Diversity of Oil Palm Epiphytes in Rainforest and Guinea Savanna Locations in Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the diversity of oil palm epiphytes in  rainforest (Ifaki-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria) and guinea  savanna locations (Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria). Sampling of epiphytes associated with Oil Palm trees were carried out  in each of the two locations. In each location, Five Oil Palm  plantations were visited and sampling plot of 50m by 50m  was laid out in each plantation. Epiphytes found growing on  Oil Palm trees were observed, collected and identified. Atotal of 14 epiphytes belonging to 11 families were sampled  in the two locations. While 5 epiphytes were obtained in  Anyigba, the guinea savanna location, 11 were obtained in  Ifaki-Ekiti, the rainforest location. 2 of the identified  epiphytes were bryophytes and 3 were pteridophytes while 9  were angiosperms. Two of the identified pteridophytes in  this study were common to the two locations thus an IS value  of 0.25 was obtained in this study. The epiphytic species  density and diversity of the rainforest location were higher  than those of the derived guinea savanna location.Nephrolepis bisserata was the most common oil palm epiphyte  in both the derived savanna and rainforest locations. The  species has a relative frequency of 32.3%  and 27.6% respectively. While the results obtained from the  savanna location revealed the presence of some vascular  plants of Ficus spp., A. conyzoides and C. odorata were the  prominent epiphytic vascular plants sampled in the  rainforest location. Features responsible for the ecological  success of these epiphytes were discussed.