Authors :
NWAUHIARA MICHAEL OBINNA; NWACHUKWU MICHAEL AMAMECHI; UMUNNAKWE JOHNBOSCO EMEKA
Volume/Issue :
Volume 7 - 2022, Issue 4 - April
Google Scholar :
https://bit.ly/3IIfn9N
Scribd :
https://bit.ly/3w8bTJf
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6525965
Abstract :
This study was carried out between June 2019
and January 2020 within which plankton samples were
collected in the wet and dry seasons, for four months and
across four stations of the Creek. Samples for
Phytoplankton analysis were collected by obtaining 1litre
of the water sample fetched 5 cm below the surface at each
sampling station. Whereas samples for Zooplankton
analysis were obtained by straining 50 liters of water
through a plankton net of (55 µm). both samples for
Phytoplankton and Zooplankton analysis were preserved
with 4% formalin in which a few drops of Rose Bengal
stain had been added. Measurement, Identification, and
Counting of plankton species were carried out in the
laboratory using standard methods, equipment, and
checklists. A total of 16 species of Phytoplankton
belonging to 4 classes and 21 species of Zooplankton
belonging to 7 classes were encountered and identified
during the study periods for all stations, months, and
seasons. The result shows that BACILLARIOPHYCEAE
was the most abundant Phytoplankton class with a
percentage composition of 42% and 44% in wet and dry
seasons respectively. Whereas, CHLOROPHYCEAE and
CYANOPHYCEAE had a percentage composition of 37%
and 15% for the wet season and 24% and 17% for the dry
season. EUGLENOPHYCEAE had the lowest percentage
of 6% and 15% for wet and dry seasons respectively.
Crucigenia sp (25±15) were the most abundant
Phytoplankton speciesin Station 1. For Station 2, the most
abundant species observed were Melosira varians (25±19),
whereas Melosira radiate was the most abundant species
observed in Station 3 (35±29) and Station 4 (37±31). There
was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the spatial
variation of different species of Phytoplankton. For
Zooplankton species, COPEPODA were the most
abundant Zooplankton class with a percentage
composition of 60.2% and 39.5% for wet and dry season
respectively. PROTOZOA, CLADOCERA, and
ROTIFERA had a percentage composition of 19.7%,
6.8%, and 10.3% for the wet season and 22.9%, 12.7%,
and 11.9% for the dry season respectively. The least
abundant class was CRUSTACEA with 0.2% in the wet
season and INSECTA with 1.2% in the dry season.
Centropages typicus (27±22) were the most abundant
Zooplankton species in Station 1. For Station 2, the most
abundant species observed were Anomalocera patersoni
(10±6) whereas Eucyclops serrulatus were the most
abundant species observed in Station 3 (27±24) and
Station 4 (45±37). There was no significant difference
(p>0.05) in the spatial variation of the different species of
Zooplankton. The study showed that the discharge of
abattoir wastes into Woji Creek resulted in an increase in
the abundance of Phytoplankton especially those of algal
origin which are pollution bio-indicators thereby causing
eutrophication of the waterbody, the study also showed
seasonal implications to the abundance of the plankton
species.
Keywords :
Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Abattoir Wastes, and Creek.
This study was carried out between June 2019
and January 2020 within which plankton samples were
collected in the wet and dry seasons, for four months and
across four stations of the Creek. Samples for
Phytoplankton analysis were collected by obtaining 1litre
of the water sample fetched 5 cm below the surface at each
sampling station. Whereas samples for Zooplankton
analysis were obtained by straining 50 liters of water
through a plankton net of (55 µm). both samples for
Phytoplankton and Zooplankton analysis were preserved
with 4% formalin in which a few drops of Rose Bengal
stain had been added. Measurement, Identification, and
Counting of plankton species were carried out in the
laboratory using standard methods, equipment, and
checklists. A total of 16 species of Phytoplankton
belonging to 4 classes and 21 species of Zooplankton
belonging to 7 classes were encountered and identified
during the study periods for all stations, months, and
seasons. The result shows that BACILLARIOPHYCEAE
was the most abundant Phytoplankton class with a
percentage composition of 42% and 44% in wet and dry
seasons respectively. Whereas, CHLOROPHYCEAE and
CYANOPHYCEAE had a percentage composition of 37%
and 15% for the wet season and 24% and 17% for the dry
season. EUGLENOPHYCEAE had the lowest percentage
of 6% and 15% for wet and dry seasons respectively.
Crucigenia sp (25±15) were the most abundant
Phytoplankton speciesin Station 1. For Station 2, the most
abundant species observed were Melosira varians (25±19),
whereas Melosira radiate was the most abundant species
observed in Station 3 (35±29) and Station 4 (37±31). There
was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the spatial
variation of different species of Phytoplankton. For
Zooplankton species, COPEPODA were the most
abundant Zooplankton class with a percentage
composition of 60.2% and 39.5% for wet and dry season
respectively. PROTOZOA, CLADOCERA, and
ROTIFERA had a percentage composition of 19.7%,
6.8%, and 10.3% for the wet season and 22.9%, 12.7%,
and 11.9% for the dry season respectively. The least
abundant class was CRUSTACEA with 0.2% in the wet
season and INSECTA with 1.2% in the dry season.
Centropages typicus (27±22) were the most abundant
Zooplankton species in Station 1. For Station 2, the most
abundant species observed were Anomalocera patersoni
(10±6) whereas Eucyclops serrulatus were the most
abundant species observed in Station 3 (27±24) and
Station 4 (45±37). There was no significant difference
(p>0.05) in the spatial variation of the different species of
Zooplankton. The study showed that the discharge of
abattoir wastes into Woji Creek resulted in an increase in
the abundance of Phytoplankton especially those of algal
origin which are pollution bio-indicators thereby causing
eutrophication of the waterbody, the study also showed
seasonal implications to the abundance of the plankton
species.
Keywords :
Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Abattoir Wastes, and Creek.