Water Hyacinth Literature

1.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Preamble

Relevant literature by other researchers based on the objectives was reviewed so as to understand the impact and management of water hyacinth on the environment. The literature was gathered from textbooks, journals, newspapers, thesis and internet. The information gathered from the literature review contributed to the general body of knowledge.

2.2 Water Hyacinth as a Global Phenomenon

Water hyacinth is a fresh water plant native to South America. Its native home is in the Amazon from where it has spread throughout tropical, subtropical and warm climates. The water hyacinth was introduced into USA from South America at the 1884 cotton states exposition in New Orleans for its decorative lavender flowers. Since

In 1910 it appeared in Natal Province South Africa, and later on it was spotted in several lakes in Zimbabwe in the 1930’s. In the 1950’s it found its way into the Congo River and the White Nile in Sudan and finally into the Pangani river in Tanzania. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, the weed expanded into the White and Blue Nile, Congo, lower Zambezi, Shire river and several rivers in South Africa and lakes of Ethiopia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe and then on to the Central African Republic and Senegal (Hill et al 1997).

In West Africa, it infests rivers and lagoon systems linking adjacent countries, and interferes with water use, fishing and transport, sometimes cutting off entire villages (Holm et al., 1977; Guillarmod, 1979; Akinyemiji, 1987; Mitchell et al., 1990). In Benin, water hyacinth was first sighted in 1977. Since 1988, it has become a serious weed, affecting the lower reaches of the Oueme River as well as the So

Its infestation has been reported to have adverse socio-economic impacts in different parts of the world. These effects include inter alia interrupted fishing activity, water supply and HEP generation, increase in the incidence of disease vectors, loss of biodiversity, increased eutrophication; referred to as cultural eutrophication (UNEP, 1993), deoxygenation and the reduction of the lake‘s scenic beauty (Harley et.al, 1996). Under heavy infestation the socio-economic structure, food supply and health of the communities residing around the lake are seriously disturbed (Gopal 1987, Wawire Unpubl., Onditi 1997, Otieno 1997 and Carvine 1997, Mboya