Variations of the Functional Leaf Traits in Some Agroforestry Woody Species of the Sudano-guinea Savannahs of Ngaoundere, Adamawa Cameroon: Effects of Plant Taxonomy, Life Forms, Habits and Habitats

Abstract

Leaf functional traits have been shown to be useful to understand how and why ecosystems and their components vary among plant species and across environmental heterogeneity. This study investigated how leaf functional traits vary according to plant taxonomic (species, families), habit (deciduous, semi-deciduous and evergreen leaves) and habitat (savannah, forest gallery, and plantation). Leaf traits (length, wide, fresh and dry mass, water content, thickness, area, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, specific leaf mass, and density) and plant height of the 24 agroforestry plant species were examined across sites heterogeneity and taxonomic characteristics in the Sudano-guinea savannahs of the Ngaoundere, Adamawa Cameroon. The results showed that functional leaf traits varied among plant species according to given trait. The length, fresh and dry mass, and thickness were the highest in T. macroptera (28,18 cm, de 13,84 g, 6,08 g et 0,55 mm), and the lowest in S. longepedunculata (4,71cm; 0,10 g et 0,04 g et 0,13 mm). The wide and area were the highest in U. togoensis (18,21 cm; 311,18 cm2) and the lowest in S. longepedunculata (1,00 cm, 5,03 cm2 ). The plant height was the highest in S. g. guineense (11,50 m) and the lowest in H. acida (1,80 m). Water content was the highest in P. febrifugum (85,20 %,.) and the lowest in U. togoensis (0,20 %). The specific leaf area was the highest in H. madagascariensis (249,00 cm-2.g,) and the lowest in T. macroptera (de 44,00 cm-2.g). Lastly the leaf dry matter content, specific leaf mass and density were the highest in H. madagascariensis (0,85 g.g-1, 0,02 mg-1. cm2 and 0,09 g. mm-3) and the lowest respectively in P. febrifugum, ( 0,29 g. g-1 , de 0,001 mg-1. cm2 ) and V. paradoxa (0,02 g. mm-3 ). Leaf functional traits were influenced by plant families, life forms, habits, and habitats. These functional leaf traits were correlated among them.