Adroit Takudzwa Chakandinakira

Background

Adroit Takudzwa Chakandinakira is a Zimbabwean freshwater and fisheries ecologist with a Master of Science in Natural Resources Management and Environmental. She is a conservation practitioner with extensive experience in freshwater ecosystems, fisheries management, and community‑based natural resource governance. Her professional work integrates ecological research, policy implementation, and stakeholder engagement, with a strong foundation in research design, data analysis, and scientific communication. She is a Principal Ecologist for the Lake Kariba Fisheries Research Institute under the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

Research

During her tenure as a Leventis Fellow, Adroit will undertake a quantitative analysis of existing fisheries and ecological datasets to investigate the impacts of Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) on the structure and functioning of Lake Kariba’s inshore fishery. Her work will focus on examining patterns in species composition and diversity as reflected in long‑term monitoring data. Preliminary evidence from these datasets indicates substantial ecological disruption associated with the proliferation of Nile tilapia, including displacement of native species and potential alteration of ecosystem services. Given that this invasive species now accounts for up to 80% of inshore fishery catches, a detailed data‑driven analysis is required to elucidate the mechanisms and extent of its dominance and to inform future management strategies.

Publications

ORCID for full publication list: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8065-8114

Adroit has authored and co‑authored several peer‑reviewed publications spanning freshwater ecology, invasive species, socio‑ecological systems, and biomonitoring. Selected publications are as follows:

·         Chapata, T. E., Utete, B., and Chakandinakira, A. T. (2024). Assessing the drivers and barriers for gender participation and roles in rod and line angling along the shores of Sanyati Basin in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. Sustainable Environment, 10(1), 2345451. https://doi.org/10.1080/27658511.2024.2345451

·         Chakandinakira, A. T., Madzivanzira, T. C., Mashonga, S., Muzvondiwa, J. V., Ndlovu, N., and South, J. (2023). Socioeconomic impacts of Australian redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus in Lake Kariba. Biological Invasions, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-023-03074-8

·         Madzivanzira, T. C., Chakandinakira, A. T., Mungenge, C. P., O’Brien, G., Dalu, T., and South, J. (2022). Get it before it gets to my catch: misdirection traps to mitigate against socioeconomic impacts associated with crayfish invasion. Management of Biological Invasions.

·         Mwedzi, T., Mangadze, T., Chakandinakira, A.T., and Bere, T. (2022). Stream biomonitoring: The role of diatoms, macroinvertebrates and fish. In Emerging Freshwater pollutants (pp 9-24). Elsevier.

·         Chakandinakira A.T, Mwedzi T, Tarakini T and Bere T. (2019). Ecological Responses of Periphyton Dry Mass and Epilithic Diatom Community Structure for Different Atrazine and Temperature Scenarios. Water SA 45 (4) 580-591. https://doi.org/10.17159/wsa/2019.v45.i4.7539