Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria

Elijah Ige Ohimain; Sylvester Chibueze Izah; Dimie Otobotekere

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13

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Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria

Elijah Ige Ohimain, Sylvester Chibueze Izah, Dimie Otobotekere

Published in International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Volume 2, Issue 2)

Received: 13 January 2014 Published: 20 March 2014

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Abstract

The study was designed to evaluate the impacts of the 2012 water floods on the wildlife and vegetation of Wilberforce Island. Ten transects of 1 km each were established cutting across the three levels of impacted vegetation namely, dead, dying and intact plants. The relative topography of the plots was assessed based on the measurement of receding water marks on plants. The effects of the floods on wildlife were assessed through interviews and field work. The study found that 23 mammals, 21 avian fauna and 37 plants were impacted. The plant species, which exhibited the greatest impacts, was Musanga cecropoides. The water level marks on Musanga cecropoides coincided with the physiological stress on the plant. The receding water level mark on Musanga cecropoides ranged from 59.33 to 164.67cm for the dead plants, 12.00 to 32.67cm for the dying plants, but the water was at ground level for intact vegetation. The study provided an assessment of the 2012 floods impacts on biodiversity, providing scientific evidence for planning responses to mitigate future flooding events and providing the basis for assessment of cumulative impacts of multiple flooding events on the Island since flooding was also predicted to occur in 2013.

Published in	International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Volume 2, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13
Page(s)	73-85
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2014. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Climate Change, Flooding Impacts, Relative Topography, Receding Water Marks, Wetlands

References

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Elijah Ige Ohimain, Sylvester Chibueze Izah, Dimie Otobotekere. (2014). Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 2(2), 73-85. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13

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ACS Style

Elijah Ige Ohimain; Sylvester Chibueze Izah; Dimie Otobotekere. Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria. Int. J. Environ. Monit. Anal. 2014, 2(2), 73-85. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13

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AMA Style

Elijah Ige Ohimain, Sylvester Chibueze Izah, Dimie Otobotekere. Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria. Int J Environ Monit Anal. 2014;2(2):73-85. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13,
  author = {Elijah Ige Ohimain and Sylvester Chibueze Izah and Dimie Otobotekere},
  title = {Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {73-85},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijema.20140202.13},
  abstract = {The study was designed to evaluate the impacts of the 2012 water floods on the wildlife and vegetation of Wilberforce Island. Ten transects of 1 km each were established cutting across the three levels of impacted vegetation namely, dead, dying and intact plants. The relative topography of the plots was assessed based on the measurement of receding water marks on plants. The effects of the floods on wildlife were assessed through interviews and field work. The study found that 23 mammals, 21 avian fauna and 37 plants were impacted. The plant species, which exhibited the greatest impacts, was Musanga cecropoides. The water level marks on Musanga cecropoides coincided with the physiological stress on the plant. The receding water level mark on Musanga cecropoides ranged from 59.33 to 164.67cm for the dead plants, 12.00 to 32.67cm for the dying plants, but the water was at ground level for intact vegetation. The study provided an assessment of the 2012 floods impacts on biodiversity, providing scientific evidence for planning responses to mitigate future flooding events and providing the basis for assessment of cumulative impacts of multiple flooding events on the Island since flooding was also predicted to occur in 2013.},
 year = {2014}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria
AU  - Elijah Ige Ohimain
AU  - Sylvester Chibueze Izah
AU  - Dimie Otobotekere
Y1  - 2014/03/20
PY  - 2014
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
SP  - 73
EP  - 85
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7667
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13
AB  - The study was designed to evaluate the impacts of the 2012 water floods on the wildlife and vegetation of Wilberforce Island. Ten transects of 1 km each were established cutting across the three levels of impacted vegetation namely, dead, dying and intact plants. The relative topography of the plots was assessed based on the measurement of receding water marks on plants. The effects of the floods on wildlife were assessed through interviews and field work. The study found that 23 mammals, 21 avian fauna and 37 plants were impacted. The plant species, which exhibited the greatest impacts, was Musanga cecropoides. The water level marks on Musanga cecropoides coincided with the physiological stress on the plant. The receding water level mark on Musanga cecropoides ranged from 59.33 to 164.67cm for the dead plants, 12.00 to 32.67cm for the dying plants, but the water was at ground level for intact vegetation. The study provided an assessment of the 2012 floods impacts on biodiversity, providing scientific evidence for planning responses to mitigate future flooding events and providing the basis for assessment of cumulative impacts of multiple flooding events on the Island since flooding was also predicted to occur in 2013.
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Elijah Ige Ohimain

Biodiversity Conservation and Research Group, Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Sylvester Chibueze Izah

Biodiversity Conservation and Research Group, Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Dimie Otobotekere

Biodiversity Conservation and Research Group, Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

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Elijah Ige Ohimain, Sylvester Chibueze Izah, Dimie Otobotekere. (2014). Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 2(2), 73-85. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13

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ACS Style

Elijah Ige Ohimain; Sylvester Chibueze Izah; Dimie Otobotekere. Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria. Int. J. Environ. Monit. Anal. 2014, 2(2), 73-85. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13

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AMA Style

Elijah Ige Ohimain, Sylvester Chibueze Izah, Dimie Otobotekere. Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria. Int J Environ Monit Anal. 2014;2(2):73-85. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13,
  author = {Elijah Ige Ohimain and Sylvester Chibueze Izah and Dimie Otobotekere},
  title = {Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {73-85},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijema.20140202.13},
  abstract = {The study was designed to evaluate the impacts of the 2012 water floods on the wildlife and vegetation of Wilberforce Island. Ten transects of 1 km each were established cutting across the three levels of impacted vegetation namely, dead, dying and intact plants. The relative topography of the plots was assessed based on the measurement of receding water marks on plants. The effects of the floods on wildlife were assessed through interviews and field work. The study found that 23 mammals, 21 avian fauna and 37 plants were impacted. The plant species, which exhibited the greatest impacts, was Musanga cecropoides. The water level marks on Musanga cecropoides coincided with the physiological stress on the plant. The receding water level mark on Musanga cecropoides ranged from 59.33 to 164.67cm for the dead plants, 12.00 to 32.67cm for the dying plants, but the water was at ground level for intact vegetation. The study provided an assessment of the 2012 floods impacts on biodiversity, providing scientific evidence for planning responses to mitigate future flooding events and providing the basis for assessment of cumulative impacts of multiple flooding events on the Island since flooding was also predicted to occur in 2013.},
 year = {2014}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Selective Impacts of the 2012 Water Floods on the Vegetation and Wildlife of Wilberforce Island, Nigeria
AU  - Elijah Ige Ohimain
AU  - Sylvester Chibueze Izah
AU  - Dimie Otobotekere
Y1  - 2014/03/20
PY  - 2014
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
SP  - 73
EP  - 85
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7667
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140202.13
AB  - The study was designed to evaluate the impacts of the 2012 water floods on the wildlife and vegetation of Wilberforce Island. Ten transects of 1 km each were established cutting across the three levels of impacted vegetation namely, dead, dying and intact plants. The relative topography of the plots was assessed based on the measurement of receding water marks on plants. The effects of the floods on wildlife were assessed through interviews and field work. The study found that 23 mammals, 21 avian fauna and 37 plants were impacted. The plant species, which exhibited the greatest impacts, was Musanga cecropoides. The water level marks on Musanga cecropoides coincided with the physiological stress on the plant. The receding water level mark on Musanga cecropoides ranged from 59.33 to 164.67cm for the dead plants, 12.00 to 32.67cm for the dying plants, but the water was at ground level for intact vegetation. The study provided an assessment of the 2012 floods impacts on biodiversity, providing scientific evidence for planning responses to mitigate future flooding events and providing the basis for assessment of cumulative impacts of multiple flooding events on the Island since flooding was also predicted to occur in 2013.
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download