Abstract
Studies were carried out on the distribution and abundance of plankton in Awba stream and reservoir, University of Ibadan over a period of four months between November 2011 and February 2012. Studies were carried out at four selected stations comprising station 1 as the entry point of the stream into the University, which also served as the control, station 2 receiving sewage, station 3 downstream along the stream and at a point along Awba Reservoir serving as station 4. 1 ml aliquot of each plankton sample from the study stations were examined under a binocular microscope while identification of the plankton was carried out using standard textbooks. The results of the phytoplankton indicated the absence of Microcystis flos-aquae, Agmenellum and Oscillatoria limnetica in station 1 while members of the family bacillariophyceae appeared at all stations. All species of chlorophyceae family except Spirogyra were peculiarly absent at station 2. Other phytoplankton representatives at this point (station 2) included Microcystis, Anabaena, Oscillatoria and Melosira. Paramecium was the only zooplankton group that was absent in station 1 but the only species presented in station 2. This station also revealed the lowest diversity indices and very low or no Jaccards coefficient of similarity with the other stations. The overall differences observed in the abundance, species richness, Margalef and Shannon-Wiener indices of diversity of plankton in the study reveal self purification or recovery downstream from the effluent discharge.
Highlights
The human inputs of complex mixture of domestic effluents from halls of residences and other sources in the University of Ibadan could lead to ecosystem perturbation consequences in Awba stream and Reservoir
The use of diverse methods for water quality monitoring is of importance to the management of fisheries, pollution, water supply, sewage treatment reservoirs and freshwater impoundments [1]
Changes and variations in the water quality are reflected in the biotic community structure in which the most vulnerable die while the most sensitive species survive to act as indicators of pollution
Summary
The effects of these effluents on the water quality, aquatic life and the maintenance of a hitherto viable safety of humans environmentally or occupationally exposed to the perturbation are of primary ecological concern. The use of diverse methods for water quality monitoring is of importance to the management of fisheries, pollution, water supply, sewage treatment reservoirs and freshwater impoundments [1]. This involves the assessment of water quality which is a function indicative of the pollution status of the water body. The high degree of variability in natural ecosystems as well as in modified ones and the complexity of diverse organism reactions to stress from effluents limit the use and adoption of a uniform approach in biological assessment [2]
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