Preliminary Floristic Inventory of the Swamp Forest of Atan Ukwok Village in Ini L.G.A of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

The Floristic inventory of the swamp forest at Atan Ukwok was carried out using the Systematic and Transect Sampling Methods where the line transect was the main path of the forest and Sampling units were chosen along the path at a distance of 14m × 14m and 6 sampling plots were sampled. The frequency, density and abundance of the identified species were calculated using standard formulae. A total number of 61 species from 35 families were identified. The number of species recorded for the plant families were, Cyperaceae 5, Euphorbiaceae 4, Acanthaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Aspidiaceae and Poaceae 3 each, Arecaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Mimosaceae, Melastomataceae, Schizaceae, Thelypteridaceae and Verbanaceae 2 each and Athyriaceae, Costaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Dracaenaceae Gleicheniaceae Araceae, Davillianaceae, Malvaceae, Commelinaceae, Clusiaceae, Selaginellaceae, Combretaceae, Convolvulaceae, Colchicaceae, Fabaceae, Moraceae, Malvaceae, Lycopodiaceae and Rutaceae 1 each. The highest species frequency and density of 66.7% and 9.5% respectively was found in Setaria megaphylla and the highest abundance value of 50.0 was found in Dracaena arborea. The frequency percentage of the plant species showed that the forest is fast loosing vegetation due to the obvious encroachment of parts of it by the inhabitants of the community for the purpose of cultivation. This calls for concerted conservation measures in order to ensure the sustainable use of the floral diversity of the forest.