Genotypes of Rhizophora Propagules From a Non-mangrove Beach Provide Evidence of Recent Long-Distance Dispersal

Dispersal plays a crucial role in the connectivity of established mangrove populations and in species range dynamics. As species ranges shift in response to climate change, range expansions can occur from incremental short-distance dispersal events and from stochastic long-distance dispersal events. Most population genetic research dealt with historically accumulated events though evidence of actual propagule dispersal allows to estimate genotypic features and origin of founders. In this study, we aim to disentangle a contemporary dispersal event. Using microsatellite markers, we genotyped 60 Rhizophora racemosa drift propagules obtained on a bare unforested coastal area in southern Cameroon, estimated their relationship to 109 adult trees from most proximate sites (which were 3–85 km away), and assessed their relative difference with 873 trees of major mangrove areas (> 300 km) along the Cameroonian coastline. Proximate mangrove populations were considered as potential source populations in assignment tests. However, drift propagules could not be assigned to any of the Cameroonian mangrove sites and were genetically isolated from Cameroonian populations. Drift propagules showed higher levels of genetic diversity and private alleles giving a higher relatedness to each other than to any putative source population. Chloroplast sequences were used to confirm the identity of drift propagules as R. racemosa. We postulate that a complex interaction of ocean currents, estuarine geomorphology, and tidal patterns explain drift propagule dispersal to an area. Most likely the investigated cohort of propagules originated from more southern mangrove areas of the West African range beyond the Cameroonian border. This study unraveled the allelic, genetic, and genotypic features of stranded propagules following a stochastic long-distance dispersal. Transboundary dispersal of these propagules highlights the need for intergovernmental efforts in the management of biodiversity.

Farmer’s Perception of Associates Non-Cocoa Tree’s Leaf Litterfall Fertilizing Potential in Cocoa-Based Agroforestry System

Investigations to assess farmer’s perceptions on the fertilizing potential of associated trees species in cocoa agroforest of degraded forest ecology were carried out in southern Cameroon. The perception of the farmers was based on the ability of the trees to maintain or improve soil fertility of their farms. The verification of these perceptions was done through an evaluation of litter fall biomass nutrient content (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) of selected trees. The top 5 associates trees ranked by farmers was: Milicia excelsa, Ceiba pentandra, Ficus mucuso, Asltonia boonei, Terminalia superba. The chemical analysis of the leaf litter from the different tree species revealed a significant different between their chemical components. N appeared to have the highest concentrations varying from 2.82 to 5.57% with a mean value of 4.25 ± 1.065%, P had the lowest concentrations typically around 0.001%. The top 5 tree species based on the chemical analysis ranking were: C. pentandra, M. excelsa, Eribroma oblungum, Alstonia boonei, Zanthoxylum heitzi. Farmer’s perceptions thou holistic, are not completely different from scientific finding. Therefore, they should be taken in consideration in management plans for cocoa- based systems in order to enhance their ecological and economic performance.

Perception and knowledge of grasshoppers among indigenous communities in tropical forest areas of southern Cameroon: Ecosystem conservation, food security, and health

The increased attention given to health, food security, and biodiversity conservation in recent years should bring together conventional scientists and indigenous people to share their knowledge systems for better results. This work aims to assess how grasshoppers are perceived by the local people in southern Cameroon, particularly in terms of food, health, and landscape conservation. Villagers were interviewed individually using a rapid rural assessment method in the form of a semi-structured survey. Nearly all people (99%) declared that they are able to identify local grasshoppers, generally through the color of the insect (80%). Crop fields were the most often cited landscape (16%) in terms of abundance of grasshoppers, with forest being less mentioned (8%). In general, villagers claimed that grasshopper abundance increased with forest degradation. Grasshoppers were found during all seasons of the year but noted to be more abundant during the long dry seasons. People found grasshoppers both useful and harmful, the most harmful reported being Zonocerus variegatus, an important crop pest. Cassava is the most attacked crop with 75–100% losses. Industrial crops, such as cocoa, coffee, and bananas, were not cited as being damaged by grasshoppers. The most effective conventional method cited for the control of pest grasshoppers is the use of pesticides (53%) with, in most cases (27%), a 75–100% efficiency. The traditional method of spreading ash was also often cited (19%), with an estimated efficiency of 25–75%. Biological methods were neither cited nor used by the villagers. Most of them (87%) declared that they eat grasshoppers; some sold these insects in the market (58%) and some used them to treat diseases (11%).

Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa

Five new species of Epitola s.l. (Lycaenidae: Poritiinae) are described in the genera Stempfferia Jackson, 1962 and Cephetola Libert, 1999. Stempfferia salonga sp. n. was found in the ‘Cuvette Centrale’ of the Democratic Republic of Congo and a single specimen was identified also from southern Cameroon. The similar S. buea sp. n. is known only from the unique holotype collected at the foothills of Mount Cameroon, while S. michelliberti sp. n. is distributed in lowland rainforest between southeast Ivory Coast and Guinea. The new species of Cephetola were found only in Liberia. Cephetola praecox sp. n. is known from a single upland forest locality in the Putu Range, whereas C. wologizi sp. n. was collected also in upland forest in the Wologizi Mountains.