Abundance, density and natural regeneration potential of trees at Shasha Forest Reserve, Osun State, Southwestern, Nigeria

Abstract

Three abundance, density and natural regeneration potential of Shasha Forest Reserve were studied to ascertain their individual status within the  ecosystems. Cluster Sampling Technique was adopted for plot location in the temporary sampling areas. An area of 200 × 500 m referred to as clusters was partitioned into 200 m ×200 m tracts. The tracts were 100 m apart. Each tract was further divided into plots of 50 m × 50 m. Four of such tracts were selected for tree enumeration Sixty-six (66) tree species above >10cm dbh distributed among 28 Families were encountered. Five most abundant tree species of Strombosia postulata (38 stands), Musanga Cleistopoides (17 stands), Macaranga batteri (16 stands), Myrianthus  arboreous (13 stands) and Trichilia monadepha (10 stands) were the most dominant tree species in Shasha Forest Reserve. Rare species with only one stand were 21 in number and accounted for 31.8% of the total composition of the reserve. Five species with highest density were Strombosia postulata (13.44%) followed by Musanga Cleistopoides 5.91%, Macaranga batteri 5.56%, Myrianthus arboreous 4.66% and Trichilia monadepha 3.41% in descending order. Thirty tree species were having had density less than 1 in the ecosystem. The most common families were  Apostonaceae, Ebenaceae, Moraceae and Sterculiaceae having 6 species each and this was the most abundant followed by Euphobiaceae and Meliaceae which had 5 tree species each. Rare families within the Reserve comprised of 16 families with one stand each with 57.1% of the total tree families encountered within the Reserve. Out of 66 tree species encountered in the cluster sample, 28 species had the regeneration potential which ranged between 0.07 % and 0.01 % which is regarded as low regeneration potential. There is need to regenerate Shasha Forest Reserve through silvicultural techniques commonly referred to as enrichment planting by which desirable tree species are introduced into the ecosystem to  complement the natural  regeneration potential for sustainabilit.

Keywords: Checklist, floristic composition, Tree diversity and Regeneration potentials.