The Ecological Impact of Anthropogenic Activities on the Predatory Fish Assemblage of a Tidal Creek in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

An investigation of the predatory fish assemblage of Buguma Creek, Niger Delta, Nigeria was conducted during flood tides between November 2004 and June 2006, to assess the ecological impact of anthropogenic activities, namely: vibrations due to pedestrian bridge crossing, dumping of domestic wastes and regular cutting of mangrove. Three stations 1, 2 and 3 were selected from downstream of the point of intense anthropogenic activities, the point of intense anthropogenic activities and its upstream. Twenty taxa comprising 1116 individuals were recorded of which total number of taxa and individuals present at stations 1, 2 and 3 were 13(458), 13 (151) and 18 (507). There were no significant changes in the water quality parameters that could be attributed to the anthropogenic activities. However, the low density of station 2 could be attributed to the joint impact of vibrations due to pedestrian bridge crossing, dumping of domestic wastes and regular cutting of mangrove. Spatially, the high species density of station 1 is attributable to its least perturbed condition, while the significantly higher diversity of station 3 could be attributed to its upstream status.