Ecological Niche of Some Wetland Microbes

Abstract

This study was focused on identifying and characterizing the ecological microbial communities in soil samples from Akoko communities in Akoko South West Local Government area, and Akure, the State capital, Ondo State, Nigeria. Parameters such as soil temperature, pH, and some biochemical characteristics of the microbial communities were determined. The total viable bacterial counts estimated for this purpose ranged from 58 x 107 cfu gm-1 in Borehole soil sources to 98 x 107 gm-1 in Stream sediment source. Similarly, some physiologic studies show that the temperature of the soil samples ranged from 28.0°C to 30.1°C, while the pH for borehole sample is pH6.09, stream, pH5.82 and river, pH6.25. The bacterial population of fish pond sources range from 20 x 107 cfu gm-1 to 55 x 107 cfu gm-1. Twenty three bacterial isolates were obtained from Akoko communities and this includes Bacillus spp., Acinetobacter spp., Eubacterium spp. Staphylococcus spp., Proteus spp. Acidobacteria spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Flavobacterium spp. and Pseudomonas spp. In addition to this were six (6) bacterial and two (2) fungal isolates obtained from pond soil sources in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. This is constituted of Salmonella spp. Bacillus spp., Clostridium spp., Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus feacalis and Lactobacillus spp. While the fungal isolates include Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. The study will add to our knowledge of the microbial communities from different ecological sites in Nigeria and can be helpful in environmental management and site improvements after disturbances due to human interference and industrial developments.