HOME JOURNALS CONTACT

Research Journal of Forestry

Year: 2014 | Volume: 8 | Issue: 2 | Page No.: 34-47
DOI: 10.17311/rjf.2014.34.47
Species Diversity and Regeneration Potential of Some Mixed Mangrove Forests in Escravos Communities Delta State Nigeria
J.K. Ebigwa and F. Akomaye

Abstract: Mangrove forests are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. Regrettably, this resource is threatened by natural and anthropogenic factors. The failure rate of most restoration programs worldwide underpins the need to determine factors inhibiting natural mangrove regeneration. Paucity of such data in Nigerian mangroves justifies the need for this study. The research recorded 50 woody species across 31 families. Elaesis guineensis and Nypa fructicans are the most abundant species while Pterygota macrophylla and Grewia auriculata are the least abundant species. Species diversity was observed to vary between 20 (plot 7) to 28 (plot 2) with an average of 25 species per transect. Shannon and equitability indices had values ranging between 2.85 (plot 7) and 3, 25 (plot 2) and 0.95-0.98, respectively. The Regeneration Potential (RP) for each species was recorded. The average regeneration potential of 64.48% along transect 3 was the highest while that of 42.43% for transect 4 was the lowest.. A total of fourteen species had RP of at least 60% while 5 species had RP less than 45%. The study further revealed that the average regeneration potential (51.03%) of the 4 recorded mangrove species was lower than the RP for the entire study.

Fulltext PDF Fulltext HTML

How to cite this article
J.K. Ebigwa and F. Akomaye, 2014. Species Diversity and Regeneration Potential of Some Mixed Mangrove Forests in Escravos Communities Delta State Nigeria. Research Journal of Forestry, 8: 34-47.

© Science Alert. All Rights Reserved