Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Tree diversity and conservation value of Ngovayang’s lowland forests, Cameroon

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biodiversity and Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Ngovayang Massif of southern Cameroon is a range of small hills near the Atlantic coast, in the Lower Guinea floristic region. This region is known to harbor forests with high levels of biodiversity and endemism, but this Massif is botanically poorly known. We assessed tree species diversity, floristic composition and level of endemism of the Ngovayang forest, comparing it with other sites in Central Africa. Five 1-ha permanent plots within old-growth lowland forests of the Ngovayang Massif were censused. A total of 2,658 individuals with dbh ≥ 10 cm were recorded, belonging to 293 species, 170 genera and 60 families. The mean number of stems was 532 ± 75 stems ha−1. Taking into account other data available, the list of vascular plants known in the Massif reaches a total of 450 species. We found 47 species of high conservation value, including Cameroon endemics and other rare and threatened species. Species richness and endemism are comparable to those of the richest known sites in Central African forests. The forests of Ngovayang were found to be particularly rich in Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae. Topographic heterogeneity, high precipitation and atmospheric humidity owing to the proximity of the ocean, and permanence of a forest cover during past geological times probably all contribute to explaining the Massif’s high tree diversity and endemism. This study highlights the botanical importance of the poorly studied Ngovayang forest within the Lower Guinea region, justifying efforts for improved assessment of this value and for the development of suitable national conservation strategies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anhuf D, Ledru M-P, Behling H, Da Cruz FW Jr, Cordeiro RC, Van der Hammen T, Karmann I, Marengo JA, De Oliveira PE, Pessenda L, Siffedine A, Albuquerque AL, Da Silva Dias PL (2006) Paleo-environmental change in Amazonian and African rainforest during the LGM. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 239:510–527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • APG (the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group) (2003) An update of the angiosperm phylogeny group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II. Bot J Linn Soc 141:399–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aubréville A, Leroy J-F (1961–1992) Flore du Gabon, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris

  • Aubréville A, Leroy J-F (1963–1978) Flore du Cameroun, vols 1–20. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris

  • Balinga MPB (2006) A vegetation assessment of the Waka national park, Gabon. CARPE Report. http://carpe.umd.edu/resources/Documents/. Cited 4 July 2009

  • Balinga MPB, Issembe YA, Sunderland TCH, Nzabi T, Obiang D, Nyangadouma R (2005) Quantitative vegetation assessment of the Monte Mitra forest using 1 hectare biodiversity plots (BDP’s). In: Sunderland TCH (ed) A biodiversity assessment of the Monte Mitra forest, Monte Alen National Park, Equatorial Guinea. http://carpe.umd.edu/resources/Documents/. Cited 4 July 2009

  • Campbell DG, Stone JL, Rosas A Jr (1992) A comparison of the phytosociology and dynamics of three floodplain (Varzea) forests of known ages, Rio Jurua, western Brazilian Amazon. Bot J Linn Soc 108:213–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CJB (2010) African flowering plants database. http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa. Cited 11 May 2010

  • Curtis JT, McIntosh RP (1951) An upland forest continuum in the prairie-forest border region of Wisconsin. Ecology 32:476–496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dallmeier F (ed) (1992) Long-term monitoring of biological diversity in tropical forest areas. Methods for establishment and inventory of permanent plots. MAB Digest Series, 11. UNESCO, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis SD, Heywood VH, Hamilton AC (1994) Centres of plant diversity: a guide and strategy for their conservation, vol 1: Europe South West Asia and the Middle East Africa. IUCN and WWF, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Doucet JL (2003) L’alliance délicate de la gestion forestière et de la biodiversité dans les forêts du centre du Gabon. Thèse de Doctorat, Faculté universitaire des sciences agronomiques de Gembloux, Belgique

    Google Scholar 

  • Doumenge C (1992) La Réserve de Conkouati: Congo Le secteur sud-ouest. UICN, Gland, Suisse

    Google Scholar 

  • Doumenge C, Ndinga A, Fomete Nembot T, Tchanou Z, Micha Ondo V, Ona Nze N, Bourobou Bourobou H, Ngoye A (2003) Conservation de la biodiversité forestière en Afrique centrale atlantique. II. Identification d’un réseau de sites critiques. Bois For Trop 276:43–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Droissart V (2009) Etude taxonomique et biogéographique des plantes endémiques d’Afrique centrale atlantique : le cas des Orchidaceae. Thèse de doctorat, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgique

  • Droissart V, Sonké B, Stévart T (2006) Les Orchidaceae endémiques d’Afrique centrale atlantique présentes au Cameroun. Syst Geogr Pl 76:3–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishpool LDC, Evans MI (eds) (2001) Important Bird Areas in Africa and associated islands: priority sites for conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series No. 11. Pisces Publications and BirdLife International, Newbury

    Google Scholar 

  • Franqueville A (1973) Atlas Regional Sud-Ouest 1. République du Cameroun. ORSTOM, Yaoundé

    Google Scholar 

  • Gartlan JS (1989) La conservation des écosystèmes forestiers du Cameroun. IUCN, Suisse

    Google Scholar 

  • Gentry AH (1988) Tree species richness of upper Amazonian forests. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85:156–159

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heywood VH, Watson RT (1995) Global biodiversity assessment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurlbert SH (1971) The non concept of species diversity: a critique and alternative parameters. Ecology 52:577–586

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hutcheson K (1970) A test for comparing diversities based on the Shannon formula. J Theor Biol 29:151–154

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of threatened species, version 2010.4. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 01 May 2011

  • Jost L (2006) Entropy and diversity. Oikos 113:363–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keay RWJ, Hepper FN (1954–1972) Flora of West Tropical Africa, 2nd edn, vols 1–3. Crown Agents, London

  • Kenfack D, Thomas DW, Chuyong G, Condit R (2006) Rarity and abundance in a diverse African forest. Biodivers Conserv. doi:10.1007/s10531-006-9065-2

  • Kent M, Coker P (1992) Vegetation description and analysis. Belhaven Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Kier G, Barthlott W (2001) Measuring and mapping endemism and species richness: a new Methodological approach and its application on the flora of Africa. Biodivers Conserv 10:1513–1529

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Küper W, Kreft H, Nieder J, Koster N, Barthlott W (2004) Large-scale diversity patterns of vascular epiphytes in neotropical montane rain forests. J Biogeogr 31:1477–1487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leal ME (2001) Microrefugia, small scale ice age forest remnants. In: Robbrecht E, Degreef J, Friis I (eds) Plant systematics and phytogeography for the understanding of African biodiversity. Proceedings XVIth AETFAT congress. Systematics and Geography of Plants, vol 71. National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Meise, pp 1073–1077

  • Leal ME (2004) The African rain forest during the last glacial maximum, an archipelago of forests in a sea of grass. Ph.D Thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

  • Lebrun JP, Stork AL (1991–1997) Enumération des plantes à fleur d’Afrique tropicale, vol 1 (1991), vol 2 (1992), vol 3 (1995), vol 4 (1997). Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques, Genève

  • Letouzey R (1968) Etude phytogéographique du Cameroun. Lechevallier P, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Letouzey R (1985) Notice de la carte phytogéographique du Cameroun, vols 1–5. Institut de la carte Internationale de la Végétation, Toulouse

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman D, Lieberman M, Peralta R, Hartshorn GS (1996) Tropical forest structure and composition on a large-scale altitudinal gradient in Costa Rica. J Ecol 84:137–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linder HP (2001) Plant diversity and endemism in sub-Saharan tropical Africa. J Biogeogr 28:169–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovett JC, Rudd S, Taplin J, Frimodt-Moller C (2000) Patterns of plant diversity in Africa south of the Sahara and their implications for conservation management. Biodivers Conserv 9:37–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magurran AE (2004) Measuring biological diversity. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Maley J (1987) Fragmentation de la forêt dense humide africaine et extension des biotopes montagnards du quaternaire récent: nouvelles données polliniques et chronologiques. Implications paléoclimatiques et biogéographiques. Paleoecol Afr 18:307–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Maley J (1989) Late quaternary climatic changes in African rain forest: the question of forest refuges and the major role of sea surface temperature variations. In: Lewen M, Sarthein M (eds) Paleoclimatology and paleometeorology: modern and past pattern of global atmospheric transport. Kluwer, London, pp 585–616

    Google Scholar 

  • Maley J (2002) A catastrophic destruction of African forests about 2,500 years ago still exerts a major influence on present vegetation formations. IDS Bull 33:13–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mori SA, Boom BM, Carvalino AM, Dos Santos TS (1983) The ecological importance of Myrtaceae in an eastern Brazilian wet forest. Biotropica 15:68–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CG, da Fonseca GAB, Kent J (2000) Biodiversity hot spots for conservation priorities. Nature 403:853–858

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nguembou KC (2006) Distribution des Rubiaceae endémiques du Cameroun. Mémoire de DEA, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgique

    Google Scholar 

  • Oksanen J, Blanchet G, Kindt R, Legendre P, O’Hara RB, Simpson GL, Solymos P, Stevens MHH, Wagner H (2010) Vegan: community ecology package, version 1.17-3. http://CRAN.R-project.org/package=vegan

  • Olivry JC (1986) Fleuves et rivières du Cameroun Collection Monographies Hydrologiques d’ORSTOM 9. MESRES-ORSTOM, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Parmentier I, Harrigan RJ, Buermann W, Mitchard ETA, Saatchi S, Malhi Y, Bongers F, Hawthorne WD, Leal ME, Lewis SL, Nusbaumer L, Sheil D, Sosef MSM, Affum-Baffoe K, Bakayoko A, Chuyong GB, Chatelain C, Comiskey JA, Dauby G, Doucet J-L, Fauset S, Gautier L, Gillet J-F, Kenfack D, Kouame FN, Kouassi EK, Kouka LA, Parren MPE, Peh KS-H, Reitsma JM, Senterre B, Sonke B, Sunderland TCH, Swaine MD, Tchouto MGP, Thomas D, Van Valkenburg JLCH, Hardy OJ (2011) Predicting alpha diversity of African rain forests: models based on climate and satellite-derived data do not perform better than a purely spatial model. J Biogeogr. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2010.02467.x

  • Phillips OL, Baker TR, Arroyo L, Higuchi N, Killeen TJ, Laurance WF, Lewis SL, Lloyd J, Malhi Y, Monteagudo A, Neill DA, Vargas PN, Silva JNM, Terborgh J, Martinez RV, Alexiades M, Almeida S, Brown S, Chave J, Comiskey JA, Czimczik CI, Di Fiore A, Erwin T, Kuebler C, Laurance SG, Nascimento HEM, Olivier J, Palacios W, Patino S, Pitman NCA, Quesada CA, Salidas M, Lezama AT, Vinceti B (2004) Pattern and process in Amazon tree turnover, 1976–2001. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 359(1443):381–407

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pitman NCA, Terborgh JW, Silman MR, Muñez PV (1999) Tree species distributions in an upper Amazonian forest. Ecology 80:2651–2661

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitman NCA, Terborgh JW, Silman MR, Nùñez PV, Neill DA, Cerón CE, Palacios WA, Aulestia M (2002) A comparison of tree species diversity in two upper Amazonian forests. Ecology 83(11):3210–3224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plana V (2004) Mechanisms and tempo of evolution in the African Guineo–Congolian rain forest. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 359(1450):1585–1594

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reitsma JM (1988) Forest vegetation of Gabon. Tropenbos Technical Series 1. The Tropenbos Foundation, Wageningen

    Google Scholar 

  • Rietkerk M, Ketner P, De Wilde JJFE (1996) Caesalpinioideae and the study of forest refuges in Central Africa. In: van der Maesen LJG, van der Burgt XM, de Rooy JM (eds) The biodiversity of African plants. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 619–623

    Google Scholar 

  • Senterre B (2005) Recherches méthodologiques pour la typologie de la végétation et la phytogéographie des forêts denses d’Afrique tropicale. Thèse de doctorat, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgique

  • Senterre B, Lejoly J (2001) Tree diversity in the Nsork rain forest (Rio Muni, Equatorial Guinea). Acta Bot Gallica 148:227–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Small A, Martin TG, Litehing RL, Wong KM (2004) Contribution of tree species to the biodiversity of a 1 ha Old World rainforest in Brunei, Borneo. Biodivers Conserv 13:2067–2088

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sonké B, Nguembou KC, Cheek M, Davis AP (2006a) A new species of Chassalia (Rubiaceae, Rubioideae) from southern Cameroon: C. bipindensis. Kew Bull 61:585–589

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonké B, Nguembou KC, Davis AP (2006b) A new dwarf Coffea (Rubiaceae) from southern Cameroon. Bot J Linn Soc 151:425–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sonké B, Nguembou KC, Neuba D (2006c) Les Rubiaceae endémiques du Cameroun et leur statut de conservation. In: Beetje H, Ghazanfar S (eds) Taxonomy and ecology of African plants, their conservation and uses. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, pp 97–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonké B, Dessein D, Taedoumg H, Groeninckx I, Robbrecht E (2008a) A new species of Colletoecema (Rubiaceae) from southern Cameroon with a discussion of relationships among basal Rubioideae. Blumea 53:533–547

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonké B, Djuikouo KM-N, Robbrecht E (2008b) A new species of Calycosiphonia (Afrotropical Rubiaceae) from the ‘Lower Guinea’ area. Nord J Bot 25:275–280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sosef MSM (1994) Refuge Begonias. Taxonomy, phylogeny and historical biogeography of Begonia sect. Loasibegonia and sect. Scutobegonia in relation to glacial rain forest refuges in Africa. PhD Thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands

  • Sosef MSM (1996) Begonias and African rain forest refuges: General aspects and recent progress. In: Van Der Maesen LJG, Van Der Burgt X M, Van Mendenbach De Rooy JM (eds) The Biodiversity of African plant. Wageningen, 14:602-611

  • Suchel J-B (1972) La répartition des pluies et les régimes pluviométriques au Cameroun. Travaux et Documents de Géographie Tropicale, CEGET-CNRS, Bordeaux, France et Université Fédérale du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroun

  • Sunderland TCH, Balinga MB (2005) Évaluation préliminaire de la végétation du parc national de Nouabalé-Ndoki et de sa zone tampon, Congo. CARPE Report. http://carpe.umd.edu/resources/Documents/. Cited 4 July 2009

  • Sunderland TCH, Comiskey JA, Besong S, Mboh H, Fonwebon J, Dione MA (2003) Vegetation assessment of Takamanda Forest Reserve, Cameroon. In: Comiskey JA, Sunderland TCH, Sunderland-Groves JL (eds) Takamanda: the biodiversity of an African rainforest, SI/MAB series no. 8. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MAB/conservation/about/publications.cfm. Cited 4 July 2009

  • Sunderland TCH, Walters G, Issembe Y (2004) A preliminary vegetation assessment of the Mbé National Park, Monts de Cristal, Gabon. CARPE Report. http://carpe.umd.edu/resources/Documents/. Cited 4 July 2009

  • Tchouto MGP, Yemefack M, De Boer WF, De Wilde JJFE, Cleef AM (2006) Biodiversity hotspots and conservation priorities in the Campo-Ma’an rainforests, Cameroon. Biodivers Conserv 15:1219–1252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tchouto MGP, De Wilde JJFE, De Boer WF, Van der Maesen LJG, Cleef AM (2009) Bio- indicator species and Central African rain forest refuges in the Campo-Ma’an area, Cameroon. Syst Biodivers 7:21–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Gemerden BS (2004) Disturbance, diversity and distributions in Central African rain forest. PhD Thesis, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

  • van Gemerden BS, Olff H, Parren MPE, Bongers F (2003) The pristine rain forest? Remnants of historical human impacts on current tree species composition and diversity. J Biogeogr 30:1381–1390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waterloo MJ, Ntonga JC, Dolman AJ, Ayangma AB (2000) Impact of shifting cultivation and selective logging on the hydrology and erosion of rain forest land in south Cameroon. Tropenbos-Cameroon Documents 3. Tropenbos-Cameroon Programme, Wageningen

  • White F (1979) The Guineo-Congolian Region and its relationships to other phytochoria. Bull Jard Bot Nat Belg 49:11–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White F (1983) The vegetation of Africa. UNESCO, Paris

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank “Sud Expert Plantes, project#374” (SEP), a program funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD), for financial assistance through research grants which allowed this study. We are grateful to N. Fauvet for his technical assistance in GIS and the preparation of the maps, and to G. Walter, C. Geldenhuys, B. Sinsin and V. Freycon for valuable comments on earlier drafts of this article. We also thank two anonymous reviewers whose constructive remarks improved the manuscript. Special thanks are extended to M. Sainge, P. Mezili and J.-M. Onana for their technical expertise on specimen identification in the field and at the National Herbarium, Cameroon. We thank the people of Ngovayang for allowing us to work on their land and for assisting us in fieldwork. The authors would like to thank the Plant Biology Department of the University of Yaoundé I for their co-operation in facilitating this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Systematics and Ecology Laboratory, Higher Teacher’s Training College, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 047, Yaounde, Cameroon

    Christelle F. Gonmadje & Bonaventure Sonké

  2. CIRAD, Campus International de Baillarguet, TA C-105/D, 34398, Montpellier Cedex 5, France

    Charles Doumenge

  3. Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR, CNRS 5175, 1919 route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France

    Christelle F. Gonmadje & Doyle McKey

  4. National Forestry School, P.O. Box 69, Mbalmayo, Cameroon

    Gildas P. M. Tchouto

  5. Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 0113, BOBCD, Bogor, 16000, Indonesia

    Terry C. H. Sunderland

  6. Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), BP 9478, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

    Michael P. B. Balinga

Authors
  1. Christelle F. Gonmadje
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Charles Doumenge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Doyle McKey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gildas P. M. Tchouto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Terry C. H. Sunderland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Michael P. B. Balinga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Bonaventure Sonké
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christelle F. Gonmadje.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 57 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gonmadje, C.F., Doumenge, C., McKey, D. et al. Tree diversity and conservation value of Ngovayang’s lowland forests, Cameroon. Biodivers Conserv 20, 2627–2648 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-011-0095-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-011-0095-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation