Phytoplankton Diversity and Abundance in Lake Ribadu, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to look at the phytoplankton diversity and abundance in Lake Ribadu, Fufore Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Nigeria. The study was carried out for a period of 6 months (July to December 2016). Phytoplanktons sampling was carried out by using the plankton net of mesh size 55µm by hauling horizontally for five meters. Frequency counts, percentages were used to analyzing the phytoplankton species composition and abundance while ComEcolPaC (a Microsoft Excel 2003 based program) was used to analyze the variation in the diversity indices. A total of Twenty one (21) species were observed in the study sites. Bacillariophyceae recorded the highest with the percentage abundance of 37.8% followed by Chlorophyceae with 35.12%, Myxophyceae with 25.82% while Chrysophyceae with 1.53% is the least abundant. The study recommends that Monitoring of the lake by the immediate community and regulation of all anthropogenic activities should be given topmost priority as part of the environmental management policy for the sustainability of aquatic resources of the lake.