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
