Wet Season Water Quality and Zooplanktons Community of Jibia Lake, Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background and Objective: The quality (status of physicochemical parameters) of the freshwater ecosystem interacts with the biotic components of the ecosystem such as plankton, aquatic insects, snails and fishes. The status of freshwater qualities determines the diversity, distribution and abundance of zooplankton in the water. This study assessed the water quality of Jibia Reservoir, a manmade freshwater lake and how they interact with the zooplankton community in the lake and also provides a baseline report on the lake. Materials and Methods: Water samples were collected between July and September, 2019 at five different points of the lake for physicochemical parameters analysis and zooplankton identification using standard procedures. One-way ANOVA was used in the statistical analysis of data generated, with a 0.05 level of significance. Results: The study revealed dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total hardness (TH) and total dissolved solids (TDS) to be within the permissible limit for freshwater ecosystems. Five subclasses (Monogonata, Phyllopoda, Bdelloidea, Pterygota and Copepoda), with six families (Brachionidae, Daphnidae, Philodinidae, Curculionoidea, Canthocamptidae and Cyclopidae) of zooplanktons were recorded. Rotaria ratatoria 12 (16.90%) and Platypus quadricornis 12 (16.90%) were the most common, while Brachionus angularis 8 (11.27%) was the least common species of zooplanktons in Jibia Lake. Conclusion: The physicochemical parameters of Jibia Lake during the study period were within acceptable limits, which implies good water quality favourable to aquatic organisms. Rotaria ratatoria and Platypus quadricornis were the most common zooplankton in the lake.