Abstract

The impact of tropical swamp forest succession and the socio-economic developments were carried out in selected coastal communities in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area (L.G.A.) of Akwa Ibom State. The objectives of this study were to determine the environmental disturbances, their roles in aiding succession and how this coastal forest succession influenced the socio-economic developments of the riverine mangrove communities in Eastern Obolo L.G.A. The study involved three aspects of investigations; the identification and enumeration of plant species, soil sample test for baseline observation, and the multiple regression analysis to determine the relationship between succession determinants and the socioeconomic development indices in the area. Primary data were obtained using field trials, various Participatory Research Methods; Questionnaires were also administered to 410 literate people. 400 of the retrieved questionnaires were used in the analysis, while secondary data came from the library and internet. During enumeration, it was observed that succession by exotic Nypa fruticans was evidentwhile the native mangrove plants especially those of the Rhizophora family were seriously threatened. The analysed soil samples taken from depth 0-15 and 15-30 showed that the nutrients were relatively normal. The socio-economic parameters used were: occupation, education, healthcare, shelter, source of energy, mode of transportation, recreational facilities and source of drinking water. From the field, it was observed that canalization, oil pollution, deforestation, coastal flooding, rise in sea level, tidal actions, and soil nutrients were the environmental disturbances that facilitated ecological succession in the area. The factor analysis produced six significant eigenvalues which loaded high on six socio-economic factors and were subsequently named; occupation factor (Yx), education (Y2), healthcare (Y3), shelter (Y4), source of energy (Y5), and source of drinking water (Y6). These factors were regressed individually with the succession variables (Xs), and were all significant at 0.05% probability level. These indicated that, there was a significant relationship between succession in the coastal mangrove swamp and socio-economic development in Eastern Obolo LG.A. The study therefore recommends the following; the need for community-based enlightenment programmes for sustainable harvesting, establishment of new plantations of native mangrove plants, employment of good silvicultural management approaches, the need to rehabilitate the locals and provision of basic infrastructures in the coastal area.