Abstract
Wetland ecosystems in Tanzania contribute significantly to livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. These ecosystems are vulnerable to both human and climate change induced impacts though the implication of climate change on these ecosystems is poorly known. We assessed a wide range of wetlands in the Ruaha River basin to quantify their biodiversity, livelihoods and potential climate change impacts. It was observed that biodiversity of wetlands is much higher than that in adjacent habitats. Wetlands are refuge for endangered plant species making them important in biodiversity conservation. Wetland cultivation and fisheries contributed over 40 % of the total household income and food. Over 90 % of the dry season agriculture is wetland dependent forming the major livelihood source for majority in the basin. The most visible climate change impacts on the wetlands of Ruaha are reduced water flows, drying of wetlands and degradation of their ecological functions. With climate change, water flows in the Ruaha have decreased by 10 % causing substantial reduction in extent of wetlands in the basin. Adapting the wetlands to climate change require evaluation of current and future climate vulnerability of wetland ecosystems and related livelihoods. This information is important in informing policies, adaptation and mitigation strategies for wetland ecosystems.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bagachwa MSD (1994) Poverty alleviation in Tanzania: recent research issues. Dar es Salaam University Press, Dar es Salaam
Carson WP, Root RB (2000) Herbivory and plant species coexistence: community regulation by an out breaking phytophagous insect. Ecol Monogr 70:73–99
Development Partners Group (DPG) (2005) Brief on issues pertaining to tourist hunting. Development Partners Group, Dar es Salaam
Dykema J, Kriegel N, Jimenez A, Kahn C, Johnson J (2014) The effects of climate change on rivers. Macalester College, St. Paul, Macalester.edu/academics/environmentalstudies. (Last visited November 2015)
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) (1985) Energy and protein requirements. Report of a joint FAO/WHO/UNU ad hoc Expert Consultation. Geneva, pp 724
Franzén D (2004) Plant species coexistence and dispersion of seed traits in a grassland. Ecography 27(2):218–224
Ishengoma C (1998) The role of women in household food security in Morogoro Rural and Kilosa District. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania, pp 337
Kamukara GL, Crafter SA (Eds) (1993) Wetlands of Tanzania. In: Proceedings of a seminar on wetlands of Tanzania, Morogoro, Tanzania 27–29 Nov 1991. IUCN Gland, Switzerland, p 179
Kashaigili JJ (2006) Effects of land use/cover changes on flow regime of the Usangu wetland and the Great Ruaha River in Tanzania. http://www.waternetonline.ihe.nl/downloads/uploads/symposium/zambia-2007
Kashaigili JJ, Kadigi RMJ, Lankford BA, Mahoo HF, Mashauri DA (2005) Environmental flows allocation in river basins: exploring allocation challenges and options in the Great Ruaha Basin, Tanzania. J Phys Chem Earth 30(11–16):689–697
Kilungu H, Munishi PKT (2009) Contribution of wetlands to household income and food security and livelihoods; a case of ‘Nyumba ya Mungu’ wetlands system in Northern Tanzania. Tanzania J Forest Nat Conservat 79(2):99–108
Maltby E (1986) Water logged wealth, why waste the world’s wet places? International Institute for Environment and Development, London, p 19
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) (2003) Assessment needs for wetlands inventory and tools for assessing, mapping wetland types and their distribution. Report, Prepared by Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, p 41
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) (2004) An issue paper for the formulation of the national wetland strategy. Wildlife Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Dar es Salaam, p 98
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) (2009) Wildlife, wetlands and climate change in Tanzania. Wildlife Division, p 7
Mkavidanda TAJ, Kaswamila AL (2001) The role of traditional irrigation systems in alleviating poverty in Iringa Rural District, Tanzania. REPOA Research Paper No 01.2. Mkuki na Nyota Publishers, Dar es Salaam, p 36
Munishi PKT (2006) Ecological survey in the Kilombero forest project at Uchindile Kilombero District, Tanzania, p 87
Munishi PKT (2007) Ecological survey in the Uchindile and Mapanda forest projects of Green Resources (Ltd), Tanzania, p 48
Munishi PKT, Temu RPC (1993) The natural forests and environmental conservation in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. In: Ekpere JA, Rees DJ, Mbwile KP, Lyimo NG (eds) Proceedings of an international workshop on agricultural research, training and technology transfer in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania: past achievements and future prospects. Uyole Agricultural Centre, Mbeya, pp 405–412
Munishi PKT, Shear TH, Wentworth T, Temu RPC (2007) Compositional gradients in plant communities in submontane rain forests of eastern Tanzania. J Trop For Sci 19(1):35–45
Munishi PKT, Shirima D, Jackson H, Kilungu H (2010) Analysis of climate change and its impacts on productive sectors, particularly agriculture in Tanzania. A Study for United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, p 105
Munishi PKT, Renatus R, Kideghesho JR, Kilungu H (2012) The role of Bahi swamp wetlands in enhancing household food security and income of adjacent communities. Tanzania J Forest Nat Conservat 82(2):120–137
Mvena ZSK (1999) The past, present and future of urban agriculture in Tanzania. J Agric Econ Dev 3:71–77
Mwakalila S (2011a) Assessing the hydrological conditions of the Usangu wetlands in Tanzania. J Water Resour Prot 3:876–882
Mwakalila S (2011b) Vulnerability of people’s livelihoods to water resources availability in semi arid areas of Tanzania. J Water Resour Prot 3(9):8
Ngailo JA, Kaswamila AL, Senkoro CJ (2002) Rice farming system of the Wasukuma and its contribution to poverty alleviation. In: Presented at the 5th REPOA workshops, Dar es Salaam, 21–22 Mar 2002, p 23
Ngigi N (2009) Climate change adaptation strategies. Water resources management options for smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Earth Institute, MDG Center, East and Southern Africa, New York, 189p. ISBN 9789290592648
Swan River Trust (2014) Annual report 2013–2014. http://www.swanrivertrust.wa.gov.au/home, p 107
Tetsuya S, Kuniyasu M (2005) Organic matter dynamics control plant species coexistence in a tropical peat swamp forest. Proc Biol Sci 272(1571):1503–1510
Tomáš H, František K (2008) Mechanisms of species coexistence in semi natural meadow communities; importance of species traits. http://botanika.bf.jcu.cz/suspa/ohrazeni/
Union of Concerned Scientists (2014) Climate hot map. Global warming effects around the world. http://www.climatehotmap.org/global-warmingeffects/lakes-and-rivers.html
United Republic of Tanzania (URT) (2006) Poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP). IMF Country Report No. 06/142. International Monetary Fund, p 119
Walsh M (2012) The not-so-Great Ruaha and hidden histories of an environmental panic in Tanzania. J East Afr Stud 6(2):303–335
Yanda PZ, Majule AE, Mwakaje AG (2005) Wetland utilization, poverty alleviation and environmental conservation in semi-arid areas of Tanzania, the Case of Singida Region, Tanzania. In: Proceedings of East Africa integrated river basin management conference held on 7th–9th 2005 at ICE Hall, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro
Yanda PZ, Olson J, Moshy P (2008) Climate change vulnerability impacts and adaptation in Tanzania. CLIP Working Paper. Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge financial support from the Royal Norwegian Government through the Project NUFU-TZ 2007/10229 without which this study would have been impossible. Thanks to Sokoine University of Agriculture for institutional support in undertaking the NUFU Project and this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Munishi, P.K.T., Kilungu, H., Wilfred, N., Munishi, B., Moe, S.R. (2016). Wetlands Biodiversity, Livelihoods and Climate Change Implications in the Ruaha River Basin, Tanzania. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Innovation in Climate Change Adaptation. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25814-0_23
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25814-0_23
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-25812-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-25814-0
eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)