Some Physicochemical Charateristics of Badagry Creek, Nigeria

Badagry Creek runs through Nigeria and Republic of Benin with access to the Atlantic Ocean. Physicochemical parameters of the creek were studied from 2003 to 2004 to generate baseline data in view of its increasingly importance in economic life and developmental issues. Two important sites, with highest human activities, Akarakumo and Topo, were chosen for monthly analyses of water samples following methods and procedures of APHA. Colour, surface temperature, pH, salinity, turbidity, phenol, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, conductivity, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, total hardness (calcium and magnesium), nitrates, phosphates, sulphates, chlorides, free carbon dioxide, acidity, oil and greese were analysed. There were significant difference in monthly variations (P < 0.05) of all the parameters except for ammonia (P > 0.05). The mean concentration of the parameters showed significant variation with mean values of 27.51 ± 1.17 °C for temperature, biological oxygen demand 18.38 ± 8.14 mg/l, free carbon dioxide, 4.00 ± 2.07 mg/l and ammonia 0.18 ± 0.15 mg/l. Values were within those reported for most estuaries globally. It was revealed that variations in the water quality of the creek are largely influenced by season and intrusion from the ocean at different tide levels

Algal blooms in Nigerian waters: an overview

Awareness of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their associated impacts is poor or lacking in the West African sub-region. Different aquatic environments in Nigeria have reportedly experienced blooms of algae either seasonally or year round, but there are no documented cases of human incapacitation in relation to these blooms. Potentially toxic microalgal species in Nigerianwater bodies include cyanobacteria (Microcystis spp., Oscillatoria spp., Anabaena spp. and Trichodesmium thiebautii), diatoms (Pseudo-nitzschia spp., Nitzschia spp. and Chaetoceros convolutus) and dinoflagellates(Dinophysis acuta, Gonyaulax spp., Gymnodinium spp., Noctiluca scintillans and Prorocentrum lima). This paper reviews information on toxic microalgae in Nigerian waters and emphasises the need for monitoring and research efforts in the region

Preliminary evaluation of some aspects of the ecology (growth pattern, condition factor and reproductive biology) of African pike, Hepsetus odoe (Bloch 1794), in Lake Eleiyele, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract A preliminary investigation of length-weight relationship, condition factor and reproductive ecology of African pike fish, Hepsetus odoe, was conducted between June to August 2010 in Lake Eleiyele. A total of 90 samples of the fish species were caught by fishermen using gill nets. The results obtained showed that fish species had isometric growth pattern (contrary to negative allometry expected) with the growth exponent, b value of 2.64, that is not statistically different from 3 and with high statistical power of 0.866 when tested. The mean condition factor, K, was found to be 2.6, indicating that the fish species were in good condition in the study area. For reproductive biology, mean fecundity and gonadosomatic index were found to be 1349 eggs and 3.53% respectively. This study was necessary to fill the knowledge gap and provide information for management and conservation of the investigated species in the lake system. This study recommended that further research needs to be conducted because the sampling was carried out in the rainy season period and within a quarter of a year