Grass Species Diversity and Abundance at Rennajj Fish Farm, Jos South, Nigeria and Surrounding Environment

Abstract

Vegetation management is key to ecosystem conservation. This research work examined grass species diversity and abundance, together with the effects of management and habitat types on grass diversity and abundance at Rennajj Fish Farm and surrounding environments.Thirty (31) points were randomly selected and marked with the aid of a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit. They were classified as managed and unmanaged, consisting of sixteen (16) points within the managed area and fifteen (15) around the surrounding environments. At each points, plots of 20m2 were measured, and within the plot, 4 random 1m2 sub-quadrats were selected, where grass species where identified and recorded. Data analysis was carried out using the R statistical Software. A total of twenty (23) grass species, belonging to six (6) families and twenty (20) genera were recorded. Grass species diversity differed by the study sites and habitat types (P < 0.001), respectively. The unmanaged environments had higher grass diversity compared to the managed Rennajj Fish Farm. Grasslands had the highest grass species diversity while woodland had the least. Mean grass abundant was significantly different by family (P < 0.001). The family Rubiaceaewas the most abundant while, Polygonaceae was the least.