Author(s)

Boris Nyeck^1,2*, Valery Noiha Noumi³, Nicole Maffo Maffo⁴, Victor Awe Djongmo¹, Cedric Djomo Chimi⁵, Louis Zapfack⁴

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
²Agricultural Research Institute for Development (IRAD), Minko Agricultural Research Station, Meyomessala, Cameroon.
³Department of Live Sciences, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Bertoua, Bertoua, Cameroon.
⁴Department of Plant Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁵Agricultural Research Institute for Development (IRAD), Research Station of Yokadouma, Yokadouma, Cameroon.

The conservation of plant biodiversity has become one of the most important objectives in the sustainable management of Guinean-Congolese ecosystems. However, in the south-east zone of Cameroon, there is a lack of rigor in the management of these forests, which can result in the loss of species of high conservation value. The study was carried out in communal forests in the south-east zone of Cameroon. Its aim was to carry out a floristic inventory and then compare the list of species with the IUCN catalog. Twenty-four plots, each with a surface area of 0.2 ha, were set up in the Gari-Gombo communal forest. All timbers with a DBH ≥ 5 cm were systematically counted. A total of 176 species, belonging to 144 genera and 45 families, were surveyed. Fabaceae (42.08%), Malvaceae (39%), Euphorbiaceae (24.64%), Moraceae (20.92%), Apocynaceae (18.64%), Cecropiaceae (16.60%), Ulmaceae (14.76%), Meliaceae (14.61%), Violaceae (14.08%), Combretaceae (12.67%), Theobroma cacao (21.17%), Baphia leptobotrys (18.06%), Rinorea sp. (14.09%), Musanga cecropioides (12.18%), Terminalia superba (10.32%), Neosloetiopsis kamerunensis (10.14%), Celtis zenkeri (8.29%) and Alstonia boonei (7.77%) were the most important taxa. Nearly 90% of the species in this forest are Guinean species, with a dominance of Guinean-Congolese species (66%). Fourteen (14) threatened species have been identified in the FCGG. This study, which highlights the rich biodiversity of communal forests, is important for guiding biodiversity conservation policies in ecosystems used for production.

Communal Forest, Conservation Status, Cameroon Floristic Diversity

Nyeck, B. , Noumi, V. , Maffo, N. , Djongmo, V. , Chimi, C. and Zapfack, L. (2024) Floristic Diversity and Conservation Status of Guineo-Congolese Species in Southeastern Cameroon: The Case of the Gari-Gombo Communal Forest. Open Journal of Forestry, 14, 87-97. doi: 10.4236/ojf.2024.141006.