Impact of Urbanization on the Reduction of Vegetation and Loss of Arable Land in the Environment Around Gombe

Abstract

One of the major problems arising from urbanization is thus vegetation degradation. It is a decline in the quantity and quality of the grasses, herbs and woody species found in an ecosystem. Vegetation degradation as defined by Conacher and Sala, (1998), “is the temporary or permanent reduction in the density, structure, species composition or productivity of vegetation cover". Vegetation condition is the key aspect of degradation in grasslands, wood/forest lands and croplands. Thus, over exploitation and management practices may result in vegetation degradation and tend to enhance land degradation risk. Pressure on the natural vegetation has arisen from changing agricultural practice, fire and livestock grazing, and the feed-back with the loss of bio-diversity. The study has shown that the vegetation of Gombe state is undergoing degradation at an unsustainable rate which may likely disrupt the ecological functioning of the ecosystem in the state. Therefore, the study recommends that urgent attention on conservation of remaining vegetal resources in order to preserve the valuable assets of flora and fauna which are indigenous to the area. This can be done by insuring strict compliance with rules and regulations guiding conservation in the region and Nigeria as a whole also efforts should also be geared towards enlighten of the communities on the benefits of vegetation and the need for conservation in the ecosystem.