Biodiversity and Carbon Stock in the SODECAO Agroforestry System of Center Region of Cameroon: Case of Talba Locality

This study was carried out in typical SODECAO (Cocoa Development Company) agroforestry systems of Talba locality (Central region of Cameroon). The objective was to assess the role of typical SODECAO agroforestry systems in the conservation of biodiversity and the climate change mitigation. Trees inventories of diameter ≥10 cm and all cocoa trees were carried out in 40 plots of 25 m x 25 m. Cocoa Agroforests (CAF) sampled were stratified in three age classes (≥10, 10-20 and 20 years represented by young, middle and old cocoa agroforests respectively). Their aboveground biomass was estimated using allometric equations. A total of 21 trees species belonging to 19 genera and 14 families were inventoried. Of the total number of species of trees recorded, 24% were threatened looking at their IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) status. Indeed, 9 species (43%) were indigenous and 12 (57%) exotic. The biodiversity indices values found were: Shannon (2.7), Pielou (0.7) and Simpson (0.9). The estimation of the specific wealth varied from 73-81% in CAF. The abundance of cocoa shrubs and associated tree species were estimated to 1104 stems ha -1 and 77 stems ha -1 respectively. The total carbon stock was 100 Mg Cha -1. Cocoa shrubs and associated tree species carbon stock were 30 and 70 Mg Cha -1 respectively. According to the three age classes considered, there were a significantly differences between their carbon stocks (ANOVA, p <0.05). SODECAO cocoa agroforestry systems could be recognized amongst one of the major issues of international negotiations for the fight against climate change.