Article Archive: Volume 5 Issue 2 2026

1.0       INTRODUCTION The inquiry in the study of arboreal epiphytic fern has proven to be the basis and foundation for comprehending the nature and biology of vascular plants, in light of their ecological importance in both tropical and temperate regions. And their ability to control the potential regeneration of forest ecosystems [1, 2, 3]. They are regarded as “Islands” that grow on tree canopies and are highly sensitive to forest disturbance and obstructions [4, 5]. They are mostly herbaceous in nature and with a substantial water storage capacity; thus tend to influence the hydrology and energy flow in phorophyte canopies [6,7]. The presence, growth, and development of these epiphytic ferns influence the uptake of carbon and biomass production while serving as a microhabitat, source of food and medicine, and tree canopy nutrient cycling [8, 9, 10]. Arboreal epiphytic ferns have a great influence on biodiversity because of their great significance in contributing to plant diversity, with about 25% of their vascular nature observed in tropical forests [11]. The horizontal distribution of arboreal epiphytic ferns entails the horizontal spread of epiphytic species across a given area; such distribution is irregular as a result of ecological and abiotic environmental (sunlight, precipitation, etc) gradients [12]. Though the complexity in epiphytic fern distribution lies in their degree of arboreal lifestyle dependence, their specialized tissues and organs, which make it possible for their adaptation [13]; their distribution pattern is influenced by the forest structure, which involves the phorophyte height and type, species distribution, epiphytic density, and disturbances such as tree felling [14, 11, 15, 16, 17]. It has been highlighted that the ecology of epiphytic ferns is poorly harnessed despite their importance in biodiversity protection [18]. Arboreal epiphytic ferns are known to be seen on different substrates, showing distinct and different responses to environmental and ecological factors [19]. Arboreal epiphytic ferns like the Platycerium species have shown one of the greatest microclimate functions in retaining and maintaining the amount of moisture in tree canopies [20] while serving as a cool buffering microhabitat to relatively hot and dry greenbelt canopies [21]. Greenbelt canopy, an aggregate of tree crowns of vegetation stand, is known for it habitation system, supporting diverse organisms ranging from insects to plant species, including arboreal epiphytic ferns [22]. The use of randomness and deterministic approaches is highly crucial in the study of the canopies in rainforest communities [23]. The differences in the distribution of arboreal epiphytic ferns on a greenbelt canopy lie in the chance and limitations of their dispersal in different areas under different environmental gradients and canopy assemblages [19]. The phyto-social attributes of these epiphytic ferns have defined the greenbelt canopy as a hub to global biomass with the absolute ability to support numerous conditions that favour biodiversity [24]. It has been revealed that the complexity of elevation patterns, biotic and abiotic factors, is adversely affecting the various epiphytic fern phorophytes, and consequently generally posing difficulty in assessing their individual pattern of distribution, which informed the need for the adoption of geospatial tools [25]. Geospatial tools or Geographical Information Systems can be described as a hub for different geographical locations and maps of various abiotic and biotic indices, analyzing their combined attributes in order to produce a single result revealing their relationship [26]. The use and application of geospatial tools to understand the trends involved in the spatial distribution of epiphytic ferns within an ecological study area has also become one of the most recent approaches needed in the study of epiphytic fern biodiversity [27, 28]. This involves such tools as: the remote sensing, web-mapping, and GPS with its significant role to botanists, ecologists, and environmental managers as aid to the necessary information needed on the biodiversity of epiphytic fern [26]. Several studies have reported on epiphytic fern distribution with paucity of information as well as gaps in parts of Rivers State [28, 29, 30,31, 32, 33] and just about 4% of annual ecological publication on epiphytic fern distribution pattern [18]. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing the horizontal distribution of arboreal epiphytic ferns with the objectives of identifying the presence of epiphytic ferns and their distribution trend using the Average Nearest Neighbor (ANN) analysis to predict the distribution pattern on both the western and eastern wing of the greenbelt canopy. Significantly, this study will reveal the rate at which ferns are distributed with the use of modern geospatial tools. 2.0       MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1.      Study Area and Field Sampling Delineation The geographical location of the study area (Fig.2.1), with its neighborhood location and site has been documented [32]. The environmental characteristics involving the climatic conditions, vegetation system and the edaphic conditions have been described [34, 35, 36]. The survey and inventory were carried out on the gradient horizontal distribution of arboreal-fern bearing Phorophyte greenbelt canopy of the study site. A total stand of 214 trees (mainly Azadirachta indica) were observed from the inlet direction of Delta -Abuja campus gate of the study location sampled site. The sample site was delineated into eastern and western wing using a total distance of 1560m for the eastern wing, consisting of 145 canopy formations of which 69 trees are epiphytic-fern bearing Phorophytes while the western wing covers a distance of 1600m with 109 canopy formations in which 72 of them are epiphytic-fern bearing Phorophytes. 2.2 Sampling Methods, Procedure and Analysis Using the line transect sampling design on the delineated eastern and western wing of the study sampled site, the Braun-Blanquet releve [37] and Rapid Representative of Epiphyte Diversity (RRED) [38] analytical methods were adapted. A total of 11 sampling plots were delineated on both the eastern and western wing. A handheld GPS (BHnav 300 model) was used to ascertain the geo-reference point of each tree Phorophyte along the horizontal row of the canopy gradients. The respective coordinates of all the Phorophytes and Non-Phorophytes tree stands and the obtained data were carefully inserted into the GIS ESRI’s ARCMAP to generate the satellite imagery and maps of study location and sample site revealing the … Read more