UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS FACULTY OF SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY presenter: ADELEYE MATTHEW TOPIC: THE ROLE OF BOTANY IN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESMENT STUDIES

INTRODUCTION Environmental impact assessment involves the systematic identification and evaluation of the impacts that a proposed project may cause on the environment.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF EIA STUDIES Protect human health and safety. Avoid irreversible changes and serious damage to the environment. Safeguard valued resources, natural areas and ecosystem components. Identify appropriate measures for mitigating the potential impacts of the project. To predict impacts or effects. To promote sustainable development.

EIA PROCESS Screening Scoping Prediction and mitigation Management and monitoring Audit

Phytoplankton studies THE ROLE OF BOTANY Ecological evaluation Biodiversity studies Vegetation studies Community Analysis Phytoplankton studies Impact identification Mitigation

Endangered species Rare species Endemic species Protected species BIODIVERSITY STUDIES Endangered species Rare species Endemic species Protected species

An ecological sensitive ecosystem Vulnerable ecosystem STATUS OF ECOSYSTEMS A resilient ecosystem A dynamic ecosystem An ecological sensitive ecosystem Vulnerable ecosystem

Ecosystem services Regulation services Supporting services Provisioning services Cultural services

VEGETATION STUDIES Physiognomy Sampling Species identification Plant pathology

FIGRURE1:VEGETATION PHYSIOGNOMY Grassland Marsh Riverine forest Forest Vegetation FIGRURE1:VEGETATION PHYSIOGNOMY Source: EIA report of Osun Tourism.Makmera. 2012

SAMPLING Quadrant Point centered quarter method FIGURE 2. GPS for sample locations Point centered quarter method FIGURE 2. Source: Google/Environmental impact assessment general procedure.2007

SPECIES IDENTIFICATION FIGURE 3: Herbarium specimen Source: Biodiversity of Nyunge forest SW, Rwanda.2002

PLANT PATHOLOGY FIGURE 4: Diseased plant Source: EIA report of Osun Tourism.Makmera..2012

Species equitability or evenness COMMUNITY ANALYSIS Species density Species abundance Species richness Species equitability or evenness

PHYTOPLANKTON STUDIES (Sampling and Analysis) FIGURE 5:A plankton net Source: practical guild to the study of algae.

FIGURE 6:Hauling of plankton Source: EIA report of Osun Tourism.Makmera.2012

IMPACT IDENTITFICATION This involves bringing together of the project data or existing baseline environmental condition in order to identify the impact of the proposed project

Impact on biodiversity Impact on soil Impact on wildlife ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS Impact on vegetation Impact on biodiversity Impact on soil Impact on wildlife

FIGURE 7: Ecological impacts Source: Google/ impact on biodiversity

MITIGATION OF IMPACTS This step in EIA studies recommends the action to reduce and avoid the potential adverse environmental consequences of development activities. In EIA, mitigation measures are proposed to avoid or reduce environmental and social impacts.

Not just an EIA, but a proper EIA involving a Botanist………

CONCLUSION The role of Botany in environmental impact assessment studies is so crucial that emphasis has to be laid on involving botanist during EIA studies . This is because plants are directly or indirectly connected to almost everything on earth. Botany has given us knowledge on the sustenance of life and can be deduced that with no plant, no life. Thus in EIA studies, the role of Botanist is vital .

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