Limnological Studies of Gombe Abba River, Dukku Local Government Area of Gombe State, Nigeria
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International Journal of Research and Review Vol.7; Issue: 7; July 2020 Website: www.ijrrjournal.com Original Research Article E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237 Limnological Studies of Gombe Abba River, Dukku Local Government Area of Gombe State, Nigeria Mohammed Halima Baba1, Haruna Saidu1, Usman Umar Faruk2, Alkali Alhassan2 1Department of Biological Sciences, Gombe State University, Gombe, Nigeria 2Department of Biological Sciences, Yobe State University Damaturu, Nigeria. Corresponding Author: Usman Umar Faruk ABSTRACT of genera richness were 6.3605, 4.2404, 3.5336 and 1.4134 respectively. A total of 1058 Phytoplankton and Zooplanktons species zooplankton encompass of 15 numbers of constitute an important step of food chain in genera amongst the three zooplankton taxa of Lake Ecosystem but the increase in the use of Cladocera, Copepoda and Rotifers were excessive agricultural chemical possess a thread determined. The Rotifers were the most to their availability. This thus necessitates the abundant zooplankton taxon comprising 43.67% need to study the occurrence and distribution of of the zooplankton abundance followed by plankton species in Gombe-Abba River with a Copepoda with 31.29% and Cladocera with view to determine their relationship with 25.05%. The Simpson’s species diversity index physicochemical parameters. Four sampling for the three zooplankton taxa of Cladocera, stations were chosen for the study. Copepoda and Rotifera were, 0.0626, 0.0977 Phytoplankton and Zooplankton were sampled and 0.1905 respectively while the Margalef from the reservoir with the aid of plankton net. index of genera richness of Cladocera, Physicochemical characteristics of the water Copepoda and Rotifera were 2.5508, 2.5508 and were measured in situ fortnightly. These 5.1016 respectively. Study of composition and parameters include air Temperature, water abundance of plankton were found to vary with temperature, pH, Electrical conductivity, Total the variation in the physicochemical parameters dissolved solid, Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen suggesting that the river is moderately polluted. and their various results were found to be at ranged between 32.62-33.330C, 25.55-260C, Keyword: Limnological, Gombe Abba River. 7.13-7.67, 114.3-116.6, 61.51-63.46mg/L, 5.01- 5.27mg/L, 4.69-4.76mg/L respectively, while INTRODUCTION Biological oxygen Demand, Nitrates, and Water is a fundamental human need Phosphates ranged between 2.05-2.12, 14.73- and most important in shaping the land and 15.19mg/L, 10.95-11.63 mg/L respectively. A regulating the climate. It is one of the most total of 2546 phytoplankton were identified important compounds that greatly influence consisting of four genera which are Baccillariophyta Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and life and two thirds of the earth’s surface is Euglenophyta occurring as the dominant covered by water. The quality of water is phytoplankton species observed during the study usually described according to its physical, time. Baccillariophyta has 1037 individuals chemical and biological characteristics. The accounting for 40.73% of the total population of availability of water determines the location phytoplankton followed by Chlorophyta 28.40% and anthropogenic activities has put water Cyanophyta 19.17% Euglenophyta with 11.7%. bodies under pressure (Li et al., The Simpson’s species diversity index for the 2009).Rapid industrialization and four phytoplankton taxa Baccillariophyta, indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and Euglenophyta and pesticides in agriculture are causing were found to be 0.1658, 0.0805, 0.0367 and heavy and varied pollution in aquatic 0.0134 respectively while the Margalef indexes International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 455 Vol.7; Issue: 7; July 2020 Mohammed Halima Baba et.al. Limnological studies of Gombe Abba river, Dukku local government area of Gombe State, Nigeria environment leading to deterioration of This study therefore provide and water quality and depletion of aquatic biota. promote information on water quality and Physical, chemical and biological factors of macro invertebrate potentials of Gombe a given water body interact and influence its Abba River as well as sustainable use of the productivity (Balarabe, 2000). The reservoir resources for benefit of both interaction of physical, chemical and human and livestock in the community. The biological properties of water most often species composition, distribution, diversity lead to the production of phytoplankton, and relative abundance of the river could while their assemblages are influenced by have significant impact on public health of these factors. Thus any change in these the inhabitant of the vicinity of the river factors may affect the diversity and (Mustapha, 2011). distribution of plankton (Mustapha, 2011).Several factors usually contribute to MATERIALS AND METHODS the establishment of plankton communities STUDY SITE in a reservoir, among which are good water Sample collection was conducted at quality, presence of nutrients, Gombe-Abba River in Dukku local physicochemical factors of water, government area of Gombe State. The area hydrological characteristics of the reservoirs is located at latitude 140N and longitude and reservoir ageing. Phytoplankton are the 140E. This area is characterized by mean most important factor for production of annual rainfall range (1200mm- 1500mm) organic matter in aquatic ecosystem and the temperature characteristics are reservoirs will require significant amount of typical of West African savanna climate. plankton to be reproductive. Agricultural activities are carried out along Limnological studies provide baseline for the river bank. The river channel supplied proper decision making on biological the neighboring community with drinking problems associated with water quality water and use in household. (Ajuzie, 2012). Gombe Abba River has not been an SAMPLING PROCEDURE exception. Been that the area is located in Sampling was carried out monthly Dukku local government; it serves as a from each sampling station. Water samples measure source of water for irrigation, were collected in the morning and were farming activities and other domestic usage sampled at surface of level by dipping 1 liter to the local inhabitant. Such intense plastic sampling bottle sliding over the most irrigation during the annual draw down upper surface of the water dragging it period has accelerated the rate of gradual against the water current to permit silting up of the River, thereby threatening undisturbed passage of the water in to the the livelihood of the people as well as the bottle. life of the aquatic biota. Also, increase in human population growth coupled together SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS OF with the activities taking place around that PHYTOPLANKTON stream has led to habitat destruction, leaving Phytoplankton was sampled from the many species isolated on fragments of land reservoir with the aid of plankton net (Made and water. This has severely affected the of bolting cloth with a fine aperture of macro-fauna thriving around that region. 0.0lmm, 25cm long, and small bottle For the purpose of conserving the microbial container attached to the narrow end of the community, it is thus crucial to determine net) it has an opening, of about 20cm the abundance of these indigenous species diameter. At each station, the net was sunk with the potential factors affecting their just beneath the water surface and towed for distribution and composition. a distance of 1 meter. Collected water samples were transferred to small plastic International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 456 Vol.7; Issue: 7; July 2020 Mohammed Halima Baba et.al. Limnological studies of Gombe Abba river, Dukku local government area of Gombe State, Nigeria bottles and preserved in 4% neutral formalin invisible. The depth of disappearance and and 3 drops of lugol iodine. The collection reappearance was measured to the nearest from each station was taken to the centimeter this was repeated three times and laboratory for identification as described by the average was taken. Vuurenet al., 2006. Determination of Conductivity SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS OF Conductivity was measured with WTW 320 ZOOPLANKTON conductivity meter. Water samples were Zooplankton were collected using a placed into clean beakers, conductance cell silk plankton net of 20cm diameter and 70 of the meter was immersed in μs/cm then meshes/cm attached with a 50ml capacity readings were obtained, the cell is rinsed in bottle at base. At each station, collection a beaker with distilled water after each was done by sinking the net and towed reading. through a distance of 1 meter. The sample was then poured into plastic bottle of 70ml Determination of Biological Oxygen capacity and preserved in three drop of Demand iodine. Counting was done using drop For the determination of Biochemical method and then mounted on a microscope oxygen demand, 100ml of water samples for identification. Identification was carried were incubated at room temperature (25°C) out using various keys described by Witty, for a period of four days; in the dark after (2004). addition of 2ml manganese chloride solution Water samples were then transported to the the resultant precipitate was then dissolved laboratory for the analysis of physico- by the addition of 2ml concentrated H2SO4. chemical and biological parameters. The The difference obtained between the initial research covered a period of six months dissolved oxygen and the final dissolved