ENVIRONMENTAL CORRELATES OF ZOOPLANKTON COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN DOWNSTREAM KADUNA RIVER, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Assessment of water quality a water body can be done using resident biota. Zooplankton has been adjudged to give true picture of anthropogenic activities occurring in any water body. Zooplankton samples were collected for a period of four month from the river receiving water from the Shiroro dam, Nigeria. The physico-chemical and the anthropogenic effect on the distribution of the zooplankton were studied. Mean and standard deviations of physiological parameters ranged from; Temperature 24.5±1.73 to 25.5±3.700C, Transparency 0.18±0.09 to 0.36±0.03, pH 6.4±0.93 to 6.73±1.13, Conductivity 90.3±24.00 to 93.85±16.83µs/cm, D.O 2.66±0.21-3.21±0.54mg/L and BOD 2.75±0.50±4.00±0.82mg/L from site 1, 2, and 3 respectively. Monthly mean and standard variations of Temperature, Transparency, pH, Conductivity, DO, ranged from 22.67±1.53 to 27.00±3.000C, 18.00±2.65 to 22.67±11.01m, Transparency range from 18.00±2.65 to 22.67±11.01m, 5.82±0.02 to 7.19±0.01, 80.37±22.41 to 106.80±0.98µs/cm, 2.43±0.21 to 3.29±0.57 to 4.00±1.00mg/L from March to June respectively. Physicochemical parameters correlated positively with most species of zooplankton encountered. A total of 237 zooplankton belonging to 16 different families comprising rotifer cladocera and copepods were recorded. Leptodiaptomus coloradensis was the highest and the least recorded was Daphnia magna, Cerodaphnia reticulata, Eucylops elegance and Anthocyclops robustus least recorded. It is confirmed that downstream part of Shiroro dam is a good community that support an assemblage of Zooplankton species with sampling station B.