Biophysical conditions

IV.4.1. Climate, topography, geology and soils

Climatic data for the study area is available from Nguti which is not more than 20km distant from any of the visited sites, and at the same latitude (5°21'N). The average annual rainfall and temperature between 1993 and 2002 are respectively 4,536 mm and 27.4°C (Nambu 2003). August is the wettest month with 782 mm of rain while February is the dryest month with 4 mm of rain. The period between December and February can be considered as ecologically dry (see Fig. IV.2). The average relative humidity is 87%.

MONTHS

January February March April May June July August September October November December

RAINFALL (P)

DAILY TEMPERATURE (T) P = 2T

Figure IV.2.: Climatic diagramme for Nguti (average for the period between 1993 and 2002).

P < 2T indicates an ecologically dry period.

The study area is situated between the Eastern boundary of KNP and the Nkwende hills. Its western part is of lower elevation ranging from 125 m near Bajo to 448 m at Ayong. Except for some of the Bake tributary streams, which are incised, the topography is generally undulating to rolling. Discontinuous terraces occur along the Bake River. Its eastern limit is rugged and the topography becomes steeper, rolling to dissected, particularly around the Nkwende Hills and Munaya River (in MINEF/KP 2002).

Six main geological types have been identified from the SZ including recent alluvium, Cretaceous sediments, Mio-Pliocene sediments, Pre-Cambrian gneiss, Tertiary (older) basalt and Tertiary dolerite (MINPAT 1989). Our plots are located in an area of basalt lava flow, at a lower altitude and emanating from the Nkwende Hills.

The soils of our study area were dominated by clayey, with less stoney due to the basalt parental rock, suitable for farming systems, in which food crops, tree crops and forest trees are closely integrated. Food cropping should alternate with sufficient fallow to ensure the maintenance of soil fertility (LRDC 1987).

IV.4.2. Hydrology and drainage

There are two major drainage systems in our study area (in MINEF/KP 2002).

• The Bake-Munaya River System drains the western parts of the study area through tributaries such as the Libangenie, Maili, Marube, Ma, Mameli, Mohib, Bakwe, Bagodo, Bayong Ayib, Bate, Akarem and Akam;

• The Manyu River System drains the central and eastern sectors of our study area through tributaries such as the Ehope-Mamfue, Bakogo, Mam, Mbu, Bali, Badi and Bachi.

IV.4.3. Flora and fauna

Our study plots are situated in the lowland evergreen forest (below 400 m asl.) that belongs to the Atlantic Biafran Forest which is known to be riched in Caesalpiniaceae, with many poorly known, rare and endemic plant species. Towards the east on the Kwende hills, which rises above a 1,000 m altitude, a combination of piedmont semi-deciduous and submontane forests can be expected.

The fauna of our study area is similar to what is found in KNP. However, the hunting pressure is high and it is likely that certain species such as the leopard, golden cat, yellow-backed duiker and giant pangolin are locally extinct while others such as red colobus, drill and chimpanzee remain vulnerable to extinction (Usongo 1995, Waltert et al. 2002). Most larger mammals are already rare and the forest is almost empty. Our observations indicate that bats and big birds like raptors, turacos, and hornbills are now the main target for subsistence hunting, particularly during the dry season. During our study period, blue duikers, putty-nosed and crowned monkeys were but rarely seen in the forest which is still in good state (see also Waltert et al. 2002). Other signs of the emptyness of the forest are the total absence of traps and the presence of very old remains of cartridges in primary forests, and many old abandoned fence traps in the secondary bushes. However, due to its rugged topography, the Kwende hills, located east of our study plots, are reputed to harbour significant population of drill and chimpanzee (in MINEF/KP 2002).

IV.4.4. Human population, cultural and linguistic groups

Of the 50,000 inhabitants of the SZ, very few belong to our study area big as 40 km² and where a personal estimation leads to a population of 1,000 inhabitants. The reasons for this

low population density are the remote and difficult accesses to villages particularly during the rainy season and to the high rates of exodus (Devitt 1988), mostly in the direction of larger towns such as Mundemba, Kumba and Tiko, to the plantations of the South West Province for those looking for jobs, and towards the Kumba-Mamfe road and the Kumba corridor for those wishing to establish farms (Malleson 2000). The decline in cocoa and coffee markets has encouraged many of the young and middle-aged men to leave the area in search of work in plantations and urban areas. In recent years however declining job opportunities in urban areas have led many young and middle-aged men to return to their former villages where they now earn a living based on hunting and trapping.

The Korup area contains a diverse range of ethnic groups including the Oroko, Korup, Ejagham, Balong, Bassossi, Upper Bayang and Mbo (Vabi 1999). Although there are strong historical, linguistic and cultural similarities between these groups there are also strong differences. Our study area is the domain of the Ejagham ethnic group, mainly constituted of the Obang people. Some other ethnic groups, namely the Mbo, Bassossi, Upper Bayang and the Balong are also found northeast of the Park (Vabi 1999). The lingua franca in the Korup area is Pidgin English, spoken by almost everyone (Malleson 2000).