Classification of ecosystem services in Omo Biosphere Reserve and the provisional services

This review examined ecosystem services in Omo Biosphere Reserve, Nigeria. The review explored the identified provisional services from the forest resources in this rich ecosystem. The identified forest resources in Omo Biosphere Reserve were listed according to their provisional benefits. This includes 72 different species as sources of food; River Omo serve as the major source of freshwater and supplying other streams within the ecosystem; 8 fiber plant sources and 287 forest plants used as bio-chemicals for medicines and chemical used in soaps making and phytochemicals products. It was concluded and recommended that further studies should be carried out on how to effectively harness the indigenous knowledge behind the utilization of these resources by rural populace and look at ways of introducing some of these products into urban ecosystem and also promote the use of these organic products to help mitigate food insecurity and pollution of the environment from inorganic products. Keywords: Ecosystem Services, Provisioning Services, Omo Biosphere Reserv

Ecological and Structural Characteristics of Riparian Forest in Omo Biosphere Reserve

An investigation on the structural characteristics of the riparian forest in Omo Biosphere Reserve was carried out. The structure was analyzed through diameter class distribution, basal area and breast height. Riparian forest showed a major characteristic in the physiognomy of forests along major river, streams and Upland vegetation and the Core, Buffer and Transition zones that is highly variable in the diameter class distribution (reserve J type), Mean basal area per hectare for major river is 294,089.30/cm2/ ha, Stream 613.027/cm2/ha, and Upland 205,648 cm3/ha. Mean basal area for core is 507,399.50 cm2/ha, buffer had 340,699 cm2/ha and transition 264,656 cm2/ha. While mean volume per hectare for core is 7955.2 m3/ha, buffer 7260 m3/ha and Transition 6254.4 m3/ha. Maximum dbh of 246 cm was obtained in the core species. Many stands of riparian forests are facing various levels of structural and floristic simplification, which include fundamental transformations in vegetation physiognomy from dense stands to riparian scrub or bare land

Soil and crop management practices among farmers in Kabba/Bunu local government area, Kogi state

The study examined management practices among farmers in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State. A two stage sampling technique was used in selecting the sample size. Structured questionnaires were used in collecting primary data from one hundred (100) sampled farmers in ten villages (Ohakiti, Odo-Ape, Olle-Bunu, Egbeda, Aiyetoro, Aiyede, Otu, Oke-Dayo, Okebukun and Agbadu) within the study area. Data Collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using percentage. The result from the study revealed that majority of the farmers are above the productivity age (53.8%) of 51 years. The main crops grown in the study area is yam and cassava. 45% of the respondents practice mixed cropping. Practices among farmers in the study area include; use of improved, varieties chemical weeding, planting of cover crop, use of inorganic fertilizer, live mulch and chemical method for control of pests. It is concluded that there is need for farmers to improve on the current practice in other to ensure optimal and profitable production.Keywords: Soil, Crops, Management, farmer