Index of the phytoecological indicator species in the prevalent airborne pollen types in Akoko environment, Ondo State, Nigeria

Benjamin Christopher Essien; Stephen Onojo Idachaba; Emmanuel Enemakwu Okai

doi:10.30574/gscbps.2019.8.3.0155

Authors

Benjamin Christopher Essien Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.
Stephen Onojo Idachaba Department of Integrated Science, Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa, Kogi State, Nigeria
Emmanuel Enemakwu Okai Department of Biological Sciences, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2019.8.3.0155

Keywords:

Airborne-pollen, Index, Indicator species, Phytoecology, Vegetation

Abstract

The study of vegetation and the way in which it has been altered and developed in the course of time indicates changes that have occurred in our terrestrial environment and is useful in providing vital information on environmental change, vegetation type, species composition and their utilization for sustainable development. This study was carried out in forty randomly selected locations so as to identify the different phytoecological indicator species and to also ascertain the present status of the vegetation of the catchment environment investigated. The airborne pollen grains were collected with Modified Tauber Sampler using simple random sampling technique and analyzed palynologically. Results showed 50,661 pollen grains counts comprising of 182 pollen types belonging to 74 angiospermic plant families were encountered. Three (3) of these pollen types were identified to family level, 57 to species level, 121 to generic level and one (1) unidentified. The pollen types identified in this study reflect to a large extent the phytoecological vegetation of the study area. Indicators of the Savanna taxa were the highest pollen contributors (55.74%) followed by Open forest taxa (22.72%), Human impact taxa (14.32%) and Lowland rainforest taxa (7.21%) respectively. About 44.19% of the plant sources identified are trees; the shrubs constitute about 25.96%, herbs 21.54%, herbaceous climbers 6.61%, lianas 1.10% and sedges 0.55%. The various ecological indicators species identified confirmed their origin as coming from the Forest- Savanna ecological zone that is anthropogenically disturbed. Such taxa could be properly conserved and their exploitation managed to prevent extinction thereby enhancing biodiversity sustainability.

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