Lake Victoria Food Web
Freshwater
East Africa — Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania
Description
Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, experienced one of the most dramatic food web collapses in recorded history when introduced Nile perch drove over 200 cichlid species to extinction. The current simplified food web is dominated by Nile perch, Nile tilapia, and the native dagaa sardine. Eutrophication from agricultural runoff compounds the ecological disruption.
Trophic Pyramid
Level 5
Decomposers
Benthic bacteria
Chironomid larvae
Freshwater shrimp
3 species
Level 4
Tertiary Consumers
African fish eagle
Nile crocodile
2 species
Level 3
Secondary Consumers
Nile perch
Monitor lizard
Pied kingfisher
3 species
Level 2
Primary Consumers
Dagaa sardine
Nile tilapia
Zooplankton
3 species
Level 1
Producers
Cyanobacteria
Diatoms
Water hyacinth
3 species
Apex Predators
Tertiary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Primary Consumers
Producers
Key Interactions
- Nile perch introduction caused mass extinction of endemic haplochromine cichlids
- Water hyacinth mats block light and reduce oxygen, killing fish in littoral zones
- Dagaa sardine is now the primary prey base supporting Nile perch and human fisheries
- Eutrophication has expanded cyanobacterial blooms, further degrading water quality