ABSTRACT

The impact of oil industry activities on the vegetation was studied at Alam, Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria The study evaluated the effect of oil spillage on the occurrence, abundance and volunie of plait species on the affected areas of the Community as well as on the soil fertility status of Afarn agricultural land. Three sites, namely: the heavily, tightly and non-aiTheted areas, were selected for study. In each of' these areas, a 1 00 x I 00m block was demarcated and a transect (I 00m) was cut across the blocks. The transect was divided into plots of 10 x I Om. Four plots were selected at random from each block fOr detailed study. Plant species within the plots were enumerated and soil samples collected from the center at depths 0-1 5cm and I 5-30cm for analyses. It was found that oil spillage had an adverse effect on the soil fertility status, especially organic carbon, f) I , muir ogeri, phosphorus, and the cat ion exchange capacity of' the area. The analysis of variance of the soil fertility data collected from the area revealed that there was significant difference (P> 0.05) between the non affected and the heavily aflectcd areas in the f011owing nutrient elements: P''. Organic matter, Organic carbon, potassium, phosphorus and cation exchange capacity. There was no significant difference (1'-' 0.05) in nitrogen contents between the affected and the non- atThcted areas. AlSO using both similarity and richness indices, it was fOund that the three sites were not similar and that the non-aflecied area was riches in plant species. The volume of the tree species was found to (liffer. The volumes were I03,77m3. I47.77mn3and I 77.92m1 for the heavily, slightly and non afThcted areas respectively. It is recommended that regular monitoring techniques should be adopted along the pipeline and production sites to check accidental oil spillage and oil blow out. Effort should also be made to conserve thc vegetation, especially through planting of economic trees in areas afThcted by oil spillage.