Conservation of floristic composition, vegetation structure and diversity of ecosystems in urban and peri-urban centres of Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Abstract

The tree ecosystem services associated with the functions and benefits of urban forests need to be maximized, and efforts at biodiversity conservation will ensure the desired impacts on the environment. This study was conducted to assess the conservation of floristic composition, vegetation structure, and diversity of the forest ecosystems in urban and peri-urban centres of Ado-Ekiti and Ikole-Ekiti in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Data were collected through the use of semi-structured questionnaire and field surveys to obtain information on the socio-economic and environmental impacts of urban forests from respondents. All the trees with a diameter at breast height (dbh) of 10 cm and above were identified and measured to determine the biodiversity indices of the forests. The highest number of individual trees was 493 in Ado-Ekiti, made up of 372 in the urban centre and 121 in the peri-urban while the 404 individual trees in Ikole-Ekiti consisted of 298 and 106 trees in the urban and peri-urban areas, respectively. The highest tree species were 52 and 42 in the urban centres of Ikole-Ekiti and Ado-Ekiti respectively. The trees in the urban centres had the highest mean dbh at 68.2 cm and 64.7 cm in Ikole and Ado Ekiti respectively. The tree species maximum diversity was 5.65 for Ado and 5.42 for Ikole Ekiti. The urban forests recorded the highest tree species evenness of 0.62 in Ado Ekiti and 0.59 in Ikole Ekiti. The results of this research are indicative of the numerous benefits and functions urban forest ecosystem provides for the urban centres. Considering the services generated by the urban forest ecosystem in provision of socio-economic (sales and consumption of fruits, nuts, vegetables), cultural (meeting, events, and relaxation centres) and environmental (improved air quality, reduction in surface temperature, pollution and erosion) as revealed by this study, to sustain the healthy functions and services of trees to the environment.