Research Paper

Tree species diversity and regeneration potential of soil seed bank in Akure forest reserve, Ondo state, Nigeria

Bernard Omomoh, Victor Adekule, Amadu Lawal, Olarewaju Akinbi

Published on: 17 September 2019

Page: 409 - 416

DOI: 10.6165/tai.2019.64.409

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    Abstract

    The relationship of soil seed bank and above vegetation of secondary forest of Akure forest reserve investigated in this study. This was carried out by assessing the seedling emergence of soil seed bank taken from the secondary forest. In the aboveground vegetation, all sapling below 10 cm (DBH <10 cm) within 100 cm by 100 cm quadrants were identified and their girths taken using digital Vernier caliper and all trees species (DBH >10 cm) within 50 m by 50 m plot size were also identified and diameter at breast height were measured. Data were collected from seeds emergence of soil seed bank and above vegetation, in strict nature reserve, four-five (45) woody species (40 trees and 5 shrubs) were encountered, a total of 5 families distributed into 7 species and 7 genera in sapling while seedling emergence were observed at different depths of soil seed bank; at 0-3 cm depth (1 fern, 1 climber and 7 herbs), 3-6 cm depth (5 herbs, 1 woody species, 1 climber, 1 fern), 6-9 cm depth (5 herbs, 1 tree and 1 ferns. The soil seed bank could thus play an important role in knowing the status of regeneration potential of this strict nature reserve forest. However, the high dominant species in the soil seed bank suggest that where such forest is disturbs the likely plants species to pioneer the succession and restorations are these herbaceous species encountered.

    Keyword: Diversity, Nigeria, Sapling, Seed emergence, Seedling, Soil seed bank, Strict nature reserve

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