Habitat range of two alpine medicinal plants in a trans-Himalayan dry valley, Central Nepal

CORC > 成都山地灾害与环境研究所 > 中国科学院水利部成都山地灾害与环境研究所 > Journal of Mountain Science > Journal of Mountain Science-2009 > Vol6 No.1

	Habitat range of two alpine medicinal plants in a trans-Himalayan dry valley, Central Nepal
	Shrestha, Bharat Babu ; Jha, Pramod Kumar
刊名	JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE
	2009-03
卷号	6 期号:1 页码:66–77
关键词	Aconitum naviculare Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora habitat degradation nitrogen organic carbon radiation Manang Nepal
ISSN号	1672-6318
通讯作者	Shrestha, BB
英文摘要	Understanding of the habitat range of threatened Himalayan medicinal plants which are declining in their abundance due to high anthropogenic disturbances is essential for developing conservation strategies and agrotechnologies for cultivation. In this communication, we have discussed the habitat range of two alpine medicinal plants, Aconitum naviculare (Bruhl) Stapf and Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora (Pennel) Hong in a trans-Himalayan dry valley of central Nepal, Manang district. They are the most prioritized medicinal plants of the study area in terms of ethnomedicinal uses. A. naviculare occurs on warm and dry south facing slopes between 4090 similar to 4650 m asl along with sclerophyllous and thorny alpine scrubs, while N. scrophulariiflora is exclusively found on cool and moist north facing slope between 4000 and 4400 m asl where adequate water is available from snow melt to create a suitable habitat for this wetland dependent species. The soil in rooting zone of the two plants differs significantly in organic carbon (OC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (N) and carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio. Due to cool and moist condition of N. scrophulariiflora habitat, accumulation of soil OC is higher, but soil N content is lower probably due to slow release from litter, higher leaching loss and greater retention in perennial live biomass of the plant. The C/N ratio of soil is more suitable in A. navuculare habitat than that of N scrophulariiflora for N supply. Warm and sunny site with N rich soil can be suitable for cultivation of A. naviculare, while moist and cool site with organic soil for N. scrophulariiflora. The populations of both the plants are fragmented and small. Due to collection by human and trampling damage by livestock, the population of A. naviculare was found absent in open areas in five of the six sampling sites and it was confined only within the bushes of alpine scrubs. For N. scrophulariiflora, high probability of complete receding of small glaciers may be a new threat in future to its habitat. The information about habitat conditions, together with the information from other areas, can be useful to identify potential habitats and plan for cultivation or domestication of the two medicinal plants.
语种	英语
公开日期	2013-08-14
内容类型	期刊论文
源URL	[http://ir.imde.ac.cn/handle/131551/5952]
专题	成都山地灾害与环境研究所_Journal of Mountain Science _Journal of Mountain Science-2009_Vol6 No.1
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Shrestha, Bharat Babu,Jha, Pramod Kumar. Habitat range of two alpine medicinal plants in a trans-Himalayan dry valley, Central Nepal[J]. JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE,2009,6(1):66–77.
APA	Shrestha, Bharat Babu,&Jha, Pramod Kumar.(2009).Habitat range of two alpine medicinal plants in a trans-Himalayan dry valley, Central Nepal.JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE,6(1),66–77.
MLA	Shrestha, Bharat Babu,et al."Habitat range of two alpine medicinal plants in a trans-Himalayan dry valley, Central Nepal".JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE 6.1(2009):66–77.