Lake Kivu Research: Conclusions and Perspectives

peer reviewedIn this chapter the knowledge gained from the interdisciplinary research on Lake Kivu presented in the previous chapters is synthesized. The importance of the sublacustrine springs as a driving force for physical and biogeochemical processes is highlighted, the special properties of the lake’s food web structure are discussed, and the consequences and impacts of both the introduction of a new fish species and methane extraction are evaluated. Finally, a list of open research questions illustrates that Lake Kivu has by far not yet revealed all of its secrets