Effect of Seasonal Water Fluctuation of a Water Body on Antioxidant Activity of Selected Plants of Lower Phylum (A Case Study of Nche stream)

Effect of seasonal water fluctuation of a water body on antioxidant activity of selected plants of lower phylum using Nche stream as a case study was investigated using standard methods. Three plants of lower phylum (watercress, moss plant, and spirogyra) were selected and studied for both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Results obtained for levels of ascorbic acid (0.81-11.87 µmoles/g DW), glutathione (1.47-3.01µmoles/g DW) and proline (1.27-3.01 g/100g) non-enzymatic antioxidants and those of superoxide dismutase (289.19-615.85 µg/g protein), peroxidase (32.56-52.79 µg/g protein), and catalase (57.80-73.20µmoles/g DW) of enzymatic antioxidants were higher in dry season against rainy season. It has been noted that a slit difference in these indicators could be as result of enormous stress. The reduction in volume of water of the host stream in dry season may have resulted in increased concentration of the pollutants in the water body hence, inducing the plants to absorb more of the pollutants. This may have triggered more stress on the plants, which reflected on the levels of the observed stress indicators when compared to the indicators as observed in rainy season. This study has shown the seasonal water fluctuation of a water body on antioxidant activity of selected plants of lower phylum.