Abundance and Diversity of Meiofauna as Bioindicator of Water Quality and Health Status of Tombia Segment, New Calabar River, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Volume: 12 | Issue: 01 | Year 2026 | Subscription
International Journal of Environmental Chemistry
Received Date: 02/18/2026
Acceptance Date: 04/22/2026
Published On: 2026-05-10
First Page: 36
Last Page: 46

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By: Otene B. B., Anyiamuka -Chinedu O., and Egerton S. B..

1Associate Professor, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Environment, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
2Lecturer, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Environment, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
3Student, Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Ignatus Ajuru University, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

The abundance and diversity of meiofauna as bioindicator of water quality and health status of Tombia segment of the New Calabar River, Niger Delta, Nigeria was studied. Sediment samples from the respective stations were collected monthly in replicates between July and September,2023 using a handheld perplex corer at a depth of 10cm and analysed in the Laboratory following standard method of APHA. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 and PAST 4.04. The results showed that a total of 199 individuals and 20 species of meiofauna were encountered from the six taxonomic classes, annelida (26%),oligochaeta (18.593%), arthropoda (13.065%), and coleoptera (12.060%), while the least was diptera (7.035%). The area was dominated by the class annelida in the order of occurrence, annelida> oligochaeta>polychaeta>arthropoda>coleoptra > dipthera. Neresis Niren, Plesiopora species, Nototropis swamidomi Donacia species and Hirundo medicinalis, Capitella capitata, Lumbriculus variegatus (Mudworm). Spatio-temporally, station 3 had the highest number of fauna (90) in the month of July while the least (28) were observed in station 2 in the the month of August. Some of the diversity indices included, dominance (0.076 and 0.099), Shannon wiener (2.636) and 2.390), evenness (0.956 and 0.909) and Margalef (4.405 and 3.150). It could be therefore recommended that anthropogenic activities be checkmated in the area to avoid further threats.

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Citation:

How to cite this article: Otene B. B., Anyiamuka -Chinedu O., and Egerton S. B. Abundance and Diversity of Meiofauna as Bioindicator of Water Quality and Health Status of Tombia Segment, New Calabar River, Niger Delta, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Chemistry. 2026; 12(01): 36-46p.

How to cite this URL: Otene B. B., Anyiamuka -Chinedu O., and Egerton S. B., Abundance and Diversity of Meiofauna as Bioindicator of Water Quality and Health Status of Tombia Segment, New Calabar River, Niger Delta, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Chemistry. 2026; 12(01): 36-46p. Available from:https://journalspub.com/publication/ijec/article=25562

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