Jelvas Mwaura

Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) · Marine Environment and Ecology

The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region comprises almost 6% (about 15,180 km2) of the total global area of coral reefs, and the region is a globally important hotspot for coral reef biodiversity. The WIO includes sovereign states along the eastern and southern African mainland (Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa), island states (Mauri...

The third global coral bleaching event started in the North Pacific in the summer of 2014, and continued for a record 3 years, only dissipating in 2017. It affected the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) between January and May 2016, and was the strongest bleaching event to occur in the region since 1998. The main objective of this report is to provide up...

The Western Indian Ocean contains 16% of the world’s coral reefs, and the region is now thought to host the second peak of coral reef biodiversity globally. The coral reef ecosystems underpin the economies of the countries in the region, particularly fisheries and tourism sectors, and provide livelihood opportunities and income for local communiti...

The Kenya Coast is endowed with some of the world’s most valuable coastal and marine resources that not only support economic activities but also the livelihoods of the people. The resources include mangrove forests, estuaries and deltas, sand dunes, beaches, coral reefs, seagrass beds as well as pelagic habitats among others. These resources are e...

The source of anthropogenic nutrient and its spatial extent in three fringing reefs with differing human population gradients in Kenya were investigated using stable isotope approaches. Nutrient concentrations and nitrate-δ¹⁵N in seepage water indicated that population density and tourism contributed greatly to the extent of nutrient loading to adj...

This study explores the patterns of coral recruitment, survivorship and resilience on the coral reefs of the west coast of Pemba Island, Tanzania. The results show that recovery from the 1998 mass coral bleaching event has been patchy, with great variation in coral cover among sites, and a generally high macroalgal cover. Sites with low coral recov...

Aim The aim of this study is to determine the genetic diversity, population structure, and connectivity of the broadcast-spawning coral Acropora tenuis (Cnidaria; Scleractinia; Acroporidae). Based on the long pelagic larval duration (PLD) of the species, long distance dispersal resulting in high connectivity among populations is hypothesized. Loc...

The ways that fishers distribute their fishing effort over a fishing ground can affect the ecological impacts on and the economic performance of fisheries. This distribution can be influenced by a number of social, economic, and institutional factors such as technology, management, and fishers‟ knowledge. Many fisheries development and management i...

Abstract—Coral bleaching (loss of zooxathellae) is an increasing problem for the health and persistence of corals, but the phenomenon can not be fully comprehended without understanding seasonal fluctuations in the field. Seasonal dynamics of coral zooxanthellae (population density and mitotic indices) of eleven scleractinian coral species (Acropor...

This study examines the bleaching responses of scleractinian corals at four sites in Kenya (Kanamai, Vipingo, Mombasa and Nyali) representing two distinct lagoon habitats (relatively shallow and relatively deep). Bleaching incidence was monitored for the whole coral community, while zooxanthellae densities and chlorophyll levels were monitored for...

In 2003 and 2005, studies were carried out on the density of small coral colonies (less than 10 cm) on three reefs in the Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve on the southern fringing reef system of Kenya, and on three reefs in the Kiunga Marine National Reserve in the north of the country. All the study sites were impacted by a major coral ble...

This report outlines results of an International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessment of the resilience to climate change of Pemba’s coral reefs. The coral reefs of Pemba, Tanzania, are among the most diverse in East Africa. However, they are extremely vulnerable to climate change. Thirteen reef sites on western Pemba covering a r...