Abstract
This paper assesses the response of Pericopsis elata trees to silvicultural operations conducted in abandoned plantations settled between 1972 and 1975 in the East and South regions of Cameroon. Trees quality and DBH were evaluated before and 6 years after 2009 thinning. The silvicultural treatment of thinning improved the quality (physiognomy), the annual diameter increment and the stand basal area of trees. The average percentage of winding trees dropped from 82.8% in 2009 before thinning to 44.1%, six years later after thinning (2015). The most important average diameters were observed in thinned plots (27.3 ±10.4 cm - 30.5 ±10.0 cm) compared to non-thinned plots (22.9±13.2 cm-23.3±10.8 cm). Thinned plots gained at least 6 cm in diameter in 6 years, which is trice compared to the 2 cm observed in the non-thinned plots. The average annual diameter increment was 0.45 cm/year in thinned plots against 0.34 cm/year in non-thinned plots in the same period. Thinned plots have gain at least 6 m²/ha in the stand basal area against 1 m²/ha for non-thinned plots.
Highlights
Cameroon is vast of 47.565 millions of hectares and is located in Central Africa
The Ndeng ndeng plantations with big transects had average survival rates of less than 69% (P746) compared with those found in Bidou II where the higher survival rates are estimated at 91% (P75)
The annual diameter increments obtained in 2009 are low compared to results obtained in past years in the same plots, translating the negative effect of the absence of silvicultural treatment on mortality, competition between trees, and probably the normal growth rate which is a function of age
Summary
Cameroon is vast of 47.565 millions of hectares and is located in Central Africa. It is often considered as Africa in miniature due to the presence of various types of ecosystems and climates within its frontiers. The zoning plan of the southern area (phases 1-4 of national inventory) led to division of the forest zone in two main domain types, namely the permanent domain (53.5%) and the non-permanent domain (46.5%). The non-permanent domain comprises the community forests, sales of standing volume (small forest concessions of not more than 2,500 ha), and mining zones. It is composed of lands affected for agricultural and other agroforestry activities. All state forests are supposed to be rigorously managed in the frame of management plans (République du Cameroun 1994, 1995)
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