Application of Diversity Indices in the Study Zooplankton Community of Taylor Creek in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

This study assessed the zooplankton community of Taylor creek. Zooplankton community was studied from Polaku to Agbia covering 12 sampling locations between November 2013 and July 2014. The zooplankton was enumerated and identified following standard protocol. A total of 73 species belonging to 14 taxonomic groups including Rotifera (23 species), protozoan (17 species), insecta (10 species), Nematoda (8 species), Annelida (5 species), Chordata (2 species), Crustacean, Cladocera, Gastropoda, Copepoda, Chaetognatha, Cnideria, Porifera and Bryozoa (with 1 species each). The distribution in the study based on number of species were Annelida (38%), protozoan (22%), Nematoda (18 %), insecta (10%), Rotifera (5%), Bryozoa (3%), Cladocera and Porifera (2% each). The diversity indices provided useful information about the status of the creek in terms of species richness and evenness. Specifically, the Shannon-Wiener index revealed that the creek is moderately polluted. Based on the findings of this study there is the need to minimize anthropogenic activities that alters the water quality of the creek.