Floristic and Microbial Status of Fragmented Urban Mangrove Forest in Eagle Island Port Harcourt
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ijfe.v2i1.7024Keywords:
Floristic Species, Forest Fragmentation, Soil Microbes, Urban MangroveAbstract
This study assessed the floristic and microbial status of fragmented urban mangrove forests at Eagle Island, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Vegetative and sediment samples were collected from three fragmented zones using a random sampling technique. Species richness, composition, abundance, and diversity were determined using Margalef’s and Simpson’s indices, while standard laboratory procedures were employed to analyze microbial populations in the sediments. A total of 14 plant species from 9 families, including Rhizophoraceae, Palmae, Avicenniaceae, Poaceae, and Combretaceae, were recorded. Fragment A contained 1,742 individuals (12 species, 7 families), Fragment B had 2,261 individuals (8 species, 7 families), and Fragment C had 7,787 individuals (10 species, 7 families). Nypa fruticans exhibited the highest abundance in all fragments (20.21%, 89.52%, and 88.15%, respectively). Species richness and diversity were highest in Fragment A (Margalef index = 1.60071; Simpson index = 5.31011). Microbial analysis revealed bacterial species including Klebsiella sp., Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Staphylococcus aureus, and fungal species including Candida albicans, Aspergillus sp., Penicillium bilaiae, and Fusarium sp. Hydrocarbon-utilizing microbes such as Bacillus spp. and Pseudomonas bilaiae suggest the influence of anthropogenic pollution on the mangrove sediments. Rapid urbanization has altered the forest structure, favoring mangrove associates and non-mangrove species over true mangrove species. It is recommended that the remaining fragmented mangrove areas be formally protected to conserve their ecological, social, and economic functions.
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