ASSESSING THE WATER CONDITION OF TWO SURFACE WATERS IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA: THE ROLE OF AQUATIC INSECTS AS BIOINDICATORSJ. ROTIMI AND B.N. ILOBAAbstract A study of the water condition of two perennial water bodies, Ikpoba river and Eruvbi stream, Benin, Southern Nigeria was carried out between February and November, 2006; to assess the physico-chemical conditions and the relationship between the health condition of the water systems and their aquatic insect composition. The results show that water quality parameters recorded at Ikpoba river were relatively higher in values and indicated a polluted or stressed water system compared to Eruvbi stream which had relatively cleaner conditions. An overall forty-one taxa of aquatic insects distributed in seven orders were recorded; There were 34 taxa at Ikpoba river and 19 at Eruvbi stream. The results indicated that Ikpoba river was composed largely of insects associated with polluted or stressed conditions compared to Eruvbi stream. The aquatic insect composition at the two locations appear to give an indication of the water condition of the locations and may therefore play an important role as potential bioindicators of the condition of the waters.
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