Ecological Succession in Agrarian Impacted Site in Parts of Amafor Rainforest in Ngor-Akpala Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State, Nigeria: Phytodiversity and Species Composition Assessments
F. B.G. Tanee , N. L. Edwin-Wosu and I. A. Nze
Abstract: Background: Series of ecological demand are causing significant and irreversible loss to forest resource, thus causing their disappearance at alarming rates due to demand for timber and non-timber products and for agricultural lands. In most communities of Ngor-Akpala in Imo State, where mechanized and sustainable system of agriculture is not practiced, shifting cultivation and subsistence farming are the most obvious causes of forest disturbances. Objective: This study elucidates the phytodiversity and composition of an agrarian impacted site in parts of Amafor forest in Ngor-Akpala, Imo State. Methodology: A total of five quadrate sampling plots of 20x50 m each were systematically sampled and phytosociological data were collected in both the impacted and unimpacted sites. Results: The impacted site had a total representative of 39 species under 17 families recorded in mosaic heterogeneity with herbs (77%) and shrubs (58%) as the most dominant life form of plant species. Phytosociological results showed that among the 39 representative species, Spillanthes filicaulis and Ipomoea involucrata recorded the highest frequency of (100 = 5.81%) occurrence. Andropogon tectorum (giant bluestem) had the highest density value of 11.2 = 18.01%, highest abundance value of 18.7 = 14.70% and highest Importance Value Index (IVI) of 36.20%, respectively. In distribution pattern 20 species (51.28%) had random distribution, 5 (12.82%) species in regular and 14 (35.90%) species in contiguous distribution pattern. The unimpacted site had 19 species under 14 families in climax vegetation structure of six species as herbs, 11 as shrubs and 2 as trees. Phytosociological assessment had four species with the highest frequency of 100 = 7.69% with Manniophyton fulvum having the highest density value of 6 = 10.24% per species and IVI of 25.11%. Funtumia elastica had the highest abundance of 8 = 9.30%. The distribution pattern showed 12 species (63.16%) in contiguous pattern, 4 species (21.05%) in random distribution and 3 species (15. 79%) regularly distributed. Conclusion: The comparative study on the similarity of the impacted and unimpacted sites shows that both sites are dissimilar with an observed index value of 0.79 higher than the 0.21 value of similarity index.
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		How to Cite: F. B.G. Tanee, N. L. Edwin-Wosu and I. A. Nze , 2015. Ecological Succession in Agrarian Impacted Site in Parts of Amafor Rainforest in Ngor-Akpala Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State, Nigeria: Phytodiversity and Species Composition Assessments. Insight Ecology, 4: 35-45 DOI: 10.5567/ECOLOGY-IK.2015.35.45