Sustainable Management of Rainforest in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Matrix models using stand parameters such as stem density, in-growth, rates of growth and mortality were used to predict the stand structures of the most complex tropical rainforest ecosystem in Southern Nigeria. The model represented all tree species covering matrix for 6 years. The forest decline due to dominant eigenvalue ( ג) of the matrix R was 0.977, which is the intrinsic rate of natural increase with less than zero. A sensitivity analysis revealed that large recruitment rate of 87% was required to restore stability to the forest while only 16% improvement in growth rate would ensure sustenance and hence stabilized the forest.