Ecological implications of climate change on the genetic diversity and distribution of African locust bean parkia biglobossa in Central Nigeria

P37.19 Ecological implications of climate change on the genetic diversity and distribution of African locust bean parkia biglobossa in Central Nigeria Emmanuel Hala Kwon-Ndung(1), CD Chup(2), NA Binbol(1), A Ismaila(1) (1) Nasarawa State University Keffi, Department of Biological Sciences, Nigeria (2) University of Abuja, Nigeria The African locust bean Parkia biglobossa is a very important tree crop in the African savannas where the natives use it as a food, medicine, glaze for ceramic pots, fodder, firewood and charcoal production. However, its wide range of wild species which is quite restricted is seriously under threat of genetic erosion, although the need to develop improved seedlings or varieties of this tree with lesser growth cycles and other socioeconomic characteristics is under consideration. So many factors might be responsible for this threat even though the consequence of climate has been suspected as one of the most important causes. This study was therefore carried out to determine the ecological implication of possible response of climate change on the genetic distribution and diversity of this valuable source of biodiversity in selected locations in North Central Nigeria. Different agro climatic factors such as rainfall distribution, temperatures and relative humidity in ten locations in the north central region or Northern Guinea savanna agro ecological zones as is popularly known in Nigeria were undertaken. The suitability of these locations to Parkia biglobossa prevalence or otherwise with regards to the climatic factors were observed in the 2006 and 2007 cropping seasons and statistically analyzed. Also the fruit yield over the two cropping seasons with respect to the climatic factors was analyzed using correlation coefficients. Rainfall distribution, temperature and relative humidity significantly varied with crop prevalence across locations and these results are discussed and the limitations and suggestions are presented for a postulation of the probable effect of shifts in the main agro climatic factors on the yield productivity and genetic diversity of this important germplasm in sub-Saharan Africa. Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges and Decisions IOP PublishingIOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science6 (2009) 372026 doi:10.1088/1755-1307/6/7/372026 c 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd