article · Journal of research in environmental and earth science.
Forested wetlands provide crucial ecological functions and support local livelihoods, yet they face ongoing human pressures. An assessment of woody plant diversity was conducted across two wetland areas in the Boyo Highlands of Cameroon experiencing different levels of human disturbance: Ijim, which has low disturbance, and Fujua, which has high disturbance. Field surveys identified ten woody species across ten families, representing 283 individual stems primarily valued for medicine and timber. While overall species richness did not differ significantly between the locations, species diversity and ecological balance were higher in the less disturbed site. A moderate level of species overlap was observed between the two sites, with Sida acuta and Blumea balsamifera being the most abundant plants. Human activities including farming, logging, and grazing noticeably affect woody species variety in these wetland habitats.
Wetland forests safeguard critical plant species that communities rely on for essential materials and traditional healthcare. Demonstrating how activities like farming and logging diminish woody plant diversity provides clear evidence for natural resource managers. This knowledge helps local communities and environmental authorities design better conservation measures to protect highland wetland ecosystems.
This is early-stage ecological baseline research rather than a commercial product. The data could inform community forestry managers, conservation organisations, and local policymakers working on sustainable harvesting guidelines for timber and medicinal plants. The abstract does not indicate a direct pathway or timeline to commercialisation.
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Forested wetlands play a vital ecological and socio-economic role, particularly in biodiversity conservation. This study assessed the floristic diversity status of woody species in forested wetlands at two sites of Fundong Subdivision, Boyo Highlands of Cameroon, which are under two distinct levels of anthropogenic disturbance: Ijim (low disturbance) and Fujua (high disturbance). Data were collected in March 2024 from eight 10 m × 10 m quadrats. Woody species were identified using the PlantNet app and from which Margalef species richness index (d), Shannon-Wiener index (H), Relative Density (RD), and Sørensen similarity index (Cs) were determined. The effect of disturbance on ecological indices was tested with one-way analysis of variance. Ten woody species from ten families were recorded encompassing a total of 283 individual stems which were mainly used for timber and medicine. Unlike d whose increase from the site of high disturbance to that of low disturbance was not statistically significant (p = 0.267), the similar trend for H was significant (p = 0.056) indicating greater ecological balance in the low disturbance site. Value of Sørensen index (0.625) indicated somewhat moderate overlap between the sites. Across sites, six species were found to be abundant, with Sida acuta and Blumea balsamifera ranked at the top of the category. Human activities such as logging, farming, and grazing significantly influenced woody species diversity in the forested wetlands. Promotion of sustainable harvesting, reinforcement of traditional ecological knowledge, and prioritization of communitybased wetland management could potentially maintain the floristic diversity of the Boyo Highlands.
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DOI: 10.35629/2532-11060107
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