Bambouto massif

The Bambouto massif or Bamboutos Mountains is group of volcanoes based on a swell in the Cameroon Volcanic Line, located in the Western High Plateau of Cameroon, merging in the north with the Oku Volcanic Field.[1]

The large volcanic complex extends in a NE-SW direction for over 50 km, with the highest peaks rising to 2,679 m around the rim of a caldera with diameter 10 km. Lava dating gives ages from 23 to 6 million years ago, with a lower basaltic series and an upper series of trachytes, trachyphonolites and phonolites.[2]

The upper part of the massif above 2,000 m has a cool and cloudy climate with 2,510 mm of rainfall annually. Soils are acidic, low in phosphates and relatively infertile.[3] Due to population pressure, farming is carried out on the steep slopes, leading to erosion and further loss of fertility.[4] Cattle are also grazed on the upper slopes where foodcrop cultivation is uneconomical.[5]

References

  1. ^ Kevin Burke (2001). "Origin of the Cameroon Line of Volcano-Capped Swells". The Journal of Geology 109: 349–362. Bibcode 2001JG....109..349B. doi:10.1086/319977. http://epsc.wustl.edu/~ggeuler/reading/07-spring/cameroon/week3/burke_2001-jg-origin_of_the_cameroon_line_of_volcano-capped_swells.pdf. Retrieved 2011-02-01. 
  2. ^ Alan Robert Woolley (2001). "Bambouto". Alkaline rocks and carbonatites of the world, Part 3. Geological Society. p. 35. ISBN 1862390835. http://books.google.ca/books?id=K48ZMBWtoi4C&pg=PA35. 
  3. ^ Siéwé Jean Mermoz, Djoufac Woumfo Emmanuel, Bitom Dieudonné, Figueras François, Djomgoué Paul, Njopwouo Daniel and Azinwi Primus Tamfuh (2008). "Andosols of the Bambouto Mountains (West Cameroon): Characteristics, Superficial Properties - Study of the Phosphate Ions Adsorption". The Open Inorganic Chemistry Journal 2: 106–115. http://www.bentham.org/open/toicj/articles/V002/106TOICJ.pdf. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
  4. ^ Cornelius Mbifung Lambi, Emmanuel Ndenecho Neba (2009). Ecology and Natural Resource Development in the Western Highlands of Cameroon: Issues in Natural Resource Management. African Books Collective. pp. 62–63. ISBN 995661548X. http://books.google.ca/books?id=n5SIgMEVYAgC&pg=PA62. 
  5. ^ Bernard P.K. Yerima, E. Van Ranst (2005). Major Soil Classification Systems Used in the Tropics:: Soils of Cameroon. Trafford Publishing. p. 277. ISBN 1412057892. http://books.google.ca/books?id=XXkAhSzJw-wC&pg=PA277.