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What is the Niger Delta?

THE NATURAL ECOZONES OF THE NIGER DELTA
Ecozone	Sub-ecozones
West African Lowland Equatorial Monsoon	Low water-table High water-table Flood plain Riverine swamp
West African Freshwater Alluvial Equatorial Monsoon	Levee forest Palm forest Seasonal swamp White-water floodplain Black-water floodplain Lakes Seasonally exposed river alluvium
West African Brackish water Alluvial Equatorial Monsoon	Mangroves Mangrove/freshwater ecotone
Sand Barrier Islands	Ridge-top tropical rainforest Trough freshwater swamp forest Brackish-water swamp forest Beach strand
Estuaries and offshore waters of the Niger Delta

Each is considered in detail in the following chapters. However it must be stressed that at this stage, we are still considering the natural ecosystems of these zones, as they would be if humankind were still playing out natural roles within them. Only then will the modern ecosystems as affected by modern human activities will then be understood and considered.

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