Spatial and seasonal variation in the phytoplankton community of Lake Victoria’s Mwanza Gulf, compared to northern parts of the lake

We investigated the phytoplankton species composition and abundance in two seasons Mwanza Gulf, Lake Victoria (Tanzania). Phytoplankton was sampled chlorophyll a content measured dry wet of 2010–2011 at three stations, from southern land-inward end Gulf towards open lake. Cyanobacteria, mostly small colonial filamentous (e.g., Aphanocapsa spp., Planktolyngbya Merismopedia spp.) dominated each station (76–95 %), followed by Chlorophyta (5–21 whereas contribution Bacillariophyceae (0–6 %). densities were generally higher rainy season strongly increased going Low N-fixing suggests that N-fixation low. The mouth low (mean values 4–6 µg/L) compared to reported previously. Also, (means 11–14 stations much lower than those northern gulfs (Napoleon Murchison Bay Nyanza Gulf). Between 2002 2009 changed community into Cyanobacteria. In water Victoria, Cyanobacteria both abundant. but all four showed substantial differences genus compositions. differs many respects its gulfs.