PHYTODIVERSITY AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN THE LAM FOREST RESERVE IN NORTH CAMEROON

Abstract

The dry forests of Cameroon play an important socio-economic and ecosystemic role for local populations. The aim of this study was to assess the phytodiversity and carbon stock of the Lam Forest reserve. To achieve this, a sampling rate of 1% was used in accordance with the guidelines of the Cameroon Ministry of Forests and Fauna. Using ArsGis software, 75 concentric nested circular plots with radii of 5 and 20 metres respectively were distributed over the entire reserve, each 354 metres apart in a square grid. The floristic inventory identified 9521 individuals divided into 68 species on all the plots surveyed. The vertical structure shows that the most represented stems are regeneration and future stems. The diversity indices calculated vary according to the compartment. The total carbon stock is 55.97±0.28 tC/ha in the shrub savannah, 6.04±0.27 tC/ha in the steppe, 100.70±1.35 tC/ha in the agricultural zone with a high density of trees, 35.44±1.87 tC/ha in the agricultural zone with a low density of trees and 36.57±2.20 tC/ha in the forest gallery. Several factors are responsible for the degradation of the vegetation cover in this reserve, including the expansion of agricultural plots, pastoral activities, bush fires, logging and climate change. To remedy these problems, it would be advisable to set up a village monitoring committee, to envisage participatory management and to divide the reserve into three areas: the agroforestry area, the protection area and the restoration area.