The identification of plants in which the bees forage is key in establishing bee farms and increasing honey production. In this study pollen analysis of honey samples from the southeastern part of Nigeria was carried out to ascertain their floral sources and ecological origin. The honey samples were acetolyzed and microscopically studied to determine the pollen types. A total of seventy-one pollen types belonging to forty-one families of plants were identified. The honey samples were dominated by pollen grains from the families of Arecaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae, Irvigiaceae, Fabaceae, Combretaceae/Melastomataceae, and phyllanthaceae. Some of the dominant pollen grain identified include Elaeis guineensis, Alchornea cordifolia, Hymenocardia acida, Ocimum gratissimum, Syzygium guineense, Nauclea latifolia and Afzelia africana. Out of the six samples studied Njikoka sample was monofloral having Mimosa pigra as predominant pollen while Ayamelum, Ekwusigo, Nsukka, Ezeagu, and Udenu samples are multifloral containing Elaeis guineensis, Phyllanthus sp., Piliostigma reticulatum, Irvingia sp., Alchornea cordifolia, and Lannea sp. as major secondary pollen. All the samples analyzed have Elaeis guineensis in common except Ezeagu, indicating that these plants are present in all five locations. These results can also be used as a tool in the geographical identification of Southeastern Nigeria honey from other geopolitical zones.

Six honey samples were collected from various locations in Anambra and Enugu states in southeastern Nigeria and analyzed for physicochemical characteristics and mineral composition. pH, moisture, protein, fats, ash, polyphenol, free acidity, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and sugar were among the physicochemical parameters studied. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, sodium, cadmium, and lead were also investigated. The samples had pH values ranging from 4.00 - 4.40. Moisture content ranged from 8.95% - 14.30%, ash 0.21 - 0.54%, protein 0.21- 0.74%, fat 0.00 - 0.50%, polyphenol 2.75 - 12.00%; free acidity 33.60 - 89.890 meq kg-1 and HMF 18.70 - 75.43 mg/kg. The sugar assays revealed that all of the honey samples contained the appropriate quantity of sugar for acceptable quality honey, albeit there were substantial variances in the values recorded across the locations. The mineral composition revealed that potassium was the most abundant element, followed by zinc, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. In the samples, no cadmium or lead was found. The results of the evaluated honey samples revealed that the majority of the measured parameters recorded met international standards, indicating that they were safe for human consumption.

In the conservation and management of our environment, information on vegetation change and pollution monitoring as a result of human activities is still highly important. This necessitated a palaeoenvironmental investigation through drilled sediments of a 51 cm core in Atlas Cove on the Commodore Channel in Lagos State, in order to ascertain possible changes in the past ecological conditions of the study area over time. Eighteen sediment samples were collected at intervals of 3 cm between the depth of 0.00 cm and 51.00 cm and subjected to palynological, lithological, pH, salinity, and heavy metal analyses. The palynological study revealed a diversified and sparse array of palynomorphs. Pollen of Asystasia gangetica, Alstonia congensis, Rauvolfia vomitoria, Cyperus sp., Kyllinga erecta, Rhizophora racemosa, Acrostichum aureum, Polypodiaceae, Paspalum sp., Pteris sp., Alchornea cordifolia, and Elchornia crassipes were found to be dominant. The pH and salinity values of the sediment samples also varied considerably at different depths. A considerable number of lithological types were recognized, which varied in grain-size, grain sorting and grain-texture. The concentrations of Fe, Cu, As, Pb, Zn, Cr, Se, Ni, Mn, Co, Cd, and Al vary greatly. When the results were compared to the soil guideline value for commercial areas using the CLEA-Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment, they were found to be below the limit for commercial areas, indicating that environmental contamination is negligible. This study's findings will be used to develop realistic conservation and management plans for this biologically unique ecosystem in the future.

The factors affecting African Forest Elephants include food availability, demand for ivory and changes in land-use. In order to survive, they tend to traverse considerable distances in search of food; on such occasions they are trapped and killed for their ivory.  This present study is aimed at assessing the faecal matter of elephants, and at providing information on the season of ingestion and foraging preferences of these elephants.  Faecal matter was collected at nine different locations for one year before being processed and subjected to standard palynological laboratory procedures.  The analyses showed that the samples had moderately abundant and diversified palynomorphs.  A total of 27 palynomorphs belonging to 22 families with a total count of 2,895 accounting for 94.34% were found to be eaten, while other plant fragments (epidermal cells, xylem vessel elements, and seeds) accounted for 5.66%.  The wet and dry seasons accounted for 73.26% and 26.74% respectively.  Epidermal cells and xylem vessel elements recorded (70.76%) and (29.2%) during the dry and wet seasons, respectively.  In the palynological analysis, pollen of Balanites wilsoniana, Desplatsia subericarpa, Chrysophyllum albidum, among others were recovered in the faecal matter.  Pollen analysis of faecal matters provided no information about the quantitative composition of the natural vegetation of elephants, but rather valuable information about their diet. It is recommended that these preferentially foraged parent plants should be cultivated on a large scale.  This would potentially reduce competition for food and movement of these animals to other greener areas, consequently leading to poaching.