Assessing forest products usage and local residents' perception of environmental changes in peri-urban and rural mangroves of Cameroon, Central Africa

(IF2011 = 2.392; CHL = 4.4)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Impacts des activités anthropiques sur la structure de la végétation des mangroves de Kribi, de l'embouchure du fleuve Nyong et de l'estuaire du Cameroun

Mangroves are intertidal ecosystems found along the tropical and subtropical coastlines.Though globally recognised as ecosystems of ecological, biological and economicalremarkable importance, these ecotone formations are characterised by a continuouslyincreasing anthropization. However, very little studies have been focused on the impact ofvarious anthropogenic activities on the mangrove vegetation structure.We have firstly (a) assessed the commercial and subsistence utilization of mangrovewood products in the Littoral region (Cameroon estuary). Then, we have confronted thesubsistence usages of mangrove wood products in the Southern region (close to the mouth ofthe Nyong River and Mpalla village (Kribi)) in comparison with the Littoral region. By doing,we have compared the local residents‟ perceptions on environmental changes that occurredwithin the two regional mangrove forests. Also, we have (c) studied the structural dynamic ofmangrove vegetation neighbouring the Douala city (Cameroon). Always in the vicinity of thistown, we have (d) reconstructed the original structure of largely disturbed mangrove forests.Moreover, we have (e) map the mangrove structure in a non peri-urban setting located withinthe Cameroon estuary. Here, we have finally (f) analysed the spatial distribution of a blackmangrove namely Avicennia germinans (L.) Stearn.Our results underlined an excessive utilization of mangrove wood products in theCameroon estuary. We have showed that the frequency of mangrove harvesting was relativelyfewer in Kribi (Mpalla) and the mouth of the Nyong River. The local people inhabiting thesetwo localities perceived mangroves as less degraded areas. In contrast, those establishedwithin the Cameroon estuary stated that mangroves were largely disturbed. When combiningthe local people statements with our field observations, we recorded that it a complex mix ofcauses (e.i. clear-felled corridors, agriculture, sand and gravel extraction, over-harvesting andanarchic urbanization) that have led to the largely degradation (vegetation and sediment) ofthe peri-urban mangroves in Cameroon. A diachronic analysis (1974, 2003, 2009) of theircoverage revealed that over the 35-year period, mangrove had decreases in cover of 53.16%around Douala. We have also showed that in the peri-urban settings, wood harvesting wascommonly applied on the structurally more complex (highly dense stands neighbouring thehabitations) mangrove forests (Mboussa Essengue) and, in a lesser extent, on the structurallymore developed mangrove stands (fewer dense stands faraway from Douala). On the otherhand, the mapping analysis of the non peri-urban mangroves (distant from Douala) hasrevealed that the structure of these intertidal forests was relatively less impacted. In theCameroon estuary, we also showed that A. germinans trees were randomly distributed onalmost one-half of the sampling plots and clumped at some scales on the remaining plots.Accordingly, this species might play a significant role in the recovery process of artificialgaps found in the non peri-urban areas.The multi-disciplinary approach employed in this study has allowed a betterunderstanding of the direct and indirect impacts of anthropogenic activities on the mangrovevegetation structure in Cameroon. These results constitute a fundamental data base quiteuseful for the multi-temporal monitoring of these littoral ecosystems perpetually disturbed.The application of similar approach in other mangroves facing high anthropogenic pressuresappears important.Doctorat en Sciencesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Spatial pattern of Avicennia germinans (L) Stearn trees in the Wouri estuary (Cameroon)

info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Mangrove spatial structure in a monospecific stand of the black mangrove Avicennia germinans (L.) Stearn in the Cameroon estuary

Présentation avec posterinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedHexennial International Conference ‘Meeting on Mangrove ecology, functioning and Management – MMM3’, 2-6 juillet, Galle, Sri Lank

Mangrove forest structure organisation in a monospecific stand of the Black mangrove Avicennia germinanas (L.) Stearn. in the Cameroon estuary

Présentation avec posterinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedYoung Marine Scientists’ Day Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee (VLIZ), 25 février, Brugge, Belgiqu

Commercial activities and subsistence utilization of mangrove forests around the Wouri estuary and the Douala-Edea reserve (Cameroon)

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Very-high-resolution diameter, biomass and carbon stock mapping on the two-thousand hectare mangroves of the Cameroon estuary

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedHexennial International Conference ‘Meeting on Mangrove ecology, functioning and Management – MMM3’, 2-6 juillet, Galle, Sri Lank

Techniques to analyse damaged mangrove forests: study cases for Brazil and Cameroon

info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe