Nutrient status in herbaceous layer of riparian forests in Southwestern, Nigeria

Abstract

The nutrients status of herbaceous species in riparian zones of Africa is often neglected, with focus mainly on woody species, despite the crucial role played in the functioning of the forest ecosystems. The herbaceous species in riparian forest ecosystems contributes significantly to litters accumulated in the forest floor more invariably playing a significant role in nutrients return to the soil more than woody species. Herbaceous species were collected from five (5), 1 m × 1 m quadrats randomly laid within each sampling plot. The collected samples from the quadrats were pooled together from each sites and oven dried at 80 °C for 72 h and weighed to constant weight. The ground samples were analysed for nutrients. The increasing order of nutrient elements concentration in the herbs across sites were: P < Na < Mg < K < N < Ca < C. The uptake of nutrients by herbaceous species is strongly influenced by site uniformity, level of disturbances, the nutrient concentrations of these elements resident in the soil of the riparian forest ecosystems.