Abstract

The Azuabie Creek in the upper Bonny Estuary of the Niger Delta, Nigeria receives waste inputs from domestic and industrial sources. The ash content of polychaetuos annelids was examined as part of a larger study on the impacts of urban and industrial contamination on the creek. Sediment samples were collected and analyzed from ten sampling stations for a period of one year (April 2006 to March 2007). There were spatial and temporal variations in the ash content of polychaetes of the study area with most species showing significant differences. The values of Streblospio sp dominated at stations 5, 6 and 7 where the other polychaetes were poorly represented. The mean ash content of Boccardia sp, Nereis spp, Nephtys hystricis and Nephtys hombergi was highest at station 1 while Polydorella sp was highest at station 7; these showed significant differences between sites and months of sampling as well as interactions (p<0.001). The highest mean value of Glycera convoluta was recorded at Station 1 with significant spatial variation (p<0.001), but no significant difference between months. Notomastus latriceous and Notomastus tenius had their highest mean ash contents in Stations 1 and 2 with significant differences between sites (p<0.001), but no significant temporal variation. The highest mean value of Capitella capitata was recorded in Station 7 followed by Station 5; showing significant spatial and temporal variations as well as interaction. There were significant spatial and temporal differences as well as interactions in the ash content of Onuphis sp and Fabricia filamentosa. Parkinsianariwo and Nothria also had significant spatial differences (p<0.001) and interaction (p<0.01) but no significant differences between months. Hediste had significant difference in sampling stations but not sampling months. However, Sigambra had significant differences both in location and period with no significant interactions. The ash content of polychaetes in the upper Bonny Estuary tended to mirror the relative abundance of the species. It is therefore concluded that ash-free dry weight of the polychaetes will be a good predictor of biomass and energy content within the system.

Keywords:

Ash content, Azuabie creek, biomass, energetics, Niger Delta, polychaete,

References

Competing interests

The authors have no competing interests.

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