Impact of sewage sludge on plant diversity in the Nomayos area, in the central regions of Cameroon

Waste management in urban areas remains a major concern in African cities, particularly in Cameroon. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of sewage sludge on floristic diversity in the Nomayos area. To achieve this objective, a floristic inventory was carried out at the various study sites based on surface surveys in four types of land use. A total of 100 quadrats of 1 m² were set up at the various sites. The floristic inventory carried out at the various sites identified 60 species belonging to 58 genera and 20 families. The most frequent, abundant, and diverse families are Poaceae, Asteraceae, Solanaceae, Papilonoidae and Cyperaceae. However, low species richness was observed in the sewage sludge accumulation area. This low richness is thought to be due to high nitrate content, which can cause certain species to disappear in favour of others that are able to adapt to a polluted environment (Echinocloa pyramidalis, Echinocloa cruis-parvonis). These results highlight the influence of sewage sludge disposal on the flora of the discharge areas.