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evolution of mangroves in the Wouri river estuary. In the absence of law and specific
regulation implementation strategies, populations have taken advantage of the
authorities’ tolerance to invade all mangroves areas around the Wouri river estuary.
The management of Cameroon mangrove ecosystems faced the population conception of considering mangroves as an ordinary forest. Mangrove degradation along
the Wouri river estuary does not seem raising advocacy in spite of the fact that this
especial ecosystem could never change its coastal nature place like other artificial
generated forests.
3.1 Introduction
Mangroves form a complex ecosystem, comprising several interconnected elements
at the land-sea interface, which are in turn connected with adjacent coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass beds and terrestrial vegetation. Mangrove forests
prevent coastal erosion, contribute to the progression of the land towards the sea and
react as a buffer in areas prone to cyclone or other ocean surges (Din 2001). In the
absence of upwelling on the Cameroon coast, fresh water inputs from rivers and
streams constitute the best source of nutrients to the coastal waters. Mangrove ecosystems are opened areas and the movement of materials (organic and mineral)
affects not only the composition and structure of plant and animal groups, but also
the soil characteristics.
Mangroves supply essential ecosystem services to tropical economies by contributing substantially to timber and charcoal supplies, productivity of near-shore
fisheries, ecotourism, etc. (Nfotabong-Atheull et al. 2009). Degradation of natural
resources is a major environmental issue that societies around the world are currently facing (Goodman 2010). Mangrove forests are experiencing long-term and
severe decline. The rate of the deforestation is high in many developing countries,
possibly higher than any other type of tropical forests (Spalding et al. 2010; Giri
et al. 2011). The causes of such losses include not only natural disasters and sealevel rise, but also and especially land-use development. The intense human activities within the mangrove area (excessive harvest of mangrove trees for firewood,
charcoal, clearing of mangrove areas for agricultural purposes, pollution), coupled
with the rapid urbanization of the adjacent towns, have led to a gradual degeneration
of these ecosystems (Din et al. 2008; Nfotabong-Atheull et al. 2009, 2013; Fusi
et al. 2016). This phenomenon is expected to worsen in the years to come, with the
expected vulnerability of mangrove to the rise of the sea level due to the climate
change (Duarte et al. 2013; Alongi 2015; Din et al. 2016).
It is projected that anthropogenic climate change is likely to have adverse impacts
on African ecosystems and their biodiversity, but projections of impacts based on a
range of methodologies diverge widely (Midgley and Bond 2015). These differences relate to the extent to atmospheric CO 2 and disturbance on ecosystem structure and productivity, and relative strengths in accounting for temperature-versus
N. Din et al.
evolution of mangroves in the Wouri river estuary. In the absence of law and specific
regulation implementation strategies, populations have taken advantage of the
authorities’ tolerance to invade all mangroves areas around the Wouri river estuary.
The management of Cameroon mangrove ecosystems faced the population conception of considering mangroves as an ordinary forest. Mangrove degradation along
the Wouri river estuary does not seem raising advocacy in spite of the fact that this
especial ecosystem could never change its coastal nature place like other artificial
generated forests.
3.1 Introduction
Mangroves form a complex ecosystem, comprising several interconnected elements
at the land-sea interface, which are in turn connected with adjacent coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass beds and terrestrial vegetation. Mangrove forests
prevent coastal erosion, contribute to the progression of the land towards the sea and
react as a buffer in areas prone to cyclone or other ocean surges (Din 2001). In the
absence of upwelling on the Cameroon coast, fresh water inputs from rivers and
streams constitute the best source of nutrients to the coastal waters. Mangrove ecosystems are opened areas and the movement of materials (organic and mineral)
affects not only the composition and structure of plant and animal groups, but also
the soil characteristics.
Mangroves supply essential ecosystem services to tropical economies by contributing substantially to timber and charcoal supplies, productivity of near-shore
fisheries, ecotourism, etc. (Nfotabong-Atheull et al. 2009). Degradation of natural
resources is a major environmental issue that societies around the world are currently facing (Goodman 2010). Mangrove forests are experiencing long-term and
severe decline. The rate of the deforestation is high in many developing countries,
possibly higher than any other type of tropical forests (Spalding et al. 2010; Giri
et al. 2011). The causes of such losses include not only natural disasters and sealevel rise, but also and especially land-use development. The intense human activities within the mangrove area (excessive harvest of mangrove trees for firewood,
charcoal, clearing of mangrove areas for agricultural purposes, pollution), coupled
with the rapid urbanization of the adjacent towns, have led to a gradual degeneration
of these ecosystems (Din et al. 2008; Nfotabong-Atheull et al. 2009, 2013; Fusi
et al. 2016). This phenomenon is expected to worsen in the years to come, with the
expected vulnerability of mangrove to the rise of the sea level due to the climate
change (Duarte et al. 2013; Alongi 2015; Din et al. 2016).
It is projected that anthropogenic climate change is likely to have adverse impacts
on African ecosystems and their biodiversity, but projections of impacts based on a
range of methodologies diverge widely (Midgley and Bond 2015). These differences relate to the extent to atmospheric CO 2 and disturbance on ecosystem structure and productivity, and relative strengths in accounting for temperature-versus
N. Din et al.