PERIPYHTIC DIATOM COMPOSITION AND DIVERSITY IN RELATION TO PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN A SEGMENT OF RIVER GALMA, ZARIA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
PERIPYHTIC DIATOM COMPOSITION AND DIVERSITY IN RELATION TO PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN A SEGMENT OF RIVER GALMA, ZARIA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2015-06
Authors
DANLAMI, Mangut Kosom
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Abstract
Diatom composition and diversity in relation to physicochemical parameters in a segment of River Galma was studied from November 2012 to April 2013 to establish baseline information about the diatom composition, diversity and water status. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC, Temperature and TDS were determined using Hannah meter, NO3-N, PO4-P, SO4 were determined spectrophotometrically, Ca, Mg, Cl and Hardness were determined titrimetrically, BOD, DO were determined by Modified winklers Azide method, and Zn, Co, Cu, Cd, Pb, NH4, K and Na were determined using AAS method. Biological parameters were obtained from stones (Epilithic), sand (Epipsamic), Silt/clay (Epipelic) and plants (Epiphytic). The result revealed the dominance of the species composition by the family Fragilariaceae. CCA showed that Gomphonema, Tabellaria, Pinnularia and Synedra were closely related to BOD, TDS and EC, Epithemia, Navicula, Eunotia and Cymbella to SO4 and PO4-P, Denticula, Fragilaria, Frustulia and Gyrosigma to Hardness, Temperature and Nitrate-Nitrogen. The periphytic diatom percentage composition result indicated the following: Fragilariaceae (35.36), Naviculaceae (34.43), Coscinodiceae (9.30), Cymbellaceae (9.20), Gomphonemaceae (5.74), Achnanthaceae (2.52), Plagiotropidiceae (2.12), Eunotiaceae (0.77), and Epithemiaceae (0.54). The variation in the population of periphytic diatoms may be due to abiotic factors such as the water chemistry (nutrient concentration), light, temperature, current velocity, substrate and biotic factors such as grazing, predation in the aquatic environment and all depend on the geology, lithology, topography and land use pattern. The relatively low concentration of most of the measured physicochemical parameters in this study is responsible for the relatively few diatom families and shows
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that the water is clean and suitable for agricultural and domestic purposes. Therefore, there is need for effective control of anthropogenic activities in the river to sustain and conserve it status.
Keys: River Galma; Physicochemical Parameters; Periphytic Diatoms; Water quality
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.SC.) EDUCATIONAL BIOLOGY.
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, FACULTY OF SCIENCE AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
PERIPYHTIC DIATOM COMPOSITION,, DIVERSITY,, RELATION,, PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS,, SEGMENT,, RIVER GALMA,, ZARIA,, KADUNA STATE,, NIGERIA