DETERMINATION OF THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF SABUWA RESERVOIR, KATSINA STATE, NIRIA

By

YAHAYA MUHAMMED

Presented To

Department of Biological Science

ABSTRACT
Studies on some aspects of physic-chemical parameters, phytoplankton and zooplankton 
composition were carried out for a period of twelve months in Sabuwa reservoir. Five 
sampling stations were selected for the research using standard methods of experimental 
analysis. Water depth, temperature, pH, transparency and electrical conductivity, ranges 
between 40 – 502cm, 22oC – 29oC, 6.44 – 9.32, 22.5cm – 54cm, 11 - 85µmho-s
respectively. 
Dissolved oxygen concentration, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrate-nitrogen, phosphate-
phosphorus and alkalinity varied significantly between seasons (P<0.05). Four classes of 
phytoplankton belonging to Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, Bacillariophyta and Dinophyta were 
observed during the study with Chlorophyta accounting for 41%, followed by Cyanophyta 
34% then Bacillariophyta and Dinophyta. Phytoplanton exhibited significant seasonal and 
spatial variations. Four classes of zooplankton belonging to Rotifera (35.9%), Cladocera 
(28.6%), Copipoda (18.8%) and Protozoa (16.7%) were observed during the study. The 
zooplankton groups exhibited significant variation between seasons where (p<0.05). Three 
groups of macro-benthic invertebrates comprising of Molusca, Annelida, and Nematoda 
were observed to be present. Stations 2 and 3 were found to be most productive while 
stations 1, 4 and 5 are less productive. The seasonal variations observed in plankton and 
macro-benthic composition, abundance and distribution were mainly a reflection of physic-
chemical changes associated with the reservoir and their respective responses by the biota.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
Cover page - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - i
Fly leaf - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ii
Title page - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - iii
Declaration - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - iv
Certification - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - v
Dedication - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - vi
Abstract - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - vii
Acknowledgement - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - vii
Table of Contents - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ix
List of figure……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………x
List of Tables - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - xiii
List of Appendices - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - xvii
CHAPTER ONE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18
10 NTRODUCTION - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18
11Statement of Research Problem - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20
12 Justification - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20
13Aim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21
14 Objectives - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22
15 Hypotheses - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22
CHAPTER TWO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23
20 LITERATURE REVIEW - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23
21 Influence of Physico-chemical Parameters on Aquatic Organisms’ - - - - - - 24
211 Water Temperature - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24
212 Water Depth - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24
213 Transparency (Secchi Disc) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25
214 Water pH - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25
215 Electrical Conductivity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26
216 Water Hardness - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26
217 Dissolved Oxygen (DO) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27
21 8 Biochemical Oxygen Demand - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27
219 Carbondioxide - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28
2110 Nitrate – Nitrogen - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28
2111 Phosphate – Phosphorus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28
2112 Alkalinity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29
22 Biological Parameters - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29
221 Phytoplankton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29
222 Zooplankton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 30
223 Benthic Macro-invertebrates - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31
CHAPTER THREE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
30 MATERIALS AND METHODS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
31 Study Area - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
32 Sampling Stations - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
33 Experimental Design - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33
34 Physico-chemical Parameters Studied - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33
341 Water Temperature - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33
342 Water Depth - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33
343 Water pH - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 34
344 Electrical Conductivity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 34
345 Transparency - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 35
346 Hardness - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 35
347 Biochemical Oxygen Demand - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36
348 Dissolved Oxygen - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36
349 Chloride - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37
3410 Calcium - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37
3411 Iron - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37
3412 Magnesium - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 38
3413 Nitrate Nitrogen (NO3 – N) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 38
3414 Phosphate-Phosphorus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 38
3415 Total Alkalinity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 39
35 Biological Analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 40
351 Phytoplankton Sampling - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 40
352 Laboratory Analysis of Samples - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 40
36 Statistical Analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 42
CHAPTER FOUR - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44
40 RESULTS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44
41 Water Temperature - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44
42 Water Depth - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 46
43 Water pH - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 46
44 Transparency - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
45 Conductivity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
46 Water Hardness - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 52
47 Biochemical Oxygen Demand - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 52
48 Dissolved Oxygen - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 55
49 Nitrate-nitrogen - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 55
410 Alkalinity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 58
411 Chloride - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 58
412 Calcium - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 61
413 Iron - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 61
414 Magnesium - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 64
415 Phosphate-phosphorus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 64
416 Biological Characteristics - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 67
4161 Phytoplankton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 67
4162 Chlorophyta - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 67
4163 Cyanophyta - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 68
4164 Bacillariophyta - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 69
4165 Dinophyta - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 72
417 Zooplankton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 72
4171 Protozoa - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 72
4172 Cladocera - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 74
4173 Copepoda - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 77
4174 Rotifera - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 77
418 Benthic Macro-invertebrates - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 80
4181 Molusca - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 80
4182 Annelida - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 83
4182 Nematoda - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 84
CHAPTER FIVE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 89
50 DISCUSSION - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 89
51 Physico-chemical parameters - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 89
52 Phytoplankton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 94
53 Zooplankton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 95
54 Benthic Macro-Invertebrate - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 96
CHAPTER SIX - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 98
60 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECCOMENDATIONS - - - - - - - - 98
61 SUMMARY - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 98
62 CONCLUSION - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 99
63 RECOMMENDATIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 99
REFERENCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 100
APPENDICES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 110


CHAPTER ONE
10 INTRODUCTION
Limnology is the study of physical and chemical factors occurring in inland water 
bodies Nigeria is blessed with about 15 million hectare of inland water mass capable of 
producing over 15million metric tones of fish annually (Ita, 1993)
Water is a primary natural resource and its availability has played a vital role in the 
evolution of human settlements Humans depend mainly on freshwater available in inland 
lakes and rivers, which constitute less than 50% of the total amount of the water in 
biosphere (Wetzel, 1983) As a result, there has been a growing necessity for conservation 
of water as a result of growing populations and increase in pollution of surface waters 
(Abubakar, 2013)
Inland water bodies depend on the amount of annual rainfall, size, seepage, climate 
and geographical location Most water bodies in the savannah region of Nigeria are 
seasonal The quality of a given water body is controlled by its physical, chemical and 
biological factors, all of which interact with one another to influence the quality of water
Availability of safe and reliable water is an essential prerequisite for sustained 
development (Adakoleet al, 2008) It is important to constantly protect and control the 
quality of water (WHO, 2000; Chia et al, 2009a; Mamba et al, 2009; Chigor, 2012) 
Over-growing population has resulted to the impoundment of many dams and reservoirs 
Auta (1983), also reported that some water quality standards such as pH, transparency, dissolved oxygen and plankton composition are some important factors necessary in pond 
fisheries management
It is therefore necessary to maintain our reservoirs by addressing the consequences 
of present and future threats of contamination and degradation of our water bodies Azionu 
(2004) showed that soil structure and composition, natural environmental variables 
dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, temperature, transparency etc All 
influence the quality of the medium which in turn determines the health of the fish and 
their performance The freshwater ecosystem is categorized into lotic (river, 
stream/springs) which could be perennial or seasonal and lentic, that is standing waters 
(ponds, lakes and swamps) which could be perennial or temporary depending upon the 
geological basin (Balarabe, 1989) As population continue to increase, industrialization and 
intensification of agriculture had led to increase pollution of surface of surface waters This 
induces ecological imbalances, deleterious for sustained development of fisheries resources 
which has necessitate the suspension of the beneficial uses of these water bodies in some 
placed (Kawo, 1986) Azionu (2004) showed that soil structure, composition and natural 
environmental factors all influence the quality of the medium which in turn determines the 
health of the fish and their performance
The impoundement of river and subsequent creation of Sabuwa reservoir has 
assisted to provide water for drinking, irrigation and have also led to the establishment of 
school of fisheries, Ahmadu Bello University, Sabuwa, katsina State However, human 
activities in these catchments may have cause pollution resulting from deforestation, 
farming activities, grazing and bush burning which enhances accelerated silting, addition of large quantities of nutrients chemicals, herbicides and organic matter in water bodies 
through surface run-offs (Gopalet al, 1981) Ezealoret al, (1999) noted that extensive 
human activities through agricultural practices, fertilizer application and overgrazing 
around the catchment areas of aquatic habitats results in marked fluctuations in the 
physicochemical parameters of lentic ecosystems
Eutrophication alters these specific compositions of biota which lead to changing 
composition of phytoplankton which in turn constitute food for zooplankton (Sendacz, 
1984) Sabuwa reservoir is relatively old and was constructed in 1980 and commissioned 
in 1982 by Katsina State Government to overcome shortage of water and largely driven by 
economic needs while ecological consequences and anthropogenic inputs have received 
less attention with resultant effect on biotic life (KATARDA)
The research work was aimed to determine the physicochemical parameters and the 
distribution of its biota
11 Statement of Research Problem
About half a million people are living in Sabuwa Local Government Area Most of 
these settlers depend on the reservoir for their socio-economic needs, irrigation farming 
and fishery However, since the dam’s construction, a lot of farming activities had sprang 
up around its surrounding catchment especially its banks As a result of this, the livelihood 
of the people is been threatened at an alarming rate The large population of people around 
the reservoir most of whom are farmers, sometimes use fertilizers and pesticides as well as 
domestic waste that collectively contaminate the water, causing pollution, Also, there is no documented information on the physic-chemical characteristics of 
the reservoir, its productivity and biodiversity
12 Justification
No documented information with respect to Sabuwa reservoir despite its importance of 
providing drinking water, livestock farming, irrigation and fishing activity There is 
therefore the need to carry out research with the aim of establishing baseline information 
and the actual status and potentials of the reservoir The research will provide information 
on the limnology and water quality with the view to promoting the sustainable use of the 
reservoir for the benefit of both human and animal communities 
The study will provide information on the levels of pollution, by determining the 
physic-chemical parameters of the reservoir The research will also provide information on 
macrobenthic invertebrates of the reservoir Also, effective management practices are 
usually not given due attention, it is in line with this that this research work is been 
initiated
13 Aim
The aim of this research is to determine water quality status, zooplankton, phytoplankton 
and macro-invertebrates composition of Sabuwa reservoir
14 Objectives
1 To determine the physicochemical characteristics of the Sabuwa reservoir in dry 
and rainy seasons
2 To evaluate the distribution of zooplankton, phytoplankton as well as macro-bentic 
invertebrate in the reservoir
3 To determine the seasonal variation of physico-chemical parameters in relation to 
benthic macro invertebrates of Sabuwa reservoir
15 Hypotheses
1 There is no significant difference in physicochemical parameters with season
2 There is no significant difference within the population of zooplankton and 
phytoplankton between sampling stations and seasons
3 There is no significant relationship between benthic macro invertebrates and the 
water quality parameters

Learn and Obtain Diploma in Web development, Software development, Business, Technology and Creative Skills taught by industry experts. Explore a wide range of skills with our professional tutorials.

About E-Project Material Centre


E-Project Material Centre is a web service aimed at successfully assisting final year students with quality, well researched, reliable and ready made project work. Our materials are recent, complete (chapter 1 to Minimum of Chapter 5, with references) and well written.INSTANT ACCESS! INSTANT DOWNLOAD. Simply select your department, choose from our list of topics available and explore your data

Why Students Love to Use E-Project Material ?


Guaranteed Delivery Getting your project delivered on time is essential. You cannot afford to turn in your project past the deadline. That is why you must get your project online from a company that guarantees to meet your deadline. e-Project Topics Material Centre is happy to offer instant delivery of projects listed on our website. We can handle just about any deadline you send our way. Satisfaction Guaranteed We always do whatever is necessary to ensure every customer's satisfaction

Disclaimer


E-Project Topics Material Centre will only provide projects as a reference for your research. The projects ordered and produced should be used as a guide or framework for your own project. The contents of the projects should be able to help you in generating new ideas and thoughts for your own project. It is the aim of e-Project Topics Centre to only provide guidance by which the projects should be pursued. We are neither encouraging any form of plagiarism nor are we advocating the use of the projects produced herein for cheating.

Terms and Condition


Using our service is LEGAL and IS NOT prohibited by any university/college policies You are allowed to use the original model papers you will receive in the following ways:
  • As a source for additional understanding of the subject
  • As a source for ideas for you own research (if properly referenced)
  • For PROPER paraphrasing ( see your university definition of plagiarism and acceptable paraphrase) Direct citing ( if referenced properly)
Thank you so much for your respect to the authors copyright