• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.20.1-20.8
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• 2019

Background: Despite the favorable geo-climatic potential of Cameroon, the national production of tilapia remains low due to poor tilapia growth reported by fish farmers. One of the underlying reasons is the early female maturation at a very small size and precocious breeding in earthen ponds, resulting in overpopulation which leads to stunted growth and therefore to the production of unmarketable fish size. Studies have shown that dietary supplementation of G. kola enhanced growth in young Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus. It was also reported that G. kola inhibited spawning in Tilapia adult females. Therefore, this study sought to assess the effects of Garcinia kola as growth promoter and inhibitor of gonadal development in young Oreochromis niloticus. Methods: A total of 108 juveniles weighing $13.32{\pm}0.62g$ were randomly distributed in 9 hapas of 12 fishes each (9 females and 3 males) and fed for 70 days with three isonitrogenous diets, 40% crude protein with increasing Garcinia kola supplementation levels of 0 (normal diet), 6% and 10% (experimental diets). Physico-chemical parameters of the water (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and transparency) were measured twice a week. Every 14 days, fish were harvested, counted, and weighed. At the end of the experiment, three fish of each sex per replicate were sacrificed and their gonad and liver collected and weighed. Data were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance repeated measure followed by Newman-Keuls multiple tests. Results: The results showed that all physico-chemical parameters of the water were within the recommended values for Tilapia culture. Tilapia fed 6% Garcinia kola supplemented diet displayed higher final body weight in males ($38.60{\pm}3.50g$) and females ($36.77{\pm}3.62g$) compared to those receiving normal diet ($36.23{\pm}1.36g$ and $25.87{\pm}3.32g$; respectively to the final body weight in males and females). The gonadosomatic index and hepatosomatic index indicated no significant variation in males while in females, these were significantly low in the experimental fish compared to control fish. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that supplementation of G. kola seeds in diets of young Tilapia improved growth performance and impaired gonadal development in females.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.275-283
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• 2022

A study was designed to investigate the pattern of sexual dimorphism in a plantation of Garcinia kola. Twenty trees were randomly selected for the study and have been observed to flower regularly. A total of 100 inflorescence were randomly collected from the crown of each tree and 500 flowers randomly assessed within the period of four (4) flowering seasons. Floral sex assessment was done visually and with a hand magnifying lens; floral morphometric measurements (i.e. pedicel and perianth length and breadth), inflorescence length, and breadth) was taken using a veneer caliper; number of flowers per inflorescence and inflorescence per twig was counted; while, data analysis was conducted on excel using analysis of variance and pairwise t-test comparison. Four floral sexes were identified in the G. kola plantation studied which were unisexual male flowers, unisexual female flowers, cosexual unisexual male flowers, and cosexual hermaphrodite flowers. Three tree sexes were identified viz: inconstant male, invariant female, and cosexual trees. The plantation was significantly sexually dimorphic in floral sex and phenotypic traits (i.e. pedicel and perianth size), and as well as sexually dimorphic in tree sex and reproductive phenotypic traits (i.e. inflorescence size, number of inflorescences per twig, and number of flower bud per inflorescence). The sexual system of the plantation was therefore trioecious with features suggestive of evolving dioecy through the gynodioecious pathway.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.227-240
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• 2024

Trees improve air quality through the accumulation of air pollutants in their leaves; however, the responses of different tree species to air pollution varies. Hence, this study evaluated the responses to air pollution of selected tree species in the Swamp Forest Research Station, Onne. Ten tree species (Cola pachycarpa, Khaya grandifoliolia, Irvingia gabonensis, Garcinia kola, Chrysophyllum albidum, Treculia africana, Dacryodes edulis, Tectonia grandis, Gmelina aborea, and Nauclea diderrichii) were selected based on their abundance in the area. Leaves were collected from all sides in 3 replicates for each tree species. Laboratory analysis was carried out using standard procedures. Portable Multi Gas Detector was used to determine the concentrations of air pollutants. One-way analysis of variance was employed to test for significant difference (p≤0.05) in biochemical parameters among the tree species while Pearson's correlation was utilized to determine the level of association between different biochemical parameters and APTI; heavy metals and APTI. Results showed high concentration of PM₁₀, CO, moderate concentration of NO₂, PM_2.5, and VOC, and low concentration of ground O₃. Heavy metals - Cadmium, Mercury, Lead, Nickel and Copper were all present in the tree species at varying rates. There were significant differences in the biochemical parameters and APTI values. C. pachycarpa exhibited the highest APTI value (89.88), while D. edulis had the lowest APTI value (8.24). C. pachycarpa, K. grandifoliolia, C. albidum, G. kola, T. africana, and N. diderrichii were identified as tolerant tree species to air pollution. G. aborea, T. grandis, and I. gabonensis were considered intermediate tolerant species, while D. edulis was the only tree species sensitive to air pollution. Ascorbic Acid, Chlorophyll, Hg and Ni had positive correlations with APTI; Cd and Cu had negative association with APTI at the 0.05 significance level. C. pachycarpa, T. africana, K. grandifoliolia, C. albidum, N. diderrichii and G. kola, are recommended for planting in pollution-prone areas.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2023

Little is known of the life history of Garcinia kola; the objective of this study, therefore, was to assess the fruiting age and tree size of the species in a coastal humid tropical climate plantation condition. A total 103 trees were used in the study viz; 80 ten-year-old trees at reproductive maturity onset and 13 thirty-year-old trees with several cycles of reproduction that constitute two independent variables. Data collected were age of onset of flowering and size at reproductive maturity onset. Relative size at reproductive maturity onset (RSOM) was estimated as size at reproductive maturity onset (SOM) divided by asymptotic maximal size (AMS). Data analysis was conducted using pairwise t-test and principal component analysis (PCA). Reproductive maturity onset (flowering) was recorded in the ten-year-old stand eight (8) years after planting. Mean size at reproductive maturity onset (SOM) was height 5.32±1.7 m, dbh 0.11±0.03 m, total number of branches was 29.6±7.3, crown depth 5.24±1.05 m, crown diameter was 4.78±0.7 m, branch diameter 0.098±0.01 m, leaf length 0.13±0.02 m, leaf breadth 0.37±0.01 m, twig length 0.35±0.11 m and leaf per twig 6±0.84 and asymptotic maximal size (AMS) was height 19.85±0.76 m, dbh 0.95±0.09 m, total number of branches 62±5, crown depth 18.83±0.7 m, crown diameter 12.5±1.64 m, branch diameter 0.5±1.6 m, leaf length 0.16±0.023 m, leaf breadth 0.45±0.12 m, twig length 0.37±0.11 m and leaf per twig 19±7.5. Pairwise t-test analysis showed there was significant differences between SOM and AMS in all growth factors except leaf length, leaf breadth, and twig length. Highest relative size at reproductive maturity onset (RSOM) was recorded in leaf length 0.82, twig length 0.82, and leaf breadth 0.80, while, the lowest was branch diameter 0.11. Four components out of the total of eleven were extracted to explain the relationship in RSOM: Principal component one (PC1) explained 37.23%; PC2 26.4%, PC3 22.73%, and PC4 13.64%.