Abstract:The diversity and abundance of littoral microflora in Chicoco-mud along the lower reaches of the New-Calabar River, Niger-Delta, Nigeria, was undertaken from June to October 2008 covering wet and dry seasons. Five stations were randomly chosen while littoral benthic samples were collected at Extreme Low Neap or Spring Tides. Microfloral results indicate the presence of the Raphidophyceae (3 – 5%), Pennatea (69 – 76%) and Centricae (20 – 28%) Bacillariophyceae. Seasonal variations were minimal , however , in wet season , average Margalef’s Species Richness Index (d) varied from 2.070 – 2.196, Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index (H) varied from 1.016 – 1.084 bit/Individual (Ind.) and Equitability (E) from 0.947 – 0.958 while in dry season ‘d’ varied from 2.007 – 2.194 , ‘H’ from 1.047 – 1.135 and ‘E’ from 0.943 – 0.954 bits/Ind.; Nevertheless , Hutcheson t  test  for ‘H’ between Stations indicated ‘significant’ and ‘not-significant’  differences at P < 0.05 level. The most abundant and only species amongst the Raphidophyceae was the ‘red tide causing’ and toxic Chattonella antiqua (Y.Itada.) .C. Ono , while for the Centricae it was Coscinodiscus eccentricus Ehrenb. and Stephanodiscus niagarae Ehrenb. and for the Pennatea – Nitzschia sigmoidea (Nitzsch.) W. Smith, Navicula anglic  Ralfs, Surirella fastuosa (Ehrenb.) Ehrenb. and Tropidoneis lepidoptera (Greg.) Cleve. . Chicoco-mud ‘stations’ and ‘monthly’ physicochemical data indicated that Sand, Silt, Clay, Fibre, Wet conductivity, TOC , pH ,Avail. P., and NO^-₃ – N were significantly different and affected the diversity and abundance of microflora , thus the continuous use of Chicoco-mud for land reclamation should be discouraged.
Keywords:Benthic, Chicoco-mud, Diversity, Littoral, Microflora, New-Calabar River,Niger-Delta.
Title:The diversity and abundance of littoral microflora in Chicoco-mud along the lower reaches of the New – Calabar River, Niger-Delta, Nigeria
Author:Karibi N.O Bob-manuel, Dimabo O. Amachree