PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MACROZOOBENTHOS ABUNDANCE IN THE GULF OF LAKE TANA

Abstract

This paper presents results on the investigation of physical and chemical characteristics and macrozoobenthos in the Bahir Dar Gulf of Lake Tana in 2013−2014. Significant changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of water, local sites of nutrients’ pollution and seasonal peculiarities of characteristics, linked to the precipitation level were identified. A total of 21 species of macrozoobenthos were registered. Among the six study sites “Infranz river mouth” was found to be most diverse and abundant in macrozoobenthos community. This is probably due to the presence of ample organic matter, which is imported from river catchment, as well as additional microhabitats due to diverse vegetation development. The species diversity, similarity and total number and biomass of macrozoobenthos from the six sites of Bahir Dar Gulf are discussed.