The Impact of Gas Flaring on Plant Diversity in Ibeno Local Government Area

The study examined the impact of gas flaring on plant diversity in Qua-Iboe Terminal (Q.I.T). A Purposive sampling technique was adopted in choosing the direction of transects for data on plant species. A quadrant of 50 mx50 m was gridded into 10 m2. On each transect, five quadrants were laid at an interval of 50 m. From the flare site, the first quadrant at an interval of 50 m, the second at 100 m, third at 150 m, and so on to the fifth at 250 m on both sides of the transect respectively. Plant species diversity were obtained by counting the different species found within the quadrant. At flare site; 21, 27, 34, 38 and 42, while at control site; 101, 102, 106, 107 and 109 respectively. The means of the plant species at flare site is 32.40, at the control site is 105.00. The standard deviation for the flare site is 8.44 and for the control site is 3.39. Paired Sample Statistical technique was employed to analyzed the data. The results showed strongly positive correlation co-efficient of 0.97 between plant species diversity at gas flare site and those at the control site. It was observed that at Qua-Iboe flare site, great lost of plant species had taken place than the control site. Field Observation revealed that some plant species proved more resistant to gas flaring than others. Furthermore, from the analysis, we can conclude that there is statistically significant difference between plant species diversity in the flare site and the control site due to gas flaring. The results of the study is in line with theoretical postulations that increase in distance leads to a corresponding increase in plant species from the flare site. The study recommended that; they should be massive afforestation programme, gases should be harnessed for use as liquefied natural gas or re-injected into the (source) earth, and government should enforce laws against gas flaring.