Species Diversity of Macrophytes and Physicochemical Parameters of Ponds of Abraka Inland, Delta State, Nigeria

This study assessed the species diversity of macrophytes in ponds of Abraka inland, Delta State in relation to the water physicochemical parameters. The results indicated that most of the parameters studied in the ponds between October and December 2019 including temperature, pH, total hardness, alkalinity, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, nitrate, calcium, sulphate, chloride and ammonia fell within the permissible standard of World Health Organization for both drinking water and fish production. Forty eight taxa of aquatic macrophytes were encountered. Potamogetaceae and Hydrocharitaceae families had abundant species 8 each, Cyperaceae had 6 and Nyphaeaceae, Myriophylliaceae, Lentibulariaceae, Convolulaceae, Ongraceae, Ceratophyllaceae and Ranuculaceae families were represented by one species each. The percentage occurrence of the macrophytes encountered was 54.17% (submerged), 18.75% (emergent and floating) and 8.33% (embankment) species. The study concluded that the water quality of the ponds at Abraka Inland is suitable for fish production and the growth of the aquatic macrophytes encountered. The study recommends the management of water resources like streams, rivers and ponds to ensure their sustainability and it has contributed to knowledge in the area of limnology, aquatic biology biodiversity conservation and management and public health.