International Journal of Life Science and Agriculture Research

Komadugu Yobe River is a vital freshwater ecosystem in North-Eastern Nigeria, supporting the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen and contributing significantly to regional food security. Despite its economic importance, comprehensive data on fish species composition, abundance, distribution, and water quality parameters along the river's full length have been lacking hence informed this study. Ten sampling locations were established at 20 km intervals along the river from upstream to downstream. Monthly data collection was conducted over a 12-month period. Fish were captured using different fishing gears appropriate for different water depths and foraging behaviors. Water quality parameters were measured onsite and through laboratory analyses following standard methods. Fish species were identified using taxonomic keys, enumerated, and weighed. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, diversity indices (Shannon-Weiner and Simpson), and percentage abundance calculations. A total of 260,674 individual fish (biomass: 80,643.04 kg) belonging to 13 families and 29 species were recorded. Cichlidae and Mormyridae were the most species-rich families (5 species each). Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H'=2.19) and Simpson diversity index (D=0.80) indicated high species diversity. Alestes nurse dominated numerically (17.89%), while Clarias gariepinus contributed the highest biomass (13.45%). Water quality parameters remained within optimal ranges for tropical fish species with no significant spatial variations (P>0.05). The Komadugu Yobe River supports a diverse and evenly distributed fish community, attributable to stable and favorable physicochemical conditions throughout its length. Three species (Barilius senegalensis, Clarias spp., and Tetraodon fahaka) showed evidence of decline and require conservation attention. These findings provide essential baseline data for sustainable fisheries management and biodiversity conservation in the region.

Fish diversity, species abundance, water quality, Komadugu Yobe River, Cichlidae

1. Ahmad, A.K., Mohd Sham, O., Shukor, M.N.1., Aweng, EH-R. & Shuhaimi-Othman, O. (2011). Ecological factors affecting fish diversity and density in Sungkai Wildlife Reserve, Perak, Malaysia.
2. APHA (American Public Health Association) (2005). Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater. 21st Edition. Washington, DC.  1268pp.
3. Audu, I.W. (2006). Fish Species and Fisheries of River Yobe: Their Role in Nation Building. Kaba Journal of Science Education 1: 128-134.
4. Bankole, N. O. Sule, O. D., Okwundu, E. C. and Amadi, M. (1994). Preliminary investigation into the fish and catch assessment survey of Alau Lake. Annual Report of National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research (NIFFRI). 28 pp 
5. Barreto, M. G. & Uieda, V. S. (1998). Influence of the Abiotic Factors on               the Ichthyofauna Composition in Different Orders Stretches of Capivara River, São           Paulo State, Brazil. Verh. Internat. Verein Limnology, 26: 2180-2183.         
6. Bhatnagar, A., Jana, S. N., Garg, S. K. Patra, B.C., Singh, G. and Barman, U.K., (2004). Water quality management in aquaculture, In: Course Manual of summer school on development of sustainable aquaculture technology in fresh and saline waters, CCS Haryana Agricultural, Hisar (India), 203- 210.
7. Bhatnagar, A. and Devi, P. (2019). Water quality guidelines for the management of pond fish culture. International Journal of Environment Sciences, 5(21): 1-30. DOI: https://10.6088/ijes.2013030600019
8. Bistoni, M. A. and Hued, A. C. (2002). Patterns of Fish Species Richness in Rivers of the Central Region of Argentina. Brazilian Journal of Biology 62: 21-30. 
9. Boyd, C.E. (2008). Aquaculture carbon dioxide. Aquademia, the seafood podcast, Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Aubum University, Alabama, USA. Retrieved January 30, 2025 from https://link.chtbl.com/aquapod
10. Crossman, E.J. and McAllister, D.E. (1986). Zoogeography of Freshwater Fishes of the Hudson Bay Drainage, Ungava Bay and the Arctic Archipelago. In: Hocutt, C.H. and Willey, E.O. (eds). Zoogeography of North American Freshwater Fishes. John Willey and Sons. New York. 53-104 pp. Retrieved fromhttp://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/fish/norbasin/introdu.htm on 6/1/2009.
11. Danba, E.P., Ja’afaru, A., Abubakar, K.A., Zira, J.D., Kefas, M. and Barau, B.W. (2020). Fish biodiversity and abundance in River Taraba, Taraba State, Nigeria. Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management. 535-544· DOI: https://ejesm.org/doi/v13i5.2  
12. Delaney, L., Jamu. D. M. and Campbell, C. E. (2006). Abundance and distribution of fish in the lower Mnembo River, Malawi-Mozambique. African Journal of Ecology. Retrieved from http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118510999/htm on 7/1/2025. 
13. Devi, P. A., Padmavathy, P., Aanand, S. & Aruljothy, K. (2017). Review on water quality parameters in freshwater cage fish culture. International Journal of Applied Research,       3(5): 114-120.
14. Essien-Ibok,  M. A. & Isemin, N. L (2020). Fish species diversity, abundance and distribution in the major water bodies in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. Biodiversity International Journal, 4(1): 42-48.
15. Genthon, P., Hector, B., Luxereau, A. & Descloitres, M. (2015). Groundwater recharge by Sahelian rivers—consequences for agricultural development: example from the lower Komadugu Yobe River (Eastern Niger, Lake Chad Basin). Environmental Earth Sciences, 74(2). Doi:10.1007/s12665-015-4119-y
16. Francis-Floyd, R. (2003). Dissolved oxygen for fish production. University of Florida Extension, Institute for food and Agricultural Science. Fact sheet FA-27. 
17. Gosh, S. Senthamilan, S. S., & Chatterjee, S. (nd). Optimum condition of water for aquaculture. Agriallis, Science for Agriculture and allied sector: a monthly newsletter 1(4). Article Id: AL201926. Retrieved January 31, 2025 from www.agriallis.com     
18. Ipinmoroti, M. O. and Iyiola, A. O. (2022). Diversity, distribution and abundance of fish species in Lake Asejire, Oyo State, Nigeria. The Zoologist, 21: 49-56. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tzool.v21i 
19. IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1997). Water Management Option for Hadejia-Jama’are-Yobe River Basin.Northern Nigeria Publishers.
20. Kerschbaumer, P., Tritthart, M. and Keckeis, H. (2020). Abundance, distribution, and habitat use of fishes in a large river (Danube, Austria): mobile, horizontal hydroacoustic surveys vs. a standard fishing method. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 77(5): 1966-1978. DOI: https://10.1093/icesjms/fsaa081
21. Lawal, N., Abdullahi, S. A. and Abolude, D. S. (2023). Physicochemical Characteristics and Fish Abundance and Diversity of Mairua Reservoir Water, Funtua, Katsina State, North-Western Nigeria. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management, 27 (1): 125-132.
22. Marriott, S. (1991). Fisheries now and in the future. North east arid zone development program, Borno state. 56 pp
23. Mill, T. A., Sparrow-Clark, P. and Brown, R. S. (1996). Fish Distribution, Movement, Habitat and Gross Pathology Information for the Northern River Basins in Alberta. Northern River Basins Study Report
24. Mohd-Azham, Y. and Singh, H. R. (2019). Freshwater fish diversity and their distribution along the Keniyam River, Taman Negara Pahang, Malaysia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 269: 012034.
25. Mostafavi, S. M. I., Rahmani, M. R., Kaboli, M. and Abdoli, A. (2021) Determinants of fish distribution pattern and habitat preference in protected Karaj River, Iran. Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences. 20(2): 410-429,  DOI: https://10.22092/ijfs.2021.123838
26. Obayemi, O. E., Komolafe, O. O., Ayodeji, O. A., Ajayi, O., Adewumi, P. O.,  Adeniran, I. I., Olalekan,  K. O. and Oladimeji, T. K. (2024). Assessment of climatic and environmental parameters on fish abundance of an afro-tropical reservoir. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-75181-y  
27. Oberdoff, T. and Hughes, M. (1992). Modification of an Index of Biotic Integrity Based on Fish Assemblages to Characterize Rivers of the Seine Basin, France. Hydro-biologia, 228: 117-130.      
28. Oberdorff, T. and Porcher, J. (1992). Fish assemblage structure in Brittany streams (France). Aquatic Living Resources 5: 215-223.         
29. Ohaturuonye, S. O. Nwuka, C. N. and Ukagwu, J. I. (2018). Current Ichthyofaunal Survey of Otamiri River, Imo State, Nigeria. Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 33(1): 27-36. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314.jas.v33i1.4
30. Olaosebikan, B.D. and Raji, A. (2004). Field Guide of Nigerian Freshwater Fishes. (Revised ed.). Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, New Bussa, Nigeria.
31. Ondieki, J. B., Albert, G., Reuben, O. and Enock, O. N. (2021). Fish biodiversity, distribution and abundance in Iyabe-Riana River, South West Kenya. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies, 9(4): 142-148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/fish.2021.v9.i4b.2535.
32. Penczak, C, T. and Mann, R. H. K. (1990). The Impact of Stream Order on Fish Populations in Pilica Drainage Basin, Poland. Polish Archive of Hydrobiology 37: 243-261.        
33. Rahel, F. J. and Hubert, W. A. (1991). Fish Assemblages and Habitat Gradients in a Rocky Mountain-Great Plains Stream: Biotic Zonation and Additive Patterns of Community Change. Trans-America Fisheries Society, 120: 319-332.      
34. Reboucas, V. T., Lima, F. R. S., Cavalcante, D. H., & Marcelo, V. C. (2015). Tolerance of Nile Tilapia to highly acidic rearing water. ACTA Scientiarum, Animal Sciences, 37(3): 227-233
35. Reed, W., Burchard, J., Hopson, A.J., Jenness, J. and Yaro, I. (1967). Fish and Fisheries of Northern Nigeria. Gaskiya Cooperation, Zaria. 225 pp,
36. Ryckman, F. (1981).  A Revised Checklist of the Fishes of North Dakota, with a Brief Synopsis of Each Species Distribution within the State. North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Bismarck.
37. Scarnecchia, D. Walker, T. and Rykman, F. (1998). The Missouri River Benthic Fish Study. Retrieved from http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/fish/norbasin/intro.htm on 6/1/2009
38. Smith, D. G. (2001). A protocol for standardizing Secchi disk measurements, including use of a viewer box. Lake and ReservoirManagement. 17(2): 90-96.
39. Tejerina-Garro, F. L., Maldonado, M., Ibañez, C., Pont, D., Roset, N. and Oberdorff, T. (2005). Effects of natural and anthropogenic environmental changes on riverine fish assemblages: A framework for ecological assessment of rivers. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 48: 91-108. DOI: https://10.1590/S1516-89132005000100013 
40. Teugels, G., Reid, G. M. and King, R. P. (1992). Fishes of the Cross River Basin (Cameroon Nigeria): Taxonomy Zoogeography, Ecology and Conservation. Musce Royal De L’Afrique Centrale Annales Sciences Zoologiques, 266: 1 – 132. 
41. Trewaves, E., Green, J. and Gorbert, S. P. (1972). Ecological studies on Crater lakes in West Cameroon Fishes of Barombi Mbo. Journal of Zoology, 167: 41 – 95.
42. Underhill, J.C. (1989). The Distribution of Minnesota Fishes and Late Pleistocene Glaciation. Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science, 55: 32-37.
43. Waziri, M. and Ogugbuaja, V. O. (2010). Interrelationship between physicochemical water pollutionindicators: A case study of River Yobe-Nigeria. American Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, 1(1): 76-80.
44. Wurts, W. A. and Durborow, R. M. (1992).  Interactions of pH, carbon dioxide, alkalinity and hardness in fish ponds. Southern Regional Aquaculture Center (SRAC) No. 464.