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Effect of Human Activities on the Degradation of Vegetation Cover in the Sudano-Guinean Savannahs of Adamaoua, Cameroon

Received: 26 July 2023     Accepted: 21 August 2023     Published: 31 August 2023
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Abstract

The high savannahs of Guinea are highly diverse and play an important role in maintaining biodiversity. However, they are periodically subjected to various pressures that sometimes have a negative impact on the productivity of these ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of logging and bush fires on the regeneration dynamics of plant species in the high savannahs of Adamaoua, Cameroon. To this end, 18 square plots, each measuring 10 metres on a side, were delimited in both a shrub and tree savannah, following a randomised block experimental set-up with the different anthropogenic actions applied as treatments (logging without fire, logging with fire and control). During the two years of experimentation, the rate of erosion and biological degradation were assessed by simple observation, as well as some anthropisation indices. The results showed that 100% of the sites where wood was cut without fire (CSF) and cut with fire (CAF) had a flat surface in the tree savannas, unlike the shrub savannas where only the CAF and the control site (T) were all 66.67% flat. In the shrub savannah, zero erosion had the same rate (66.67%) for the three different treatments. However, it was 100% for the CSF treatments, 66.67% for the control sites and 33.33% for the CAF sites in the shrub savannas. The fine structure is represented in all treatments; it is 100% in the CAF treed savannah treatments and 66.67% in the CSF shrub and tree savannah treatments. Ground cover by vegetation is very high, at 100% in the treed savannah, 66.67% in the CSF and 33.33% in the CAF and T treatments in the shrub savannah. Regardless of the type of savannah, grazing is the most common activity, with a rate of 66.67%. The presence of termite mounds (33.33%), anthills (33.33%) and wood cuttings (33.33%) is moderately represented. The rate of soil degradation by livestock is 66.67% at the CSF and CAF sites, but 100% at the T site. In the wooded savannah, this rate is 100% in the CSF and CAF sites, but T is only impacted by livestock at a rate of 66.67%. There has been a remarkable increase in the area of shrub savannah (129411 ha), and a 14.56% reduction in the area of gallery forests between 2007 and 2017.

Published in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Volume 8, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12
Page(s) 55-66
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Anthropogenic Actions, Degradation, Sudano-Guinean Savannahs, Adamawa, Cameroon

References
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    Ranava Dieudonne, Maigari Pale, Massai TchimaJacob, Jean Boris Sounya, Ignatchimbie Bethlehem, et al. (2023). Effect of Human Activities on the Degradation of Vegetation Cover in the Sudano-Guinean Savannahs of Adamaoua, Cameroon. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 8(3), 55-66. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12

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    Ranava Dieudonne; Maigari Pale; Massai TchimaJacob; Jean Boris Sounya; Ignatchimbie Bethlehem, et al. Effect of Human Activities on the Degradation of Vegetation Cover in the Sudano-Guinean Savannahs of Adamaoua, Cameroon. Ecol. Evol. Biol. 2023, 8(3), 55-66. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12

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    Ranava Dieudonne, Maigari Pale, Massai TchimaJacob, Jean Boris Sounya, Ignatchimbie Bethlehem, et al. Effect of Human Activities on the Degradation of Vegetation Cover in the Sudano-Guinean Savannahs of Adamaoua, Cameroon. Ecol Evol Biol. 2023;8(3):55-66. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12,
      author = {Ranava Dieudonne and Maigari Pale and Massai TchimaJacob and Jean Boris Sounya and Ignatchimbie Bethlehem and IbrahimaWanié Sago and Tchobsala and Ibrahima Adamou},
      title = {Effect of Human Activities on the Degradation of Vegetation Cover in the Sudano-Guinean Savannahs of Adamaoua, Cameroon},
      journal = {Ecology and Evolutionary Biology},
      volume = {8},
      number = {3},
      pages = {55-66},
      doi = {10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.eeb.20230803.12},
      abstract = {The high savannahs of Guinea are highly diverse and play an important role in maintaining biodiversity. However, they are periodically subjected to various pressures that sometimes have a negative impact on the productivity of these ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of logging and bush fires on the regeneration dynamics of plant species in the high savannahs of Adamaoua, Cameroon. To this end, 18 square plots, each measuring 10 metres on a side, were delimited in both a shrub and tree savannah, following a randomised block experimental set-up with the different anthropogenic actions applied as treatments (logging without fire, logging with fire and control). During the two years of experimentation, the rate of erosion and biological degradation were assessed by simple observation, as well as some anthropisation indices. The results showed that 100% of the sites where wood was cut without fire (CSF) and cut with fire (CAF) had a flat surface in the tree savannas, unlike the shrub savannas where only the CAF and the control site (T) were all 66.67% flat. In the shrub savannah, zero erosion had the same rate (66.67%) for the three different treatments. However, it was 100% for the CSF treatments, 66.67% for the control sites and 33.33% for the CAF sites in the shrub savannas. The fine structure is represented in all treatments; it is 100% in the CAF treed savannah treatments and 66.67% in the CSF shrub and tree savannah treatments. Ground cover by vegetation is very high, at 100% in the treed savannah, 66.67% in the CSF and 33.33% in the CAF and T treatments in the shrub savannah. Regardless of the type of savannah, grazing is the most common activity, with a rate of 66.67%. The presence of termite mounds (33.33%), anthills (33.33%) and wood cuttings (33.33%) is moderately represented. The rate of soil degradation by livestock is 66.67% at the CSF and CAF sites, but 100% at the T site. In the wooded savannah, this rate is 100% in the CSF and CAF sites, but T is only impacted by livestock at a rate of 66.67%. There has been a remarkable increase in the area of shrub savannah (129411 ha), and a 14.56% reduction in the area of gallery forests between 2007 and 2017.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Effect of Human Activities on the Degradation of Vegetation Cover in the Sudano-Guinean Savannahs of Adamaoua, Cameroon
    AU  - Ranava Dieudonne
    AU  - Maigari Pale
    AU  - Massai TchimaJacob
    AU  - Jean Boris Sounya
    AU  - Ignatchimbie Bethlehem
    AU  - IbrahimaWanié Sago
    AU  - Tchobsala
    AU  - Ibrahima Adamou
    Y1  - 2023/08/31
    PY  - 2023
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12
    T2  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    JF  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    JO  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    SP  - 55
    EP  - 66
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-3762
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20230803.12
    AB  - The high savannahs of Guinea are highly diverse and play an important role in maintaining biodiversity. However, they are periodically subjected to various pressures that sometimes have a negative impact on the productivity of these ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of logging and bush fires on the regeneration dynamics of plant species in the high savannahs of Adamaoua, Cameroon. To this end, 18 square plots, each measuring 10 metres on a side, were delimited in both a shrub and tree savannah, following a randomised block experimental set-up with the different anthropogenic actions applied as treatments (logging without fire, logging with fire and control). During the two years of experimentation, the rate of erosion and biological degradation were assessed by simple observation, as well as some anthropisation indices. The results showed that 100% of the sites where wood was cut without fire (CSF) and cut with fire (CAF) had a flat surface in the tree savannas, unlike the shrub savannas where only the CAF and the control site (T) were all 66.67% flat. In the shrub savannah, zero erosion had the same rate (66.67%) for the three different treatments. However, it was 100% for the CSF treatments, 66.67% for the control sites and 33.33% for the CAF sites in the shrub savannas. The fine structure is represented in all treatments; it is 100% in the CAF treed savannah treatments and 66.67% in the CSF shrub and tree savannah treatments. Ground cover by vegetation is very high, at 100% in the treed savannah, 66.67% in the CSF and 33.33% in the CAF and T treatments in the shrub savannah. Regardless of the type of savannah, grazing is the most common activity, with a rate of 66.67%. The presence of termite mounds (33.33%), anthills (33.33%) and wood cuttings (33.33%) is moderately represented. The rate of soil degradation by livestock is 66.67% at the CSF and CAF sites, but 100% at the T site. In the wooded savannah, this rate is 100% in the CSF and CAF sites, but T is only impacted by livestock at a rate of 66.67%. There has been a remarkable increase in the area of shrub savannah (129411 ha), and a 14.56% reduction in the area of gallery forests between 2007 and 2017.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Wakwa Agricultural Research Center, Institute of Agriculture Research for Development, Ngaoundere, Cameroon

  • Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, the University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon

  • Wakwa Agricultural Research Center, Institute of Agriculture Research for Development, Ngaoundere, Cameroon

  • Wakwa Agricultural Research Center, Institute of Agriculture Research for Development, Ngaoundere, Cameroon

  • Wakwa Agricultural Research Center, Institute of Agriculture Research for Development, Ngaoundere, Cameroon

  • Department of Life and Earth Sciences, HigherTteachers’ Trainingcollege, the University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon

  • Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, the University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon

  • Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, the University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon

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