Abstract Detail

Conservation Biology

Jan, Dr. Gul [1].

Quantitative ethno-botanical analysis and conservation issues of medicinal flora from Alpine and Sub-alpine, Hindukush region of Pakistan.

It is the first quantitative ethno-botanical analysis and conservation issues of medicinal flora of Alpine and Sub-alpine, Hindikush region of Pakistan. The objective of the study aims to report, compare the uses and highlight the ethno-Botanical significance of medicinal plants for treatment of various diseases. A total of 250 (242 males and 8 females) local informants including 10 Local Traditional Healers were interviewed. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews, analyzed and compared by quantitative ethno-botanical indices such as Jaccard index (JI), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), use value (UV) and Relative frequency of citation (RFC). Intensive exploration showed that 83 plant species belongs to 43 families were used to treat different ailments. The highest ICF is recorded for digestive system (0.69%), blood circulatory system (0.61%), urinary system, (0.53%) and respiratory system (0.52%). The used value showed that Aconitum violaceum (UV = 0.65), Achillea millefolium (UV = 0.61), Berberis lycium (UV = 0.60) and Valeriana jatamansi (UV = 0.57) are highly medicinal plants used in the area. In comparison, highest similarity index is recorded in these studies with JI 17.72 followed by 16.41. According to DMR output, Juglansregia ranked first due to multipurpose uses among all species and was found most threatened with higher market value. Over exploitation of plant resources combined with improper harvesting and post harvesting techniques have intensified pressure on plants of area. The major factors contributing towards plant diversity loss found were poverty, grazing of pasture, forest encroachment, grass cutting, wildlife hunting, lopping of trees for fodder, medicinal plant collection, agro-system threats, fuel collection, forest fire, soil-slope erosion and invasive species intensify the environment. The conservation and sustainable use of potential plant species needed to be addressed. Concerted efforts are required broaden our understanding of the dynamics of floral values as well as local concepts in this remote part of the world, and to check species decline. For sustainable use, in situ and ex situ conservation, controlled harvesting, and aforestation may be the solution. Further extensive field conservation/management research is needed. Key words: Quantitative analysis, conservation issues, medicinal flora, Alpine and Sub-alpine, Hindukush region

1 - Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan, Department of Botany, Department of Botany, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan, Department of Botany, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, 23200, Pakistan

Keywords:
Medicinal plants.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 63
Location: Salon 19/20/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Wednesday, July 29th, 2015
Time: 8:45 AM
Number: 63003
Abstract ID:666
Candidate for Awards:None