1.     Macrobenthic Organisms

The Niger Delta is mainly a wetland region transverse with many rivers, creeks and estuaries. It abounds with benthic fauna which have to be identified in order to get baseline information on how to manage and utilize them.

Ongoing Research

a.     Collecting, Identifying benthic Macrofauna from the different water bodies in the Niger Delta especially Rivers State.

b.     Examining the zonation of these organisms in the intertidal region of the estuary

The results of the completed research works are published in Acta Hydrobiologia; African Journal of Applied Zoology; African Journal of Environmental Studies; Journal of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Environmental Studies.

2.     Physicochemical Parameters and Benthic Macrofauna

The Niger Delta especially Port Harcourt and its environs are centres of industrialization. This has increased the population. These factors have increased the pressure on the water bodies surrounding the town as dumping sites of domestic and industrial wastes.

a.     The physic-Chemical parameters of the different water bodies around Port Harcourt

b.     Effects of the Physico-Chemical parameters on the composition and abundance of benthic macrofauna.

Ongoing Research

i.                    Collection and Analysis of parameters like pH, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen content, biochemical oxygen demand, turbidity, nitrate, ammonia.

ii.                  Identification and abundance of benthic macrofauna

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3.     Ecology of Fish (Shell and Fin)

Industrialization and over population has led to deforestation and pressure on the fishes of the Niger Delta.

a.     Baseline information on fin and shell fishes

b.     Effects of fishing nets on catch

The objective is to provide the necessary data to improve the fish yield

Ongoing Research

i.                   Assessment of fish catch with different fishing gears

ii.                 Potentials of culturing some shrimp species

iii.              Distribution and abundance of some fish species

iv.              Population dynamics of some shrimps and fish

4.     Parasites of Fish

Fish is the major indeginous protein source of the people of Rivers State. This is why efforts are directed towards the health of this resource and the search for anti-parasitic properties from plant extracts.

a.     Screening of fish for parasites

b.      Phytochemical extraction and analysis

Ongoing Research

i.                   Parasites of Sarotherodon melanotheron

ii.                 Effects of methanolic extracts of Artemisia annua  

iii.              Habitats of Bulinus globosus

5.     Environmental Health

There has been increase in oil activities from the Nigerian Petroleum industry in the Niger Delta so the area is exposed to degradation  as a result of spillage and disposal of operational materials like drilling mud. Some of these toxic materials are known to bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms. Benthic organisms are more at risk in the event of pollution

Environmental baseline

Bioaccumulation

Biomarker response

Ongoing Research

1.     Investigation of plankton in a 36 years old crude  oil polluted freshwater pond in ebubu in the lower Niger Delta.

2.     Toxicity and histopathological effects of oil based drilling mud on Periophthalmus barbarous and Tympanotonus fuscastus

3.     Influence of oil based mud exposure on the uptake of heavy metals and total hydrocarbon in soft muscle tissue of Periophthalmus barbarous.

4.     Haematological response of a cichlid fish Sarotherodon melanotheron to crude oil exposure

5.     Biomarker response of Tilapia guineensis to crude oil exposure

6.     Ongoing Research

I.                   The effects of illegal refineries on mangroves and benthic macrofauna of the Niger Delta

II.                Study on the use of yeast as fish feed