Vegetation Composition and Structure of the Mount Cameroon Cloud Forest

Abstract

The study investigated the vegetation composition and structure of the Mount Cameroon cloud forest using two permanent 1-ha plots established at 2026 m and 1858 m elevation within the Etinde Community Forest. The research aimed to provide updated baseline information on this poorly studied ecosystem and establish permanent plots for future long-term ecological monitoring. A total of 4631 woody stems were recorded across all size classes, comprising 35 species, 29 genera, and 22 plant families. Of these, 1219 stems had diameters at breast height (DBH) ≥ 10 cm, while 73.7% belonged to smaller size classes, indicating active forest regeneration. The family Rubiaceae was the most species-rich and abundant, followed by Moraceae and Oleaceae. Species richness differed between plots. The lower-elevation plot (1858 m) contained 25 tree species compared with 19 species in the higher-elevation plot (2026 m), suggesting a decline in diversity with increasing altitude. Only nine species were common to both plots, indicating high species turnover and strong floristic heterogeneity. The regeneration layer ( H ′ = 1.9) than plot 1 (31 species; H ′ = 1.6), while both plots exhibited high Simpson diversity values (0.9). Structural analyses indicated mature montane forest characteristics, with mean DBH ranging from 20.1 to 25.9 cm and basal areas of 30.5 - 52.1 m 2 ∙ha − 1 . Overall, the Mount Cameroon cloud forest exhibits low similarity between the two plots and high beta diversity (soresens index = 0.3), strong elevational zonation, active regeneration, and substantial conservation value, particularly as a refuge for the threatened species Prunus africana .