Impact Of Quarry-Dust And Rock Excavation On Vegetation And Slope In Isukwuato Local Government Area, Abia State

ABSTRACT

This studies were carried out at Ahaba. Amaba and Uturu in isuikwuato heir leaf areas were also compared. Samples of the quarry leaves were collected all(l analysed chemically. hurl liermnore. (lie effect of the excavatiomi Of rocks on the vetetatiomi amid slope of the area was del eriii med using transects. (luadrats and i\bnev I 'evel. Ihe results obtained for stoiiiata I asseSsniellt. slio\\eda signi lieant reduction in iiiimhcr and sue of stoiliata of the leaves due to dust accumulation, ill all the specieS except in the I O\\ er I avers of I /( u.c 'i i/'/icis and An 'lea /(if//il1a. I liii ike their dust-ftee sanll)1c5 vhiichi had stomiiala omih on their lower laveis, the duSty cape/is/s ai)(l I i'eiiiu orjel/1(I/is hla(l siolilihia on hot Ii surficcs. Whereas the dimst-iiifestcd /veu'loll/(fia /(U' u'is had hot Ii :lilolllo(Yli(' and A165 (),('('11Ql1S stomata, the dust-free 01105 had only the f,u'iiio'iiic type. lhie leaf area a!ialvsis mn(licated significant di ffereiices iii scvcii species excluding I)aiiiel/ia olh'e,r/, Nauc/ea 1(11/Jo/ia an(l !,'ciia /olxUu. Result of (lie (lust analysis showed that tile major elements \v('ie 11) Ic /n ( ii, As amid ( d vIiich aie imiost lv heavy eieiiients. In \eiltoi-v of (lie flora alonu tile C \C\ ate(l aii(i umiexca vated slopes showed 110 significant e f'fect (me to the e xea vat ion ( O() I ) ( onverscly_ the slope study revealed that excavation afThcted the amuche of (leclimlaf ion of the slope significantly (P.() 1, (If 22). It would he a(lVo('ate(l that excavaliomi fr iocks and other materials in tile area shiolmi(i he card iii lv nioiiitoied to forestall environmental degradatioii aml(l ielated landslide