Assessing trees and vascular epiphyte species diversity in Calabar, Nigeria

This study aimed to explore the species composition, distribution, and diversity of vascular epiphytes on tree species across five locations in Calabar. A total of 250 trees were sampled for vascular epiphytes along five 100-metre transects at each location. The coordinates of each sampled tree, the presence of vascular epiphytes, and their abundance, DBH, and tree height measurements were collected. Trees were categorized into seven DBH classes and three height classes. Twenty-four tree species, mostly exotic belonging to fifteen families, and seven vascular epiphyte species belonging to three families were encountered in all locations. The 40.1 cm to 60 cm DBH size class combined comprised 52%, and the 10.1 m to 20 m height class, comprised 58% of all sampled trees in the study. The highest tree diversity was at Murtala Mohammed Highway (H’ = 2.19) and the Cross River University of Technology campus had the highest vascular epiphyte diversity (H’ = 1.32). Platycerium superbum (family – Polypodiaceae) was the most prevalent vascular epiphyte species occurring in 55.43 % of the sampled locations. Our study’s tree and vascular epiphyte species exhibited moderate to low diversity, likely due to the effects of urbanization on species diversity in the area. Our results provide vital exploratory information on the composition, diversity, and distribution of urban vascular epiphyte species in Calabar. These insights will aid in urban planning and biodiversity conservation efforts, while also establishing a baseline for long-term monitoring. published by the  Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES)