In this study, Pinus massoniana wood was heat treated with silicone oil to modify the chemical composition relative to the unmodified wood. Specifically, polysaccharide, lignin, extractives and ash contents were the properties investigated. The wood samples were first of all pre-heated in a micro-wave oven to ease heat transfer within the wood. Silicone oil heat treatment was carried out at 150, 180 and 210°C for 2, 4, 8 h. The silicone oil heat treated wood was characterized by Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and contact angle. Results showed that silicone oil heat treatment caused significant decrease in the polysaccharide (P ˂ 0,0001) and ash contents (P ˂ 0,0001) and significant increase in the lignin (P ˂ 0,0001) and extractives contents (P ˂ 0,0001) as the treatment time increased. FTIR results showed that the chemical constituents of the wood were affected by the treatment, while TGA showed that the treated wood resulted in higher thermal stability with increase in the crystallinity index. Silicone oil heat treatment proved to be effective in increasing the contact angle of the wood.

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This study was aimed at assessing the diversity and population of plants species in Ikot Efre Itak Community forest in Nigeria. A total of 59 plant species were identified in the study area comprising 33 tree species, 12 shrub, 7 herbs, 34 climbers and 3 palms species. Mimusops heckelii and Canarium schweinfurthii, had the highest tree population density of 16 and 12 individual/0.6 ha respectively, all other tree species has a density of less than 10 individual/ha. In the shrub category, Bambusia vulgaris had the highest shrub population density with 31 individual/0.6 ha. Also, Costus afar and Hippocratea africana had the highest density of 53/0.6 ha and 11/0.6 ha respectively in the herb category. The result further shows that Ancistrophyllum secondiflorum had the highest population density of 23 in the palm category. Given the high rate of forest destruction in the country, there is need for to ensure sustainable conservation of the forest area to avoid further destruction by provision of alternative means of livelihood for the local population to reduce their dependence on these forest.