Macrobenthic invertebrates composition in Feroro stream, Chikun Local Government Area

Abstract

Macrobenthic invertebrates are indicators of water quality due to their restricted range and persistence overtime. Feroro stream being imparted by anthropogenic activities disturb the composition of macrobenthic invertebrates. The stream sediment was collected from five stations along the stream on monthly basis for twenty-four months using eckman grab and washed to isolate the macrobenthic invertebrates. The macrobenthic invertebrates were identified in phyla of Mollusca (46.41%), Arthropoda (33.68%), Annelida (18.95%), and Crustacean (1.04%) and into 31 Families. Melanoides tuberculatus was the most abundant with 37.23% distribution and composition, followed by Lumbriculus variengatus with 8.58%. Highest abundance was recorded in the month of February and the lowest in July and August. February had the highest abundance in the dry season and the month of May in wet season. Macrobenthic invertebrate were composed in Station 5 (3.042) in the month of February during the dry season. Most of the species recorded are pollution-tolerant species indicating Feroro stream as moderately polluted and poor quality due to the anthropogenic activities.