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

Abstract

This study investigates the diversity of oil palm epiphytes inrainforest (Ifaki-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria) and guineasavanna locations (Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria). Samplingof epiphytes associated with Oil Palm trees were carried outin each of the two locations. In each location, Five Oil Palmplantations were visited and sampling plot of 50m by 50mwas laid out in each plantation. Epiphytes found growing onOil Palm trees were observed, collected and identified. Atotal of 14 epiphytes belonging to 11 families were sampledin the two locations. While 5 epiphytes were obtained inAnyigba, the guinea savanna location, 11 were obtained inIfaki-Ekiti, the rainforest location. 2 of the identifiedepiphytes were bryophytes and 3 were pteridophytes while 9were angiosperms. Two of the identified pteridophytes inthis study were common to the two locations thus an IS valueof 0.25 was obtained in this study. The epiphytic speciesdensity and diversity of the rainforest location were higherthan those of the derived guinea savanna location.Nephrolepis bisserata was the most common oil palm epiphytein both the derived savanna and rainforest locations. Thespecies has a relative frequency of 32.3%and 27.6% respectively. While the results obtained from thesavanna location revealed the presence of some vascularplants of Ficus spp., A. conyzoides and C. odorata were theprominent epiphytic vascular plants sampled in therainforest location. Features responsible for the ecologicalsuccess of these epiphytes were discussed.