1.1 Introduction
Plankton is the foundation of the oceans food wed the word plankton comes from a Greek word plankton which means drifting plankton are organism drifting in column of the oceans seas and bodies of fresh water.
Plankton are made of both plant origin (phytoplankton) and animal origin (zooplankton) however they form the early foods for fish. The productivity of any water body is determine by the amount of plankton it contain as they are the major primary and secondary producer (pavis et al 2009).
1.2 Background of the Study
In the last three decades several studies on the phytoplankton and zoo plankton of Nigeria freshwater and brakish water bodies have been carried out but few studies on the marine environment have been reported (Opute 1985).
Large phytoplankton creeks tends to be grazed by large phytoplankton resulting in shorter simplier foods wed and more efficient matters and energy transfer to large consumer (Tremply el al zone)plankton occurs naturally in water bodies and abundant quantity of plankton can be raised in concrete tanks and earthen pond (niffr,2001).
However the abundant of plankton that are found in water body is basically dependence in the percentage of pollution that migrate its growth that is plankton abundance is affects by percentage of pollution Tremble et al 2004) Weiss and Stockner (1993) observed that energy in palegic ecosystem flow from phytoplankton the primary producer to zooplankton the consumer through the classical foods chain and microbial foods weds modes that use phytoplankton primary production as the main controlling variable fish predicting fish yield in lakes and reservoirs’ has resulted in more successful prediction than many other method (Knosche and Barthelme's 1998).
There is a range of chemical physical and biological competent that affect water quality. Some of which could provide a general indication of water pollution while other enable the direct tracking of pollution sources these indication include not only its physiochemical characteristics but also aquatic organism and biochemical techniques sequel to this many group of organism have been used as indicators of water quality bodies including algae macrophysics protozoa fish and other animal.
Plankton which are all those group of tiny float drift or freely of feeble swim in water column independent of the shore and bottom occupy the base level of foods chains (autotrophs) that lead up to commercial important fisheries have severally been used as biv indicators or water quality.
Additionally, plankton communities, play a major role in the biogeo-chemical cycles of many important elements such as the carbon cycles nitrification demineralization and metuanogenesis. These circles brings about such process as primary production and recycling
1.2 Aim and Objective of the Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Plankton Assemblage and Water Quality of Anwai River. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To identity the plankton assemblage in anwai river delta state.
- To know which plankton is more abundance.
- To know how the assemblage affected by the water quality
1.3 Significance of Study
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.4 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Assessment of Plankton Assemblage and Water Quality of Anwai River.
1.5 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
