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Ethnobotanical Knowledge and Population Density of Threatened Medicinal Plants of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Western Himalaya, India

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Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the population density, collection pattern and documentation of ethnobotanical knowledge of threatened medicinal plants (TMP) used by the inhabitants of Buffer zone villages in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR). A total of 36 TMP species belonging to 20 botanical families have been identified that are used in the treatment of various diseases in traditional health care system (THCS). The average population density of TMP species was ranges maximum for Allium stracheyi (0.71–1.64 Ind/m2) followed by Pleurospermum angelicoides (0.52–1.56 Ind/m2) and Arnebia benthamii (0.82–1.41 Ind/m2), respectively in the Biosphere Reserve (BR). Allium stracheyi (0.98), Angelica glauca (0.91), Picrorhiza kurroa (0.89), Arnebia benthamii (0.87), Allium humile (0.82), Pleurospermum angelicoides (0.81), Bergenia stracheyi (0.80) with higher use value (UV) were the most used medicinal plants in the villages of BR. The study could be a pilot to reinforce the conservation measures across the Protected Area Network (PAN) by understanding the traditional knowledge of local inhabitants, dynamics of anthropocentric activities and its resultant impacts on medicinal plant diversity.

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Acknowledgement

The authors thankfully acknowledge the facilities received from GBPNIHESD, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, India for undertaking this work. We are highly thankful to Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)-DST, Govt. of India for funding (SB/YS/LS-204/2013) to conduct the study. We are also thankful to NMSHE-Task Force 3 ‘Forest Resources and Plant Biodiversity’ (Climate Change Programme of DST, Govt. India) for partial funding. Our sincere thanks are due to Dr. B.S. Rawat, Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India for assisting in data analysis. The authors are also thankful to Director and local people of the NDBR for sharing their knowledge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand, India

    Vikram S. Negi

  2. GBPNIHESD, Regional Centre, Srinagar (Garhwal), Uttarakhand, India

    R. K. Maikhuri & Ajay Maletha

  3. Government Degree College Devprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India

    P. C. Phondani

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  1. Vikram S. Negi
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  2. R. K. Maikhuri
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  4. P. C. Phondani
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Correspondence to Vikram S. Negi or R. K. Maikhuri.

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Negi, V.S., Maikhuri, R.K., Maletha, A. et al. Ethnobotanical Knowledge and Population Density of Threatened Medicinal Plants of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Western Himalaya, India. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Sci 43, 63–73 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-018-0545-5

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