Floristic diversity of receiving environments polluted by effluent from agri-food industries

Abstract

Till date, there are few studies on the flora found in receiving environments polluted by effluent from agri-food industries. Floristic inventories of ten receiving environments in Cameroon. were carried out using the line transect method from upstream to downstream discharge areas in the Littoral and Center regions during the dry and rainy season. The abundance/dominance (AD) of each floristic survey was assessed using Braun–Blanquet scale. Species richness of the different receiving environments is marked by higher and lower Shannon Weaver (H′) diversity index values, respectively in the rainy season and dry season from upstream to downstream. Regularity values (R) show that the maximum number of species is involved in the covering of the surface. In terms of floristic composition, the Simpson's diversity index (D) shows similarities between the different receiving environments. The Sorensen index (Q) shows similar number of common species between upstream and downstream zones of the same site. Nitrophilous species are abundant. Some could be organic pollution indicators, namely: Pennisetum purpureum, Cynodon dactylon, Commelina benghalensis, Lemna minor, Acroceras zizanoides, Echinochloa pyramidalis and Panicum maximum. The Poaceae family dominates the ten receiving environments.