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Exploring the distribution patterns of macroinvertebrate signature traits and ecological preferences and their responses to urban and agricultural pollution in selected rivers in the Niger Delta ecoregion, Nigeria

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Abstract

Macroinvertebrate signature traits’ and ecological preferences’ distribution patterns and their responses to urban and agricultural pollution were explored in rivers-draining urban–agricultural catchments within the Niger Delta ecoregion of Nigeria. Physico-chemical variables (water temperature, electrical conductivity, depth, flow velocity, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrates and phosphates) were sampled alongside macroinvertebrates in 17 sites of 11 rivers for a period of five years (2008–2012). Physico-chemically based classification using principal component analysis classify selected sites into least impacted sites (LIS), moderately impacted sites (MIS) and heavily impacted sites (HIS). The results based on RLQ [physico-chemical variables (R), macroinvertebrate taxa (L) and traits and ecological preferences (Q)] and fourth-corner analyses showed that preference for permanent attachment, high sensitivity to oxygen depletion, moderate sensitivity to oxygen depletion and large body size (> 20–40 mm) which were associated with LIS were also positively correlated with DO; thus, they were deemed sensitive to urban–agricultural pollution. Detritus (CPOM) and very small body size (< 5 mm) that were associated with HIS were deemed tolerant to urban–agricultural pollution. Box plots and Kruskal–Wallis test revealed that all sensitive traits and ecological preferences were not significantly different between LIS, MIS and HIS (p > 0.05) except for large body size, while tolerant traits CPOM and very small body size were significantly highest at HIS (p < 0.05). Generally, the study observed differential patterns in the distribution of traits and ecological preferences to urban–agricultural pollution.

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Acknowledgements

The first author was a recipient of African Renaissance Doctoral grant co-sponsored by the National Research Foundation of South Africa and The World Academy of Sciences (NRF-TWAS) (Grant No. 110894).We acknowledge the effort of Miss Bawinile Mahlaba of the Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, for helping with the study area map. We also acknowledged Mrs. Edegbene Ovie Tega Treasure for her technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unilever Centre for Environmental Water Quality, Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Makhanda (Grahamstown), 6140, South Africa

    A. O. Edegbene & O. N. Odume

  2. Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 65, Minna, Nigeria

    F. O. Arimoro

Authors
  1. A. O. Edegbene
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  2. F. O. Arimoro
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  3. O. N. Odume
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Correspondence to A. O. Edegbene.

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Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 5, 6 and 7.

Table 5 Mean physico-chemical variables analysed in urban and agricultural polluted rivers in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, between 2008 and 2012
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Table 6 Absolute number of macroinvertebrates collected in urban and agricultural polluted rivers in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, between 2008 and 2012
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Table 7 Fuzzy coding of macroinvertebrate traits and ecological preferences for urban and agricultural polluted rivers in the Niger Delta, Nigeria
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Edegbene, A.O., Arimoro, F.O. & Odume, O.N. Exploring the distribution patterns of macroinvertebrate signature traits and ecological preferences and their responses to urban and agricultural pollution in selected rivers in the Niger Delta ecoregion, Nigeria. Aquat Ecol 54, 553–573 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-020-09759-9

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