STUDY OF PHYTOPLANKTONIN RELATION TO PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF A DRAINAGE IN KAKURI INDUSTRIAL BASE SETTLEMENT IN KADUNA, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Studies were made on seasonal variation of Phytoplankton
communities and some physico-chemical properties such as
water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen,
transparency and biochemical oxygen demand in three selected
stations on the drainage viz: station A, station B and station C for
a period of one year from 2010 to2011. A total of 55 species of
phytoplankton belonging to different taxonomic groups were
identified out of which 27 species of phytoplankton belong to
Chlorophyceae, 19 species to Bacillrophyceae and 9 species to
Cyanophyceae. Six algal species were identified commonly in the
3stations; two algal species were identifying to station B while
station C had eight algal species. The species occurrence of the
different study stations reflects relationship between season and
physico-chemical properties of the water, the phytoplankton
density was high during rainy season and low during dry season,
Chlorophyceae formed the dominant group. In the present
investigation among the three stations, the water temperature in
Station-A was generally high reaching 31.5°c in most of the
months. Station-B and C temperature dropped from Decembers
to February and also in the wet season’s months. Conductivity
highest value was 641mg/l recorded in March, dissolves oxygen
recorded highest value of 6.5mg/l. Transparency recorded the
highest value in May to July (908 to 909mg/l), Station-B was
acidic in some months than Station –A and C. Station-A had the
highest biological oxygen demand while Station –B had the
highest dissolute oxygen values. Electrical conductivity and
Transparency was higher during the dry season.