The diversity of macro invertebrates in the Victoria and Kyoga lake basin and their relationship to ecosystem functioning

Aquatic macro-invertebrates encompass all those organisms that be seen with unaided eyes. Most macro-invertebrates are categorised as semi-aquatic in that they are aquatic in early stages, but live as terrestrial organisms as adults, while others like gastropods, bivalves, Oligochaetae, Hirudinae and ostracods are exclusively aquatic. Some of them such as mayflies lay eggs in water and subsequent stages also live in water until adulthood when they emerge to live a terrestrial life. In others, eggs are laid near the water, while some like members of Tendipedidae (midges) lay their eggs on the leaves of aquatic macrophytes and after hatching their larvae creep into water