Continental J.

Applied Sciences 6 (2): 66 - 76, 2011 Wilolud Journals, 2011 Printed in Nigeria

ISSN: 1597 9928 http://www.wiloludjournal.com

IMPACT OF- MUNICIPAL WASTE DISCHARGES ON DISTRIBUTION, DENSITY AND DIVERSITY OF EPIBENTHIC ALGAE COMMUNITY IN ELECHI CREEK, NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA. Gabriel, U.U.; and 2Akinrotimi, O.A Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Environment, Rivers State Univ. of Sc. and Tech. PMB 5080 Port Harcourt, 2African Regional Aquaculture Centre/Nigerian Institute for Ocenography and Marine Research, P.M.B. 5122. Port Harcourt, Nigeria
1 1

ABSTRACT: The effect of municipal wastes discharges on the distribution, density and diversity of epibenthic algae community in Elechi Creek, Port Harcourt, Nigeria was studied for nine months (April 2008- December 2008). Epibenthic algae were sample in triplicates from five stations for the period. The order of taxonomic diversity of epibenthic algae recorded was Bacillariophyceae, (0.663-2.843) > Cyanophyceae (2.141-2.744) > Euglenophycene (0.286-0.561): and species richness was Bacilliariophycene (2.195-3.7894), > Cyanophyceae (1.621-2.702) > Euglenophyceae (0.286-0.561). The order of species dominance was Euglenophyceae (0.500-0.956), > Bacillariophyceae (0.093-0.250) > Cyanophyceae (0.063-0.141) and eveness was Bacillariophyceae (90.723-1.220) > Cyanophyceae (0.692-0.888) > Euglenophyceae (0.0940.463). Pollution index (3.377) recorded during the study was fairly normal. Algae abundance ranged between 13.341.34 to 2168.41222.23 individual/cm2 with Oscillatoria sancta Scytonema lolfmanai and Neurosigma angulatum being the prominent species. In all, a total of 53 algae species were recorded with diatoms constituting (52.2%) of the species, followed by Cyanophyceae (42.13%) and Euglenophyceae (4.65%). KEYWORDS: Municipal wastes, benthic algae, diversity, distribution, pollution. INTRODUCTION The mass wetland of Elechi Creek (littoral region) receives diverse municipal wastes arising from domestic sources, agricultural and petty industrial activities from a high population density area, Diobu in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Municipal pollution is by far the largest and most common pollutants constituting the largest volume of waste pollutants discharged into receiving water (Clerk, 1986: Conte, 2007). These wastes are a collection of myriad substances of widely different properties. They are composed of liquid and solid wastes mostly rich in excess nutrients subject to aerobic and aerobic biodegradation causing death of fishes and phytoplankton due to resultant excessive eutrophication (Elmgren and Larsson, 2001). Mans efforts toward his economic needs accompanied by a steep increase in organization industrialization and agricultural activities have led to the ecosystem being threatened by the degradable influence of the municipal discharges disposed into them through surfaces run-offs in gutters and direct dumping (Clerk, 1986). No matter the sources, magnitude, quality, location, duration and types of these discharges, they have deleterious effects on the living aquatic (biota) resources on the corresponding beach including human health (Keith and Telliand, 1979; Lottermosa 1995). The degree of impact on the biota by environmental critical conditions may culminate in some species such as filter feeds being phased out of the aquatic ecosystem (Aizak 1978; Ambio 1990). Buttom fauna have been used for many years as bio-indicator organisms in pollution studies. This very diverse group of organisms let themselves easily for studies of this type (Wilhm, 1967; Wurtz 1995). They form rather stable communities, easy to collect and identify, and exhibit different tolerance levels to polluting agents. It is also quite easy to formulate species diversity indices for these organisms (Wilhm, 1967). Few studies have been conducted to assess the undesirability and degrading effects of these municipal wastes in the aquatic environment. These studies have been based on hazardous (lethal), sublethal and non-hazardous (nonchronic or non-lethal) substances depending on the natural danger or toxicity inherent in the wastes, assuming

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contact are feasible (Calamari and Chiaudani, 1984). The non-lethal or non-hazardous effects of municipal wastes on the aquatic environment have been studied extensively. For example, organic wastes disposed into the marine environment cause eutrophication which according to Hasler (1947) is a process of nutrient enrichment, favouring the growth of phytoplanktons. Similar observation was made by Imevbore (1965) in Eleiyele Reservoir, Ibadan, Nigeria. Studies carried out so far are mostly on plankton distribution of inland and coastal water bodies of Nigeria. These include Lake Kainji (Adeniji, 1973: 1978) Asejire River (Egborgie, 1979); Lamingo Lake in Plateau State (Khan and Ejike, 1984) Ikpoba River (Ogbeibu and Victor (1989); Bonny estuary (Chindah et al., 1993; Chinda 2003; Ogamba et al., 2005) and Miniueja Swamp Forest Stream in Eastern Niger Delta, Nigeria (Braide et al., 2004). Few works, Ogbogu and Hassan (1996); Baykal et al., (2000), Ogbogo and Olajide (2002) Koteswari and Ramanibai (2005) available on urbanization, municipal and human wastes characteristics and their effects on streams rivers, coastal waters in Nigeria these studies detailed the impact of such on the receiving water bodies. This paper therefore reports the impacts of municipal wastes on the epibenthic algae community in Elechi creek considering the socio-economic strategic location of the creek, in Rivers State which has not hitherto been reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study area is the strip of wet land behind the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (UST), Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The study area lies southwest of Port Harcourt within the upper limits of the Bonny Estuary located between Agip Oil Company and Timber Market, behind the Rivers State University of Science and Technology. It is located within Longitude 6044" and 7023" and Latitude 4038" and 505' E in the Eastern part of the Niger Delta (Fig. 1). The area receives a lot of domestic and industrial wastes from Diobu municipality and adjoining settlements. It is subjected to tidal influences with little fresh water inputs on the upper-limit and brackish water inputs on the lower limit. Five sample stations were established for monthly sampling, from April 2007 to December 2007, during ebb tide at the intertidal zone. The sampling stations were located around the following areas (1) Residential building close to Agip Oil Company, (2) The UST Fish pond, (3) A channel along the UST lecture building and (4) the Timber Market (right) the timber market beach/piggery farm (left). The stations are about 100 meters apart. Samples for the epibenthic algal species analysis were collected in triplicate by carefully scraping the top substrate to a depth of about 0.2cm with razor blade and emptied into marked plastic vials, between the hours of 7am and 10am once every month. The samples collected were transferred to the laboratory, where they were analyzed for algal species biomass, identification and enumeration. In the laboratory, sample was fixed with 5.0mls of 5% formalin solution. Sub sample (1ml) of the well homogenized samples (that is the original stock) was collected with a pipette. The pipette content was transferred into a sedge wick-rafter counting chamber for enumeration using a Lietz binocular microscope (Mag. At 400 X and 1000X). The reports of Mills (1932), Sieminska (1964), Patrick and Reimer (1966), Durand and Leveque (1980) and Chindah and Pudo (1991) were used as guidelines for the identification of the organisms. RESULTS A total of 53 species occurred in the epibenthic algal samples (Tables 1 and 2). Bacilla riophyceae (diatoms) was represented by 27 species (52.2%) of the entire taxa of epibenthic algae in the five stations; 22 species (43.14%) belonged to Cyanophyceae and Euglenophyceae (4.65%) represented by 3 taxa. The most prominent species was Pheurosigma angulatum. It had a maximum mean density (30,048 individuals/cm2) in station 4 and lowest mean density (5,480 individuals cm2) in station 1. Amongst the Cyanophyceae (blue green algae), the most dominant species was Oscillatoria sancta with a peak mean density (78468 individuals/cm2) in April and the lowest mean density (465 individuals/cm2) in station 2. Euglenocus was the most abundant species amongst the Euglenophyceae with maximum mean density 28,685 individuals/cm2) recorded in April and minimum mean density (170 individuals/cm2) in June. The maximum mean density (13,818 individuals / cm2) occurred in station 1 and minimum mean density (4,288 individuals /cm2) in station 4. The species diversity for Bacillariophyceae ranged from 2.435 to 2.671; Cyanophyceae, 2.703 to 2.744 and Euglenophyceae 0.638 to 2.655 in the months (Table 3). Margalefs richness for Bacillariophyceae was 2.195 to 3.789, Cyanophyceae, 1.627 to 2.702 and Euglenophyceae,

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Gabriel, U.U. and Akinrotimi, O.A: Continental J. Applied Sciences 6 (2): 66 - 76, 2011

0.286 to 0.561. Evenness index was 0.809 for all the community structure, while dominance index for Bacillariophyceae had a range between 0.058 and 0.936, whilst, that for Euglenophyceae was 0.676.

Figure 1:Map of Niger delta showing the sampling sites At the various stations, Shannon-Weiner diversity index for Bacillariophyceae was 2.033 to 2.840, Cyanophyceae, 2.141 to 2.719 and Euglenophyceae, 0.146 to 0.910; Margalets richness index showed that Bacillariophyceae had 2.355 to 2.507, Cyanophyceae, 1.755 to 1.921 and Euglenophyceae, 0.314 to 0.340. Evenness range from 0.723 to 1.220 for Bacillariophyceae: Cyanophyceae, 0.692 to 0.857 and Euglenophyceae, 0.094 to 0.657. Dominance index ranged for Bacillariophyceae was 0.104 to 0.250; Cyanophyceae, 0.090 to 0.141 and Euglenophyceae 0.500 to 0.956, respectively (Table 4). DISCUSSION The number of taxa and epibenthic algae species in the present the study was fewer than that reported in the same creek by Chindah et al. (1993). It can therefore be inferred that the dumping of municipal wastes caused a reduction in the number of epibenthic algae in the creek. Three numbers of lava and 53 epibenthic species were reported in this present study compared to 193 species in Chindah et al. (1993). The difference in the number of this taxa, and individuals between these two reports confirms the deteriorative impact of municipal wastes on algal community structure of the creek. Bonny (1995) and Vallentyne (1974) showed that the excessive nutrient loads released from the immediate environment and wastes discharge in the form of detergents from the surrounding are responsible for most pollution of water bodies. This observation was evidenced by the presence of dead microalgae, black sludges, and loosed nutrient deposits on the benthos as recorded in stations where organic wastes was observed during the ebb tides. This may be due to waste products of hyper nutrient production. Apparently, presence of the products may amount for loss of aesthetic value and tourism in the future if accumulation persists (Wyatt and Pazons, 1992). Furthermore, the taxa and the species abundance and occurrence in the sediment are in the decreasing trend when compared with the results of Bonney (1995), Pudo and Fubara (1988) and Chidah et al. (1993, 2001) in lakes, creeks

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and rivers respectively, despite the fact that the occurrence was uniform and similar across the months and stations. More so, the low phytoplankton density may have been influenced by the grazing intensity of the most dominate diatoms (Meleaix, 1983). This grazing intensity was consistent with the observations of Boyd (1979), who noted that green and blue-green algae showed peak growth rate and abundance because of high nutrients load. The diversity of epibenthic algae in this study may not be unusual in the Niger Delta. For instance, Chindah and Braide (2001) reported 58 species from Eagle Island. The lower species diversity in the months and stations inspite the high epibenthic algal abundance may be an indication of the influence of unfavourable environmental conditions, opportunistic organisms dominating the phytoplankton population and prevalence of species recruitment in the area resulting in few being able to tolerate or adapt to survive as euryhaline species. This observation was in consonance with that of Law and Terry (1983) reported that some autotrophic organisms other than algae (bacteria, ciliates and flagellates) degrade, consume and photoinhibit significantly on some chlorophyll a content of the community. Chindah et al. (1999) and Hillerbrand et al., (2000) observed that unfavourable environmental conditions, opportunistic organisms dominating the phytoplankton population and prevalence of species recruitment in the area resulting to few being able to tolerate or adapt to survive as euryhaline species. This observation was in consonance with Law and Terry (1983) report that some autotrophic Organisms other than algae (bacteria, ciliates and flagellates) degrade, consume and photoinhibit significantly on some chlorophyll a content of the community. Chindah et al. (1999) and Hillerbrand et al., (2000) observed that unfavourable environmental conditions could give room to colonization and species short fall. A stable ecosystem results in species number exceeding 400, while Shannon-Weiner diversity may range 3.8-5.0 between 3.0 and 5.8 (Erondu and Chindah, 1991). The diversity in the study is relatively lower than those recorded in the lower reach of the Bonny Esturary, (Chindah and Braide, 2003). This implies that the epibenthic algae are gradually being impacted on by the influx of municipal wastes in the ecosystem. On the whole it is worth noting that environmental variables appear to be critical to the development of epibenthic algae, their abundance and occurrence on the different sediment types. The lower diversity, richness and evenness indices indicate low quality profile of the area. It is therefore apparent that more epibenthic algal communities in Elechi Creek could be eliminated by the increasing discharge of municipal wastes/effluents in the environment. There is therefore the need to protect this area from further degradation, if our fisheries resources are to be sustained. Based on the results obtained from the study area, it worth while advocating that a periodic surveillance done to safeguard the ecosystem from complete eutrophication or deterioration. However, the dumping of sewage effluents which are more available or insufficiently inadequate directly or indirectly should be substituted with the government advice for building treatable sewage/wastes system. Finally, excessive discharge of detergents (Vallentyne, 1974) should be discouraged to avoid the creek becoming heavily eutrophied or polluted. REFERENCES Adeniji H. A. (1973). Preliminary investigations into the composition and seasonal variations in plankton in Lake Kainji Nigeria. In man made lake. Their problems and environmental effects. Geophysics Monography serials 17:847 - 850. Adeniji, F. I. (1978), Studies on the Physico-Chemical factors and planktonic algae of Lake Kainji Nigeria. Ph.D. Thesis. University of Ife, Ile-Ife. 310pp. Aizaki, M. (1978). Seasonal changes in standing crop and production of periphyton Algae in the Tamagawa River, Japanese J. of Ecology 20. 123-134. Ambio (1990). Special issue marine eutrophycation A journal of human environment, Ambio 19:102-176. Baykal, B.; Tanik, B. A. and Gonec, I. E. (2000). Water quality in drinking water reservoirs of a megacity, Istanbul. Environ. Mgt. 26:607-614. Bonney, A. d. (1995) Phytoplankton Institute of Biologys studies in Biology No 52. Edward (Publishers) limited London - 115pp.

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Boyd, C. F. (1979). Water quality in warm water fish ponds Auburn University Agricultural Experimental Station Alabama, U.S.A. 359pp. Braide, S. A.; Izonfuo, W.A.L.; Adiukwu, O. U.; Chindah, A. C. and Obunwo, C.C. (2004): water quality of Minieja swamp forest stream receiving non-point source waste discharges in eastern Niger Delta,. Nigeria Scienta Africana. 3(1) 1-8. Calamari, D. and Chiaudani, G. (1984). Problems and methods in defining water quality Criteira of Micro pollutants in Aquatic ecosystems. In proceedings of the third conference of prevention of pollution by substances derived from wastes. Rome Consiglo Nazionale delle Ricerche 20.302-320. Chindah, A. C. (2003). The physiochemistry, phytoplankton and periphyton of swamp forest stream in the lower Niger Delta. Scienta Africana. 1 (2), 1-4. Chindah, A. C. (2004). Response of periphyton community to salinity gradient in tropical Estuary. Niger Delta Pol. J. of Ecology 51(1): 83-89. Chindah, A. C. and Pudo, I. (1991). A preliminary checklist of algae found in plankton of Bonny River in Niger Delta, Nigeria, Frag Flor. Geobot, 36(1): 112-126. Chindah, A. C.; Braide, S. A.; (2001) Microfauna occurrence and distribution in different substrate types of Bonny Brackish wet land of the Niger Delta. Journal of Applied Science and Environmental Management. 5(1): 33-41. Chindah, A.C. and Braide, S. A. (2003). Epipelic Algal of tropical estuary: case of stable and invariable seasonally community Pol. J. Ecology. 12:91-99. Chindah, A.C., Hart A. I. and Uzoma, A. (1999). Periphyton associated with submerged macrophyte (Crithium nations) in the upper reaches of the New-Calabar, Niger Delta. J. Agric Biotech. Environ; 1(2):37-46. Chindah, A.C.; Hart, A. I., Briade, S. A. ; Amadi, A. (1993a). The epibenthic algal community in the Bonny estuary of the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Acta Hydrobio 35(4): 307-320. Clark, J. W. and Viessman W. and Hammer M. J. (1971). Water supply and pollution control. Inter. Textbook Company Seranton Pennsylvania, 501pp. Clerk, R. B. (1986). Marine pollution, Hammer Clavandon Press Oxford, UK. Durand, J. R. and Leveque, C. (1980). Flora et al. fauna aquatiques de L Afrique, Cah, off. Res. Tech. outr-Mer., 1:5-4-6. Egborge A. B. and Sagay (1979). The effect of impoundment on the water chemistry of Lake Asejire. Fresh Water Biology 9: 403-412. Elmgren, R. and Larsson, U. (2001). Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea area. Integrated Coastal management issues. In Science and Integrated Coastal Management. Von. Bedungen, Band Turner, R. K. (eds) Dahlem University Press, Berlin, Pp15-35. Hasler, A. D. (1947). Eutrophication of Lake by Domestic drainage. Ecology 28:383-385. Hillerbrand, H.; Worm, B. and Loze, H. K. (2000). Marine Microbenthic Community Structure regulated by nitrogen loading and grazing pressure Mar. Ecol, Prog. Ser. 204:27-28.

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Imevbore, A. M. A. (1965). A preliminary checklist of the plankton organism of Eleiyele Reservoir, Ibadan, Nigeria. Journal of West Africa Science Assoc. 2:85-90. Keith, L. H. and Telliard, W. A. (1979). Priority pollutants A perspective view. Envir. Sci. Tech. 13:416-423. Khan, M. A. and Ejike, C. (1984). Limnology and phytoplankton periodicity of Jos Plateau water reservoir, Nigeria, West Africa. Hydrobiologia 114:189-199. Koteswari, Y. N. and R. Ramanibai, (2005). Effects of Urbanization on water quality variables along urban suburban gradients of Chennai city, South-India. J. Aquat. Sci. 20(1):1-12. Law, E. A. and Terry, K. L. (1983). The impact of sewage discharges at the ocean outfalls in phytoplankton population in waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands, Mar. Environ. Res. 20:101-107. Lottermoser, B. G. (1995). Noble metals in municipal sewage sludge of south Eastern Australia Ambio 24:353-289. Meleaix, J. (1983). Taxanomic composition, distribution and abundance of zooplankton of Oguta Lake. Imo State B. Sc. Thesis University of Port Harcourt, 21pp. Ogamba, E. N.; Chindah, A. C. Ekweozor I. K. E.; Daka, E. R. Onwuteaka J. and Bawo D. (2005). Impact of human activities on the plankton Delta, Nigeria. Niger Delta Biologia, 5(1):1-9. Ogbeibu, A. E. and Victor, R. (1989). The effect of road and bridge construction on the bank-root macrobenthic invertebrates of a southern Nigerian Stream. Env. Poll. 56:85-100. Ogbogu s. S. and Olajide S. A. (2002). Effect of sewage oxidation pond effluent on macro invertebrate communities of a tropical forest stream, Nigeria. J. Aquat. Sci. 17(1): 27-30. Ogbogu, S. S. and Hassan, A. T. (1996). Effects of Sewage on the physico-chemical variables and ephemerophtera (may fly) larvae of a stream reservoirs system. J. of Aquat. Sci. 11:43-55. Patrick, R. and Reimer, C. (1966). The Diatoms of the United States excluding Alasaka, and Hawali I. Fragillariaceae, eunotiaceae, Achananathaceae Nacivulaceae. Philadelphia, the Livingstone Publ. Co. 688pp. Pudo, J and Fubara, D.M. (1988). Studies on periphyton Algae in the petroleum oil spillage area of the Niger Delta Aquatic System. Verb. Int. Limnol., 23:259-226. Sieminska, J. (1964). Chrysophyta 11. Bacillariophyceae. Okrzemkii; In: STARMACH K. (ed.). Flora Slodkowodn; Poiski (Fresh Flora of Poland) 6. WARSZAWA, Panstwowe Wydawinictwo Naukewe, 610pp. Vallentyne, J. R. (1974). The algae bowl Miscellaneous special pub. 22, Department of the environment, fisheries and marine service, Ottawa. Wyatt, T. and Pazons, Y. (1992). Harmful Algal Blooms. UNESCO a 10c Newsletter on Tropic Algal and Block 8 pp. Wilhm, J. L. (1967). Composition of some diversity indices applied to populations of berthic macroinvetebrates in a stream receiving organic wastes. J. Wat. Poll. Cont. Fed 39:1673 1682. Wortz, C.B. (1955). Stream biota and stream pollution. Sewage and Industrial Wastes 27:1270 1278.

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Table 1: Density (organisms per month) and composition of Epibenthic Algae of Elechi Creek (April December, 2008). Sampling Months Taxa Species April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Bacillariophaceae 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Navicula crytocephala 1885 569 42 84 210 126 252 N. dicephaia 5566 447 33 66 165 99 198 N. ventrails 1853 150 11 22 55 33 66 N. cumminis 673.5 55 4 8 20 12 24 N. minima 506 41 3 6 15 9 18 N. cuspidate 802 270 20 40 100 60 120 Cymbelia affinis 674 55 4 8 20 12 24 C. ventricosa 337 27 2 4 10 6 12 C. naviculiformis 1517 123 9 18 45 27 54 Cocconies species 7424 594 44 88 220 135 264 Diploneis pseudovailis 3712 280 22 44 110 66 132 Eunotia acus 8267 610 49 98 245 147 294 E. lunaris 10460 838 62 124 310 186 372 Gyrosigma scalproides 441 203 15 30 75 45 90 G. spenceri 3712 298 22 44 110 66 132 G. acuminatun 168 14 1 2 5 3 6 Fragilaria construens 1011.5 64 6 12 30 18 36 Asterionella Formosa 843 68 5 19 25 15 30 Hartzchia amphioxys 9786.5 783 58 116 290 174 348 Nitzchia amphibian 7760 622 46 92 230 138 276 N. closterium 8437 676 90 100 250 150 300 N. closterium 8437 676 90 100 250 150 300 N. lunaris 1854 159 11 22 55 33 66 Pheurosigma angulatum 30048 3349 248 496 1240 744 1488 P. elogatum 18899 1271 112 224 560 336 672 Stauronies anceps 3036 243 18 36 90 54 108 S. species 8942 719 53 106 265 159 318 Surirell elegans 673 55 4 8 20 12 24 Cyanophyceae 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Oscillatoria sancta 78468 6274 465 930 2325 1395 2790 Oscillatoria okenil 6749 541 40 80 200 120 240 O. Formosa 16874.5 1350 100 200 500 300 600 O. chalybdea 19743 1581 117 234 585 351 702

Nov. 0 1008 792 264 96 72 480 96 48 216 1058 528 1176 1488 360 528 24 144 120 1392 1104 1200 1200 264 5952 2688 432 1272 96 0 11160 960 2400 2808

Dec. 0 630 495 165 60 45 300 60 30 135 660 330 735 930 225 330 15 90 75 870 690 750 750 166 3720 1680 270 795 60 0 6975 600 1500 1755

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O. tenius O. rubiescenes O. limosa O. brevis O. exospira O. lemmmerannum Anabaena flosaquo Lyngbya epiphytica L. purpuriscens Phormidium uncinatum Ph. Species Scytonema holfmanaii Calothrix fedmanaii Microcoleus paludosus Spirulina spirulinoides A. angustissima Symbloca lacustris Euglenophceae Euglena acus E. acuada E. obtuse E. ap Total

40161 14005 9111 14342 20416 22611 4218 336 24804 3205 5736 40,161.25 8436 9111 14342 22611 4218 0 28685 3205.75 3036 337.5 574626.5

3214 1121 730 1148 1734 1810 338 28 1971 257 460 3254 676 729 1148 1804 338 0 2295 257 244 27 47551

238 83 54 85 121 134 25 2 147 19 34 238 50 54 85 134 25 0 170 19 18 2 3534

476 166 108 170 242 268 50 4 294 38 68 476 100 108 170 268 50 0 340 38 36 4 7068

1190 415 270 425 605 670 125 10 755 95 170 1190 250 670 425 670 125 0 850 95 90 10 17670

714 249 162 255 363 402 75 6 441 57 102 714 150 162 255 402 75 0 510 67 54 6 10602

1428 498 324 510 726 804 150 12 882 114 204 1428 300 324 510 804 150 0 1020 114 108 12 21204

5712 1992 1296 2040 2904 3216 600 48 3528 456 816 5712 1200 1296 2040 3216 600 0 4080 456 432 48 84816

3570 1245 810 1275 1815 2010 375 30 2205 285 510 3570 750 810 1275 2010 375 0 2550 285 270 30 53010

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Table 2:

Density (Organisms per Station) and Composition of Epibenthic Algae in the sampling station along Elechi Creek (April December, 2008). Taxa Species Station (1) Bacillariophaceae Navicula crylocephala N. dicephaia N. ventrails N. cumminis N. minima N. cuspidate Cymbelia affinis C. ventricosa C. naviculiformis Cocconies species Diploneis pseudovailis Eunotia acus E. lunaris Gyrosigma scalproides G. spenceri G. acuminatun Fragilaria construens Asterionella Formosa Harzchia amphioxys Nitzchia amphibian N. closterium N. lunaris Pheurosigma angulatum P. elogatum Stauroneis anceps S. species Surirell elegans Cyanophyceae Oscillatoria sancta Oscilltoria okenii O. Formosa O. chalybdea O. tenius O. rubiescenes O.limosa O. brevis 1574 2144 238 0 0 0 0 0 1668 2621 715 6433 2144 0 715 0 476.5 0 3335 476 2859 1191 5480 2859 1906 3814 238 7624 2859 953 0 1906 0 0 2859 (2) 1803 1906 1429 476.5 0 0 715 0 0 4288 953 3044 6194 1209 1906 0 0 953 6671 7147 3812 953 10721 5480 476 2144 0 2859 2859 953 7386 10959 3335 1906 1191 (3) 715 1429 238 0 0 373 0 0 238 714 1906 953 3574 238 715 238 238 238 1906 1191 1668 0 8100 2859 1429 2621 476 30734 953 10006.5 3812 15010 5718 2144 3812 (4) 238 2144 238 238 715 1588 0 476 0 1906 797 953 1429 25 0 0 0 0 476.5 0 715 238 16201 6671 0 953 0 40026 1668 7264 10245 17630 3097 2621 4288 (5) 476 238 476 238 0 231 238 0 238 953 953 238 1429 12 906 0 0 0 1429 2144 2859 247 6783 8573 476 3097 238 29543 1191 4288 6433 11198 7624 6194 8100

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O. exospira O. lemmmerannum Anabaena flosaquo Lyngbya epiphytica L. purpuriscens Phormidium uncinatum Ph. Species Scytonema holfmanaii Calothrix fedmanaii Microcoleus paludosus Spirulina spirulinoides A. Inequalis A. angustissima Symbloca lacustris Euglenophaceae Euglena acus E. acuada E. obtuse E. ap Total

8339 0 0 0 13818 0 4288 1906 0 0 2859 8340 0 0 13818 0 476 0 110,931.5

13580 0 715 238 9053 238 1668 10959 476 1906 1191 13580 0 715 9053 238.75 1668 0 159,007.25

4288 476 1429 0 5241 953 715 15032.25 715 2144 3812 4288 476 1429 5241 953 715 475.5 152,630.25

576 12151 2859 0 4288 1906 476 17630 3097 2620 4288 476 12145 2859 4288 1906 476 0 195,141.5

2143 19298 953 238 2607 1429 953 11216 7624 1694 8100 2143 19298 953 8100 1429 953 0 202,371

Table 3: Biological Indices of Taxa during sampling Period (April December, 2008) Taxa Species April May June July Bacillariophaceae Richness 2.195 2.754 3.789 3.442 Diversity 2.583 2.671 2.453 2.663 Dominance 0.093 0.101 0.108 0.105 Evenness 0.809 0.809 0.809 0.809 Cyanaphyceae Richness 1.627 2.023 2.702 2.481 Diversity 2.742 2.744 2.730 2.730 Dominance 0.084 0.079 0.063 0.058 Evenness 0.886 0.886 0.886 0.886 Euglenophyceae Richness 0.286 0.377 0.561 0.497 Diversity 0.638 2.265 0.638 0.638 Dominance 0.676 0.676 0.676 0.676 Evenness 0.450 0.462 0.461 0.462

Aug. 3.069 2.647 0.233 0.809 2.238 2.738 0.063 0.886 0.432 0.639 0.676 0.462

Sept. 3.266 2.663 0.105 0.809 2.368 2.703 0.084 0.886 0.466 0.639 0.676 0.426

Oct. 3.000 2.658 0.100 0.809 2.195 2.740 0.063 0.886 0.420 0.639 0.676 0.462

Nov. 2.589 2.651 0.105 0.809 1.917 2.735 0.065 0.886 0.352 0.639 0.676 0.463

Dec. 2.717 2.435 0.108 0.809 2.000 2.730 0.936 0.886 0.372 0.639 0.676 0.463

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Gabriel, U.U. and Akinrotimi, O.A: Continental J. Applied Sciences 6 (2): 66 - 76, 2011

Table 4: Biological Indices of Taxa during the sampling Stations (April December, 2008) Taxa Species Station (1) Bacillariophaceae Richness Diversity Dominance Evenness Cyanaphyceae Richness Diversity Dominance Evenness Euglenophyceae Richness Diversity Dominance Evenness Received for Publication: 26/06/11 Accepted for Publication: 16/08/11 Corresponding Author Akinrotimi, O.A African Regional Aquaculture Centre/Nigerian Institute for Ocenography and Marine Research, P.M.B. 5122. Port Harcourt, Nigeria E-mail ojoakinrotimi@yahoo.com 2.448 2.846 0.104 0.804 1.921 2.141 0.141 0.692 0.314 0.146 0.956 0.105 (2) 2.355 2.635 0.205 0.723 1.849 2.719 0.107 0.798 0.322 0.527 0.706 0.381 (3) 2.507 2.604 0.110 0.787 1.804 2.532 0.126 0.789 0.337 0.910 0.534 0.657 (4) 2.479 2.033 0.250 1.220 1.769 2.492 0.119 0.807 0.340 0.830 0.500 0.094 (5) 2.491 2.428 0.131 0.738 1.755 2.608 0.090 0.857 0.324 0.689 0.623 0.463

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