Abstract
The upsurge pressure from natural and anthropogenic agents at the Kwa Iboe River ecology necessitates the exploration of the association of area morphology and particulate matters’ distributions with a view to developing sound policy for the protection and sustainability of its heritage. This study uses direct field survey and laboratory techniques. The area morphology of the Kwa Iboe River Basin (KIRB) was delineated using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission on a 30 meter resolution for the determination its size. Using stratified and systematic sampling methods, eight sampled sub-units comprising one first-order stream, six fourth order tributaries, and the estuary were selected. A set of core bedload samples were collected along each transect during the months of November (2017), February (2018), and July (2018); homogenized, treated, and analyzed to ensure standard compliance to the National Research Laboratory Umudike. Data generated were analyzed descriptively and inferentially. The results showed the dominant of mean sand fraction across seasons and sub-basins. A linear regression model of the influence of area morphology on the distributions of particulate matters generated a high coefficient of 0.954 that explained 90.9 percent of the total variance. The analysis of variance test of the influence at 0.05 confidence level showed that variations in area morphology have no significant influence on particulate matters’ (sand, silt, clay, organic matter, and organic carbon) distributions in KIRB. The study recommended (i) strict implementation of the basin management plans to avert natural and anthropogenic activities that accelerate siltation and drying of Kwa Iboe River tributaries, losses of terrestrial habitats, and pollution of surface water. (ii) Enforcement of existing laws to facilitate stringent control of human exploitative excesses with obvious negative implications on the KIRB ecology in this post-modern age.
Highlights
The image (Raster) was used for watershed delineation and in derivation of the morphology area was complemented with the topographic maps (Afikpo 313 SW; Ikot Ekpene 322 NE; 322 SW) each produced on a scale of 1:50,000 by Federal Survey, Lagos to avert the limitation of dense vegetation that eclipsed the river channel in the satellite imagery (Raster)
The characters of particulate matters are examined with a view to ascertaining the effect, association and variation of area morphology on particulate matters’ distributions across seasons and locations in the Kwa Iboe River
The incidences of sediment and waste mantle accumulation at the upper and middle sub-basins directly relate high topography, geology and soil classes which increase the area vulnerability to varying degrees of geomorphic hazards such as gully/rill erosion, channel migration, silting and drying up of first-order streams especially at the upstream and middle stream areas as accelerated by high rate of infiltration capacity associated with dominant sand particles
Summary
The quantitative analyses of area morphology of distinct rivers within the humid Tropics have been applied in geomorphic researches such as [1,2,3], but with much variances in contexts, contents, methods and ideologies. Matters’ Distributions on the Kwa Iboe River Basin Restoration, Southeastern Nigeria the applications of remote sensing and allied technologies in the derivations and quantitative assessments of morphological attributes had attracted attention in India [4]; Oba River [5] and in Ikpa River [2, 3]. The attempts to elucidate the effect of area morphology on particulate matters’ distributions and the corresponding implication on river ecosystem protection and restoration within the Southeastern Nigeria are rather eclipsed in this 21st century. If such study is conducted at a basin scale, the geologic and geographic structures that control the watershed as well as the landform evolution and denudational history can be comprehend and elucidate
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