The Bamboutos Mountains: Environment and Rural Land Use in West Cameroon

Ngoufo, Roger

doi:10.2307/3673685

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Additionally, severe soil erosion caused by land use changes has been reported to be one of the major causes of nutrient depletion in the WHC [35,58], including the loss of soil TN [58]. The strong correlations existing between TN and SOC in surface horizons of all RSGs and in subsurface horizons of Acrisols and Ferralsols are indicative of the N-retention capacity of SOM [52].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a study to investigate the effect of topography on soil nitrogen availability, [61] found that inorganic N pools, net nitrification rates, and soil nitrification potentials were significantly lower on steep hillslopes (slope gradient ~57%) compared to relatively flat surfaces (slope gradient ~10.5%). Slope gradient is a major environmental factor responsible for soil nutrient depletion in humid tropical highlands [35]. According to [69], soil erosion on steep slopes without any conservation measures can generate TN losses of about 344.8 kg m -2 year -1 .…”

Section: Control Of Parent Material Land Use Climate and Slope On Tn ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Distribution of Total Nitrogen in Soils of the Tropical Highlands of Cameroon

Kome

Kips²,

Yerima

et al. 2023

Eurasian Soil Sc.

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Understanding the factors controlling soil total N (TN) is helpful in simulating N cycling at local and regional scales. This study was conducted with the aim to; (i) understand the distribution of TN in specific soil horizons (A and B horizons) of three reference soil groups: Acrisols, Cambisols and Ferralsols, common in humid tropical environments, and (ii) to identify factors controlling TN variations among the various soil groups. Twentyeight Acrisols, 21 Cambisols and 8 Ferralsols profiles spanning a wide range of precipitation gradients, vegetation type/land use and parent materials, from the Northwestern Highlands (NWH) of Cameroon were considered. Soil properties were analyzed following standard procedures. TN had very high coefficients of variation (>35%) in all the reference soil groups (RSGs), with highest mean TN (0.31±0.03%) observed in the A horizons of Acrisols and the lowest (0.05 ± 0.01%) in B horizons of Ferralsols. Variations in TN content were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by parent material, land use type, precipitation and slope gradient. In surface (A) horizons of all the RSGs, TN correlated positively and significantly with clay (p < 0.05), silt (p < 0.01) and soil organic carbon (SOC) (p < 0.01), and negatively with sand (p < 0.01). This observation was slightly different in subsurface (B) horizons. This study provides data which contributes to a better understanding of soil fertility in tropical highlands.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Control Of Parent Material Land Use Climate and Slope On Tn ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of Total Nitrogen in Soils of the Tropical Highlands of Cameroon

Kome

Kips²,

Yerima

et al. 2023

Eurasian Soil Sc.

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“…Since most of the Cameroon Highlands do not ascend above 2,000 m alt., montane forest is not ubiquitous along their length. Moreover, even where altitude is sufficient to support it and where it formerly occurred, montane forest has seen massive clearance for agriculture, and has been totally lost at the Bamboutos Mountains of West Region Cameroon ( Ngoufou, 1992 ). Indeed, the Bamenda Highlands of Cameroon, long since cleared of their montane forest, are now known in Cameroon as “The grasslands” because they are blanketed in secondary grassland, perpetuated by fire.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The montane trees of the Cameroon Highlands, West-Central Africa, with Deinbollia onanae sp. nov. (Sapindaceae), a new primate-dispersed, Endangered species

Cheek

Onana

Chapman

2021

PeerJ

637

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We test the hypothesis that the tree species previously known as Deinbollia sp. 2. is a new species for science. We formally characterise and name this species as Deinbollia onanae (Sapindaceae-Litchi clade) and we discuss it in the context of the assemblage of montane tree species in the Cameroon Highlands of West-Central Africa. The new species is a shade-bearing, non-pioneer understorey forest tree species reaching 15 m high and a trunk diameter that can attain over 40 cm at 1.3 m above the ground. Seed dispersal has been recorded by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) and by putty-nose monkeys (Cercopithecus nictitans) and the species is used by chimpanzees for nesting. Cameroon has the highest species-diversity and species endemism known in this African-Western Indian Ocean genus of 42, mainly lowland species. Deinbollia onanae is an infrequent tree species known from six locations in surviving islands of montane (sometimes also upper submontane) forest along the line of the Cameroon Highlands, including one at Ngel Nyaki in Mambilla, Nigeria. Deinbollia onanae is here assessed as Endangered according to the IUCN 2012 standard, threatened by severe fragmentation of its mountain forest habitat due to extensive and ongoing clearance for agriculture. The majority of the 28 tree species of montane forest (above 2000 m alt.) in the Cameroon Highlands are also widespread in East African mountains (i.e. are Afromontane wide). Deinbollia onanae is one of only seven species known to be endemic (globally restricted to) these highlands. It is postulated that this new species is morphologically closest to Deinbollia oreophila, a frequent species at a lower (submontane) altitudinal band of the same range. Detailed ecological data on Deinbollia onanae from the Nigerian location, Ngel Nyaki, where it has been known under the name Deinbollia “pinnata”, is reviewed.

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“…The 13 by 8 km elliptically shaped crater is characterized by a high elevation gradient and dissected slopes. It reaches up to 2740 meters and is located more than 30 km from main urban centers and approximately 20 km from the nearest paved road (Gountie et al, 2011;Ngoufo, 1992). The precipitation reaches between 2000 and 3000 mm annually, which mainly falls during the rainy season that lasts from March to October (Toh et al, 2018).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%