02977nas a2200373   4500000000100000000000100001000000100002008004100003653001300044653003000057653001700087653001600104653002200120653002300142653001300165653003300178653001500211653002600226653001800252653001600270100001800286700001800304700001400322700001300336700001300349700001300362700001400375700001400389245013300403856014200536490000700678520189800685022002002583       2022                            d10aEthiopia10abiodiversity conservation10aConservation10acrater lake10acultural heritage10aecosystem approach10afestival10aIntangible cultural heritage10amacrophyte10amacrophyte vegetation10aphytoplankton10azooplankton1 aM. Gebrehiwot1 aB. Gebrekidan1 aM. Asmare1 aD. Kifle1 aM. Adane1 aH. Girma1 aL. Triest1 aI. Stiers00aBalancing ecosystem integrity and cultural values at sacred Lake Hora, Ethiopia: The need for conservation of wetland vegetation  uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85132192816&doi=10.1111%2flre.12405&partnerID=40&md5=7d3d82ff5b92e65ddce896bf4db4dffa0 v273 aAlthough macrophytes represent important habitats for the plankton communities of shallow lakes and ponds, the role of littoral macrophyte patches in deep crater lakes is not well described. The objective of the present study was to investigate the role of littoral macrophyte vegetation in structuring phytoplankton and zooplankton communities and, therefore, sustaining ecological integrity in a deep tropical crater lake (Hora Lake, Ethiopia). The lake has a surface area of 1.03 km2 and a mean depth of 16.5 m. The area surrounding the lake is a prime location for the celebration of the Oromo thanksgiving festival (Irreecha), which is inscribed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an intangible cultural heritage, and also considered sacred by the Oromo people. Measurements of physical, chemical and biological parameters were conducted at fifteen sampling sites in both the littoral and central parts of the lake during the dry and wet seasons in 2017. A total of 28 phytoplankton and 19 zooplankton genera were identified. The phytoplankton and zooplankton communities were dominated by cyanobacteria and rotifers, respectively, at the open water sites. The wetland vegetation was found to be important in reducing potentially toxic and unsightly cyanobacteria. The submerged and emergent vegetation also served as refugia for zooplankton during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Crustaceans accounted for about 30–45\% of the total zooplankton abundance within the vegetation fringes. Their abundance decreased to 5\% in the non-vegetated areas, wherein the community was dominated by rotifers. As the population around the lake, particularly during the festival, may damage the aquatic vegetation, their access to the shoreline should be regulated for conservation and sanitary reasons (e.g. to reduce cyanobacteria growths).  a13205331 (ISSN)