Bamboutos Mountains
The Bambouto massif or Bamboutos Mountains is a 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.
Geology
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.
Environment
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. Due to population pressure, farming is carried out on the steep slopes, leading to erosion and further loss of fertility. Cattle are also grazed on the upper slopes where foodcrop cultivation is uneconomical.
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References
- ^ Kevin Burke (2001). "Origin of the Cameroon Line of Volcano-Capped Swells" (PDF). The Journal of Geology. 109: 349–362. Bibcode:2001JG....109..349B. doi:10.1086/319977. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
- ^ Alan Robert Woolley (2001). "Bambouto". Alkaline rocks and carbonatites of the world, Part 3. Geological Society. p. 35. ISBN 1-86239-083-5.
- ^ Siéwé Jean Mermoz; Djoufac Woumfo Emmanuel; Bitom Dieudonné; Figueras François; Djomgoué Paul; Njopwouo Daniel; Azinwi Primus Tamfuh (2008). "Andosols of the Bambouto Mountains (West Cameroon): Characteristics, Superficial Properties - Study of the Phosphate Ions Adsorption" (PDF). The Open Inorganic Chemistry Journal. 2: 106–115. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ^ 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 9956-615-48-X.