Lake Babati ecosystem, Tanzania: biodiversity status, anthropogenic threats, and land use implications − a review

Abstract

This is a systematic literature review exploring the effects of anthropogenic activities and land use changes on biodiversity and the ecological health of Lake Babati. A structured search using PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) 2020 employed three major academic databases, namely Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. A key factor for choosing sources was their connection to Lake, along with being peer-reviewed, verified by institutions, providing real data on ecological or socio-economic impacts, and being written in English. Information was collected and analyzed by categorizing it into key drivers: changes in land use, pollution, and overfishing. Farming near the lake, cattle grazing and drinking, unsustainable brick-making, overgrazing, illegal fishing, inadequate waste management, and urban expansion have been reported. These practices have led to pollution, the spread of water hyacinth and sedges, nutrient loading, eutrophication, decreased dissolved oxygen, deforestation, soil erosion, flooding, and biodiversity loss-all of which endanger aquatic life. Between 1992 and 2022, land-use changes in Babati Town included increases in institutional land (797.2 ha), industrial land (64.7 ha), and agricultural land (691 ha), while forested areas (−705 ha), undeveloped land (−993 ha), and the lake surface (−173 ha) declined. Fish catch weight fell by 88 %, and daily catch rates declined by 90.8 %, with the most severe decline occurring between 1992 and 2002. Ecological changes have impacted the livelihoods of local communities that depended on fishing and agriculture. We recommend sustainable land use, better water quality monitoring, community conservation, local socio-economic resilience, and strong governance to support waste management and ecosystem restoration.