THE EFFECTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITIES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF A LATEX-PRODUCING PLANT (Calotropis procera Aiton) ALONG ROAD SIDES IN JOS AND IT'S ENVIRONS

This study is carried out to investigate the effects of anthropogenic activities on the availability of Calotropis procera on the roadside in Jos. The line transect sampling technique was used to establish 10 plots with a diameter of 10 X 10 meters (100 m²)  wide in each location and the total number of plants was enumerated. The frequency of occurrences, species richness, and diversity index was calculated using Shannon Weiner index methods. The results of the survey revealed a total number of plants at  Old Airport Rayfield road indicated highest number of 133, followed by Low-Cost Miango road had 116, Rikkos Lamingo road showed 88, while  Gada Biu Zaria road had 70 and Bukuru to Anguldi road had the least number of 43 plants. The frequency of occurrence at Old Airport Rayfield road and Low-Cost Miango road had the figure of 100 %, followed by Gada Biu Zaria road bypass with 90 % and Bukuru to Anguldi road and Rikkos Lamingo road had the occurrence of 70 % each, while species richness revealed a descending order of Old Airport Rayfield road> Low-Cost Miango road>Rikkos Lamingo road>Gada Biyui Zaria road>Bukuru Express to Anguldi. Anthropogenic activities are limited at roadsides due to the sloppy, slippery, and stony nature of the roads, thus latex-producing plants are indicators of the intense anthrogenic activities that have hampered the environmental development of Nigeria.