Assessment of water quality and macroinvertebrate community of Ero River, Ikun-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

This research was designed to assess the water quality of Ero River, Ikun Ekiti using the macroinvertebrates community structure. Water and macroinvertebrate samples were collected bimonthly from September to November 2025, using standard methods of APHA (2008). Eighteen physicochemical parameters were determined in this study, notable among which are pH, Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Total Dissolved Solid and Total Hardness with values 5.4 - 6.7, 26.1?C - 27.3?C, 4.69 mg/L- 6.98 mg/L, 71.04 mg/L - 119.68 mg/L and 102.4 mg/L - 173.6 mg/L, respectively. A total of 12 species of macroinvertebrates were recorded in all the sampling points. They include Ranatra sp. (10.24%), Baetis sp. (7.24%), Gerris remiges (6.56%), Hydrophilus sp. (6.89), Nepa cinerea (9.17%), Lethocerus africanus (8.74%), Chironomus sp. (8.35%), Eristalis sp. (6.71%), Lanistes libycus (10.06%), Potadoma moerchi (9.45%), Bulimus globosus (8.06%) and Notonecta sp. (8.63%), respectively. Most of the species recorded in this study are pollution-tolerant species, thus indicating that Ero River water is organically polluted. There is a need for regular monitoring of the river and appropriate measures should be employed in order to checkmate the pollution to prevent further degradation and eutrophication.