ISHS Acta Horticulturae 629: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: The Future for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
UTILISATION OF ETHNOBOTANICAL RESOURCES AND SAVING THE DECLINING BIODIVERSITY IN TROPICAL WET EVERGREEN FORESTS OF INDIA |
| Author: | S.K. Chatterjee |
| Keywords: | Ecosystem, umbrella, evergreen, waterlogged shallow, threatened |
| Abstract:
The present study on ethnobotanical resources of India, their utilisation patterns in tribal dominated areas, and ex-situ and in-situ conservation revealed possible sustainable approaches to save declining biodiversity. In India, tribes of five major regions adopted different usage patterns of the botanicals. While tribes of northeastern region used more herb species, western Indian tribes would prefer more tree and shrubby species; southern region's usage pattern targeted tree and herb species more or less equally. One interesting aspect of natural way of conservation of ethnobotanical resources by tribal communities became evident in different methods of harvesting which would ensure steady perennation of a species. In-situ and ex-situ conservation aspects of ethnobotanical resources under a natural ecosystem, a partly simulated ecosystem, and a conservation organised agrarian system indicated that some target species like Rauvolfia serpentina, Withania somnifera, and Gloriosa superba would survive very well under monoculture agrarian approaches and under mixed culture systems with botanicals like Costus speciosus, Digitalis purpurea and Aloe barbadense, although growth was restricted in the latter case. Use of umbrella species like Emblica officinalis and Alstonia scholaris helped partially in the performance of the target species. Economics of cultivation of all the species under agrarian system in in-situ and ex-situ conditions revealed possibilities of their commercial exploitation to a varying level of success. And lastly, target species like Andrographis paniculata, Dioscorea prazeri, Bacopa monnieri and Centella asiatica could better flourish in natural ecosystem under in-situ conditions and the conservation and cultivation of these species under controlled cultural practices did not prove to be economically feasible under ex-situ. | |
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