Impact of treated rubber effluent discharges on shrimp community of a shallow river in south east Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

The present study aims to evaluate the impact of rubber effluent on shrimp communities in River Wawa, a shallow river in south east Cote d’Ivoire. Shrimp samples were monthly collected from October 2009 to September 2010 at five sites, using a triangular frame kick net. Physical and chemical parameters were also recorded at each site. The environmental variables varied between sites impacted by rubber effluent and the others. Two species, Desmocaris trispinosa (Desmocarididae), and Macrobrachium thysi (Palaemonidae) were identified. D. trispinosa was found to be most abundant (78.65% recording 619 individuals) and most frequent (%OF=58.33). The rubber effluent discharge in Wawa stream affected shrimp communities in terms of abundance rather than species richness. M. thysi preferred high level of dissolved oxygen in water meanwhile; D. trispinosa seemed to tolerate water perturbations. The results of the present study combined with those of previous works could contribute to use shrimp as surface water quality bioindicators.