PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND FISH SPECIES DIVERSITY OF DADIN-KOWA RESERVOIR, GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The rapid urbanization of many towns and cities across the world necessitate theconstruction of reservoirs to supply these towns with potable pipe borne water. Dadin-Kowareservoir is one of such water bodies located in the north east of Nigeria in Gombe State. It supplies municipal water to Dadin-Kowa,YamaltuDeba Local Government Area and other parts of Gombe State. Reservoirs apartfrom their primary function also have secondary uses for fisheries and irrigation of farmlands(Ahmed and Philip, 2012).
Water is an essential component for life on earth. It contains minerals which are extremelyimportant in human nutrition (Versari et al., 2002). However, the drastic increase inpopulation results in an enormous depletion (Ho et al.,2003). It is observed that human activities are a major factor determining the quantity and quality of thewater through atmospheric pollution, effluent dischargesand use of agricultural chemicals,eroded soils and land use (Sillanpa et al., 2004).As pointed out by Kofi(2001), freshwater is indispensable and is sensitive ashuman activities have great impact on the quantity and quality of freshwater: both thequality and quantity of our planet’s freshwater are under threat.
According to Roy and Mazumdar (2005), the use of water in the world has increasedby more than 35 times over the past three centuries and recent estimate shows that 3240km3 offreshwater is withdrawn globally on annual basis. A major portion of this (69%) is used foragriculture, 23% for industry and the remaining 8% for domestic use.Owing to inadequatemanagement of wastes, freshwater potential has been reduced due to widespreadpollution. Studies have shown deterioration of water quality and low faunal abundance anddiversity caused by stress imposed by effluents from land based sources (Chukwu andNwankwo, 2005). If left unchecked, these ecosystems will cause a seriousthreat to aquatic life as well as to man due to continuous depletion and eventual extinction of some fishspecies.Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources includingterrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystem and ecological complex of which they are part(Ali, 1999). The diversity of fish mainly depends upon the biotic factors and types ofecosystem (Nanda and Tiwari, 2001). Climatic characteristics influence the waterquality and quantity and that invariably affects biodiversity.
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PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND FISH SPECIES DIVERSITY OF DADIN-KOWA RESERVOIR, GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA
