Training of Trainers Module on the Monitoring of Freshwater Molluscs
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[Tapez un texte] [Tapez INTEGRATION OF FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY INTO AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT PROCESS: MOBILIZATION OF INFORMATION AND DEMONSTRATION SITES Demonstration Project in the Gambia River Basin Training of Trainers Module on the Monitoring of Freshwater Molluscs Dr. Ndiaga THIAM & Anis DIALLO September 2010 INTEGRATION OF FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY INTO AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT PROCESS: MOBILIZATION OF INFORMATION AND DEMONSTRATION SITES Demonstration Project in the Gambia River Basin Training of Trainers Module on the Monitoring of Freshwater Molluscs Wetlands International Afrique Rue 111, Zone B, Villa No 39B BP 25581 DAKAR-FANN TEL. : (+221) 33 869 16 81 FAX : (221) 33 825 12 92 EMAIL : [email protected] September 2010 Freshwater Molluscs Page 2 Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4 Goals and Objectives of the module ....................................................................................... 5 Module Contents ..................................................................................................................... 5 Training needs ........................................................................................................................ 6 Course procedures ................................................................................................................... 6 Expected Results ..................................................................................................................... 7 I.- Study area .............................................................................................................................. 8 1.- Presentation of The Gambia River Basin .......................................................................... 8 2.- Ecobiological features of the Gambia River Basin ......................................................... 10 3.- Bilogical diversity of molluscs in The Gambia River Basin ........................................... 11 II.- General points .................................................................................................................... 13 1.- Classification of molluscs ................................................................................................ 13 2.- Morphology and anatomy ................................................................................................ 19 III. Ecobiology ......................................................................................................................... 27 1.- Geographical distribution of freshwater molluscs ........... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.- Ecology ............................................................................................................................ 29 3.- Resilience via anhydrobiosis .......................................................................................... 30 4.- Habitats of freshwater molluscs ...................................................................................... 31 5.- Reproduction ................................................................................................................... 32 IV. Importance of freshwater molluscs ................................................................................... 35 1.- Importance of freshwater ecosystems .............................................................................. 35 2.- Ecological relevance of freshwater ecosystems .............................................................. 35 3.- Role of molluscs in the transmission of helminthiasis ................................................... 35 4.- Shellfish and marine pollution ........................................................................................ 36 V.- Threats to freshwater species ............................................................................................. 37 VI.- Monitoring Protocol for molluscs in The Gambia River Basin ........................................ 38 1.- Equipment and methods .................................................................................................. 38 Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 40 Bibliographic References ........................................................................................................ 41 Appendix .................................................................................................................................. 42 Freshwater Molluscs Page 3 INTRODUCTION Molluscs are found in most African freshwater environments. They can be distinguished from other aquatic species by the presence of a calcified one-piece shell as in gastropods and a two- piece shell in lamellibranchs (also called Pelecypoda or bivalves). Molluscs in general, and in particular pulmonates that play a central role in the transmission of human and animal parasitosis, have often been better studied than other invertebrates of the Sudanian region. Many taxonomic, biological and ecological issues however, have yet to be resolved. The Gambia River Basin Development Organization (OMVG), which is composed of The Gambia, the Republic of Guinea, Guinea Bissau, and Senegal, plans to build a hydroelectric dam at the Sambangalou site. The construction of this dam will consequently disturb the biodiversity as evidenced by the impact studies conducted by OMVG. To mitigate the negative impacts of this project and, at the same time to try and improve the positive impacts, Wetlands International Africa has agreed to the implementation of a monitoring plan for the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems in The Gambia River Basin. This project will be carried out in partnership with the IUCN-Species Survival Commission and the Organization for OMVG, through Phase 2 entitled “Demonstration Project of The Gambia River (West Africa)” as part of the program: “Integration of Freshwater Biodiversity into Africa’s Development Process: Mobilization of Information and Demonstration Sites”. To this end, Wetlands International, in collaboration with its partners, is interested in developing this educational module on malacologic fauna, with the prospect of monitoring the Gambia River Basin. Thus, this module on freshwater molluscs has been created for trainers in the field of biodiversity monitoring, and especially after the opening of the Sambangalou dam, will be a part of the framework for the creation of an observatory. Freshwater Molluscs Page 4 Objectives of the module The module aims to: Provide general information related to molluscs (taxonomy, ecobiology, etc.) Establish a monitoring memorandum for the biodiversity of molluscs Build trainers’ species monitoring abilities for the preservation of Contents of the module specified biodiversity Appraise the didactic means and the training period of targeted groups The module is comprised of six parts : Provide available information on the Presentation of the study area potential impacts of the construction General Points of the Sambangalou hydroelectric Ecobiology dam Importance of freshwater molluscs Monitoring Protocol for freshwater molluscs Freshwater Molluscs Page 5 Needs for this Course procedures training The didactic materials needed are as The 20 hours provided for this training are follows: divided as follows: - Maps of the local area and of - Introduction (1 hour) study sites - Presentation of the study area (2 h) - Plates for the identification of key - General points on crabs (5 h) species - Ecobiology (4 h) - Distribution maps of key species - The Importance of crabs (2 h) - Equipment necessary for - Threats to freshwater species (1 h) biodiversity monitoring - Monitoring protocol for crabs in the Gambia (illustration of the materials) River Basin (4 h) - Recommendations (1 h) Freshwater Molluscs Page 6 Expected Results Biodiversity monitoring will be conducted as follows: - Listing and maping of species - Defining the community structure of particular sites - Develop and understanding of spatiotemporal distribution of molluscs - Conduct comparative study of the specific composition upstream and donwstream of the dam - Note frequencies of species’ sizes - Undertake weight study of species At the end of the training session, the future trainers will have mastered: The biological and abiotic impacts caused by the construction of the dam The methodological monitoring approach of the biological diversity of crabs The ability to train other target groups to further the dissemination of the need for diversity preservation and the valorization of sampled resources Freshwater Molluscs Page 7 I.- STUDY AREA 1. PRESENTATION OF THE GAMBIA RIVER BASIN The Gambia River has its source in the high rainy mountains of Fouta Djallon in the northern central region of Guinea. The total amount of water flowing from Guinea to Senegal is estimated at 3 cubic kilometers per year. The river then flows northwards to extreme-eastern Gambia. The Gambia River Basin (Figure 1) spans 77,850km2. The flow of the River varies according to the rainy and dry seasons, between 2,000 and 10 cubic meters per second, respectively. For this reason, and because of the flat topography of The Gambia, the salt waters run up to 70km upstream during the rainy season and up to 250km upstream during the dry season. This has impacted the species distribution and the habitats at the river’s mouth. All variations in the river flow have an impact