Effects of prevailing anthropogenic and environmental factors on fauna composition and distribution of zooplankton in Ethiope River, Delta State, Nigeria

Paper Details

Research Paper 01/12/2019
Views (470) Download (46)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

Effects of prevailing anthropogenic and environmental factors on fauna composition and distribution of zooplankton in Ethiope River, Delta State, Nigeria

Osaro Hilda Erhenhi, Osasele Michael Omoigberale
Int. J. Biosci.15( 6), 313-324, December 2019.
Certificate: IJB 2019 [Generate Certificate]

Abstract

This study was aimed at evaluating composition and distribution of zooplankton fauna of River Ethiope, Delta State, Nigeria. Sampling and survey of zooplankton was carried out for 24 (twenty four) months (January, 2016 to December, 2017) across the wet and dry seasons. Five designated stations were sampled with varying anthropogenic activities along the river stretch. The five stations included station1 (Umuaja) which is the main source of the river, station 2 (Umutu), station 3 (Ubiaruku), station 4 (Abraka) and Station 5(Eku).  The zooplankton species recorded in the study comprised of one thousand six hundred and sixty two individuals. A total of 47 zooplankton taxa comprising 19 Copepoda, 7 rotifers and 21 Cladocera species were encountered during the study period. The Copepoda was the most abundant constituting (45%) followed by theCladocera (40%) and Rotifera which accounted for 15%. Abundance was highest at stations 1 and 4. The dominant zooplankton was Tropocyclops prasinus, Mesocyclops bodanicola, Metacyclops minutes and Thermocyclops neglectus. The rotifers were dominated by Platyias lelupui and Lecane ungulate. The values of diversity (H), Evenness (E) and Dominance were highest at station 3, while species richness value (D) was highest at station 4. The similarity index (Bray Curtis) showed that stations 1 and 4, and stations 2 and 5 had the highest similarities. The results obtained showed variation in the composition and distribution in the stations.

VIEWS 46

Abowei JFN, Sikoki FD. 2005. Water Pollution Management and Control. Double Trust Publications company Port Harcourt, p 236.

Akbulut NE, Tavşanoglu UN. 2018. Impacts of environmental factors on zooplankton taxonomic diversity in coastal lagoons in Turkey. Turkish Journal of Zoology42, 68-78.

Bianchi F, Acri F, Aubry FB, Berton A, Boldrin A, Camatti E, Cassin D, Comasch AI. 2003. Can plankton communities be considered as bioindicators of water quality in the lagoon of VeniceMarine Pollution Bulletin 46, 964-971.

Dhanapathi MVS. 2000. Taxonomic Notes on the Rotifers from India (from 1889-2000). Indian Association of Aquatic Boilogists, Hyderabad, India. 178 pp.

Gurbuzer P, Buyurgan O, Tekatli C, Altindag A. 2017. Species diversity and community structure of zooplankton in three different types of water body within the Sakarya River Basin, Turkey. Turkish Journal of Zoology 41, 848-859.

Iloba KI, Ruejoma M. 2014. Physico-chemical characteristics and zooplankton of Ekpan River, Delta State, Nigeria International Journal of Agriculture and Biology Research 6(1), 8 – 30.

Iloba KI. 2019. Water properties and zooplankton diversity of Aghalokpe wetland in Delta State, Nigeria. Science World Journal 14(1), 164-170.

Imoobe TOT, Akoma OC. 2009. Spatia variaions in the composition and abundance of zooplankton in the Bahir DarGulf of Lake Tan, Ethiopia. African Journal of Ecology 48, 72-77.

Imoobe TOT. 2011. Characterization of the zooplankton community structure of polluted Eruvbi Stream Benin City, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Fisheries 8(1), 197-207.

Imoobe TOT, Adeyinka ML. 2009. Zooplankton-based assessment of the trophic state of a tropical forest river.Archive of Biological Science 61(4), 733-740.

Jakhar P. 2013. Role of phytoplankton and zooplankton as health indicators of aquatic ecosystem: A review. International Journal of Innovation Research Study 2(12), 489-500.

Jeppesen E, Kronvang B, Olesen JE, Audet J. Sondergaard M, Hoffmann CC, Andersen HE, Lauridsen TL, Liboriussen L, Larsen SE, Beklioglu M, Meerhoff M, Ozen A, Ozkan K. 2011. Climate change effects on nitrogen loading from cultivated catchments in Europe: implications for nitrogen retention, ecological state of lakes and adaptation. Hydrobiologia 663, 1–21.

Khanna DR, Bhutiani R,  Gagan M, Ginh G, Kumar D, Ahraf J. 2009. A study of zooplankton with special reference to the concentration of River Ganga at Haridwar. Environmental Conservation Journal 10(3), 15-20.

Molinero JC, Ibanez F, Nival P, Buecher IS, Souissi S. 2005.North Atlantic climate and north-western Mediterranean plankton variability Limnology and Oceanography 50, 1213-1220.

Ogbeibu AE. 1991. Hydrobiological characteristics of water bodies in the Okomu forest reserve (sanctuary), Benin, Nigeria. Ph.D. Thesis. University of Benin, Nigeria.

Xuelu GAO, Jinming S, Xuegang L. 2011.  Zooplankton spatial and diurnal variations in the Changjiang River estuary before operation of the Three Gorges Dam. China Journal of Oceanology and Limnology 29(3), 591-602.