ABSTRACT
The sediment characterization and evaluation of Zoobenthos community in Aghuakuari River, Edo State, Nigeria was carried out for four (4) months across three (3) stations from April 2023 through July, 2023. The heavy metals of the sediment were analyzed and studied and they include, Iron (Fe) (310.11– 411.0 mg/kg), Copper (Cu) (10.05 – 29.00 mg/kg), Manganese (Mn) (0.13 – 0.60 mg/kg), Lead (Pb) (0.30 – 1.20 mg/kg), Cadmium (Cd) (0.12 – 0.23 mg/kg), and Zinc (Zn) (7.63 – 14.00 mg/kg) and also the Particle size distribution and Organic content (% organic carbon and % organic matter) were also analyzed. Heavy metals apart from iron parameters were within the allowable limits of USEPA for fresh water bodies. A total of 19 taxa comprising of 394 individuals were recorded during the study. Hemiptera accounted for 1%, Coleoptera accounted for 7%, Odonata accounted for 1%, Diptera accounted for 57%, Ephemeroptera accounted for 3%, Decapoda accounted for 5%, Amphibia accounted for 26%, and Araneae accounted for 0.1%. The total number of taxa in station 1 were 8 with 181 total number of individuals. In station 2, 16 taxa were recorded and individuals were 83 while in station 3, the total number of taxa and individuals were 6 and 130 respectively. From the coefficient correlation analysis, it was observed that the distribution and abundance of some benthic macroinvertebrates by changes in some physicochemical parameters. Factors which influenced the abundance and distribution of the benthic macroinvertebrates includes the nature of the water body, habitat richness and stability, immediate substrate of occupation, the heavy metal composition, anthropogenic activities, tropic condition, resource partitioning and predation.
