DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF AMPHIBIAN IN GODWIN ALLY MILITARY BARRACK, OGOJA/YALA, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Amphibians offer a diverse array of ecosystem services and are often the focus of studies to evaluate questions about the effects of local and regional variables on community structure because their complex life cycles are typically affected by habitat changes, leading to their gradual decline in recent times. This study was geared towards assessing the abundance and diversity of amphibian species in Ogoja Army Barrack Environment. To achieves this amphibian samples were collected into a clean container within 100 meters by 100 meters transect area of the three sampling stations using a hand net and pit fall traps were used for three months. The species were identified using the appropriate identification guide, counted, and recorded. The physicochemical parameters of water was determined during the study. A total of 160 amphibian individuals made up of 11 species were collected through-out the study. The most abundant amphibian species observed was Hoplobatrachus occipitalis (23.13% abundance), while the least abundant species was Ptychadenalongirostris (1.88% abundance). The low numerical abundance of amphibians in the study area is an indication of progressive decline and possible extinction of the species over time Government/the Military should intensify effort in putting the activities of the people most especially the farmers in check so as to protect the forest and prevent the extinction of amphibian species.