Insights from the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria on the impacts of urban pollution on the functional organisation of Afrotropical macroinvertebrates

Anthropogenic activities, including urbanisation and industrialisation threaten stream ecological integrity, ecosystem community structure and ecosystem functioning of rivers and streams worldwide. However, developing sustainable monitoring strategies for ecological health remains a critical challenge in Africa. We examined the effects of urban disturbance on macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in selected streams in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. We sampled 11 sites between 2008 and 2012 and grouped into three site groups (Site groups 1 > 2 > 3). The groups represent an increasing gradient of urban pollution. Our result showed that urban-induced disturbances affected physicochemical variables in the study area (PERMANOVA; p < 0.05), with nutrients NO(2)-N, PO(4)-P, and electrical conductivity being significantly higher in impacted Site group 3 (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Predators and gatherers were the most dominant Functional Feeding Group recorded in the study area, while shredders were the least abundant macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups. The multivariate RLQ analysis revealed that shredders, predators, and scrapers were tolerant of urban pollution, whereas gatherers were sensitive to increasing urban pollution. Overall, macroinvertebrates Functional Feeding Groups responded differentially to urban pollution in the Niger Delta Region. Identifying pollution indicator Functional Feeding Groups is seen as an important step towards developing a reliable, low-cost tool for riverine monitoring of urban pollution effects in Africa.