Impacts of Solid Wastes on Physicochemical Characteristics and Habitats of Fiddler Crabs (Uca tangeri) on the Intertidal Sediments of Part of the Bonny Estuary, in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the impacts of solid wastes on physicochemical characteristics and habitats of fiddler crabs (Uca tangeri) on the intertidal sediments of Part of the Bonny Estuary, in Rivers State, Nigeria using appropriate standard methods. Results obtained show that the physiochemical characteristic in the study are were pH (4.9 - 6.3); conductivity (780.0 – 6290 µS/cm) sulphate (34.4 – 190.0 mg/kg); phosphate (0.6 – 6.8mg/kg); nitrate (1.2 – 4.5mg/kg); sand (32 – 87%); silt (0.2 - 14%) clay (3 - 54%). Solid wastes observed were plastics, wood/plank, bottles, Styrofoam, tyres, nylon/polyethene, clothes and ropes while fiddler crabs holes ranged from 3 -38 .in the study area. Physico-chemical characteristics of sediment varied between intertidal stations however, changes in pH, phosphate, nitrate and silt particles caused significant (p<0.05) changes in the number of fiddler crab holes. The amount of solid wastes observed at the mid intertidal level also impacted significantly on the number of crab holes but the observation was different at the low and the high intertidal zones. In conclusion, the interplay of physicochemical characteristics of the sediment with solid wastes contributed to the fragmentation and loss of fiddler crab habitats but varied from one intertidal coast to another. It is therefore, important to assess each intertidal coast in order to conserve fiddler crabs and their habitats.

Keywords

• Solid Wastes; Fiddler crabs; intertidal habitat fragmentation.