Impact of the chemical properties of different soil units on the dynamics of vegetal biodiversity in the Benoue National Park and its Western and Northern peripheries
1 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, Cameroon, P.O.Box 454, Ngaoundéré.
2 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Maroua, Cameroon, P.O.Box 814, Maroua.
3 Department of Climatology, hydrology and pedology, University of Maroua, Cameroon.
4 Lobeke National Park, Cameroon.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2020, 07(02), 247-257
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2020.7.2.0294
Publication history:
Received on 07 August 2020; revised on 13 August 2020; accepted on 15 August 2020
Abstract:
This work aims at determining the impact of soils' chemical properties on the dynamics of biodiversity in the Benoue National Park (BNP) of Cameroon and its peripheries (surrounding hunting concessions N ° 1, 4, 5 and 7). Nine, out of the sixteen soil units encountered in the BNP were studied, because of their accessibility. On each of these nine soil units studied, three elementary plots were materialized for the collection of soil samples and for the study of vegetation dynamics. The chemical parameters were evaluated according to appropriate methods and the dynamics of the vegetation was obtained by carrying out a floristic inventory. Heterogeneity was observed in the chemical parameters of the different soil units. Soil units S5 and S6 are the most damaged regarding their low organic matter content (0.95 ± 0.78%) and (1.02 ± 0.33%), their carbon (5.53 ± 4.54 g.kg-1) and (5.91 ± 1.93 g.kg-1) and nitrogen (1.20 ± 0.45 g.kg-1) and (1.89 ± 0.41 g.kg-1) contents and a very low C/N ratio (4.72 ± 3.96) and (3.29 ± 1.37) respectively. These soils also have a low floristic abundance S5 (22 ± 0.53 individuals) and S6 (8 ± 1.86 individuals) unlike S4 which has good chemical properties, according to its OM (5.60 ± 0.83 %) and carbon (32.49 ± 4.79 g.kg-1) content, and C/N ratio (22.38 ± 6.84). Consequently, its floristic abundance (75 ± 1.37 individuals) and diversity (18.42 %) are considerable. These results show that the degree of chemical degradation varies according to soils. Elsewhere chemical properties of the soil influence the dynamics and sustainability of the biodiversity.
Keywords:
Benoue National Park; Degradation; Soil unit; Biodiversity
Full text article in PDF:
Copyright information:
Copyright © 2020 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0