Evaluation of Anticipated Performance Index of Some Urban Trees along Selected Roads in Makurdi, Nigeria

This study evaluates the Anticipated Performance Index (API) of some urban trees in Makurdi, Nigeria, in order to determine air pollution tolerance and anticipated performance indices. Purposive sampling method was used to select the six (۶) major roads and five most abundant tree species (Albizia lebbeck, Gmelina arborea, Delonix regia, Terminalia mantaly, and Mangifera indica). Matured fresh leaves of the sampled species were harvested at random from each of the six (۶) road for laboratory analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive (mean) and inferential (ANOVA) statistics. The results revealed that Mangifera indica had the highest air pollution tolerance index (APTI) values across the sampled roads, ranging from ۱۰.۲۴ to ۱۱.۸۶, except for Gboko road where Albizia lebbeck recorded the highest value of ۱۱.۳۸. The lowest APTI values of ۸.۶۱ and ۸.۷۱ were recorded for Terminalia mantaly and Delonix regia, respectively, on Naka Road. The APTI results imply that all the sampled species were sensitive to air pollution. The API percentage scores of this study ranged from ۴۳.۷۵ to ۷۵%. Across all roadways, Mangifera indica (۷۵%) had the highest API values, followed by Gmelina arborea (۶۲.۵۰%), and Albizia lebbeck (۴۳.۷۵%) had the lowest. The study found that tree species such as Mangifera indica and Gmelina arborea demonstrated strong tolerance and they are suitable for reducing urban air pollutants.

کلیدواژه ها:

Anticipated ، Index ، Makurdi ، performance ، Trees ، urban