Cover -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Contents -- Tables and Figures -- 1. General Introduction -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Objectives -- 1.3 Conceptual framework -- 1.4 Theoretical framework -- 1.5 Structure of thesis -- 1.6 The study site -- 2. Determinants and Impacts of Human Mobility Dynamics in the Western Highlands of Cameroon -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.1.1 Some terminologies -- 2.1.2 Conceptual framework -- 2.2 Materials and Methods -- 2.2.1 Study area -- 2.2.2 Data Collection -- 2.2.3 Data Analysis -- 2.3 Results -- 2.3.1 General characteristics of the study area. -- 2.3.2 Migration -- 2.3.3 Rural-to-urban migration -- 2.3.4 Circular movements (Commuting) -- 2.3.5 Mobility effects -- 2.3.6 Urban-to-rural migration -- 2.4 Discussion -- 2.5 Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 3. Sustainability and other determinants of smallholder farming systems in the Western Highlands of Cameroon -- Abstract -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Materials and methods -- 3.2.1 Framework for assessing agricultural sustainability -- 3.2.2 Sustainability score -- 3.2.3 Study area, data collection and analyses methods -- 3.3 Results -- 3.3.1 Relationship between agricultural production variables and different villages of the WHC -- 3.3.2 Determinants used for the factor analysis. -- 3.3.3 Relative importance of the factors influencing the sustainability of the farming system -- 3.3.4 Main constraints influencing agricultural production in the study area -- 3.4 Discussions -- 3.4.1 Relationship between agricultural production variables and the different villages -- 3.4.2 Determinants associated with the farming systems of the WHC -- 3.4.3 Influence of the determinants on sustainability -- 3.4.4 Main constraints that influence agricultural production of the area -- 3.5 Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References.

4.Variation of Biodiversity in Sacred Groves and Fallows in the Western Highlands of Cameroon -- Abstract -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Materials and Methods -- 4.2.1 Study Area -- 4.2.2 Data Collection -- 4.2.3 Analytical methods -- 4.3 Results -- 4.3.1 Shared Species -- 4.3.2 Unique Species -- 4.3.3 Species richness and diversity in different systems -- 4.3.4 Variation within ecosystems -- 4.3.5 Variation of soil chemical and physical properties with altitude -- 4.3.6 Influence of environmental factors on biodiversity indices. -- 4.3.7 Assessment of altitudinal variability of trees -- 4.4 Discussion -- 4.4.1 Effect of altitude on biodiversity -- 4.4.2 Variation and influence of abiotic factors -- 4.5 Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 5. Soil Quality Assessment of Cropping Systems in the Western Highlands of Cameroon -- Abstract -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Materials and Methods -- 5.2.1 Model description -- 5.3 Results -- 5.3.1 Description of the cropping system of sampled farmers based on interviews -- 5.3.2 Nutrient balance at crop activity (PPU) level -- 5.3.3 Nutrient balance for the research area -- 5.3.4 Household economics and farm characteristics -- 5.4 Discussions -- 5.5 Conclusion and recommendations -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 6. General Discussion and Synthesis -- 6.1 What are the driving forces, contributions and categories of human mobility in the study area? -- 6.2 What are the levels of sustainability and the relationship between sustainability and the different factors affecting farming systems in this zone? -- 6.3 What are the different types of biodiversity of agro-ecosystems in the WHC and how are they influenced by abiotic factors? -- 6.4 What is the impact of the modification of the farming system on soil quality at the crop and farm levels of the study area? -- 6.5 Conclusion and recommendations.

References -- Summary. The Interactions of Human Mobility and Farming Systems and Impacts on Biodiversity and Soil Quality in the Western Highlands of Cameroon -- Samenvatting. De interacties tussen menselijke mobiliteit en landbouwsystemen, en de impact op biodiversiteit enbodemkwaliteit in de Westelijke Hooglanden van Kameroen -- Résumé. Interactions entre la mobilité humaine et les systèmes de production et impacts sur labiodiversité et la qualité des sols dans les Hauts Plateaux de l'Ouest Cameroun -- Acknowledgements -- Curriculum Vitae -- Back cover.