Degree: MSc Water Resource Science

Working title of thesis: Macroplastics in the Environment – are they Suitable Microhabitat for Macroinvertebrates in Selected Headwater Streams?

Supervisors:

• Prof. Oghenekaro Nelson Odume
• Dr. Nnadozie Chika Felicitas

Year of registration: 2021

Biography: Andrew Ali is an MSc (Water Resource Science) candidate with the Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University. His research examines the impact of emerging pollutants (Macroplastics) on stream microhabitat quality concerning the macroinvertebrate assemblage structure. Through manipulative field experiments, this study intends to understand macroplastic-induced physical habitat alteration in the headwaters away from other anthropogenic stressors capable of influencing unique macroinvertebrates assemblage in freshwater ecosystems. This research focus was burned out of the conception that a lot of work is being done on plastic pollution globally. Yet, its impact on macroinvertebrates – having significant ecological relevance in the aquatic environment as an indicator of water quality and a critical part of the food web is lacking. My study is supported by the African Water Resource Mobility Network (AWaRMN) of the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme of the EU.

Andrew Ali obtained a B.Tech Biological Sciences (Hydrobiology unit) from the Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria – where his project focused on exploring aquatic macrophytes as indicators of organic pollutants in the Chanchaga River, North Central Nigeria. This study was agitated due to my observation of the deterioration of a local river (Firoro River, Kaduna State, Nigeria) and its resources by Water Hyacinth leading to Algal bloom, thereby deprivation of livelihood while growing up next to the river.

Last Modified: Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:33:56 SAST