Assessment of Moraceae family tree species distribution in university of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Forest inventory is a crucial aspect of forest management in enhancing resource objectives of timber, wildlife, recreation, water, or non-wood productions for informed decision-making. Tree stem Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) and height measurement are important variables in stand growth estimation. The absence of adequate information regarding the correlation between these variables is notable for numerous economic tree species, including those within the Moraceae family. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the stand distribution of the Moraceae family tree species in the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. The study area was stratified into conservation, residential and administrative areas. A total of 79 existing stands belonging to the Moraceae family in the University of Ibadan were evaluated in this study, with Milicia excelsa having the highest number of stands (19) .AIt was revealed that most of the trees belong to the large dbh size class of >40cm. Most of the trees are of good vigour with low slenderness coefficient (35%). Meanwhile, the trees species in the conservation areas produced more density and volume than those in administrative and residential areas. Sustainable management and conservation of these species is hereby recommended.