Phytoplankton diversity and abundance in water bodies as affected by anthropogenic activities within the Buea municipality, Cameroon

Abstract

The importance of phytoplankton in fresh water environment cannot be over emphasized. This study was designed to determine the phytoplankton diversity and abundance in water bodies exposed to different anthropogenic pressures. Water samples were collected from 19 water sources in four categories: Car wash, Municipal wastes, Car wash + Municipal wastes and Drinking water. Phytoplankton species were determined following standard procedures. Palmer's pollution index was used to evaluate the status of organic pollution. A total of 66 phytoplankton were identified belonging to 44 genera, 34 families and six phyla. There were 52, 32, 11 and 38 species recorded for Car Wash, Municipal Waste, Car wash + Municipal wastes and Drinking water sources, respectively. Nine species cut across the four categories while 22, three and two species were unique to car wash, municipal wastes and drinking water sources, respectively. Nitzschia and Chlorella were the most abundant genera in the different water sources. While phytoplankton abundance correlated positively with nutrients, diversity correlated negatively. The highest and lowest organic pollution indices (24 and 8 respectively), were recorded in the drinking water category. Car wash activity did not only encourage the growth and diversity of algae but also influenced the establishment of unique species, some which are harmful. Human activities in and around water sources in Buea are thus degrading water quality, putting the population at risk. There is therefore need to protect the water resources of Buea.

Phytoremediation Potential of Some Macrophytes from a Car Wash Stream in Buea, South Western Cameroon

“…However, few of the studies on aquatic systems have included car wash [23] [24] [25]. In Cameroon, studies by [26] [27] and [28] focused on physico-chemical properties and phytoplankton diversity and abundance in streams under anthropogenic influences. This study investigated the heavy metal uptake potential of six macrophytes from Nange, a stream exposed to heavy metal pollution from agriculture and car wash in Buea municipality, southwest Cameroon in a bit to investigate their phytoremediation capabilities.…”

Effects of discharge from carwash on the physico-chemical parameters and zooplanktonic abundance of Odo-Ebo River, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

“…Detergents could also affect receiving aquatic environments by causing foaming and eutrophication, therefore limiting oxygen production [12]. The hazard of detergent pollution also lies in their effect on water ecosystems as a whole for surfactants may adversely affect microalgae at the lowest trophic level, impacting their function as major suppliers of oxygen to water bodies and result in community structure infringement [13].…”

Biodiversity of Algae from the Tajan River Basin (Mazandaran-Iran)

“…Algae also have great importance ecologically, especially in relation to human interventions in natural resources especially in freshwater environments (Hisoriev, 2014;Anyinkeng et al, 2016;Ebadi and Hisoriev, 2017a). Phytoplankton is one of the major producers of aquatic ecosystems that consider as the basis of the entire of autotrophic diet network in the aquatic ecosystem.…”