Diversity and aboveground biomass in three tropical forest types in the Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon

Djuikouo, Marie Noël Kamdem; Doucet, Jean-Louis; Nguembou, Charlemagne K.; Lewis, Simon L.; Sonké, Bonaventure

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2028.2010.01212.x

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Diversity and aboveground biomass in three tropical forest types in the Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon

Djuikouo, Marie Noël Kamdem; Doucet, Jean-Louis; Nguembou, Charlemagne K. et al.

2010 • In African Journal of Ecology, 48, p. 1053-1063

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Keywords :

Aboveground biomass; Cameroon; Carbon; Diversity; Gilbertiodendron dewevrei; Rainforest

Abstract :

[en] We present tree community diversity, species composition, basal area and aboveground biomass of three forest types in the Dja Biosphere Reserve, in South-East Cameroon, part of the contiguous tropical forest of the Congo Basin. A total of fourteen, 1 ha, plots were established in heterogeneous terra firme forests (TFF), Gilbertiodendron dewevrei forests (GDF) and periodically flooded forests (PFF). A total of 281 tree species with diameter ‡10 cm were recorded. The Shannon diversity index was significantly higher in TFF (5.7 ± 0.28) and PFF (5.6 ± 0.23) than in GDF (2.29 ± 0.48) (ANOVA, F2,11 = 139.75, P < 0.001). While tree density did not differ between forest types (F2,11 = 3.50, P = 0.06), basal area differed significantly (F2,11 = 7.38, P = 0.009), as did aboveground biomass (F2,11 = 17.95, P < 0.001). Mean AGB values were respectively, 596.1 ± 62.24, 401.67 ± 58.06 and 383.14 ± 61.91 Mg ha)1 in GDF, TFF and PFF. Variation in the abundance of trees with large diameter was the main reason for these differences. Few dominant species made the greatest contribution to the AGB. G. dewevrei, accounted for 83% of AGB in GDF, Penthaclethra macrophylla for 9.9% in TFF and Uapaca heudolotii for 10.6% in PFF. The importance of preserving G. dewevrei forest in the context of ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation’ (REDD) policies is discussed.

Disciplines :

Agriculture & agronomy
Phytobiology (plant sciences, forestry, mycology...)

Author, co-author :

Djuikouo, Marie Noël Kamdem

Doucet, Jean-Louis ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech

Nguembou, Charlemagne K.

Lewis, Simon L.

Sonké, Bonaventure

Language :

English

Title :

Diversity and aboveground biomass in three tropical forest types in the Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon

Publication date :

2010

Journal title :

African Journal of Ecology

ISSN :

0141-6707

eISSN :

1365-2028

Publisher :

Blackwell Publishing

Volume :

Pages :

1053-1063

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 04 May 2010

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