Theses

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A long essay or dissertation or thesis involving personal research, written by postgraduates of University of Ghana for a university degree.

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Browsing Theses by Author "Ababio, S.D."

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    Assessment of Shoreline Morphological Changes in Brass (Niger-Delta, Nigeria)
    (University of Ghana, 2015-07) Olali, O.A.; Appeaning- Addo, K.; Ababio, S.D.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences
    Assessment of shoreline morphological changes provides information about the historical, present and future shoreline positions. Such information is essential to coastal planning and managing natural coastal environments and human communities. Oil exporting facilities which are vital to the economy of Nigeria are located on the Okpoama- Brass shoreline in the Niger delta. The shoreline experiences morphological changes caused by natural and anthropogenic factors. Recent studies on shoreline morphological change in some parts of the Niger delta indicate that shoreline erosion is dominant over accretion. However, they did not provide information for the entire coastline of the Niger Delta. Approximately 551 transects were cast along the entire shoreline at 50m interval and rates of change statistics were calculated using the End Point Rate, Linear Regression, and Weighted Linear Regression methods. The estimate of shoreline position error for the extracted shorelines was 1m. The study reveals that in the long term, accretion is the dominant trend with overall mean shoreline change rate of + 0.1 m/yr ± 1m (meso accretion). However in the short term, the study revealed that erosion was dominant with overall mean shoreline change rate of - 0.42 m/yr ± 1m (meso erosion). Some transects revealed erosion rate as high as 7.03 m/yr ± 1m (extreme erosion). The study also forecasted the future shoreline position in fifty (50) years, which reveals erosion and minimal accretion. This study will serve as a guide in the planning and management of the natural environment and communities in the study area. The methodology used for this study can also be replicated in other selected areas along the coastline of the Niger Delta in Nigeria
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    The Population Parameters, Food Habits and Physicochemical Environment of Three Cichlid Species in The Southwestern Sector Of The Keta Lagoon
    (University of Ghana, 2001-12) Ababio, S.D.; Vanderpuye, C. J.; Armah, A.K.; University of Ghana,College of Basic and Applied Sciences,School of Biological Sciences,Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences.
    The study was carried out in the southwestern sector of the Keta lagoon, a closed coastal lagoon located in the southeastern part of Ghana. The study was aimed at studying the population parameters and the feeding habits of the major fish species (in terms of catch) in the lagoon in relation to the prevailing physiochemical parameters and the benthic macro fauna of the area. The water physiochemical parameters studied included the electrochemical and the optical properties of the water as well as the nutrients available for production. Macro benthic fauna studies were also carried out, in relation to sediment grain size distribution and organic matter content, as an index of the ecological state of the area. The findings from the study indicate that the seasonal precipitation pattern of the area was mainly responsible for fluctuations in the lagoon water physiochemical regime during the period of the study. The benthic fauna diversity did not indicate any effect of any external perturbation on the lagoonal environment, except salinity changes. The study on the fishery resource of the lagoon indicated that even though there source is highly exploited, it is able to maintain itself by rapid reproduction at an early age. However, if exploitation is maintained at or above the current rate, its effect, coupled with that of the stressful environment could result in diminishing catches, with catches comprising mainly of small-bodied fishes.