Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: Nematode Speciation along the New Calabar and Bonny River Systems of the Niger Delta, Nigeria
by Asimiea, O. A., and Gobo, A. E.

Abstract:
Studies on the occurrence, abundance and diversity of free living nematodes of the Bonny and New Calabar estuaries were carried out to provide baseline information on the nature of petroleum activity. Twenty-one sample stations were established to cover the polyhaline, mesohaline and oligohaline ecological zones of both rivers . At each station, sediments were collected and processed for the extraction of nematodes. The nematodes extracted were identified, counted and the data obtained were computed using diversity indices to determine and compare nematode abundance/density, species similarity, evenness and faunal dominance within and between ecological zone in each river system and between the two river systems as well as the petroleum and municipal waste input stations. A total of 36 species were encountered in the Bonny estuary, 31 in the New Calabar estuary and 29 species in the human activity input areas. The highest densities were obtained in the oligohaline zone of both rivers and the human activity input areas. Dominant species in both Bonny and New Calabar rivers were Anoplostoma sp; Teristus pertenuis, Belbolla sp.; Geomonhystera and Oncholaimus paralangrunensis, Sabatieria lonispinosasp, Terschellingia longicudate, Sabatieria vugaris, Sphaerolaimus albidum and Diplolaimelloides sp. Others are Halalaimus gracilis, Teristus pertenuis, Terschellingia longicaudala, Geomonhystera sp, Oncholaimus paralangrunensis, Crenopharynx marioni and Rhabditis marina. The effect of crude or refined petroleum oil on nematode population needs further investigations to determine if refined and spent petroleum may be responsible for high density and with the dominance of a few species at the detriment of others.

Keywords: Nematodes, Bonny River, Calabar River, Niger Delta.

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