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Importance of Mangrove Litter Production in the Protection of Atlantic Coastal Forest of Cameroon and Ghana

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The Land/Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone of West and Central Africa

Part of the book series: Estuaries of the World ((EOTW))

Abstract

For this study, litterfall and structural characteristics of mangrove forest in Ghana and Cameroon were monitored from November 2008 to November 2010. The annual fluctuation of litterfall mass and carbon stocks increased with increases in air temperature (Dry season). During the study period, mean annual total litterfall production, mean carbon litterfall stocks and density were, respectively, 3,035 g/m2, 12,454.15 g/m2 and 24,500 stems/ha in Ghana and 5,410 g/m2, 21,441.61 g/m2 and 32,275 stems/ha in Cameroon. Litterfall biomass in both countries was made up of more than 80 % leaves. It also appeared that the structural development of the mangrove forest was positively related to the production of litterfall in each country, indicating the importance of litterfall productivity in the general growth of mangrove forest.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

    Sylvie Carole Ondo Ntyam

  2. Centre for Coastal and Marine Research (CERECOMA/IRAD), Kribi, Cameroon

    Sylvie Carole Ondo Ntyam

  3. Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, PO BOX LG 99, Legon, Ghana

    A. Kojo Armah, Wiafe George & Nyarko Elvis

  4. CWCS Coastal Forests and Mangrove Conservation Programme, BP 54, Mouanko, Littoral Region, Cameroon

    Gordon N. Ajonina

  5. Department of Botany, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

    J. K. Adomako

  6. CEPFILD Circle of Forest Promotion and Local Initiatives Development, BP 532, Kribi, Cameroon

    Benjamin O. Obiang

Authors
  1. Sylvie Carole Ondo Ntyam
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  2. A. Kojo Armah
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  3. Gordon N. Ajonina
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  7. Benjamin O. Obiang
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Correspondence to Sylvie Carole Ondo Ntyam .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal

    Salif Diop

  2. University of Perpignan, Perpignan, France

    Jean-Paul Barusseau

  3. University of Perpignan, Perpignan, France

    Cyr Descamps

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Ntyam, S.C.O. et al. (2014). Importance of Mangrove Litter Production in the Protection of Atlantic Coastal Forest of Cameroon and Ghana. In: Diop, S., Barusseau, JP., Descamps, C. (eds) The Land/Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone of West and Central Africa. Estuaries of the World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06388-1_11

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