Spatio-Temporal Variation of the Plankton Community of Tagwai Lake Minna, Nigeria.

Abstract

Plankton community serves as indicators of the quality of the surface water bodies; they are also the primary and secondary producers in the aquatic ecosystem, as they serve as food for higher organisms. Their monthly variation was assessed at Tagwai Lake, Minna, Niger state, Nigeria between the months of April and August 2015. Collection was done with plankton net from five sample stations, which were chosen due to their strategic position from the bank, inlet, middle to the opposite bank and finally the outlet. A total of 46 species of plankton was recorded, 'L5 belonging to phytoplankton and 31 belonging fid the zooplankton. The abundance of phyto plankton was in the order: Chlorophyceae > Zygneniophyceae > Dinophyceae > Bacillariophyceae > Fragillariophyceae > Chrysopbyceae > Coscinodiscophyceae. While, the zooplankton was in the order: Copepoda > Cyclopoda > Diplostraca > Cladocera > Ptiorna. The most dominant species was Microspora floccossa for phytoplankton and Bryocamptus birsteini for the zooplankton. Coscinodiscus anomalus was the least dominant species for the phytoplankton while Leptodiaptomus minuius was the least dominant species for the zooplankton. The presence of Ceratium furca in the lake might be an Indication of the rate of pollution. Plankton abundance and species diversity varied both spatially and temporally. The result above indicates that the lake is productive but could be polluted if not properly manage.