Response of macroinvertebrate communities to abattoir wastes and other anthropogenic activities in a municipal stream in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

Impacts of co-occurring stressors (organic wastes and various human activities) on macroinvertebrate assemblages and environmental variables were investigated in a municipal stream, River Orogodo in southern Nigeria between the months of June 2004 and July 2005. Four sampling sites, each 25 m long were selected along 15 km stretch of the stream. There was a marked difference in the taxonomic composition of macroinvertebrates in the reference sites (I and IV) and those of the perturbed sites (II and III). A combined total of 78 benthic macroinvertebrate taxa were collected from the four sites of the river. The abundance and community structure patterns showed strong evidence of impact arising from the abattoir waste discharge such that the comparison of abundance values demonstrated high significance between the reference sites and the perturbed sites. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis indicated temporal trends in macroinvertebrate density and community composition. This was related to changes in environmental characteristics of the river especially BOD 5 and amount of nutrients. These factors produced spatial and temporal heterogeneity and exerted major influence on the benthic communities. The preponderance of Oligochaetes and diptera and deterioration in water quality at sites II and III are attributed to the intensity of human activities at these sites. Shannon-wiener diversity and evenness were significantly higher (P \ 0.05) at the reference sites I and IV. Results illustrate the need for careful consideration of the water quality and indicator organisms in restoration and remediation programmes.

Impacts of Abattoir Waste-Water Irrigation on Soil Fertility and Productivity

“…The disposed nutrients and other pollutants can cause spatial and temporal heterogeneity in benthic populations and also preponderance of organisms such as oligochaetes and diptera which can also affect human beings [49].…”

“…The presence of high BOD will heavily impact on spatial and temporal heterogeneity of macro invertebrates [49]. Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of contaminants in in fishes present in abattoir effluent discharged aquatic ecosystems can affect a whole food cycle or food web and pose serious threats to the native flora and fauna [46].…”

Valuation of water pollution using enzymatic biomarkers in aquatic insects as bioindicators from El-Mansouriya stream, Dakahlia, Egypt

“…The environmental impacts in any aquatic ecosystems can be assessed and monitored by physical and chemical techniques and also by biological methods (Foil, 1998;Chae et al, 2000). The aquatic insects are the most diverse group of fresh water benthic macroinvertebrates, spending all or part of their life cycle within water, that can be used as very good indicators of water qualities (Arimoro & Ikomi, 2008;Popoola & Otalekor, 2011).…”

Evaluation of some physicochemical parameters and benthic macroinvertebrates of Ikere Gorge Reservoir in Oyo State, Nigeria

“…Macroinvertebrates play an important role in aquatic community which includes mineralization, mixing of sediments and flux of oxygen into sediment, cycling of organic matter and also in assessing the quality of inland water (George et al, 2009). In Nigeria, several researchers have used the composition and distribution of macroinvertebrates to indicate the health status of water bodies ( including Arimoro, 2007;Ayoade and Olusegun, 2012;Andem et al, 2013;Okoroafor et al, 2014), however there is paucity of data on the Ikere Gorge reservoir (the only manmade lake on Ogun River).…”