Abstract
The study on the floral diversity of Neni-Nimo watershed in Anaocha L.G.A. of Anambra State was conducted between November 2009 and July 2020. The aim of the study was to find out the species richness and the floral biodiversity of the watershed. In this study, the watershed was divided into three sites, the forested site, the fallow site and the current usage site. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design. The ecological methods used in this study are the Point Centred Plotless Count sampling technique for areas dominated by trees while the Plot Count technique using quadrats were used for sampling the areas dominated by forbs, shrubs, climbers and grasses. The vegetation data collected was used to estimate the species richness of the different plant growth forms, the diversity and equitability of the various growth forms encountered were calculated using Shanon Weiners diversity index. The Shanno Weiners diversity index shows that the forested areas had the highest floral biodiversity than the fallow and current usage area. Regression analysis shows that a significant relationship exists between species abundance and floral biodiversity at a p-value of <0.05 for all plant growth forms in the watershed except for grasses and as abundance increases, diversity also increases.
Highlights
A watershed is a topographically delineated area, that is bounded by a drainage divide, which collects run-off from precipitation and primarily drains large amounts of underground water, melted ice, nutrients, sediments, toxins, from the soil into the nearby water bodies or stream channels [1]
Regression analysis shows that a significant relationship exists between species abundance and floral biodiversity at a p-value of
There is clear evidence that diversity is dependent on the number of plants or species abundance
Summary
A watershed is a topographically delineated area, that is bounded by a drainage divide, which collects run-off from precipitation and primarily drains large amounts of underground water, melted ice, nutrients, sediments, toxins, from the soil into the nearby water bodies or stream channels [1]. Because of its topographic nature, it drains underground water and nutrients into nearby streams from the predominant landscape surface types [2]. Watersheds are unique and dynamic systems with various types of disturbances that affect them. These may include management activities such as livestock grazing, timber harvest, recreational use, and the creation of physical structures like clams and roads, or natural disturbances such as fire, and the action of water such as erosion [4]
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