Nicole Liliane MAFFO

Assessing Floristic Diversity, Stand Structures, and Carbon Stocks in Sacred Forests of West Cameroon: Insights from Bandrefam and Batoufam

Nicole Liliane Maffo Maffo, Hubert Kpoumie Mounmemi, Hermann Taedoumg, Valery Noumi Noiha, Karl Marx Matindje Mbaire, Boris Nyeck and 4 more

Open Journal of Forestry

Sacred forests play a valuable role in the conservation of local biodiversity and provide numerous ecosystem services in Cameroon. The aim of this study was to estimate floristic diversity, stand structures and carbon stocks in the sacred forests of Bandrefam and Batoufam (western Cameroon). The floristic inventory and the stand structures were carried out in 25 m × 25 m plots for individuals with diameters greater than 10 cm; 5 m × 5 m for individuals with diameters less than 10 cm. Carbon stocks were estimated using the non-destructive method and allometric equations. The floristic inventory identified 65 species divided into 57 genera and 30 families in the Bandrefam sacred forest and 45 species divided into 42 genera and 27 families in the Batoufam sacred forest. In the Bandrefam, the most important families are Phyllanthaceae (53.98%), Moraceae (21.69%), Lamiaceae (20.15%). At Batoufam, the most important families are Phyllanthaceae (39.73%), Fabaceae (28.47%), Araliaceae (23.77%). Malacantha alnifolia (55.14%), Vitex grandifolia (18.43%), Bosqueia angolensis (15.06%) were the most important species in Bandrefam. Otherwise, Malacantha alnifolia (28%), Polyscias fulva (22.73%), Psychotria sp. (21.28%) were the most important in Batoufam. The Bandrefam sacred forest has the highest tree density (2669 stems/ha). Total carbon stock is 484.88 ± 2.28 tC/ha at Batoufam and 313.95 ± 0.93 tC/ha at Bandrefam. The economic value varies between 5858.04 ± 27.62 USD/ha in Batoufam sacred forest and 3788.51 ± 11.26 USD/ha in Bandrefam sacred forest. The number of individuals and small-diameter trees has little influence on the carbon stocks in the trees. Medium-diameter trees store the most carbon, and very large-diameter trees, which are very poorly represented, store less carbon. In another way, wood density and the basal areas influence the carbon storage of the trees.

2023Journal article

Assessing plant diversity change in logged and unlogged dense semi-deciduous production forest of eastern Cameroon

Hubert Mounmemi Kpoumie, Marius R. M. Ekué, Funwi Preasious Forbi, Louis Paul Roger Kabelong Banoho, Bertine Tiokeng, Nicole Liliane Maffo Maffo and 5 more

Heliyon

This study was carried out in the dense semi-deciduous production forest of East Cameroon. The objective of this work of this study was to provide comparative floristic knowledge that can serve as a basis for the planning and sustainable management of ligneous plant resources in Communal Forests before and after logging. Sampling was done in unlogged and logged forest. Data collection was carried out using the linear transects subdivided into 10 plots of 25 m × 20 m (500 m 2 ) with an equidistance of 225 m for the inventory of all trees with dbh ≥10 cm installed measured at 1.3 m above ground level. Nested quadrats 5 m × 5 m, oriented south-west and north-east were set up in each plot for the counting and identification of all individuals with a diameter less than 10 cm. The analysis of inventory data showed that the floristic composition was higher in the unlogged forest. The individuals were more evenly distributed in the logged (Pielou's equitability index = 0.83) than in the unlogged forest. The study of the functional spectra showed that the flora of the two forest types was dominated by Guinean-Congolese species (67.57% in the unlogged forest and 63.07% in the logged forest) and Phanerophytes, particularly Mesophanerophytes. The dominance of sarcochorous species reveals that the main mode of dissemination in this forest is zoochory, particularly endozoochory. The presence of pleochroic species in the logged forest reveals the importance of dissemination by water in the environment. The plants surveyed were divided into five plant assemblages (three for logged forest and two for unlogged forest) based on ecological parameters. The findings of this study suggest that forest management which combines assisted natural regeneration with the natural process of secondary succession facilitates the reconstitution of the vegetation cover and, by extension, the conservation of biodiversity in post-logging forest concessions.

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Using Endemic Rubiaceae of the Lower Guinea Domain to Locate the Priority Sites for Conservation in Cameroon

Hermann Taedoumg, Louis-Paul Roger Kabelong Banoho, Nicole Liliane Maffo Maffo

Scholars Academic Journal of Biosciences

From herbarium specimens and literature review of Rubiaceae, we established a list of 387 endemic taxa (species, subspecies and varieties) from Lower Guinea Domain, with 288 present in Cameroon. Two hundred and three taxa having specimens from BM, BR, BRLU, P, K, MO, SCA, WAG, and YA were taken into account in our analyses. The specific diversity was determined by counting the number of species per grid square with Arc view 3.3. The distribution maps are obtained by projecting the coordinates of collecting sites on map of Cameroon. It appears that there are several hotspots of Rubiaceae in Cameroun. Four principal zones are distinguished: Mount Cameroon area (86 taxa), Kupe and Bakossi area (66 taxa), Bipindi-Akom II area (68 taxa), and Yaounde and its surroundings (28 taxa). The most significant factor to explain the endemism and the specific richness of Rubiaceae in Cameroun is altitude. The high precipitation and the continental gradient also play an important role in explaining this richness. The confinement of endemic Rubiaceae in Atlantic forests seems to be an argument in favor of this hypothesis. The area around Yaound and the massifs around Bipindi have no conservation status. Both areas are under permanent threat from logging and slash-and-burn agriculture and from ever-increasing population pressures. There is an urgent need for conservation measures to be taken to protect these forests, the importance of which is highlighted in this study. Yaounde is a large urban agglomeration and the easily accessible hills could be, in the medium term, financially viable through ecotourism.

Single-species allometric equations for above-ground biomass of most abundant long-lived pioneer species in semi-deciduous rain forests of the central region of Cameroon

Samuel Severin Kenfack Feukeng, Nicole Liliane Maffo Maffo, Victor François Nguetsop, Vivien Rossi, Cédric Djomo Chimi, Junior Baudoin Wouokoue Taffo and 2 more

World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews

The implementation of REDD+ and AFR100 mechanisms require the availability of reliable allometric models, which are mathematical functions for estimating forest biomass from independent variables such as diameter at breast height (dbh), crown diameter, wood density and tree height. Although many equations have been developed to estimate tree biomass in undegraded forests, very few models have been developed for secondary forest species. The aim of this study was to establish single-species allometric models for estimating biomass of pioneer species in semi-deciduous forests in the central region of Cameroon and to evaluate their accuracy. Data of above-ground biomass were obtained from destructive sampling of 103 pioneer trees belonging to three species: Distemonanthus benthamianus, Musanga cecropioides and Trema orientalis. Model comparison were based on Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), average deviation and the coefficient R2adj. The different tests with combinations of dendrometric variables shows that whatever the species considered, the diameter at breast height appears as a good single predictor of biomass (Adjuted R²adj ˃ 0.97 in all three species). The use of the crown diameter in the model in Musanga cecropioides has considerably improved the quality of the fit. However, the consideration of these three variables in the model gave even better results (Adj.R² = 0.978-0.988). The comparison of these present models with the equations previously developed shows that the models in this article provide a better estimate of biomass. However, several important data from semi-deciduous forest remain essential for the adjustment of multi-specie models.

Single-species allometric equations for above-ground biomass of most abundant long-lived pioneer species in semi-deciduous rain forests of the central region of Cameroon.

Samuel Severin Kenfack Feukeng, Nicole Liliane Maffo Maffo, Victor François Nguetsop, Vivien Rossi, Cédric Djomo Chimi, Junior Baudoin Wouokoue Taffo and 2 more

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

The implementation of REDD+ and AFR100 mechanisms require the availability of reliable allometric models, which are mathematical functions for estimating forest biomass from independent variables such as diameter at breast height (dbh), crown diameter, wood density and tree height. Although many equations have been developed to estimate tree biomass in undegraded forests, very few models have been developed for secondary forest species. The aim of this study was to establish single-species allometric models for estimating biomass of pioneer species in semi-deciduous forests in the central region of Cameroon and to evaluate their accuracy. Data of above-ground biomass were obtained from destructive sampling of 103 pioneer trees belonging to three species: Distemonanthus benthamianus, Musanga cecropioides and Trema orientalis. Model comparison were based on Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), average deviation and the coefficient R2adj. The different tests with combinations of dendrometric variables shows that whatever the species considered, the diameter at breast height appears as a good single predictor of biomass (Adjuted R²adj ˃ 0.97 in all three species). The use of the crown diameter in the model in Musanga cecropioides has considerably improved the quality of the fit. However, the consideration of these three variables in the model gave even better results (Adj.R² = 0.978-0.988). The comparison of these present models with the equations previously developed shows that the models in this article provide a better estimate of biomass. However, several important data from semi-deciduous forest remain essential for the adjustment of multi-specie models.

Nicole Liliane MAFFO

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2025

Assessing Floristic Diversity, Stand Structures, and Carbon Stocks in Sacred Forests of West Cameroon: Insights from Bandrefam and Batoufam

2023

Assessing plant diversity change in logged and unlogged dense semi-deciduous production forest of eastern Cameroon

2021

Using Endemic Rubiaceae of the Lower Guinea Domain to Locate the Priority Sites for Conservation in Cameroon

2020

Single-species allometric equations for above-ground biomass of most abundant long-lived pioneer species in semi-deciduous rain forests of the central region of Cameroon

Single-species allometric equations for above-ground biomass of most abundant long-lived pioneer species in semi-deciduous rain forests of the central region of Cameroon.

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