Abstract
Food security in a warming world is a grave concern for rapidly growing impoverished populations. Low-latitude inland fisheries provide protein for millions of rural poor, yet the impacts of high-frequency climate oscillations on these aquatic ecosystems are unknown. Here, we present a sub-annual-to-annual resolution paleolimnological reconstruction of upwelling, productivity, and algal composition at Lake Tanganyika, one of Africa's largest landlocked fisheries. The data reveal increases in diatom production at centennial-scale solar irradiance maxima, and interannual variability in upwelling linked to La Niña. Our study shows that interactions between global climatic controls and El Niño-Southern Oscillation teleconnections exert profound influences on the foundation of Lake Tanganyika's food web. Adapting long-term management practices to account for high-frequency changes in algal production will help safeguard inland fish resources.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-9-2020
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abb2191
Funding Information
This research was supported by the University of Kentucky-Pioneer Endowment, SEG-Geoscientists Without Borders (201401005), and the U.S. NSF (EAR-1424907).
Related Content
All data needed to evaluate the conclusions in the paper are present in the paper and/or the Supplementary Materials. Additional data related to this paper may be requested from the authors.
Repository Citation
McGlue, Michael M.; Ivory, S. J.; Stone, J. R.; Cohen, A. S.; Kamulali, T. M.; Latimer, J. C.; Brannon, M. A.; Kimirei, I. A.; and Soreghan, M. J., "Solar Irradiance and ENSO Affect Food Security in Lake Tanganyika, a Major African Inland Fishery" (2020). Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications. 20.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ees_facpub/20
Supplementary material
Notes/Citation Information
Published in Science Advances, v. 6, issue 41.
Copyright © 2020 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.
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