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The Plankton Assemblage and Water Quality of Otamiri River Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State Nigeria.
This Research work on the Plankton Assemblage and Water Quality of Otamiri River, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria was carried out between August and January, 2024.The aim of the study is to identify the plankton assemblage in Otamiri River and to determine how they are affected by water quality for National recognition and scientific recommendation, the specific objectives include: to determine the physico- chemical parameters of the river; evaluate phytoplankton and zooplankton species composition, abundance, richness and diversity; evaluate the effect of the physico-chemical parameters on the phytoplankton and zooplankton population. Samples and data were taken from the three stations along the river using standard methods, procedures and instruments. Biostatistical evaluation was carried out using ANOVA, Duncan Multiple Range Test and Pearson’s correlation to test the relationship between various parameters at significance level of p < 0.05. The mean of some parameters studied were temperature 24.10± 0.88o C, depth 5.21 ± 2.10 m, turbidity 97.03 ± 4.10 cm, pH 7.10 ± 0.10, electrical conductivity 127.38 ± 0.66 µS/cm, total dissolved solids 17.78 ± 0.11 mg/l, hardness 90.40 ± 0.17 mg/l CaCO3, dissolved oxygen 6.37 ± 0.17 mg/l, biochemical oxygen demand 2.92 ± 0.41 mg/l. Temperature, electrical conductivity, pH and total dissolved solids varied significantly across the stations. Temperature, pH, electrical conductivity and hardness were significantly higher during the dry months. The result obtained indicated phytoplankton percentage composition as; Chlorophyta (368, 43.09%), Bacillariophyta (242, 28.34%), Cyanophyta (138, 16.16%), and Dinophyta (106, 12.41%) while Zooplankton percentage composition were Arthropoda (256, 42.31%), Rotifera (198, 32.73%), Ciliopora (73, 12.07%), and Cnidaria (78, 12.89%). In summary therefore, the higher number of phytoplankton obtained during the study can be used to access the biological integrity of the river as phytoplankton reflect the nutrient status of the environment. Farming activities contribute to nutrient enrichment of the river as nitrates and phosphates from fertilizers are washed into the river. Water quality of the river is influenced by anthropogenic activities such as runoffs of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides; the river water is suitable for irrigational and domestic purposes in terms of most of the physico-chemical and biological parameters analyzed. Hence, there is need for stringent regulatory policies and effective anthropogenic inputs control program in the water to enhance productivity of the river.
Keywords: Phytoplanktons, Zooplanktons, Physicochemical parameters, Otamiri River