the same population. Note the missing right pelvic was due to collection of tissue for possible future genetic studies.

Labeobarbus marequensis
Image

Species collected within the pool hydraulic biotope included:
Marcusenius pongolensis
Image

Opsaridium peringueyi ( I do not have decent photos of this species)

Unfortunately, a single large mouth bass was observed at the site; the species is invasive in South Africa and is known to have a significant effect on indigenous species assemblages. The Chiloglanis are possibly safe due to the dorsal and pectoral spines, and having been stung and envenomated many times myself by this genus, any predator will certainly think twice.

For those that do not know the initial pierce that breaks the skin feels like a large hypodermic needle and subsequently, joint pain travels from the site upwards until you have a migraine and then you feel like vomitting, but you still have to carry on sampling :d. However, this is what I generally experience and symptoms may vary.

I intend to sample the site in November and will hopefully provide some feedback as to what I record. I am still missing species that potentially occur at the site and hope to find them.
But His command, when He intendeth a thing, is only that He saith unto it: Be! and it is. (Yaseen 36:82)
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Re: Bivane River

Post by Shane »

The tumors on the Chiloglanis are not a good sign. I have most often seen this condition associated with high amounts of agricultural run off. Not sure if it is from pesticides or fertilizers.
-Shane
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Chilo_glanis
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Re: Bivane River

Post by Chilo_glanis »

Hi Shane. Thanks for that information. I will consider this for future research within the programme.
But His command, when He intendeth a thing, is only that He saith unto it: Be! and it is. (Yaseen 36:82)
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Re: Bivane River

Post by Acid John »

Hello how do you see the photos? Do you have to subscribe?
It's the things you don't see that poke you in the eye!
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Re: Bivane River

Post by Bas Pels »

They used to be visible, now they are not anymore
cats have whiskers
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Re: Bivane River

Post by Jools »

Yup, sadly photobucket has claimed them, you can only view then on their site AFAIK.

Jools
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Chilo_glanis
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Re: Bivane River

Post by Chilo_glanis »

Hi again

Sorry for the delay in uploading the photos as attachments but I had some pressing deadlines for work.
Chiloglanis anoterus
Chiloglanis anoterus
Chiloglanis anoterus
Chiloglanis anoterus
Amphilius uranoscopus
Amphilius uranoscopus
Labeobarbus marequensis
Labeobarbus marequensis
Marcusenius phongolensis
Marcusenius phongolensis
But His command, when He intendeth a thing, is only that He saith unto it: Be! and it is. (Yaseen 36:82)
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Chilo_glanis
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Interests: Freshwater Ecology
Entomology particularly insect-plant relationships
Martial Arts
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Re: Bivane River

Post by Chilo_glanis »

Chiloglanis anoterus
Chiloglanis anoterus
Chiloglanis anoterus
Chiloglanis anoterus
But His command, when He intendeth a thing, is only that He saith unto it: Be! and it is. (Yaseen 36:82)
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Jools
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Re: Bivane River

Post by Jools »

No problem, these are awesome!

Jools
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Re: Bivane River

Post by fat meloe! »

Are the lumps on the Chiloglanis' undersides the tumors Shane was mentioning?
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Re: Bivane River

Post by Shane »

Yes, you can see them clearly in those photos.
-Shane
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Re: Bivane River

Post by coelacanth »

They look like encysted metacercariae to me.
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