Table 1 Description of the study sites

Region

Far North

Adamawa

East

West

Geographic coordinates

10° 50′ 36’’ N; 14° 56′ 23’’ E

6° 28′ 00’’N; 12° 38′ 00’’ E

4° 34′ 30’’N; 13° 41′ 04’’E

5° 16′ 55’’ N; 9° 58′ 27’’E

Ecological domain

Sahelian

Sahelo-Sudanese (humid savannah)

Forest

Highland Grassfields

Urban/rural

Rural

Rural

Urban

Rural

Altitude (above sea level)

304 m

840 m

400 m

1000 m

Climate

Sahelian

Tropical humid

Subtropical

Equatorial

Average temperature (°C)

33

28

26

23

Average rainfall(mm)

726.2

951.9

1750

1364.4

Seasons

9 months dry season /3 months rainy season

6 months dry/6 months rainy season

Two rainy seasons (8 months); two dry (4 months)

Two rainy seasons (8 months) two dry seasons (4 months)

Vegetation

Wooded Savanah

Grassy Savanah

dense forest

Grassfields