Abstract
The use of pollen and spores in environmental studies is primarily in its application to the study of vegetational history and the relevance of atmospheric pollen content to the vegetation of a region is related to the palynomorphs produced in situ and those supplied from the surrounding ecological zones. Aeropalynological studies towards monitoring environmental change in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria through pollen analysis was carried out in five randomly selected locations comprising of ten sampling sites to determine the pollen types present in the atmosphere of the study environment and the relationship between the airborne pollen assemblages with its vegetation. The palynomorphs were collected with Modified Tauber Sampler using simple random sampling technique and analyzed palynologically. All data were subjected to statistical analyses and results showed that 15,286 palynomorphs were documented of which 149 pollen types belonging to 67 angiospermic plant families were encountered. Three (3) were identified to family level, 48 to species level, 97 to generic level and one (1) unidentified. The presence of Empetrum nigrum, Linum sp. and Vitellaria paradoxa pollen indicates evidence of long distance transport. Pollen types from exotic plants and charred plant particles were part of the atmospheric palynomorphs content recorded as evidence of human impact. Pollen assemblages reflected tropical rainforest vegetation type despite high level of anthropogenic activities. Environmental monitoring through pollen rain analysis and adequate conservation measures through afforestation and prevention of annual bush burning are recommended for safety health and environmental sustainability in the studied area.
Highlights
The study of vegetation and the way in which it has been altered and developed in the course of time indicates past changes that have occurred in our terrestrial environment
Pollen analysis is a technique for reconstruction of former vegetation by means of the pollen grains recovered from sediments
The results of the study of airborne palynomorphs precipitation showed that the following particulate entities: pollen grains, spores of pteridophytes and fungi, diatom frustules, fungal hyphae, arthropods, plant tissues and bryophyte parts as well as charred plant particles were recorded at varying quantities and qualities
Summary
The study of vegetation and the way in which it has been altered and developed in the course of time indicates past changes that have occurred in our terrestrial environment. Variations in climate and in the intensity of human activity in historic and prehistoric times have made their mark upon vegetation, and the plants themselves have left a record of these changes in the form of vast quantities of pollen grains which have survived in contemporary sediments [1]. Conclusion about climate and human disturbances could be deduced from such analysis and they are termed secondary deductions [2]. Fact gathered from such analysis could be useful to climatologists and oil explorationists among others [3]. Pollen analysis is a technique for reconstruction of former vegetation by means of the pollen grains recovered from sediments. Since the pollen grain exine is resistant, it may have a long geological life once it is incorporated into sediment, but only if the grains avoid mechanical attrition and chemical changes such as oxidation [4]
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