Plant species diversity and structure in tree plantations at Téné Protected Forest (Côte d’Ivoire)

This study assessed flora establishment in the exotic tree plantations. The old and young Tectona grandis L.f. plantations, mixed-species plantations (Tectona grandis, Gmelina arborea Roxb., Cedrela odorata L.) and a neighbouring unmanaged forest were inventoried in Téné Protected Forest. In each habitat type, all vascular plant species were recorded and tree species with diameter at breast height ≥ 10 cm were measured and counted. The conservation value was determined through the listing of rare, threatened or endemic species. The diversity, the structure, and aboveground biomass have been estimated for comparison. The results showed that, plant species richness and diversity decreased significantly from unmanaged forest to mixed-species plantations and Teak plantations, while, tree density, basal area and biomass were similar between the four habitat types. This study suggests that the value of forest plantations for plant diversity varies considerably depending on whether the exotic tree species are planted as mixed-species or monocultural plantations

Carbon storage in cashew plantations in Central Africa: case of Cameroon

This study aimed to assess the carbon storage in cashew plantations in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. Quantification of stocks of biomass and carbon dioxide contained in agroforestry systems has become an international priority within the framework of the implementation of REDD + mechanism. Three cashew plantations were selected according to age classes (0–10 years; 10–20 years and over 20 years) in the four subdivisions (Bénoué, Faro, Mayo-Louti and Mayo-Rey). The experimental device installed is a complete random Fisher block with five repetitions. A 100 m × 20 m transect method was undertaken to assess the biomass. Allometric equations were used to assess carbon stock in biomass and laboratory analysis was used to assess soil carbon stock. Carbon stocks varied following the subdivisions and ranged from 69.29 to 96.67; 62.24 to 82.61; 59.00 to 90.64 and 66.14 to 84.03 tC/ha respectively in Bénoué, Faro, Mayo-Louti and Mayo-Rey. Soil carbon stock varied following the subdivisions and ranged from 22.03 to 30.33; 20.12 to 25.43; 19.21 to 25.73 and 21.06 to 24.51 tC/ha respectively in Bénoué, Faro, Mayo-Louti and Mayo-Rey. The highest total carbon stock was recorded in Bénoué subdivision (81.85 ± 13.55 t C/ha). The cashew plantation is actively sequestering carbon showing the potentiality to mitigate global climate change. Finally, these results are also an important economic, ecological and dynamic informative value to serve as a basis for guiding any program of action aimed at the conservation and sustainable management of this species

Diversity and structure of Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman stands in the Tchabal forest massif: A case study from Adamawa Cameroon: Phytodiversity of Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman in Cameroon

The aim of this work is to provide basic data for a better knowledge of Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman stands through a non-exhaustive floristic inventory in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Cameroon. Transects of 2,000 x 20 m² were installed in these stands in the Tchabal forest massif. The inventory concerned timbers with dbh ≥ 10 cm. Herbaceous were counted according to the "sigmatiste zuricho-montpelléraine” method. In total, 25 families distributed in 41 genera and 46 species and for herbaceous, 19 families distributed in 42 genera and 46 species were recorded in the stands. The stands of Bontadji and Horé-Déo are the richest. Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Ficus thonningii Blume and Croton macrostachyus Hochst. ex Delile are the most abundant taxa in each site. The Fongoy I locality stands are the most diversified (ISH: 0.87 ± 0.07; H': 0.99 ± 0.01). There is a floristic similarity of about 30% between localities. The stands of Fongoy I are very dense and basal area (D=394 ± 0.31 individuals/ha and BA= 25.80 ± 8.05 m²/ha). Structural analysis shows an "L" shape attesting to the presence of future stems. This observation is supported by the vertical structure of the stands. This information constitutes an important argument for the protection of the environment