BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT OF FOUR FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN AKURE FOREST RESERVES (APONMU) ONDO STATE

Abstract

The forest harbours an unprecedented amount of species diversity. However, these biodiversities are being loss daily via degradation due to various land use and human/anthropogenic activities. This study was carried out to assess the biodiversity assessment of four forest ecosystems (Natural forest, Enrichment forest, Degraded forest and Taungya forest systems) and the subsequent effect of these land use on the biodiversity of each forests. The study was carried out at Akure forest reserve. Tree species diversity and Arthropods (flying insects) species abundance of diversity was obtained from each of the four plots samples of 50 cm X 50 cm located in the four forest types using the systemic line transect. Soil samples were collected from three soil depths and three points in each plot and then analyzed for diversity and abundance of soil mesofauna (Arthropods), diversity and abundance of soil microorganisms (fungi and bacteria) and (Potential Hydrogen) pH, Magnesium, Carbon, Nitrogen, potassium, nitrate, phosphorous, calcium, obtained for two seasons in each of the forest types. The result of the tree species diversity revealed that the forests are generally rich in diversity but differs as well, with natural forest having and the highest Shannon-Weaver diversity index (3.321, 3.040, 2.97, 1.44), for Natural forest, Enrichment, Taungya and Degraded forest respectively. The result obtained for insects species, revealed that NF has the highest species diversity 72, Shannon-Weaver diversity index of 3.217 followed by DF 68 and the Shannon-Weaver diversity index of 1.088 the least was recorded in TF 40 and Shannon-Weaver diversity 0.192. Enrichment Forest has the highest abundance 112 of Mesofauna, while degraded forest has the highest number species diversity 20 but least abundance 40. However species abundance and species diversity were observed to be generally higher during the wet season and lower during the dry season. Bacteria and fungi count was significantly different (p≤0.05) between the forest types. Also the were significant difference (p≤0.05) between season, forest types and soil depths almost all the chemical properties examined in this study. Therefore, it was clear from the results of this study that natural forest remains outstanding form of forest hence effort should be made on forests such as are enrichment and degraded for regeneration so as to sustain species biodiversity.