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Abstract
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Article Information:
The Distribution and Seasonality of Zooplankton in Sombreiro River, Niger Delta, Nigeria
E.N. Ezekiel, E.N. Ogamba and J.F.N. Abowei
Corresponding Author: Abowei Jasper
Submitted: 2011 February, 18
Accepted: 2011 March, 12
Published: 2011 May, 05 |
Abstract:
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The distribution and seasonality of zooplankton in Sombreiro River of the, Niger Delta area in
Nigeria was studied for a period of two years (August, 2007-July, 2009). All the zooplankton species occurred
in all the stations except Mysis sp that was not recorded in station 4 (Odiemudie). Also all the stations recorded
seventeen species (17) each except station 4 (Odiemudie) that had sixteen (16) species. Five species of
Cladocera occurred in all the stations and were fairly distributed. In station 2 Alonella costata was the highest
(35.7%). This was followed by Moina cacrocapa (34.2%) station 2 (Ogbele). Five species of Copepoda were
fairly distributed in all the stations. Acanthocyclops, carinetus (53.1%) was the highest in station 1. This was
followed by Cyclops stenuis (47.2%) station 1. Only one specie of Decapod crustacean was recorded. This was
recorded in station 1, 2 and 3 but absent in station 4. Station 1 had the highest percentage of 44.9 followed by
station 3 with 28.6%. Only one specie of Euphasiacea (Meganicilphanes norvegia) was recorded and it occurred
in all the stations with station 1 having the highest percentage of 41.8 followed by station 4 (24.1%). Three
species of Protozoa were recorded in all the stations. They were fairly distributed. Tintinopsis senensis was the
highest in station 3 with a percentage occurance of 45.8. This was followed by Halteria sp. (39.2%) in station
3 also. The two species of Rotifera were also fairly distributed in all the stations. Brachionus falcatus was the
highest in station 3 followed by Brachionus calyciflorus (32.3) in station 3 also. Annual variation result showed
that Paracyclops fimbriatus had the highest mean value 20.417±10.422 (August 2007 - July 2008),
17.333±9.306 (August 2008 - July 2009). This was followed by Cyclops stenuis 18.167±12.494 (August 2007 -
July 2008) 16.250±10.847 (August 2008 - July 2009) and Meganicliphanes norvegia 17.417±11.540 (August
2007 - July 2008), 14.667±6.596 (August 2008 - July 2009). The least was Mysis sp. 2.083±2.539 (August 2007
- July 2008), 2.833±3.857 (August 2008 - July 2009). There was no significant variation in the mean values
of the two years studied 10.123±0.5656 (August 2007 - July 2008), 9.220 ± 0.4679 (August 2008 - July 2009).
Seasonal variations occurred in the abundance of Acanthocyclops carinetus (10.822±8.176 Wet, 22.714±10.209
Dry) and Mysis sp. (1.236±2.411 Wet, 5.429±3.101 Dry). Other species did not show significant variations. The
mean of the wet and dry season showed significant variation 8.799±0.418 wet and 11.790±0.707 dry. For the
4 stations studied diversity (S) ranged between 16 species (Odiemudie) and 17 species (Degema, Ogbele and
Ihuaba). Abundance of individuals (N) of the stations ranged between 708 (Odiemudie and 1202 (Degema).
Margalef index (d) values ranged between 2.256 (Degema) and 2.345 (Ogbele). The values for Shannon-Wiener
index (H) ranged between 1.074 (Degema) and 1.204 (Ogbele). Pielou’s index of relative density or evenness
were between 0.870 (Degema) and 0.978 (Ogbele). Simpsin’s Dominance Index (C) ranged between 0.065
(Ogbele) and 0.107 (Degema).
Key words: Distribution, Niger Delta, Nigeria, seasonality, Sombreiro River, Zooplankton,
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Cite this Reference:
E.N. Ezekiel, E.N. Ogamba and J.F.N. Abowei, . The Distribution and Seasonality of Zooplankton in Sombreiro River, Niger Delta, Nigeria. Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences, (3): 234-239.
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ISSN (Online): 2041-0778
ISSN (Print): 2041-076X |
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