TITLE:
Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in Arabica Coffee Agroforestry Systems in the Noun Division, West Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Abdel Malik Atoupka, Emile Temgoua, Lucie Félicité Temgoua, Jean Baurel Atchombou, Steve Tassiamba
KEYWORDS:
Agroforestry Systems, Coffee Trees, Soil Organic Carbon, Noun Division, West Cameroon
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.13 No.3,
June
8,
2023
ABSTRACT: Agroforestry systems (AFSs) offer viable solutions to climate change
because of the below-ground biomass (BGB) that is maintained by the soil.
Therefore, spatially explicit estimation of their BGB is crucial to account for
emission reduction efforts. A study to assess soil organic carbon (SOC) and
nitrogen dynamics in Arabica coffee agroforests was conducted in two subdivisions
(Foumbot and Kouoptamo) of the Noun Division in western Cameroon. The
methodological approach involved the collection of 150 soil samples taken at
different depths: 0 - 10, 10 - 20 and 20 - 30 cm. Depending on the depth, the SOC stock is 27.93 ± 1.13 tC/ha at 10
cm depth, 22.37 ± 1.47 tC/ha at 20 cm and 20.79 ± 0.31 tC/ha at 30 cm.
According to the age classes of the Arabica coffee systems (ACA), the C/N ratio
in our study area averaged 26.94 ± 13.60 for the (5 - 20)
year old systems in Foumbot and 60.64 ± 48.80 for the (20 - 35)
year old systems in Kouoptamo. Depending on the depth,
at 10 cm this ratio is higher in Kouoptamo than in Foumbot with a maximum value
of 57 and 38 respectively for the two subdivisions. In view of the results
obtained, it would be important to analyse the types of microorganisms
responsible for the decomposition of organic matter which is linked to soil
organic carbon.