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Online ISSN : 2349-8080 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorinchiefijcrbp@gmail.com |
Laboratory of Plant Biology: Higher Teachers’ Training College, University of Yaoundé I; P. O. Box. 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon
This study aims to evaluate the vegetation structure and diversity of woody species in the sub mountain forest of Mount Koupe (Moungo-Cameroon) between 1 000 and 1 800 m and to appreciate the index values obtained with those of the tropic, Malagasy and Neotropical region of the world. The basic data have been obtained on inventory of 1-ha plot taking into account all trees whose diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥10 cm. The parameters of floristic diversity were calculated using the standard methodology. A total of 1184 individuals belonging to 156 species, 114 genera and 51 families were inventoried, with the total basal area of 151.44 m²/ha. Most individuals (trees) had between 10 and 20 m height with diameter between 50 and 80 cm, but relatively a significant number of individuals (05) reached even higher values, up to 30 m height and 135 cm of diameter. The five most important families in terms of density, diversity and dominance were Meliaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Rubiaceae, Malvaceae and Burseraceae. They represent 52.53 % of the Family Important Value (FIV). The specific composition revealed that 10 species dominate the submontane forest, 6.41 % of species represent 54.50 % of the Index of Value Importance (IVI). They are Carapa procera, Santiria trimera, Strombosia pustulata, Cola acuminata, Turraeanthus africana, Penianthus longifolius, Allanblackia gabonensis, Drypetes leonensis, Pycnanthus angolensis and Sorindeia grandifolia. A fraction of species (70) then 44.87 % is represented by one individual. In conclusion, the Kupe submontane forest is marked down substantially to the lowland forest. The family of Leguminosae which dominate in these levels does not occur among the 10 important families in FIV; they come in the 14th position. The Rubiaceae occupies 1 st position in in relative diversity and 2nd position in FIV mark in this altitudinal stretch.
