Floristic diversity and management of fodder resources of the natural pastures of the Savanna Highlands of Western Cameroon

Abstract

Sustainable management of pastoral resources requires knowledge in terms of floristic diversity and productivity of the rangelands. The objective of the present study carried out in the Bamboutos Mountains was to assess the floristic diversity and carrying capacity of the natural pastures. Floristic inventory was done using the method of quadrat point aligned in 15 plots of 400 m². Aerial phytomass of herbaceous plants was measured by the full harvest method. A total of 74 species, including 09 woody plants belonging to 56 genera and 20 families were recorded. The number of taxa recorded in the plots varied from 11 to 36 species. Imperata cylindrica with a specific contribution of presence of 17.45% was the most abundant species in the rangeland. The species-richest families were Poaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Cyperaceae. The calculated pastoral value of the pasture was 56.21%. These pastures were dominated by phanerophytes (29.72%) and therophytes (24.32%). The forage productivity of the grazed area, estimated based on the regrowth biomass was 6498.57 kg DM/ha while the carrying capacity of the rangeland was 2.31 TLU/ha. These results showed that the fodder potential of the Bamboutos Mountains is enough diversified but remains under exploited.

Phytodiversity Estimation of High-altitude Pastureland Above Yonphula, Kanglung Gewog, Trashigang Dzongkhag

“…The pastureland also show high species richness with the cohabitation of 83 species similar to the studies by Avidiu et al, (2018), Jafari et al, (2016) and Baudoin et al, (2020). Genera such as Anaphalis and Geranium are dominant in the pastureland which is represented by 4 species followed by Gentiana, Potentilla and Viola represented by 3 species each.…”

“…especially in highly disturbed area. The species diversity obtained in the study are similar to the results obtained by Baudoin et al, (2020) in Savanna highland of western Cameroon (H value ranging between 0.57 to 3.77), Amboua et al, (2019) The result obtained are also in the general range of Shannon (H) value between 1.3 and 3.5, which at times exceeds 4.0, and reaches around 4.5 in tropical forest environments (Kanieski & Longhi, 2017).…”

“…The floristics composition of Yonphula pastureland is similar to the floristic richness of other natural high-altitude grasslands. Baudoin et al, (2020) recorded a total of 74 species, belonging to 56 genera from 20 families with Poaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Cyperaceae being the most species rich families in the natural pastures of the Savanna Highlands of Western Cameroon. Similarly, Jafari et al, (2016) recorded a total of 81 herbaceous species, under 68 genera from 19 families in Lashgardar Rangelands of Malayer, Iran.…”

“…The difference in the floristic composition and floristic diversity for autumn and spring seasons could be linked to the variations in ecological, climatic conditions, difference in soil moisture content, temperature difference as well as animal pressures and anthropogenic activities resulting in inter and intraspecific competition (Baudoin et al,2020). The regeneration and development of plants in the Yonphula pastureland is slow due to the arid and cold climatic condition (abiotic) and impacts of overgrazing in the area (biotic).…”

“…Overgrazing can directly shift plant composition by changing the structural and compositional heterogeneity (Rook et al, 2004;Baudoin et al, 2020). Grazing animals alter the surface structure and functioning of soil by trampling.…”