ASSESSMENT OF BIODIVERSITY DISTRIBUTION AND CONSERVATION CAPACITY OF THE FUNAAB ZOOPARK USING REMOTE SENSING.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Conservation is essential to protect and sustainably manage biodiversity for economic, social, cultural, and environmental purposes. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) are significant in studying habitat effects on free-range animals. This study examined the biodiversity distribution and conservation capacity of Zoo Park at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta using remote sensing. Four existing transects (A, B, C and D) of the zoological park were selected for the direct technique count method. Each transect was traversed for the period of five months and observations were carried out twice a day. Sample plots of 50 m by 50 m were demarcated randomly in eight different locations. The Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) of each tree was measured in centimeter. Landsat 7 and 8 data satellite images of the study area for 2012 and 2022 were downloaded to assess the changes in the vegetation cover and temperature of the study area. Descriptive (mean and standard deviation) statistics were used to analyze the population encountered across months and transects. Simpson’s diversity index was used to measure animal species diversity while plant species diversity index was calculated using Shannon-Wiener’s diversity index. The results revealed that eight species of natural inhabitants identified were Chlorocebuspygerythrus, Philantombamaxwellii, Herpestesbrachyurus, Tragelaphusscriptus, Pseudohaienigraus, Xeruserythropus, Veranusniloticus and Opheodrysvernalis. Transects A and D recorded the highest number of animals. Transect B had the highest diversity index (0.8348), while transect C had the lowest (0.3517). A total number of 199 trees per hectare from 21 species and 12 families were recorded. Moraceae (5) accounted for the highest frequency of family while Antiaristoxicaria (23) accounted for the species with highest number of individual trees. Miliciaexcelsa (304.00 cm) accounted for the highest mean DBH while the tree diversity index was 2.78. The NDVI analysis of the Zoo Park showed five different land classes (barren land, built-up areas, shrubs/grasslands, sparse vegetation and dense vegetation). A notable change in the land cover categories was observed between 2012 and 2022. The change analysis showed that barren land, built-up areas, dense vegetation and shrubs/grasslands declined by 0.59%, 1.6%, 4.93%, and 17.52% respectively while sparse vegetation increased by 24.64% within the space of ten years. The ambient temperature of the study area ranged from 25.92 to 31.06⁰C in 2012 and 20.19 to 33.13⁰C in 2022. The minimum temperature experienced in 2022 was lower than that of 2012 which could be attributed to the exposed areas in 2012 that had been filled with vegetation. Also, the maximum temperature in 2022 was higher than that recorded for 2012 and this could be attributed to the reduction of dense vegetation. The study showed that resources availability of FUNAAB Zoo Park and its ambient temperature made it a suitable site for the free-range animals to thrive.