FACTORS INFLUENCING THE RANGE SHIFT OF PLANT SPECIES IN WETLANDS IN NORTHERN REGION (GHANA), WITH A NOTE ON THE FISH AND BIRD COMMUNITIES

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ABSTRACT

The  study  examined  the  role  of  anthropogenic  disturbances,  temperature, precipitation and evapotranspiration in the range shift of aquatic plants, fish and bird  communities  in  six  wetlands.  It  was  conducted  over  a  2-year  period.  The dominance  ratio  approach  was  used  to determine  the  range  shift  of  plants. Ordination  techniques  were  used  to  determine  the  influence  of  environmental factors  on  biological  data-set.  Of  the  40  species  of  plants  sampled,  obligate species  constituted  35%,  while  facultative  wetland  species  and  obligate  upland species were 40% and 27.5% respectively. Animal dung assessment showed that 14  seedlings  identified  were  the  same  species  as  those  sampled  among  the  40 species. Plant  diversity and evenness distribution did not differ significantly (F  = 2.27, p>0.05) in the wet and dry seasons. Plant range shift was largely influenced by  farming  practices,  bushfire  and  grazing.  These  variables  correlated significantly  (p

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