Abstract
Mangroves are important coastal ecosystems that support carbon storage, coastal protection, biodiversity, and sediment dynamics. However, the variability and composition of sediments in the tropical Wouri Estuary (Cameroon) remain poorly understood. This study investigates the relationships between key properties such as moisture content, organic matter, and mineral matter in mangrove sediments of the Wouri Estuary. Three sediment cores were collected from the west (Mungo), central (Koo), and east (Dibamba) flanks of the estuary and analyzed using the Loss on Ignition (LOI) method. Samples were oven-dried at 105°C for 48 hours to determine moisture content and combusted at 550°C for 4 hours to quantify organic matter. The results reveal a strong inverse relationship between moisture content and mineral matter, particularly in Koo (R² = 0.90), Dibamba (R² = 0.61), and Mungo (R² = 0.82). In contrast, organic matter shows weak or inconsistent relationships with moisture across all three sediment cores. These findings suggest that sediment pore spaces are primarily associated with very fine-grained sediments, while organic matter plays a limited role in controlling sediment porosity. Results also indicate that moisture content remains relatively uniform across the estuary, regardless of spatial or temporal variation. Future studies will involve geochemical and geochronological analyses to improve understanding of sediment input sources and the timing of their deposition.
Faculty Advisor
Dr Henry Agbogun
Department/Program
Geosciences
Submission Type
in-person poster
Date
4-14-2026
Rights
Copyright the Author(s)
Recommended Citation
Dia, Fama A.
(2026)
"Evaluating Moisture Content , Organic Matter and Mineral Matter in Mangrove Sediments of the Wouri Estuary, Cameroon,"
SACAD: Scholarly Activities: Vol. 2026, Article 103.
Available at:
https://scholars.fhsu.edu/sacad/vol2026/iss2026/103
