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55-534: Bururi Province is in the southeast of Burundi. It looks over Lake Tanganyika to the west. It is south of Bujumbura Rural Province and Mwaro Province , west of Gitega Province and Rutana Province , and north of Makamba Province . The west coastal strip is in the Imbo natural region . Further inland it covers part of the Mumirwa natural region , Mugamba natural region and Bututsi natural region . Bururi Province

110-530: A gap in the highlands westward through Tanganyika Province to join the Lualaba between Kabalo and Kongolo . Typically the river accounts for 18% of water loss from the lake, with the rest being due to evaporation. The Lukuga is heavily mineralized. The proportions of ionic contents where the Lukuga River leaves the lake, with magnesium and potassium more prevalent than calcium and sodium, are caused by

165-533: A genus level, six species of Chrysichthys catfish are only found in the Tanganyika basin where they live both in shallow and relatively deep waters; in the latter habitat they are the primary predators and scavengers. A unique evolutionary radiation in the lake is the 15 species of Mastacembelus spiny eels, all but one endemic to its basin. Although other African Great Lakes have Synodontis catfish, endemic catfish genera and Mastacembelus spiny eels,

220-423: A shoreline of 1,828 km (1,136 mi), a mean depth of 570 m (1,870 ft) and a maximum depth of 1,470 m (4,820 ft) (in the northern basin). It holds an estimated 18,750 km (4,500 cu mi). The catchment area of the lake is 231,000 km (89,000 sq mi). Two main rivers flow into the lake, as well as numerous smaller rivers and streams (whose lengths are limited by

275-488: A threatened subspecies of banded water cobra that feeds mainly on fish, is only found in Lake Tanganyika, where it prefers rocky shores. Lake Tanganyika is home to at least 250 endemic species of cichlids , and undescribed species likely remain to be discovered. Almost all (roughly 98%) of the lake's cichlid species are found solely there, and nowhere else, thus making it a precious biological resource for

330-471: A turbulently volcanic area that has undergone climate changes. Apparently, it has rarely in the past had an outflow to the sea. It has been described as "practically endorheic " for this reason. The lake's connection to the sea is dependent on a high water level allowing water to overflow out of the lake through the Lukuga River into the Congo. When not overflowing, the lake's exit into the Lukuga River typically

385-457: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lake Tanganyika Lake Tanganyika ( / ˌ t æ ŋ ɡ ə n ˈ j iː k ə , - ɡ æ n -/ TANG -gən- YEE -kə, -⁠gan- ; Kirundi : Ikiyaga ca Tanganyika ) is an African Great Lake . It is the second-largest freshwater lake by volume and the second deepest , in both cases after Lake Baikal in Siberia . It

440-446: Is an ancient lake , one of only twenty more than a million years old. Its three basins, which in periods with much lower water levels were separate lakes, are of different ages. The central began to form 9–12 million years ago (Mya), the northern 7–8 Mya and the southern 2–4 Mya. The lake's water is alkaline with a pH around 9 at depths of 0–100 m (0–330 ft). Below this, it is around 8.7, gradually decreasing to 8.3–8.5 in

495-521: Is blocked by sand bars and masses of weed, and instead this river depends on its own tributaries, especially the Niemba River, to maintain a flow. The lake may also have at times had different inflows and outflows; inward flows from a higher Lake Rukwa , access to Lake Malawi and an exit route to the Nile have all been proposed to have existed at some point in the lake's history. Lake Tanganyika

550-424: Is deeper than any other cichlid known. Some of the deepwater genera (e.g., Bathybates , Gnathochromis , Hemibates and Xenochromis ) have been caught in places virtually devoid of oxygen, and how they are able to survive there is unclear. Tanganyika cichlids are generally benthic (found at or near the bottom) and/or coastally. No Tanganyika cichlids are truly pelagic and offshore, except for some of

605-488: Is far more stable and consistent than the rapids and fast-flowing sections of the Congo River. Additionally, Lake Tanganyika's water is alkaline and of a higher pH (which the cichlids prefer), containing a higher calcium and mineral content than the Congo's acidic , sediment -rich waters, which collect much organic detritus from the surrounding rainforests . In areas of the Congo away from rapids or whitewater ,

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660-461: Is home to more than 80 species of non-cichlid fish and about 60% of these are endemic. The open waters of the pelagic zone are dominated by four non-cichlid species: Two species of "Tanganyika sardine" ( Limnothrissa miodon and Stolothrissa tanganicae ) form the largest biomass of fish in this zone, and they are important prey for the forktail lates ( Lates microlepis ) and sleek lates ( L. stappersii ). Two additional lates are found in

715-508: Is now the lake, may have had no outlet other than evaporation. The Lukuga is of considerable interest to hydrologists, since the volume of water it carries from the lake varies considerably from time to time. The river flow is greatest in May and least in November, corresponding to seasonal fluctuations in the lake level. The river is highly sensitive to longer-term climate variations, such as

770-495: Is the southernmost source of the Nile . Bururi is famous for the number of military and political leaders to have been born there, including three consecutive presidents ( Michel Micombero , Jean-Baptiste Bagaza and Pierre Buyoya ) following the country's independence. It is divided administratively into the following communes: 3°53′49″S 29°34′40″E  /  3.89694°S 29.57778°E  / -3.89694; 29.57778 This Burundi location article

825-758: Is the world's longest freshwater lake. The lake is shared among four countries— Tanzania , the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the DRC), Burundi , and Zambia —with Tanzania (46%) and the DRC (40%) possessing the majority of the lake. It drains into the Congo River system and ultimately into the Atlantic Ocean . Lake Tanganyika is situated within the Albertine Rift , the western branch of

880-482: Is unclear if they have a similar behavior. The facultative brood parasites often lay their eggs synchronously with mouthbroding cichlids. The cichlid pick up the eggs in their mouth as if they were their own. Once the catfish eggs hatch the young eat the cichlid eggs. Six catfish genera are entirely restricted to the lake basin: Bathybagrus , Dinotopterus , Lophiobagrus , Phyllonemus , Pseudotanganikallabes and Tanganikallabes . Although not endemic on

935-531: The Albertine Rift 's hydrothermal inputs, as seen also at the outlets of Lake Kivu and Lake Edward . It seems likely that the present hydrological system was established quite recently when the still-active Virunga volcanoes erupted and blocked the northward flow of water from Lake Kivu into Lake Edward , causing it instead to discharge southward into Lake Tanganyika through the Ruzizi River . Before that, Lake Tanganyika, or separate sub-basins in what

990-631: The East African Rift , and is confined by the mountainous walls of the valley. It is the largest rift lake in Africa and the second-largest lake by volume in the world. It is the deepest lake in Africa and holds the greatest volume of fresh water on the continent, accounting for 16% of the world's available fresh water. It extends for 676 km (420 mi) in a general north–south direction and averages 50 km (31 mi) in width. The lake covers 32,900 km (12,700 sq mi), with

1045-589: The Neolithic Subpluvial around 4000 BC. Since 1965 the outflow has tended to increase, although the total outflow of the Congo has been declining. The Lukuga has formed relatively recently, providing a route through which aquatic species of the Congo Basin could colonize Lake Tanganyika. The river is home to hippopotamus and crocodiles. There are low-grade coal deposits along the river's tributaries north of Kalemie and Moluba. The Lukuga in

1100-422: The mantle cavity of the unionid mussel Pleiodon spekei , making it one of only two known commensal species of freshwater shrimp (the other is the sponge-living Caridina spongicola from Lake Towuti , Indonesia). Among Rift Valley lakes , Lake Tanganyika far surpasses all others in terms of crustacean and freshwater snail richness (both in total number of species and number of endemics). For example,

1155-713: The piscivorous Bathybates . Two of these, B. fasciatus and B. leo , mainly feed on Tanganyika sardines . Tanganyika cichlids differ extensively in ecology , and include species that are herbivores , detritivores , planktivores , insectivores , molluscivores , scavengers , scale-eaters and piscivores. These dietary specializations, however, have been shown to be variable and subject to opportunistic changes. That is, many species of Tanganyikan cichlid with specialized diets showed opportunistic, episodic exploitation of Stolothrissa tanganicae and Limnothrissa miodon when prey concentrations were unusually high. The fishes' breeding behavior falls into two main groups:

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1210-462: The Lukuga creek was a large and fast-flowing river. He followed the course of the river for a few days, but hostile inhabitants of the region blocked his further explorations. When Hermann von Wissmann reached the river in 1882 he found that the river had become a fast and wide effluent. He also noted that the lake level was 4.8 m (16 ft) below the highest watermark. As of 2008, the Lukuga

1265-591: The Luvua-Lukuga corridor, with the local ruler being a near-equal of the Luba emperor, sending only occasional tributes. The bamdudye and bakasandji secret societies were introduced into the area, providing genesis myths that helped legitimize the fire kings' position. These myths had been adopted and adapted by the Holoholo people of Kalemie by the late nineteenth century. The Hemba state of Kyombo Mkubwa became

1320-450: The Tanganyika thalassoids, which are part of Prosobranchia , are endemic to the lake. Initially they were believed to be related to similar marine snails, but they are now known to be unrelated. Their appearance is now believed to be the result of the highly diverse habitats in Lake Tanganyika and evolutionary pressure from snail-eating fish and, in particular, Platythelphusa crabs. A total of 17 freshwater snail genera are endemic to

1375-552: The accumulated sediment and organic matter creates sections of " blackwater ", with a high concentration of tannins from dissolving wood and leaves, creating an environment in which cichlids simply do not thrive. Likewise, many tropical riverine species would likely suffer if exposed to the crisp, alkaline lake water. Although Lake Tanganyika has fewer cichlid species than Lakes Malawi or Victoria —which both have experienced relatively recent explosive species radiations (resulting in many closely related species)—, its cichlids are

1430-436: The area were fishing. Most of them included using a lantern as a lure for fish that are attracted to light. There were three basic forms. One called Lusenga which is a wide net used by one person from a canoe. The second one is using a lift net. This was done by dropping a net deep below the boat using two parallel canoes and then simultaneously pulling it up. The third is called Chiromila which consisted of three canoes. One canoe

1485-475: The deepest parts of Tanganyika. A similar pattern can be seen in the electric conductivity , ranging from about 670 μS/cm in the upper part to 690 μS/cm in the deepest. Surface temperatures generally range from about 24 °C (75 °F) in the southern part of the lake in early August to 28–29 °C (82–84 °F) in the late rainy season in March—April. At depths greater than 400 m (1,300 ft),

1540-522: The fish populations, causing significant declines. In 2016, it was estimated that the total catch was up to 200,000 tonnes. It is thought that early Homo sapiens were making an impact on the region during the Stone Age . The time period of the Middle Stone Age to Late Stone Age is described as an age of advanced hunter-gatherers. There are many methods in which the native people of

1595-482: The genera Altolamprologus , Cyprichromis , Eretmodus , Julidochromis , Lamprologus , Neolamprologus , Tropheus and Xenotilapia , are popular aquarium fish due to their bright colors and patterns, and interesting behaviors. Recreating a Lake Tanganyika biotope to host those cichlids in a habitat similar to their natural environment is also popular in the aquarium hobby, with many species today being bred in captivity successfully. Lake Tanganyika

1650-608: The lake ( Haplochromini , Tilapiini and Tylochromini ). Others have proposed splitting the Tanganyika cichlids into as many as 12–16 tribes ( Bathybatini , Benthochromini , Boulengerochromini , Cyphotilapiini , Eretmodini , Greenwoodochromini , Perissodini and Trematocarini , in addition to the aforementioned tribes). Most Tanganyika cichlids live along the shoreline, down to a depth of 100 m (330 ft), but some deep-water species regularly descend to 200 m (660 ft). Trematocara species have, exceptionally, been found at more than 300 m (980 ft), which

1705-579: The lake, and as a base from which to launch surprise attacks on Allied troops. It therefore became essential for the Allied forces to gain control of the lake themselves. Under the command of Lieutenant Commander Geoffrey Spicer-Simson the British Royal Navy achieved the monumental task of bringing two armed motor boats HMS Mimi and HMS Toutou from England to the lake by rail, road and river to Albertville (since renamed Kalemie in 1971) on

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1760-936: The lake, such as Hirthia , Lavigeria , Paramelania , Reymondia , Spekia , Stanleya , Tanganyicia and Tiphobia . There are about 30 species of non-thalassoid snails in the lake, but only five of these are endemic, including Ferrissia tanganyicensis and Neothauma tanganyicense . The latter is the largest Tanganyika snail and its shell is often used by small shell-dwelling cichlids . Crustaceans are also highly diverse in Tanganyika with more than 200 species, of which more than half are endemic. They include 10 species of freshwater crabs (9 Platythelphusa and Potamonautes platynotus ; all endemic), at least 11 species of small atyid shrimp ( Atyella , Caridella and Limnocaridina ), an endemic palaemonid shrimp ( Macrobrachium moorei ), about 100 ostracods , including many endemics, and several copepods . Among these, Limnocaridina iridinae lives inside

1815-642: The lake, the Tanganyika lates ( L. angustifrons ) and bigeye lates ( L. mariae ), but both these are primarily benthic hunters, although they also may move into open waters. The four lates, all endemic to Tanganyika, have been overfished and larger individuals are rare today. Among the more unusual fish in the lake are the endemic, facultatively brood parasitic "cuckoo catfish", including at least Synodontis grandiops and S. multipunctatus . A number of others are very similar (e.g., S. lucipinnis and S. petricola ) and have often been confused; it

1870-412: The lake. Among the endemic bivalves are three monotypic genera: Grandidieria burtoni , Pseudospatha tanganyicensis and Brazzaea anceyi . Many of the snails are unusual for species living in freshwater in having noticeably thickened shells and/or distinct sculpture , features more commonly seen in marine snails. They are referred to as thalassoids, which can be translated to "marine-like". All

1925-431: The lake. As a consequence of the stratification, the deep sections contain " fossil water ". This also means it has no oxygen (it is anoxic ) in the deeper parts, essentially limiting fish and other aerobic organisms to the upper part. Some geographical variations are seen in this limit, but it is typically at depths around 100 m (330 ft) in the northern part of the lake and 240–250 m (790–820 ft) in

1980-626: The lake. He noted the name "Liemba" for its southern part, a word probably from the Fipa language . Tanganyika means "stars" in the Luvale language . The lake was the scene of Battle for Lake Tanganyika during World War I . With the aid of the Graf Goetzen , the Germans had complete control of the lake in the early stages of the war. The ship was used both to ferry cargo and personnel across

2035-442: The lake. When he arrived, the lake level was low and he described the Lukuga as no more than a large creek extending westward for a great distance. However, he agreed that as the lake level rose the Lukuga would act as an outlet. It seems that a sandbar had formed across the river mouth, and the river had silted behind the bar. In 1879 Joseph Thomson came to Kasenge from Pambete, travelling through very rough country. He found that

2090-518: The main client state of the Luba Empire. However, by the time Europeans started to penetrate the region, Msiri 's son Simbi, advancing from the south and forming alliances with the Hemba rulers against incursions from Tippu Tip , had detached Kyombo Mkubwa from the Luba heartland. Around 1871 David Livingstone noticed the break in the hills through which the "Logumba" passed, and suggested that

2145-505: The most morphologically and genetically diverse. This is linked to the maturity of Tanganyika, as it is far older than the other lakes. Tanganyika has the largest number of endemic cichlid genera of all African lakes. All Tanganyika cichlids are in the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae . Of the 10 tribes in this subfamily, half are largely or entirely restricted to the lake ( Cyprichromini , Ectodini , Lamprologini , Limnochromini and Tropheini ), while another three have species in

2200-522: The north of the lake from Lake Kivu . The Malagarasi River , which is Tanzania's second largest river, enters the east side of Lake Tanganyika. The Malagarasi is older than Lake Tanganyika, and before the lake was formed, it probably was a headwater of the Lualaba River , the main Congo River headstream. The lake has a complex history of changing flow patterns, due to its high altitude, great depth, slow rate of refill, and mountainous location in

2255-634: The north, Lake Tanganyika, the Luvua River to the south and the Lualaba form a territory that was once occupied by the Hemba people in the western part and the Tumbwe people in the more mountainous east. Kasangas of the Tumbwe lineage ruled various small states in this region. The lower Lukuga and the Lualaba were natural lines of communication, and the river valleys were densely populated. Around 1800, in

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2310-418: The only other Rift Valley lake with endemic freshwater crabs are Lake Kivu and Lake Victoria with two species each. The diversity of other invertebrate groups in Lake Tanganyika is often not well-known, but there are at least 20 described species of leeches (12 endemics), 9 sponges (7 endemic), 6 bryozoa (2 endemic), 11 flatworms (7 endemic), 20 nematodes (7 endemic), 28 annelids (17 endemic) and

2365-663: The relatively high diversity is unique to Tanganyika, which likely is related to its old age. Among the non-endemic fish, some are widespread African species but several are only shared with the Malagarasi and Congo River basins, such as the Congo bichir ( Polypterus congicus ), goliath tigerfish ( Hydrocynus goliath ), Citharinus citharus , six-banded distichodus ( Distichodus sexfasciatus ) and mbu puffer ( Tetraodon mbu ). A total of 83 freshwater snail species (65 endemic) and 11 bivalve species (8 endemic) are known from

2420-446: The river might be an outlet of Lake Tanganyika, and that there could be other outlets further north. Verney Lovett Cameron reached the river at the point where it left the lake in May 1874 on his journey across Africa from east to west. He confirmed that it was the only outlet of Lake Tanganyika, but was unable to get a guide to accompany him down the river to verify that it flowed into the Lualaba. In 1876 Henry Morton Stanley visited

2475-497: The second half of the rule of the Luba Emperor Ilunga Sungu , Luba forces launched raids over the Lualaba that at one point reached as far as Kalemie. Some of the Luba settled in the region, and the people around Kalemie were subject to the Luba in the following reigns of Kumwimbe Ngombe and Ilunga Kabale . The Luba evolved the concept of the "fire king" to rule the peripheral areas of their empire such as

2530-413: The small hydrozoan jellyfish Limnocnida tanganyicae . Lake Tanganyika supports a major fishery, which, depending on source, provides 25–40% or c. 60% of the animal protein in the diet of the people living in the region. Lake Tanganyika fish can be found exported throughout East Africa. Major commercial fishing began in the mid-1950s and has, together with global warming, had a heavy impact on

2585-436: The south. The oxygen-devoid deepest sections contain high levels of toxic hydrogen sulphide and are essentially lifeless, except for bacteria . Lake Tanganyika and its associated wetlands are home to Nile crocodiles (including famous giant Gustave ), Zambian hinged terrapins , serrated hinged terrapins , and pan hinged terrapins (last species not in the lake itself, but in adjacent lagoons). Storm's water cobra ,

2640-503: The steep mountains around the lake). The one major outflow is the Lukuga River , which empties into the Congo River drainage. Precipitation and evaporation play a greater role than the rivers. At least 90% of the water influx is from rain falling on the lake's surface and at least 90% of the water loss is from direct evaporation. The major river flowing into the lake is the Ruzizi River , formed about 10,000 years ago, which enters

2695-492: The study of speciation and evolution . The cichlids of the African Great Lakes , including Tanganyika, represent the most diverse extent of adaptive radiation in vertebrates. Some of the endemic species do occur slightly into the upper Lukuga River (Lake Tanganyika's outflow), but any further distribution into the Congo River basin is stemmed purely by geography and chemistry—Tanganyika's lake environment

2750-459: The substrate- or sand-spawners (often in caves or rock crevices) and the mouthbrooders . Among the endemic species are two of the world's smallest cichlids, Neolamprologus multifasciatus and N. similis (both shell dwellers ), measuring up to 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in), and one of the largest, the giant cichlid ( Boulengerochromis microlepis ) at up to 90 cm (3.0 ft). Many cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, such as species from

2805-452: The temperature is very stable at 23.1–23.4 °C (73.6–74.1 °F). The water has gradually warmed since the 19th century and this has accelerated with global warming since the 1950s. The lake is stratified and seasonal mixing generally does not extend beyond depths of 150 m (490 ft). The mixing mainly occurs as upwellings in the south and is wind-driven, but to a lesser extent, up- and downwellings also occur elsewhere in

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2860-590: The western shore of Lake Tanganyika. The two boats waited until December 1915, and mounted a surprise attack on the Germans, with the capture of the gunboat Kingani . Another German vessel, the Hedwig , was sunk in February 1916, leaving the Götzen as the only German vessel remaining to control the lake. In order to avoid his prize ship falling into Allied hands, Zimmer scuttled the vessel on July 26, 1916. The vessel

2915-720: Was created on 26 September 1960 as part of national political and administrative reforms initiated by the Belgian colonial administration in Ruanda-Urundi . Burundi became independent in 1962 and the province was retained in the new national constitution. The provincial capital is Bururi . Bururi Province is home to the Bururi Forest Nature Reserve , a remnant Afromontane tropical forest. The Ruvyironza River , which rises in Bururi Province,

2970-545: Was later raised in 1924 and renamed MV Liemba . Lukuga River The Lukuga River ( Swahili : Mto Lukuga ) is a tributary of the Lualaba River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that drains Lake Tanganyika . It is unusual in that its flow varies not just seasonally but also due to longer term climate fluctuations. The Lukuga runs along the northern edge of the Katanga Plateau . The river leaves Lake Tanganyika at Kalemie and flows through

3025-537: Was stationary with a lantern while another canoe holds one end of the net and the other circles the stationary one to meet up with the net. The first known Westerners to find the lake were the British explorers Richard Burton and John Speke , in 1858. They located it while searching for the source of the Nile River . Speke continued and found the actual source, Lake Victoria . Later David Livingstone passed by

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