FLORISTIC STUDIES ON TREES AND SHRUBS GROWING IN UMARU MUSA YAR’ADUA UNIVERSITY, KATSINA, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study assessed the composition, distribution and diversity of the trees and shrubs growing in Umaru Musa Yar`adua University, Katsina State. Five sites were established during a pilot survey and identified as A, B, C, D and E and five plots of 30m×30m were mapped out in each of the five sites. All the trees and shrubs species on the selected plots were enumerated. A total of 75 species were identified with 3029 number of individuals of both trees and shrubs. Azadirachta indica species had the highest number of stands. The families Fabaceae, Capparaceae, Combretaceae, Anacardiaceae, Moraceae had multi-species of 18, 5, 4, 4 and 3, respectively, while some families were represented with a single species. Species diversity, evenness and similarities were determined between plots for the identified trees and shrubs species. Site E had the highest Shannon-Wiener index with 3.11 and Plot A had the least with 2.49. The Simpson index value was higher in site A 0.142, followed by site B and E with 0.104 each. Site E had the highest evenness value of 0.83, implying that diversity and evenness were higher in site E as compared to other sites. The findings of this study revealed that the university management should take strict measures in conserving the campus vegetation and emphasis should be given to species with low density.

Key Words:Conservation, Deforestation, Species composition, Umaru Musa Yaradua University, Katsina

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