Lake Chilwa : studies of change in a tropical ecosystem

1. The environmental setting.- 1. Introduction: Perspectives of research at Lake Chilwa.- 2. The physical environment of Lake Chilwa.- 3. The changes in the lake level.- 4. The aquatic environment: I. Chemical and physical characteristics of Lake Chilwa.- 5. The aquatic environment: II. Chemical and physical characteristics of the Lake Chilwa swamps.- 2. The response of plants and animals to changes.- 6. Algae in Lake Chilwa and the waters of its catchment area.- 7. The distribution of aquatic macrophytes in Lake Chilwa: Annual and long-term environmental fluctuations.- 8. Zooplankton in Lake Chilwa: adaptations to changes.- 9. Decline and recovery of the benthic invertebrate communities.- 10. Invertebrate communities in the Lake Chilwa swamp in years of high level.- 11. Fishes: Distribution and biology in relation to changes.- 12. The fisheries of Lake Chilwa.- 13. Interactions between swamp and lake.- 14. Amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds of Chilwa.- 15. Insects of the floodplain.- 3. The people of the Chilwa area.- 16. The influence of history on Lake Chilwa and its people.- 17. The people and the land.- 18. Fishing and fish trading: Socio-economic studies.- 19. Health and education.- 4. Conclusions.- 20. The Lake Chilwa ecosystem - A limnological overview.- 21. Focus on social problems.- Appendix A. A provisional checklist of plants and animals at lake Chilwa.- Index to Authors.