Journal of Forest and Environmental Science

Institute of Forest Science, kangwon National University (강원대학교 산림과학연구소)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Diversity and Phorophyte Preference of Vascular Epiphytic Flora on Avenues within the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

  • Received : 2020.07.08
  • Accepted : 2021.05.20
  • Published : 2021.09.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This study evaluated the species composition, diversity and phorophyte preference of epiphytes at the University of Port Harcourt located in southern part of Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was used to select sites representing major avenues in the three campuses (Abuja, Choba and Delta) of the University. Data were collected on species name of phorophytes, number of individuals, diameter at breast height (dbh) and height, and species/number of epiphytes present on them. The points/sections of attachment of epiphytes on phorophytes were also recorded. A total of eight species of epiphyte belonging to six families were recorded in the study. Species diversity was higher in Abuja campus (Simpson 1-D=0.81; Shannon H=1.79), followed by Choba campus (Simpson 1-D=0.73; Shannon H=1.09) and Delta campus (Simpson 1-D=0.56; Shannon H=0.93). Species richness was highest in Abuja campus (n=8) followed by Delta campus (n=4) and Choba campus (n=3). Similarity in epiphyte species composition was highest between Choba and Delta campuses (85.71%), followed by Delta and Abuja campuses (66.67%) and lowest between Choba and Abuja campuses (54.55%). The family-Polypodiaceae, had the highest number of species (n=3). Microgramma owariensis had the highest relative abundance (27%) followed by Platycerium bifurcatum (26%) while Tillandsia utriculata and Peperomia pellucida had the least relative abundance (3%). Epiphyte abundance was weakly correlated with both the dbh and height of phorophytes. However, epiphytes were more abundant on phorophytes with rough/scaly/corky/flaky barks than on those with smooth barks. The planting of avenue tree species with rough barks is recommended to enhance the diversity of epiphytes in the study area.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management and the Management of the University of Port Harcourt, for providing an enabling environment throughout the research.

References

  1. Addo-Fordjour P, Anning AK, Atakora EA, Agyei PS. 2008. Diversity and Distribution of Climbing Plants in a SemiDeciduous Rain Forest, KNUST Botanic Garden, Ghana. Int J Bot 4: 186-195. https://doi.org/10.3923/ijb.2008.186.195
  2. Adhikari YP, Fischer A, Fischer HS, Rokaya MB, Bhattarai P, Gruppe A. 2017. Diversity, composition and host-species relationships of epiphytic orchids and ferns in two forests in Nepal. J Mt Sci 14: 1065-1075. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-016-4194-x
  3. Adhikari YP, Fischer HS, Fischer A. 2012. Host tree utilization by epiphytic orchids in different land-use intensities in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Plant Ecol 213: 1393-1412. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-012-0099-0
  4. Adubasim CV, Akinnibosun HA, Dzekewong SN, Obalum SE. 2018. Diversity and spatial distribution of epiphytic flora associated with four tree species of partially disturbed ecosystem in tropical rainforest zone. J Trop Agric Food Environ Ext 17: 46-53.
  5. Aigbokhan EI. 2014. Annotated Checklist of Vascular Plants of Southern Nigeria: A Quick Reference Guide to the Vascular Plants of Southern Nigeria: A Systematic Approach. Uniben Press, Benin City, 346 pp.
  6. Akinsoji A. 1990. Studies on epiphytic flora of a tropical rain forest in Southwestern Nigeria. Vegetatio 88: 87-92. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00032605
  7. Akukwe TI, Ogbodo C. 2015. Spatial Analysis of Vulnerability to Flooding in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria. SAGE Open 2015: 1-19.
  8. Alvim FS, Furtado SG, Neto LM. 2020. Diversity of Vascular Epiphytes in Urban Green Areas of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Floresta Ambient 27: e20190116. https://doi.org/10.1590/2179-8087.011619
  9. Andama E, Michira CM, Luilo GB. 2003. Studies on epiphytic ferns as potential indicators of forest disturbances. In: XII World Forestry Congress; Quebec, Canada; Sep 21-28, 2003.
  10. Bartels SF, Chen HYH. 2012. Mechanisms Regulating Epiphytic Plant Diversity. Crit Rev Plant Sci 31: 391-400. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352689.2012.680349
  11. Benzing DH. 1990. Vascular Epiphytes: General Biology and Related Biota. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 354 pp.
  12. Bhatt A, Gairola S, Govender Y, Baijnath H, Ramdhani S. 2015. Epiphyte diversity on host trees in an urban environment, eThekwini Municipal Area, South Africa. New Zealand J Bot 53: 24-37. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2014.1000935
  13. Boelter CR, Zartman CE, Fonseca CR. 2011. Exotic tree monocultures play a limited role in the conservation of Atlantic Forest epiphytes. Biodivers Conserv 20: 1255-1272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-011-0026-z
  14. Bullock CH. 2008. Valuing Urban Green Space: Hypothetical Alternatives and the Status Quo. J Environ Plan Manag 51: 15-35. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640560701712242
  15. Burns KC. 2007. Network properties of an epiphyte metacommunity. J Ecol 95: 1142-1151. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2007.01267.x
  16. Chima UD, Adekunle AT, Okorie MCF. 2013. Ecological and Ethnomedicinal Survey of Plants within Homesteads in Abia State, Nigeria. J For Environ Sci 29: 257-274.
  17. Chima UD, Ofodile EAU. 2015. Climate change mitigation and adaptation capabilities of avenue tree species at the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Adv Appl Sci Res 6: 40-49.
  18. Chinazor OF. 2016. Precipitation Anomalies and the Effects in Port Harcourt Metropolis of Rivers State Nigeria. Int J Sci Eng Res 7: 1753-1756.
  19. Chomba C, Senzota R, Chabwela H, Nyirenda V. 2011. The influence of host tree morphology and stem size onepiphyte biomass distribution in Lusenga Plains National Park, Zambia. J Ecol Nat Environ 3: 370-380.
  20. De Sousa MM, Colpo KD. 2017. Diversity and distribution of epiphytic bromeliads in a Brazilian subtropical mangrove. Ann Brazilian Acad Sci 89: 1085-1093. https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201720160702
  21. Efe SI, Weli VE. 2015. Economic Impact of Climate Change in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Open J Soc Sci 3: 57-68.
  22. Ellwood MD, Foster WA. 2004. Doubling the estimate of invertebrate biomass in a rainforest canopy. Nature 429: 549-551. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02560
  23. Ellwood MDF, Jones DT, Foster WA. 2002. Canopy Ferns in Lowland Dipterocarp Forest Support a Prolific Abundance of Ants, Termites, and Other Invertebrates. Biotropica 34: 575-583. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2002.tb00576.x
  24. Flores-Palacios A, Garcia-Franco JG. 2004. Effect of isolation on the structure and nutrient content of oak epiphyte communities. Plant Ecol 173: 259-269. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:VEGE.0000029337.92724.18
  25. Fudali E. 2012. Recent tendencies in distribution of epiphytic bryophytes in urban areas: a Wroclaw case study (South-West Poland). Polish Bot J 57: 231-241.
  26. Furtado SG, Neto LM. 2015. Diversity of vascular epiphytes in urban environment: a case study in a biodiversity hotspot, the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. CES Rev 29: 82-101.
  27. Hietz P, Buchberger G, Winkler M. 2006. Effect of forest disturbance on abundance and distribution of epiphytic bromeliads and orchids. Ecotropica 12: 103-112.
  28. Ijeomah HM, Chima UD, Okagbare OH. 2013. Ecological Survey of Avifaunal Resources in University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Ethiopian J Environ Stud Manag 6: 648-660.
  29. Kent M, Coker P. 1992. Vegetation Description and Analysis: A Practical Approach. CRC Press, London.
  30. Kromer T, Kessler M, Gradstein SR. 2007. Vertical stratification of vascular epiphytes in submontane and montane forest of the Bolivian Andes: the importance of the understory. Plant Ecol 189: 261-278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-006-9182-8
  31. Leishangthem D, Singh MR. 2018. Tree Diversity, Distribution and Population Structure of a Riparian Forest from Certain Zones along the Dikhu River in Nagaland, India. J For Environ Sci 34: 31-45.
  32. Magurran AE. 1996. Ecological Diversity and Its Measurement. Chapman and Hall, London, 179 pp
  33. Migenis LE, Ackerman JD. 1993. Orchid-phorophyte relationships in a forest watershed in Puerto Rico. J Trop Ecol 9: 231-240. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467400007227
  34. Nieder J, Prosperi J, Michaloud G. 2001. Epiphytes and their contribution to canopy diversity. Plant Ecol 153: 51-63. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017517119305
  35. Oloyede FA, Odiwe AI, Olujiyan AS. 2014. Composition and Distribution of Vascular Epiphytes in Different Areas in Obafemi Awolowo, Nigeria. Not Sci Biol 6: 316-320. https://doi.org/10.15835/nsb639331
  36. Paudel BR, Shrestha M, Dyer AG, Zhu XF, Abdusalam A, Li QJ. 2015. Out of Africa: evidence of the obligate mutualism between long corolla tubed plant and long-tongued fly in the Himalayas. Ecol Evol 5: 5240-5251. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1784
  37. Quaresma AC, Jardim MAG. 2014. Floristic composition and spatial distribution of vascular epiphytes in the restingas of Maracana, Brazil. Acta Bot Bras 28: 68-75. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-33062014000100007
  38. Rahman MR, Hossain MK, Hossain MA. 2019. Diversity and Composition of Tree Species in Madhupur National Park, Tangail, Bangladesh. J For Environ Sci 35: 159-172.
  39. Santana LD, Furtado SG, Nardy C, Leite FS, Neto LM. 2017. Diversity, vertical structure and floristic relationships of vascular epiphytes in an urban remnant of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Hoehnea 44: 123-138. https://doi.org/10.1590/2236-8906-57/2016
  40. Simpson EH. 1949. Measurement of Diversity. Nature 163: 688. https://doi.org/10.1038/163688a0
  41. Ter Steege H, Cornelissen JHC. 1989. Distribution and Ecology of Vascular Epiphytes in Lowland Rain Forest of Guyana. Biotropica 21: 331-339. https://doi.org/10.2307/2388283
  42. Wang X, Long W, Schamp BS, Yang X, Kang Y, Xie Z, Xiong M. 2016. Vascular Epiphyte Diversity Differs with Host Crown Zone and Diameter, but Not Orientation in a Tropical Cloud Forest. PLoS One 11: e0158548. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0158548
  43. Watson JB, John Kress W, Roesel CS. 1987. A bibliography of biological literature on vascular epiphytes. Selbyana 10: 1-23.
  44. Woods C. 2013. Factors influencing the distribution and structure of tropical vascular epiphyte communities at multiple scales. PhD thesis. Clemson University, Clemson, USA. (in English)
  45. Yulia ND, Budiharta S, Yulistyarini T. 2011. Analysis of epiphytic orchid diversity and its host tree at three gradient of altitudes in Mount Lawu, Java. Biodiversitas 12: 225-228.
  46. Zhao M, Geekiyanage N, Xu J, Khin MM, Nurdiana DR, Paudel E, Harrison RD. 2015. Structure of the epiphyte community in a tropical montane forest in SW China. PLoS One 10: e0122210. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0122210
  47. Zotz G. 2013. The systematic distribution of vascular epiphytes- a critical update. Bot J Linn Soc 171: 453-481. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12010