Impact of Climate Change on the Plankton Community of Kainji Lake, Nigeria

Abstract

The world is undergoing extinction crisis - the most rapid loss of biodiversity in the planet's history - and this loss is likely to accelerate as the climate changes. Climate change is believed to have major implication on agricultural production and food security especially in the aquatic- ecosystem of the tropical and subtropical regions. Climate data spanning 20 years period (1994 - 2013) of Kainji Lake obtained from national institute of freshwater fisheries research (NIFER) New-Bussa, Nigeria were utilized for the present study. Climate data and physicochemical parameters obtained showed a general rising trend, with maximum temperature mean value range between 36.30°C in 2013 - 41.22°C in 1999 and minimum 19.10°C in 1996 - 24.83°C in 2013 respectively. Plankton community obtained from four stations (Fakun, Tarda, Garafini and M- 1-1 of the lake include zooplankton such as Ostracoda, ostracoda, maxillopoda, amphipoda, cephalopoda, trematoda, bdelloida, branchiopoda, while the phytoplankton were the bacillariophyceae, dinophyceae, zygnematophyceae, florideophyceae and fragilariophaceae. While the Phytoplankton were the Bacillariophyceae, Dinophyceae, Zygnematophyceae, Florideophyccae and Fragilariophaceae. (Daphnia sp. Rotaria sp Spirogyra sp Fragillaria sp, Latotalla curifa, Cascino discus, Ceretium sp, Odentella sp, Biddelphia sp. There were significant relationship of the plankton community with weather elements and physicochemical parameters. In conclusion, Kainji Lake plankton community is responding to the threat of climate change and efforts should be made towards adaption and mitigation of this menace both in the short and long run.