BackgroundMajority of the people in rural areas depend on traditional fungi-based medicines to combat different illnesses. This ethnomycological survey was undertaken to document the traditional knowledge of mushrooms among the communities in the Kilum-Ijim mountain forest reserve. Although macrofungi are exploited for food and medicine, their ethnomycological knowledge has not been documented in this ecosystem.MethodsA field study was carried out between 2014 and 2015; 14 mushrooms used by the local communities were collected and identified using the polymorphism of the ribosomal ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 regions. Semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and pictorial method were used to collect information on edibility, local names, indigenous knowledge, and the role of macrofungi in ten communities.ResultsEthnomycological findings revealed that mushrooms were used as food and medicine, while the non-edible species were regarded as food from Satan. Eight species, Polyporus tenuiculus, Termitomyces striatus, Termitomyces microcarpus Auricularia polytricha, Laetiporus sulphureus, Termitomyces sp.1, Termitomyces sp.2, and Polyporus dictyopus, were reported as edible and Auricularia polytricha, Daldinia concentrica, Ganoderma applanatum, Lentinus squarrosulus, Polyporus dictyopus, Termitomyces microcarpus, Trametes versicolor, Vascellum pretense and Xylaria sp., were used as medicine in traditional health care. Local names were found to be a very important factor in distinguishing between edible, medicinal, and poisonous mushrooms. Edible mushrooms are called “awo’oh” in Belo and “Kiwoh” in Oku. Poisonous mushrooms were commonly referred to as “awo’oh Satan” in Belo and “Kiwohfiyini” in Oku. Mushrooms were highly valued as a source of protein and as a substitute for meat in their diets. It is worth noting that Polyporus dictyopus was reported here for the first time in literature as an edible mushroom species.ConclusionLocal knowledge of medicinal mushrooms in the treatment of different illness still exists in all ten villages surveyed. Elderly men and women appear to play an important role in primary health care services in these communities. This survey underscores the need to preserve and document traditional knowledge of the different medicinal mushrooms used in treating different illnesses and for more future scientific research on the mushrooms to determine their efficacy and their safety.

This work assessed the impact of land use and land cover (LULC) change on the socio-economic conditions of the inhabitants in the Mount Bambouto Caldera from 1980-2016. To achieve this, three time series satellite images; Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) (1980), Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) (2001), and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) (2016) scenes were employed to investigate the changes in LULC. The use of satellite images was supplemented with individual interviews, discussions with focus groups and key informants, and direct field observations. Five categories of LULC classes were identified namely: thick woody vegetation (natural forest and oil palms), light vegetation (croplands), savannah (grasslands), buildings (settlements), and bare grounds. The results showed that between 1980 and 2016, croplands, buildings and bare lands increased by 4%, 0.43% and 5.7% respectively while savannah/grassland and natural forest decreased by 4.4% and 5.8% respectively. Household survey revealed soil fertility decline and lack of credit schemes to be major constraints to crop production. Many religious holidays contribute to seasonal food shortages and the community faces a host of socio-economic and institutional challenges. Consequently, majority of households are destitute, live in abject poverty; which is an indication of the need for interventions by government and other development stakeholders to

This study aimed at determining the phytochemical constituents of Euphorbia golondrina L.C. Wheeler, an alien invasive medicinal herb that is used for the treatment of gastroenteritis related ailments, diabetes, conjunctivitis, gastritis, enterocolitis, tonsillitis, vaginitis, hemorrhoids, prostatism, warts and painful swellings by the Mundani people of the mount Bambouto Caldera in SouthWestern Cameroon, and to evaluate its in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Susceptibility testing by agar well diffusion assay revealed good antibacterial activity with inhibition zone diameter of 20 ± 1.1 mm against Bacillus cereus followed by Staphylococcus aureus with inhibition zone diameter of 17 ± 1.6 mm which was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the positive control (amoxicillin). None of the fungi was inhibited by the acetone extract of E. golondrina except Candida albicans wherein the zone of inhibition was not significantly different from that of the positive control (Amphotericin B). The ABTS scavenging activity of E. golondrina was higher than that of gallic acid and BHT at concentrations greater than 0.1 and 0.2 mg/mL respectively while at all concentrations, nitric oxide scavenging activity was higher than those of both rutin and vitamin C. GC–MS profile of E. golondrina steam distilled volatiles revealed that the plant has potent phytoconstituent classes such as sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, alkaloids, phenolics and aromatic hydrocarbons. Among the 30 compounds identified, caryophyllene oxide (14.16 %), camphor (9.41 %) and phytol (5.75 %) were the major compounds. Further structural characterisation based on 1H and 13C NMR is required to demonstrate structural integrity including correct stereochemistry. The current study partially justifies the ethnomedicinal uses of E. golondrina in Cameroon.

Kilum-Ijim forest is a montane forest in the North West Region of Cameroon. Wild edible mushrooms are mostly consumed by the communities of Kilum-Ijim as substitute of meat to obtain protein, hence the need to evaluate the nutrient and mineral components of the species consumed in these communities. The most eight preferred wild mushroom species from ethnomycological studies are: Polyporus tenuiculus, Termitomyces striatus, Termitomyces macrocarpus, Auricularia polytricha, Laetiporus sulphureus, Termitomyces sp.1, Termitomyces sp.2 and Polyporus dictyopus were identified by ITS gene region. These species were analysed for nutrient and mineral contents using standard protocols. Significant differences in nutrient values were demonstrated among these mushroom species. The study results on dry weight basis range from 43.49 to 64.88 for carbohydrates, 6.60 to 30.69 for crude protein, 7.74 to 14.10 for ash, 2.17-3.22 g for fat and 11.60 to 20.69 g per 100 g for crude fibres with significant differences (P˂ 0.05) between species for each nutrient. The dry matter content ranged from 12.69-17.77 g per 100 g while the total calorie values ranged from 285.16-319.27 Kcal per 100 g. Mineral nutrient analyses also showed that these mushrooms are rich in both macro and micro nutrients. In conclusion, the study revealed that soil inhabiting mushrooms especially the Termitomyces species have nutritional values which can greatly supplement diets especially in rural communities.

Wild vegetables contribute immensely to the culinary basket and livelihoods of rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa, especially among the people of Lebialem highlands of south western Cameroon where at least 26 such species are consumed as vegetables. To promote the consumption of these vegetables, the nutritional quality of five preferred species in this area, Amaranthus dubius Mart. Ex Thell., Gnetum africanum Welw., Lomariopsis guineensis (Unerw.) Alston, Pennisetum purpureum Schumach and Vernonia amygdalina Del., was assessed using standard methods. L. guineensis had the highest carbohydrate, protein, calorific value and ash content, and the lowest fat content of 4.05%, very rich in K, Ca and Mg and the amino acids leucine, arginine, lysine, phenylalanine and histidine. The amino acid content was generally higher than 25 mg/100g. Steroids, flavanoids and tannins occurred in moderate to high levels in all five species. Alkaloids and saponins occurred at very low levels, while triterpenes only occurred at very low levels in P. purpureum. The quality of Lomariopsis guineensis, a fern recently reported for the first time as edible is very promising. Pennisetum purpureum, popular as a forage plant, has now been shown to be valuable in the human diet. The study has established the safe and rich nutritional value of these vegetables and that their consumption could combat malnutrition and prevent some of the common nutritionally-related ailments.

Objectives: Mushroom species richness, distribution and substrate specificity are essential considerations for conservation and management of forest ecosystems. In this study in the Kilum-Ijim mountain forest, mushroom species richness, distribution and substrate specificity was evaluated. Methodology and results: Fixed size plot method, opportunistic and downed wood sampling methods according to Mueller et al. (2004) was used for mushroom survey in 2015 in five sites in the Kilum-Ijim forest. The number of species, diversity in each site as well as substrate and morphotypes were recorded and calculated. A total of 393 macrofungi samples were collected. Highest collection (135) was recorded in September while January registered the least (22). Plantlife Sanctuary Oku recorded the highest number of macrofungal (109) while the least (44) was recorded in Anyajua community forest. Macrofungi were found on five varying substrates and ten different morphological forms of macrofungal were recorded. Conclusions and application of findings: Mushrooms species richness differed in the five sites surveyed in the Kilum-Ijim forest. Podoscypha petalodes had the highest number of species across all the five sites followed by Coprinus fissolanatus, Polyporus dictopus, Favolachia calocera and Xylaria sp. The Agaricaceae and Polyporaceae were the most abundant family. Majority of the mushroom species were found on dead wood substrate and few on dung and standing tree substrates. The result on species richness, distribution and substrate specificity of mushrooms widens the knowledge on mycodiversity and substrate relationship which is an important factor for conservation and utilization as well as for the sustainable forest ecosystem management. Also, the result projects the importance of geographic location of substrates on the distribution of mushrooms which is of immense value for conservation. There is variation in the substrate preferred by mushrooms and likely this factor influences the extent of occurrence and nutritional content.

Euphorbia hypericifolia, a non-native herbaceous weedy plant was found to often form disproportionately dense, virtually monospecific stands in the Mount Bambouto Caldera, Cameroon. This observation is within the purview of allelopathy and is attributed to the release of botanicals by non native plants that harm naïve native flora, creating significant problems for agriculture and the environment. We investigated if the invasiveness of E. hypericifolia could be explained by its allelopathic potential at varying concentrations on five indicator plants. The results showed that the leaf, root and stem aqueous extracts of the plant exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the germination, radicle and plumule lengths of Biden pilosa, Amaranthus spinosus, Lactuca sativa, Zea mays and Lycopersicon esculentum at 100 % by 75.0, 69.4, 95.6, 28.0 and 97.2 %, respectively.  The leaf extract was the most potent, while the stem extract was the least. The extract of E. hypericifolia was stimulatory (Lower concentrations) and inhibitory to the germination and growth of the test plants and its effect was concentration-dependent with the roots of target plants being more sensitive to the extracts than the plumule. L. esculentum was the most susceptible species to E. hypericifolia extracts while Z.  mays was more tolerant than any of the tested plants. Results of total chlorophyll pigment accretion showed declining levels of chlorophyll detected in the leaves of tomato transplants cultivated in the augmented soils with rising dosage of the leaf residue of E. hypericifolia. B. pilosa planted on E. hypericifolia infested soil (EIS) showed very poor emergence recording only 7.5 % after 6 weeks as compared to 83.0 % in non E. hypericifolia infested soil (NIS). Qualitative phytochemical screening indicates E. hypericifolia is rich in secondary metabolites including alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, phenolics, tanins, Steriods and saponins. Acetone was the best extractant amongst the solvents used. This study has proven the allelopathic potential of E. hypericifolia and revealed some allelochemicals that may be exploited for the development of bioherbicides and plant growth promotion from natural products.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization was carried out on soil samples collected from two depths: 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm for all land use (LU) types (grasslands, croplands, natural forest/fallow lands, cocoa/palm plantations, and settlement/agro-forests). Microbiological analyses were carried out by measuring microbial activity in 40 g of dried soil samples wetted to 60% water holding capacity and incubated at 27˚C. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) emission was measured for 10 weeks using a CO 2 trap. Descriptive and graphical analyses of CO 2 respiration were done using CO 2 emission data. Models were developed to describe CO 2 respiration and the first order kinetic model provided best fit to C-mineralization. Potentially mineralizable carbon (C o) and C-mineralization rate were higher in grasslands than other LU types, indicating a higher rate of microbial activity and carbon cycling. Metabolic quotient was higher in forest/fallow lands and reflects greater stress of the microbial community and a high requirement of maintenance energy. Grasslands enhanced more SOC accumulation and decomposition, suggesting a better carbon sink than other land use and management systems (LUMS). Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) varied across LU patterns with maximum values in grasslands and minimum values in natural forest/fallow lands insinuating better soil quality for grasslands. MBC and SOC positively correlated with C o and C-mineralization, which intimates that C-mineralization is influenced by availability of MBC and SOC. Metabolic quotient (qCO 2) negatively correlated with microbial quotient (MBC:SOC), depicting that higher values of qCO 2 signify difficulties in using organic substrates during microbial activity as a result of low MBC:SOC.