Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF THE WATER CHEMISTRY CHARACTER- ISTICS AND TEMPORAL PLANKTON VARIATIONS AT TWO POLLUTED SITES ALONG THE LAGOS LAGOON, NIGERIA

I.C. Onyema, C.U. Okpara, C.I. Ogbebor, O.0tudeko and D.I. Nwankwo

Abstract

The water chemistry characteristics and temporal plankton variations at a wood waste (Okobaba) and sewage (Iddo) disposal sites in the Lagos lagoon, Nigeria were investigated for six months (Dec. 1999 - May 2000). Similar trends in water chemistry characteristics and temporal plankton variation observed at both sites reflected control by the same tidal and floodwater regimes. A total of 106 phytoplankton taxa dominated by diatoms (81%) and 33 zooplankton and nine juvenile stages dominated by copepods (46.5%) were key groups that made up the plankton spectrum. The wood waste disposal site provided a better sanctuary and feeding ground for immigrant biota and supported a richer plankton diversity and density than the sewage disposal site. Tidal fluctuations were implicated in diluting feacal and wood waste pollutant lagoon water.