LAND SNAIL DIVERSITY IN QUARRY AND NON-QUARRY SITES IN ODEDA AND ALABATA, OGUN STATE, SW NIGERIA

LAND SNAIL DIVERSITY IN QUARRY AND NON-QUARRY SITES IN ODEDA AND ALABATA, OGUN STATE, SW NIGERIA

LAND SNAIL DIVERSITY IN QUARRY AND NON-QUARRY SITES IN ODEDA
AND ALABATA, OGUN STATE, SW NIGERIA

By

ALADESIDA et al


ABSTRACT

Quarrying activities are known to have debilitating effects on the environment. The
recent creation of a quarrying site along the FUNAAB-Alabata route of Odeda Local
Government Area of Ogun State, SW Nigeria has drawn fears of the effects this could
have on biodiversity. The present study therefore appraised the diversity and
abundance of snails in quarry and non-quarry sites in Odeda and Alabata towns, both
having quarries within their communities but that of Odeda being much older than
Alabatas. The study also measured the effects of quarrying on soil parameters in the
sampling locations. The results revealed four (4) species of land snails, Achatina
achatina, A. fulica, A. craveni and Achachatina marginata. All four species were found in
Odeda while only A. achatina and A. marginata were present at both locations. Achatina
achatina was the most frequently encountered species while A. craveni was the least
encountered. The present record ofA. craveni in the study area is the first from Nigeria.
The disturbed sites also showed very low snail diversity and abundance as only A.
achatina and A. craveni were found both at Odeda and Alabata quarry sites. Analysis of
the soil parameters showed Odeda quarry had the highest Zn (5.2560±0.08900 mg/kg),
Pb (3.1650±0.04900 mg/kg), Co (0.1420±0.00600 mg/kg), Cu (0.6755±0.01350 mg/kg),
Fe (4.0490±0.06300 mg/kg) and Ni (0.3100±0.00400 mg/kg). The separation of means
showed that these values for the quarry sites were significantly higher than the metal
loads in the non-quarry sites (P < 0.05). However, the metal loads for both the quarry
and non-quarry sites were higher than permissible levels of these metals in soil. Soil pH
was slightly acidic for Odeda quarry (6.70), non-quarry (6.80) and Alabata non-quarry
(6.55) but slightly neutral (7.20) for Alabata quarry. The present results show
quarrying activities had negative effects on soil parameters and that snail diversity and
abundance was low in the study area.
Keywords: Snails, diversity, quarrying activities, heavy metals


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