Arthropod fauna of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Sewage pond

Abstract

A survey of arthropod fauna of the University of Nigeria Nsukka sewage pond was carried out within May and June 2011. The aim was to determine the various arthropod species and its abundance in the sewage pond. The analysis was carried out by two methods, physico-chemical analysis and arthropod faunal studies. The physico-chemical parameters of the pond which included dissolved oxygen, temperature, water hardness, carbon dioxide, pH, depth and alkalinity were recorded. The arthropod faunal study was gotten through sample collections of shoreline zone with the use of insect net and scoop net, the mid benthic zone with the use of Eckman grab. The arthropods found were of the class insecta and class arachnida. The sewage pond had a high accumulation of organic waste with mean dissolved oxygen calculated to be 6.48. As a result of this high content of organic waste, most aerobic organisms cannot survive in the pond, and this resulted to low abundance of arthropods.

Keywords: Arthropod fauna, Sewage pond, Physico-chemical parameters, Biological characteristics

Animal Research International (2012) 9(1): 1544 – 1548