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DANIEL ABEL SHILLA

Associate Professor, School Of Aquatic Sciences And Fisheries Technology
Education:

Bsc Ed. (Dar), MSc (Brussels), PhD (Saitama)

Teaching:

Undergraduate courses: Biogeochemistry, Fisheries Extension Education, Biology of Shellfish, Environmental Science.

Postgraduate courses: Aquatic Ecology and Pollution (MSc), Advanced Aquatic Ecology (MSc), Aquatic Biodiversity and conservation (MSc), Ecotoxicology (MSc), Environmental Impact of Aquaculture and Capture Fisheries (MSc), Earth Systems Science (PhD).

Research:

      1. Enhancing Riverine Fisheries Productivity and Water Quality Improvement through Integrated Weir and Riparian Vegetation Propagation Technologies in the Lake Victoria Basin. Funded by Sida-SAREC through Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) – Co-PI - US$ 150,000 (Completed)
      2. SKLEC Open Research Fund award 2015 (Environmental Forensics: Fingerprinting sources of organic matter and trophic interactions among producers and consumers in Rufiji estuary using fatty acid biomarkers and stable isotopes. – PI - (US$ 50,000) (Completed)
      3. International foundation for science (IFS) research grant award, USD 12,000 (Administered by the university of Dar es Salaam) used to fund research work on Chronology - PI (Completed)
      4. Enhancing Regional Capability for the Assessment of Contamination in the Marine Environment. Project Number: RAF/7/008 – PI - US$ 40,000 (Completed)
      5. Supporting an Integrated Approach for Marine Pollution Monitoring Using Nuclear Analytical Techniques. Project number RAF/7/009 0- PI - US$ 40,000 (Completed)
      6. Strengthening Regional Capacities for Marine Risk Assessment using Nuclear and Related Techniques Project Number IAEA/RAF7015 – PI - US$ 40,000 (Completed)
      7. Assessment of the Ecological Aspects of Microplastic Pollution in Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar and Mombasa Coastal Marine Environments (MICROMARINE) – PI - US$ 326,000 (Ongoing)
      8. Evaluation of Aquatic Macroalgae as Source of Omega-3 (N-3 LC-PUFA) in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) – PI - TZS 30,000,000. (On going)
      9. Environmental Forensics - Fingerprinting organic matter sources and trophic interactions using fatty acid biomarkers and stable isotopes in the Pangani estuary (Tanzania) – PI - TZS 30,000,000. (On going)
      10. Reducing Marine Plastic Wastes in Two Major Tanzanian Cities: Social awareness and Co-responsibility – PI - TZS 30,000,000. (On going)
      11. Microplastic Distribution and Reconstruction of its Pollution History in Msimbazi River Catchment, Dar Es Salaam (MIREPOHI) – PI - TZS 30,000,000. (On going)
      12. Sustainable Plastic Attitudes to benefit Communities and their EnvironmentS (SPACES) – PI - £3,850,000 (Ongoing)
      13. Plastics from source to sink: Exploring transport pathways and fate of plastic waste in coastal waters (“TRACE”) – Co-PI – USD 230,000 (Ongoing)

Projects:

Assessment of the Ecological Aspects of Microplastic Pollution in Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar and Mombasa Coastal Marine Environments (MICROMARINE)

Evaluation of Aquatic Macroalgae as Source of Omega-3 (N-3 LC-PUFA) in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Environmental Forensics - Fingerprinting organic matter sources and trophic interactions using fatty acid biomarkers and stable isotopes in the Pangani estuary (Tanzania)

Reducing Marine Plastic Wastes in Two Major Tanzanian Cities: Social awareness and Co-responsibility

Microplastic Distribution and Reconstruction of its Pollution History in Msimbazi River Catchment, Dar Es Salaam (MIREPOHI)

Sustainable Plastic Attitudes to benefit Communities and their EnvironmentS (SPACES)

Plastics from source to sink: Exploring transport pathways and fate of plastic waste in coastal waters (“TRACE”)

Research

Ecotoxicology, Nutrients, Aquatic macrophytes, Chemical Contaminants in Food and Environmental, Plastic Pollution, Microplastic, Water Quality Measurement in Marine

Publications:

  1. Mbugani, J.J.; Machiwa, J.F.; Shilla, D.A.; Kimaro,W.; Joseph, D.; Khan, F.R. (2022) Histomorphological Damage in the Small Intestine of Wami Tilapia (Oreochromis urolepis) (Norman, 1922) Exposed to Microplastics Remain Long after Depuration. Microplastics 1: 240–253.
  2. Moshi HA, Shilla DA, Kimirei IA, O’ Reilly C, Clymans W, Bishop I, et al. (2022) Community monitoring of coliform pollution in Lake Tanganyika. PLoS ONE 17(1): e0262881. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262881
  3. Charles Mitto Kosore, Loice Ojwang, Justin Maghanga, Joseph Kamau, Daniel Shilla, Gert Everaert, Farhan R. Khan, Yvonne Shashoua (2022). Microplastics in Kenya’s marine nearshore surface waters: Current status. Marine Pollution Bulletin 179: 113710
  4. Shovi Furaeli Sawe, Daniel Abel Shilla, and John Ferdinand Machiwa (2021). Assessment of Ecological Risk of Heavy Metals Using Probabilistic Risk Assessment Model (AQUARISK) in Surface Sediments from Wami Estuary, Tanzania. Biomed Research International 2021: 6635903.
  5. Lyasenga, Theresia John; Mwijage, Alistidia P.; Shilla, Dativa Joseph; Mahugija, John Andrew Marco; Gaspare, Lydia; Shilla, Daniel Abel; Mfilinge, Prosper Laurent (2021). Diet and isotopic metrics of predatory and prey fish in two estuaries with different degrees of anthropogenic disturbances: the case study of Wami and Pangani rivers in Tanzania. Advances in Oceanography & Limnology 12 (2): 1-16.
  6. Daniel Abel Shilla (2021). Assessment of the Quality and Quantity of Organic Matter in the Rufiji Mangrove Surface Sediments Using Biochemical Composition. Tanzania Journal of Science 47(2): 800-811
  7. Daniel A Shilla and Shovi F Sawe (2021). Levels of Selected Toxic and Essential Elements in Fish and Oysters from Western Indian Ocean, Coast of Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Science 47(2): 718-727
  8. Shovi Furaeli Sawe, Daniel Abel Shilla & John Fernandez Machiwa (2021): Reconstruction of metal(loid)s pollution history in sediments of Wami Estuary, Indian Ocean Coast of Tanzania, Environmental Forensics, DOI: 10.1080/15275922.2021.1913676
  9. Stella MY Shija, Matobola J Mihale and Daniel Shilla (2020). Variability of Selected Mineral Contents in Marine Fish from Local Markets in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Science 46(2): 508-523
  10. Dativa J Shilla and Daniel A Shilla (2020) Assessment of the Geochemical Characteristics of Water and Surface Sediment of Rufiji Mangrove Forest, Tanzania, Tanzania Journal of Science 46:2, 482-497
  11. Shovi Furaeli Sawe, Daniel Abel Shilla & John Ferdinand Machiwa (2020) Lead (Pb) contamination trends in Msimbazi estuary reconstructed from a 210-Pb-dated sediment cores (Msimbazi River, Tanzania), Environmental Forensics, DOI:10.1080/15275922.2020.1805823
  12. Daniel Abel Shilla (2019). Sources and major biogeochemical pathways of organic matter in the mangrove system of Rufiji estuary, Chemistry and Ecology, DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2019.1600681.
  13. Shovi Furaeli Sawe, Daniel Abel Shilla & John Ferdinand Machiwa (2019) Assessment of enrichment, geo-accumulation and ecological risk of heavy metals in surface sediments of the Msimbazi mangrove ecosystem, coast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Chemistry and Ecology, 35:9, 835-845, DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2019.1663344
  14. Alistidia PM, Daniel AS, and John FM, (2018). Differences in trophic resources and niches of two juvenile predatory species in three Pangani estuarine zones, Tanzania: stomach contents and stable isotope approaches. J of Biol Res-Thessaloniki 25(13) 1-16
  15. Alistidia Paul Mwijage, Daniel Abel Shilla, John F. Machiwa Jing Zangh, Wang Fuqiang, Wu Ying (2018). Important Organic Matter Sources and Trophic Pathways for the Nutrition of Hilsa kelee (Cuvier, 1829) and Valamugil buchanani (Bleeker, 1853) in Pangani Macro-tidal estuary, Tanzania. Chemistry and Ecology, 34:10, 941-963, DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2018.1520845
  16. Rehema Ulimboka and Daniel A. Shilla (2018) Assessment of macroinvertebrates distribution and diversity in Kizinga River, Dar es Salaam Tanzania. Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute Proceedings of the Eleventh TAWIRI Scientific Conference; Arusha, Tanzania, December 6th – 8th 2017. 39-52pp
  17. Alistidia PM, Daniel AS, and John FM, (2017) Diet dynamics and feeding strategies of Hilsa kelee (Cuvier, 1829) and Valamugil buchanani (Bleeker, 1853) in the Pangani Estuary, Tanzania: Insights from stomach contents and fatty acid biomarkers. WIO Journal of Marine Science 16 (2) 53-68
  18. Daniel Abel Shilla (2016). Distribution of Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn in the marine coastal region of Zanzibar (Tanzanian archipelago, East Africa), Chemistry and Ecology, 32 (8) 774-785
  19. D. Shilla (2014). Fluxes and retention of nutrients and organic carbon in Manko estuary, Okinawa, Japan: influence of river discharge variations, Advances in Oceanography and Limnology. 5 (2), 141-163
  20. D. Shilla (2014). Chemical and isotopic composition of estuarine organic matter: implications for the relative contribution and reactivity of anthropogenic sources of organic matter, Advances in Oceanography and Limnology. 5 (2), 164-183
  21. Dativa J. Shilla & Daniel Abel Shilla, 2012. Effects of riparian vegetation and bottom substrate on macroinvertebrate communities at selected sites in the Otara Creek, New Zealand, Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences, 9:3, 131-150
  22. Shilla, D. A. and Dativa J., 2011. Speciation of heavy metals in sediments from the Scheldt estuary, Belgium. Chemistry and Ecology.27 (1):1-11.
  23. Dativa J. Shilla, Makoto Tsuchiya & Daniel A. Shilla (2011): Terrigenous nutrient and organic matter in a subtropical river estuary, Okinawa, Japan: origin, distribution and pattern across the estuarine salinity gradient, Chemistry and Ecology, 27:6, 523-542
  24. Dativa, J., and Shilla, D.A., 2011. The effects of catchment land use on water quality and macroinvertebrate communities in Otara creek, New Zealand. Chemistry and Ecology. 27 (5): 445-460.
  25. Daniel Abel Shilla, Takashi Asaeda, Martin Kalibbala., 2009. Phosphorus speciation in Myall Lake sediment, NSW, Australia. Wetlands Ecology and Management 17 (2): 85-91.
  26. Shilla, D. A., Qadah, D., Kalibbala, M., 2008. Distribution of heavy metals in dissolved, particulate and biota in the Scheldt estuary, Belgium. Journal of Chemistry and Ecology. 24 (1): 61 – 74
  27. Martin, K., Aloyce W. M., Takashi A., and Shilla D. A., 2008. Modelling faecal streptococci mortality in constructed wetlands implanted with Eichhornia crassipes. Wetlands Ecology and Management. 16 (6) 499-510.
  28. Shilla, D. A., and Dativa Joseph, 2008. Biomass dynamics of charophyte-dominated submerged macrophyte communities in Myall Lake, NSW, Australia. Chemistry and Ecology 24 (5): 367 – 377
  29. Daniel Shilla, Takashi Asaeda, Takeshi Fujino, Brian Sanderson., 2006. Decomposition of dominant submerged macrophytes: Implications for nutrient release in Myall Lake, NSW, Australia. Wetlands Ecology and Management. 14 (5): 427-433.
  30. Shilla, D. A., Takashi, A., Kian, S., Hemantha L. R., Manatunge, J., 2006. Phosphorus concentration in sediment, water and tissues of three submerged macrophytes of Myall Lake, Australia. Wetlands Ecol Manage. 14 (6): 549-558.