Professional Assessment of Insect Biodiversity in Degraded and Restored Mangrove Habitats in Bayelsa State, South South Nigeria

Mangrove ecosystems in the Niger Delta are among the most severely degraded in the world due to oil extraction activities and deforestation. Mangrove restoration programs have been implemented in parts of Bayelsa State, yet the recovery of insect biodiversity following restoration has not been professionally assessed. This study evaluates insect biodiversity in oil-degraded mangroves, actively restored mangrove sites, and intact reference mangroves across three creek systems in Bayelsa State. Insects will be sampled using Malaise traps, pitfall traps, and hand netting at each site type over twelve months. Beetles, flies, and Hymenoptera will form the primary focus groups for diversity analysis. Functional feeding group composition will be compared across site types using multivariate statistics. The study will assess whether insect communities in restored sites are recovering toward reference condition over time, providing a biological restoration success criterion. This research provides a professional-level biodiversity audit that complements botanical and fisheries assessments typically used to gauge mangrove restoration success. Results will be shared with the Niger Delta Development Commission and multinational oil company restoration programs active in Bayelsa State. Keywords: mangrove restoration, insect biodiversity, Niger Delta, Bayelsa State, habitat recovery