PLANT SPECIES COLONIZING ABANDONED FARMLANDS LESS THAN 20 YEARS IN ISIALA MBANO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Plant species colonizing abandoned farmlands less than 20 years old were studied at Isiala Mbano, Imo State, Nigeria. Ten blocks of 30 hectares were demarcated within the abandoned farmlands and three blocks were selected at random. Within the central portion of each of the 30 hectares, a study plot of 25.0 x 25.0 m was laid. All plant species up to 1.0 cm in height within these three study plots were enumerated in the months of June and November 2010. The life form of each plant species was recorded. Data revealed that trees belonging to megaphanerophytes and mesophanerophytes were absent. It was only few microphanerophytes and nanophanerophytes that were observed. It was mainly climbers, shrubs, and herbs that were abundant. The most relatively abundant species in the studied abandoned farmlands were Andropogon tectorum (19.01 %) and Dactyladenia barteri (18.38 %). It was concluded that animals which disperse tree fruits and seeds into abandoned farmlands were not frequent in the abandoned farmlands. Moreover, wind speed greater than 7.0 ms -1 at 2.0m above the ground is poorly recorded. Fruits/seeds are not carried up to 100.0 m away from the dispersing tree species. Consequently, man ought to assist in the dispersal of economic tree fruits and seeds if abandoned farmlands within the tropical rainforest are to maintain most of the trees species the rainforest is known for.