EFFECTS OF ORGANIC CARBON AND DISSOLVED OXYGEN ON SPECIES DIVERSITY OF LITTORAL BENTHOS IN SITES AROUND THE RUMUEME CREEK IN THE UPPER BONNY ESTUARY

A study was conducted to evaluate the organic carbon and dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions of surface sediments and water samples and their effects on species diversity of the littoral macrofauna around the Rumueme Creek in the upper Bonny Estuary. Sediment, water and benthic samples were collected from five sampling stations for four months (August ? November). Mean sediment organic carbon ranged from 2.67 ± 0.58 ? 16.00 ± 5.00% and was significantly higher at the site (STN 4) under the influence of an abattoir comparedto all other sites. Mean DO of surface water fell in the range 3.50 ± 0.50 ? 6.50 ± 0.42 mg/l. Differences in mean DO were not significant between study sites, but periods. Significantly higher mean DO value was obtained in August and September than the other two months. Species diversity of littoral benthos was characteristically low across study sites, and ranged from 0.10 ? 1.74. Both organic carbon and DO concentration were not found to be linearly related to species diversity. It was concluded that rather than sediment organic carbon and DO conditions, there may be other underlying environmental factors responsible for the low species diversity recorded