Effects of bamboo plantations on soil physicochemical properties in the western highlands of Cameroon
摘要
Soil physicochemical properties are highly sensitive to land-use change in tropical Africa, yet the contribution of bamboo-dominated systems to soil fertility restoration remains insufficiently documented in Cameroon. This study evaluated the effects of bamboo-based land uses on soil properties in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. Three land-use systems located within a pedologically homogeneous volcanic landscape were compared: Natural Bamboo Forest (BF), Bamboo-Based Agroforestry (BBA), and Conventional Agricultural Plots (AP). Eighteen composite soil samples were collected from three independent plots per land-use system at two depths (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm). Physical and chemical properties were analyzed using standard laboratory methods, and land-use effects were tested by one-way analysis of variance conducted separately for each depth (p ≤ 0.05). At 0–20 cm, soil organic carbon (SOC) was significantly higher under BF (SOC = 4.65%) compared with BBA and AP. Exchangeable potassium also differed significantly among land uses at this depth, with the highest values recorded in BF (0.74 cmol kg⁻1). In contrast, cation exchange capacity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus did not show significant land-use differences, although numerical trends generally favored bamboo systems. Soil pH remained slightly acidic (6.0–6.7) across all land uses, and available phosphorus was uniformly low (< 12 mg kg−1). Overall, natural bamboo forests are associated with improved surface soil organic matter and potassium cycling relative to conventional agriculture, while bamboo-based agroforestry systems provide intermediate benefits (BF > BBA > AP). These results highlight the potential of bamboo-based systems for surface soil restoration and underscore the need for multisite studies integrating biological indicators to strengthen inference across agroecological contexts.