<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Rapid diversification is a way of responding to environmental change for freshwater organisms. This work examined the physicochemical changes and abundance of freshwater snails in Anambra River (Nigeria) during the rainy season. Field studies were conducted fortnightly from June to August 2019 at three stations of the river namely: Otuocha (station I), Otunsugbe (station II), and Ukwubili (station III) about 8.35 kilometers apart from each other. A scoop net of 2 cm mesh size and handpicking was used to sample freshwater snails randomly and water samples were taken to the laboratory for physicochemical analysis. A total of 896 freshwater snails belonging to 6 species (<italic>Afropomus balanoidea</italic>, <italic>Pomacea maculata</italic>, <italic>Lymnea stagnalis</italic>, <italic>Lanistes ovum</italic>, <italic>Pila wernei</italic>, and <italic>Saulea vitrea</italic>) were collected. <italic>Pomacea maculata</italic> was the most dominant species with a relative abundance of 45.87 %, while <italic>Saulea vitrea</italic> was the least dominant species with a relative abundance of 2.34 %. There was a significant negative correlation between dissolved oxygen and <italic>Pomacea maculate</italic> (<italic>r</italic> = –0.877, <italic>p</italic> = 0.002) and a positive correlation between dissolved oxygen and <italic>Stagnalis lymnea</italic> (<italic>r</italic> = 0.840, <italic>p</italic> = 0.005). The diversity of species was highest at Otuocha (1.171) followed by Ukwubili (1.133) and Otunsugbe (0.856) with average mean temperatures of (23.1 ±0.1) °C, (27.30 ±0.00) °C, and (26.80 ±0.03) °C respectively. The distribution of freshwater snails was influenced by the physicochemical variability of Anambra River during the rainy season. Therefore, further studies for a longer time and different seasons to examine the impact of physicochemical changes on the snail distribution are encouraged.</p>
</abstract>

Rapid diversification is a way of responding to environmental change for freshwater organisms. This work examined the physicochemical changes and abundance of freshwater snails in Anambra River (Nigeria) during the rainy season. Field studies were conducted fortnightly from June to August 2019 at three stations of the river namely: Otuocha (station I), Otunsugbe (station II), and Ukwubili (station III) about 8.35 kilometers apart from each other. A scoop net of 2 cm mesh size and handpicking was used to sample freshwater snails randomly and water samples were taken to the laboratory for physicochemical analysis. A total of 896 freshwater snails belonging to 6 species (Afropomus balanoidea, Pomacea maculata, Lymnea stagnalis, Lanistes ovum, Pila wernei, and Saulea vitrea) were collected. Pomacea maculata was the most dominant species with a relative abundance of 45.87 %, while Saulea vitrea was the least dominant species with a relative abundance of 2.34 %. There was a significant negative correlation between dissolved oxygen and Pomacea maculate (r = –0.877, p = 0.002) and a positive correlation between dissolved oxygen and Stagnalis lymnea (r = 0.840, p = 0.005). The diversity of species was highest at Otuocha (1.171) followed by Ukwubili (1.133) and Otunsugbe (0.856) with average mean temperatures of (23.1 ±0.1) °C, (27.30 ±0.00) °C, and (26.80 ±0.03) °C respectively. The distribution of freshwater snails was influenced by the physicochemical variability of Anambra River during the rainy season. Therefore, further studies for a longer time and different seasons to examine the impact of physicochemical changes on the snail distribution are encouraged.

Physicochemical Changes and Abundance of Freshwater Snails in Anambra River (Nigeria) During the Rainy Season

Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Rapid diversification is a way of responding to environmental change for freshwater organisms. This work examined the physicochemical changes and abundance of...

Physicochemical Changes and Abundance of Freshwater Snails in Anambra River (Nigeria) During the Rainy Season

Pubblicato online: 17 ago 2022

Pagine: 169 - 181

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/eces-2022-0013

Parole chiave
freshwater snail, biodiversity, physicochemical changes, rainy season, Anambra River, Nigeria

© 2022 Charles Obinwanne Okoye et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Physicochemical Changes and Abundance of Freshwater Snails in Anambra River (Nigeria) During the Rainy Season

Pubblicato online: 17 ago 2022

Pagine: 169 - 181

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/eces-2022-0013

Parole chiavefreshwater snail, biodiversity, physicochemical changes, rainy season, Anambra River, Nigeria

© 2022 Charles Obinwanne Okoye et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Parole chiave
freshwater snail, biodiversity, physicochemical changes, rainy season, Anambra River, Nigeria