Abundance and Diversity of Plankton of Ekerekana and Okochiri Creeks in the Upper Bonny Estuary, Nigeria.
Abstract
The Ekerekana and Okochiri creeks in the upper Bonny Estuary, Rivers State, Nigeria is prone to effluent discharge from industries located in the area. The plankton of the creeks and the adjoining river were assessed for
diversity and abundance. Twenty three stations grouped into six zones were sampled. Samples were collected in September 2014 (wet season) and February 2015 (dry season) to reflect spatial and temporal dynamics. Twenty three samples were collected in each season making a total of forty six samples for adequate coverage of the study area. The abundance and diversity of phytoplankton was generally poor. Density of most species differed significantly (p<0.05) between zone A and other zones and also between zone D and other zones, suggesting the impact of effluent discharge on the micro algal community, as seen in the low diversity indices at zone D. Zooplankton abundance was least at zones A (4%) and F (3%) with significant difference (p<0.01) observed between zone D and other zones and also between zones A & F and other zones. Cluster analysis after fourth root transformation of abundance data showed differences in similarity between zones. The differences between zones could be due to spatial scale of impact vis-à-vis anthropogenic activities in the study area. The generally observed poor abundance and diversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton of the Ekerekana/Okochiri creeks and the adjoining river suggest a deteriorating aquatic system.
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References
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