SEASONAL VARIATION IN PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND DISTRIBUTION OF PHYTOPLANKTON IN CALABAR ......

A water sample from the Calabar River port terminals was analysed to determine physicochemical parameters and phytoplankton seasonal dispersion. Water samples were taken at three different locations. The physicochemical properties of the samples were determined using a conventional technique. Phytoplankton was identified using keys from the literature and filtered using a plankton net with a mesh size of 55. Some parameters (Dissolved Oxygen, Electrical Conductivity, Salinity, Nitrate, Nitrite, and Phosphate) exhibited significant fluctuations (p0.05), whereas others showed no significant variations (p>0.05) (pH, Total dissolved solid, Ammonium, Phosphate and turbidity). In the water sample, a total of 54 phytoplankton individuals were found, divided into four classes: Bacillariophyceae (56.4%), Chlorophceae (19.6%), Xanthophyceae (14.5%), Cyanophyceae (7.4%), and Euglenodea (7.4%). (2.0 percent ). The seasonal distribution of plankton differed significantly (p0.05) between the wet (71.9 percent) and dry seasons (28.10). To preserve ecosystem stability, the report recommends a continual audit of water in the river.

Please see the link :- https://www.ikprress.org/index.php/JOGEE/article/view/7103