Dr. Frans Witte, Institute of Biology, Leiden University
Darwin’s Pond revisited: ‘The surprises of Lake Victoria: adaptive responses in a perturbed ecosystem’
Co-referee: Prof. Johan Verreth, Fish Culture and Fisheries Group Wageningen UR
Frans Witte (PhD 1987, Leiden) has built an impressive track record as ichthyologist and expert of Lake Victoria’s fish communities. He worked as member and leader of the Haplochromis Ecology Survey Team in Lake Victoria (the background scenery of Tijs Goldschmidt’s bestseller). As expert on Lake Victoria cichlids at Leiden University he focuses on the adaptive responses of these species. In his lecture, Dr. Witte will describe how Lake Victoria reacted to the decline of its biodiversity after the introduction of Nile Perch. Dramatic changes occurred at all levels, from fishermen to fish. Heavy exploitation of Nile Perch enabled a resurgence of some cichlid species, which show remarkable ecological and morphological responses.
Zodiac academic lectures are an initiative of the Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University.
On every first Tuesday of the month, an invited speaker will present a topic related to animal sciences.
Speaker and topic will, and are meant to, provoke discussion among the audience of staff, postdocs, PhD and MSc students, and guests.
Drinks after the presentation and discussion.
Calendar 2005 ; 1 Febr. ANU, 1 March ABG, 5 April HAP, 3 May APS, 6 Sept. ETH