African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN 2756-3367 Vol. 12 (6), pp. 001-014, June, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Non-Wood Forest Products in the Far North Region of Cameroon: A Survey of Medicinal Plants in Kousséri Market

Jean Lagarde BETTI1*, Serge Rostand MEBERE YEMEFA’A2 and Francis NCHEMBI TARLA3

1Department of Botany, Faculty of Sciences, University of Douala, BP 24 157, Cameroon.
2Nature + Asbl, Cameroun.
3Wildlife School of Garoua, BP 271 Garoua, Cameroun.

Accepted 10 May, 2025

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in June 2005 among sellers of non wood forest products settled at the Kousséri market, Kousséri sub-division, Logone et Chari division, far north region of Cameroon. A total of 29 medicinal plants were recorded comprising 26 genera and 21 families. Malaria, diarrhoea, jaundice, fever, and hernia were the major ailments in terms of the number of references made by these sellers. There are considerable differences among different sellers in the prices per gram of the same plant species used for the same ailment. Hence, it is not meaningful to link the relative importance of plants to their selling price. An index of performance (Ip) is proposed for each plant species, based on its number of references and according to an arbitrary scale which ranges from 0 to 3. Some plants significantly used (Ip > 0) for treating certain ailments are widely used in other African countries in a similar way. There are also plants of which their effectiveness is confirmed in the literature to possess biological activity related to the ailments indicated. Data recorded at the Kousséri market were compared to those gathered on medicinal plants used by people living around the Kalamaloué national park, located in the same sub-division, 10 km from Kousséri.

Key words: Non wood forest products, medicinal plants, performance index (Ip), sellers, Kousséri market.
 

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN 2756-3367 Vol. 12 (6), pp. 001-008, June, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phosphorus Mobilization in Acid Soil: The Role of Humic Compounds and Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria

Sugeng Winarso1,2*, Didik Sulistyanto1 and Eko Handayanto2

1Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Jember University, Jember, Indonesia.
2Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia.

Accepted 003 May, 2025

This study aims at elucidating the combined effects of humic compounds and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (Pseudomonas putida) to improve characteristics of ultisol and to increase the yields of soybean conducted in a glasshouse. The humic compounds are extracted from rice-straw compost, the phosphate-solubilizing bacteria obtained from Bogor Agricultural University, and the soil (Typic paleudult) collected from Kentrong Banten, Indonesia. The results have shown that application of humic compounds combined with inoculation of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria increases pH and available P, and decreases exchangeable Al of an ultisol. The improved soil characteristic, however, does not lead to the significant differences in the uptake of macronutrients by plant.

Key words: Acid soil, exchangeable aluminium, humic compounds, Pseudomonas putida, soybean.
 

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN 2756-3367 Vol. 12 (5), pp. 001-004, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata) in Misurata, Libya: A Study of its Presence and Ecology

Walid Fathy Mohamed

1Department of Biological Sciences and Geology, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Roxy, Cairo, P. O.
Box 11341, Egypt. 2Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Al Jouf University, Sakaka, P. O. Box 2014, Saudi Arabia. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 16 March, 2025

The crested porcupine Hystrix cristata is the biggest rodent in Libya. It has a high value from the faunistic point. It is known in Libya from only one specimen killed in a suburb of Tripoli in 1962. With aids of an animal dealer in Misurata, this work will provide information on the morphology, feeding habits, habitat, cranial and dental characters of this animal.

Key words: Crested portcupine, Hystrix cristata, Rodentia, Misurata, Libya.
 

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN 2756-3367 Vol. 12 (5), pp. 001-007, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Exploring Penicillium Diversity in Coastal Sand Dunes: A Study of Cashew Plantations in Odisha, India

T. Panda

Department of Botany, S.N. College, Rajkanika, Kendrapara-754220, Odisha, India.
E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 21 March, 2025

The abundance and diversity of PENICILLIUM species were studied from soils in coastal sand dunes of Odisha, India for a period of two years covering three distinct seasons. A total of 41 species were enumerated, of which the surface soil of the site without vegetation had 23 species while its sub-surface soil contained 24 species. In the site with ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE (cashew) plantation, the surface soil contained 31 species while sub-surface soil contained 20 species. More species were recorded from the sites with an ANACARDIUM plantation which may be due to less competition with other fungi. The diversity index varies from 0.954 to 1.058 (Shannon) and 0.0096 to 0.0106 (Simpson). Similarity indices show that, surface layers were more akin than the subsurface soils. The evenness index varies from 0.337 to 0.396, an indication that species showed a fairly even distribution. The surface soils of both sites have the highest species richness while sub-surface soils of barren sand dunes show the lowest richness.

Key words: Coastal sand dune, diversity indices, fungi, Penicillium.
 

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN 2756-3367 Vol. 12 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Arthropod Succession on Carrion in Yaounde, Cameroon: A Pilot Study for Forensic Entomology in Central Africa

Feugang Youmessi Francis Dupont1,2*, Djieto-Lordon Champlain1, Ateba  Awona  Jean Cyrille2 and Bilong Bilong Charles Félix3

¹Université de Yaoundé I, Laboratoire de Zoologie, Cameroun.
2Délégation Générale à la Sûreté Nationale, Cameroun.
3Université de Yaoundé I, Laboratoire de Biologie Générale, Cameroun.

Accepted April 21, 2025

The first investigation of arthropods associated with carrion in Cameroon was carried out within the campus of the University of Yaounde I (Cameroon) from 17thJanuary, to 3rd April, 2006. Carcasses of rats (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout, 1769 var WISTAR) were exposed for colonization by the local fauna of arthropods. The visiting and colonizing arthropods were collected daily during the study periods. 1980 arthropods of forensic importance belonging to 4 classes, 16 orders, 39 families and 3 subfamilies were identified. Among the insects assessed were Coleoptera: Cleridae, Curculionidae, Dermestidae, Histeridae, Mordellidae, Ptiliidae, Scarabaeidae, Silphidae, Staphylinidae (subfamily Tachyporinae), Trogidae; Dermaptera; Diptera: Anthomyiidae, Calliphoridae, Cecidomyiidae, Culicidae, Drosophilidae, Ephydridae, Fanniidae, Heleomyzidae, Lauxaniidae, Muscidae (subfamily Phaoniinae), Phoridae, Piophilidae, Sarcophagidae, Sciaridae, Sepsidae and Sphaeroceridae; Hemiptera: Aphididae, Anthocoridae, Cicadidae; Hymenoptera: Formicidae (subfamilies Myrmicinae (genera Pheidole, Tetramorium and Monomorium), Formicinae (Paratrechina longicornis and Oecophylla longinoda) and Dolichoderinae), Braconidae, Proctotrupidae, Scelionidae, Chalcididae; Lepidoptera: Tineidae; Psocoptera; and Thysanura. Other arthropods such as Arachneida and Myriapoda (Chilopoda and Diplopoda) were also collected. This study illustrates the diversity of the cadaver fauna in Cameroon and provides an approximation of the succession pattern of arthropods associated with carrion through a field experiment (77days).

Key words: Cadaver fauna, arthropods, chronological succession, Rattus norvegicus, Calliphoridae.
 

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN 2756-3367 Vol. 12 (5), pp. 001-005, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Antifungal Activity of Rosemary Oil Against Aspergillus flavus: A Comparative Study with Borneol and Synthetic Fungicide

M. Moghtader1*, H. Salari2 and A. Farahmand2

1Department of Biodiversity, Research Institute for Environmental Sciences, International Center for Science, High
Technology and Environmental Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
2Department of Ecology, Research Institute for Environmental Sciences, International Center for Science, High
Technology and Environmental Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Accepted 3 March, 2025

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) with more than 240 active pharmacological and nutritional compounds is important from the botanical point of view. Pharmacological studies show the antifungal properties of Rosemary plant. The essential oil analyses of the aerial parts of rosemary collected from Kerman province were obtained using gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The study of antifungal effects of the oil sample tested against strain of Aspergillus flavus (PTCC = 5004) fungi by disc diffusion method via average inhibition zone. The results showed that yield of Rosemary oil from Kerman province was 3.2%. Forty-one compounds were identified in the essential oil concluded as 99.74% of the total oil. The major components were α-pinene (15.52%), camphor (11.66%), verbenone (11.10%) and 1, 8-cineole (10.63%). The results showed that essential oil from rosemary plant at 1, 1/2 and 1/4 oil dilutions exhibited strong antifungal activity than gentamycin antibiotic on A. flavus and exhibited moderate of borneol was at 10% dilution. Benomil fungicide at 10% dilution had no inhibitory effect on A. flavus. Large percentage antifungal activities of Rosemary oil are related with α-pinene of monoterpenes as the main compound.

Key words: Rosmarinus officinalis L., essential oil, Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxin, borneol.