TITLE:
Collaborating with Nature: The Pristine Habitats, in Ugep, Yakurr L.G.A., Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Peter Onen Oka, Stanley Monkayuk Majuk
KEYWORDS:
Pristine Habitat, Ecological Integrity, Habitat Heterogeneity, Biodiversity, Ecological Footprint
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.4 No.2,
February
17,
2016
ABSTRACT: Pristine habitats serve as ecological resource for educational services
and the conservation of biodiversity. The need to maintain a balance between
nature and development is very important. When pristine habitats face changes
due to anthropogenic activities, species erosion sets in and this will
eventually lead to extinction. This subtle move in most cases is unnoticed
until the effects are established. The pristine habitats in Ugep are faced with
this challenge. The Ugep Urban Landuse Master Plan and Ugep Orthophoto map [1]
have been used to identify the pristine habitats and further calculate the
total landmass to be approximately 855.38 hectares. Ten (10) pristine habitats
were identified within the residential blocks along the drainage corridors of
Loblo, Isayi, Mma Oden, Kiwei, Ewiden and Oganghwen. The pristine block at
Njelokoko-2 has the highest landmass, 201.01 hectares, representing 23.50 percent
while Njelokoko-1 has the least landmass, 18.99 (2.22 percent). The spatial
turnover of the species composition shows a trend of direct proportion with the
landmass size and anthropogenic activities in the pristine habitats. Tree
species such as Albizia zygia and Artocarpus communis rarely occurred
together with other tree species. Among the bird species, it was observed that Dendropes goerae, Milvus migrans, Pica pica,
and Streptopelia senegalensis roost,
breed and feed in pristine habitats with emergent trees while Halocyno leucoephala, Halocyno malimbicus, Frasena clnernscens, Streptopelia semitorguata and Crimifer piscator are restricted to
narrow corridors of pristine habitats along stream buffers. The nature that the
pristine habitat portends and the species observed in such highly urbanized
context as Ugep, are very important in conservation planning and meeting the
urban challenges.