Wild edible plants of the Sikkim Himalaya: Nutritive values of selected species

Wild edible plants form an important constituent of traditional diets in the Himalaya. In the Sikkim Himalaya a total of 190 species have been screened as edible species out of which nearly 47 species come to the market. The present paper deals with nutritive values of 27 most commonly consumed wild edible plants in the Sikkim Himalaya. Of 27 plant species that were analyzed for their nutritive values, 22 were edible for their fruits and five for leaves/shoots. Among different plant parts, generally higher nutrient concentration was recorded for leaves, followed by new shoots and fruits. For different species the crude fiber content ranged between 2.15–39.90%, and the total soluble salts between 4.66–21.00%, and the vitamin C content from 6–286 mg/100 g. The fat content was determined high in the fruits ofCastanopsis hystrix, Machilus edulis, andCinnamomum species, while the protein content was highest inHippophae rhamnoides, Cucumis melo, andEleagnus latifolia. The total carbohydrate content ranged from 32–88% in the fruits of various wild edibles, the reducing sugar from 1.25–12.42%, total sugar from 2.10–25.09%, the lignin content varied from 9.05–39.51%, the hemicellulose between 25.63–55.71% and cellulose content varied from 9.57–33.19% in different species. Among the various macronutrients estimated in the plant samples of different wild edible species, nitrogen was present in highest quantity, followed by potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. Micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper contents were analyzed in different plant parts of various wild edible species. The iron content was higher in leaves and new shoots. The nutritive values of certain wild edible species determined in this study are comparable with various commercial fruits. It is suggested that a few wild edible species need to be grown for commercial cultivation and adopted in the traditional agroforestry systems, which will lead to reduced pressure on them in natural forest stands as well as producing economic benefits for poor farmers.     

Wild edible plants of the Sikkim Himalaya: Nutritive values of selected species

The wild edible plants form an important constituent of traditional diets in the Himalaya. In the Sikkim Himalaya a total of 190 species have been screened as edible species out of which nearly 47 species come to the market. The present paper deals with nutritive values of 27 most commonly consumed wild edible plants in the Sikkim Himalaya. Of 27 plant species that were analyzed for their nutritive values, 22 were edible for their fruits and five for leaves/shoots. Among different plant parts, generally higher nutrient concentration was recorded for leaves, followed by new shoots and fruits. For different species the crude fiber content ranged between 2.15–39.90%, and the total soluble salts between 4.66–21.0%, and the vitamin C content from 6-286 mg/100 g. The fat content was determined high in the fruits of Castanopsis species, Machilus edulis, and Cinnamomum species, while the protein content was highest in Hippophae rhamnoides, Cuc-umis melo, and Eleagnus latifolia. The total carbohydrate content ranged from 32-88% in the fruits of various wild edibles, the reducing sugar from 1.25–12.42%, total sugar from 2.10–25.09%, the lignin content varied from 9.05–39.51%, the hemicellulose between 25.63-55.71% and cellulose content varied from 9.57–33.19% in different species. Among the various mac-ronutrients estimated in the plant samples of different wild edible species, nitrogen was present in highest quantity, followed by potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. Mi-cronutrients, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper contents were analyzed in different plant parts of various wild edible species. The iron content was higher in leaves and new shoots. The study shows that wild edible plants are good source of nutrient for rural population, and also well comparable with various commercial fruits. It is suggested that a few wild edible species need to be grown for commercial cultivation and adopted in the traditional agroforestry systems, which will lead to reduced pressure on them in natural forest stands as well as producing economic benefits for poor farmers.     

Environment and development in Sikkim Himalaya: A review

This paper discusses the problems of environment and development in Sikkim Himalaya. Two features of Sikkim, the fragile mountain environment and the very rapidly growing population, are crucial in formulating future development plans. An integrated approach to development and environmental conservation is suggested.     

Dietary use of wild plant resources in the Sikkim Himalaya, India

The edible wild plants are greatly valued throughout the Himalayan region and serve as an important source of food for indigenous communities. This paper describes the botanical richness, elevational distribution and dietary use of the edible wild plant resources from the Sikkim Himalaya (Eastern Himalaya), many with promising potential. A total of 190 wild plant species have been screened from the Sikkim Himalaya, this derived from 143 genera and 78 families and accounting for nearly 15% of total edible wild plants resources of India. Of the total, 65% were edible for their fruits, 22% for leaves/shoots, 7% for flowers and 3% for roots/ rhizomes. Nearly 91 wild edible species were recorded from low-hills, 70 from mid-hills and 28 species from high-hill areas. Within Sikkim state, the North and East districts represent maximum diversity of edible wild plants due to the wilderness and inaccessibility to most of the habitats. An average rural family annually consumes nearly 8 types of edible wild plants, and a few species provide over five meals in a season. Selected plants also form a source of earning to a few families that sell them in local markets. It is suggested that the high diversity of edible plants needs to be conserved for future use. Some species may be grown in traditional agroforestry systems and on marginal lands of otherwise low agricultural value. Such measures may help protect wild plant resources in their natural habitats.     

Performance of an age series of alnus-cardamom plantations in the Sikkim Himalaya: productivity,energetics and efficiencies

Biomass, net primary productivity, energetics and energy efficiencies were estimated in an age series of Alnus-cardamom plantations in the eastern Himalaya. The impact of stand age (5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 years) on the performance of mixtures of N2-fixing (Alnus nepalensis) and non-N2-fixing (large cardamom) plants was studied. Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum) is the most important perennial cash crop in the region and is cultivated predominantly under Alnus trees. Net primary productivity was lowest (7 t ha(-1) per year) in the 40-year-old stand and was more than three times higher (22 t ha(-1) per year) in the 15-year-old stand. Agronomic yield of large cardamom peaked between 15 and 20 years of age. Cardamom productivity doubled from the 5- to the 15-year-old stand, and then decreased with plantation age to reach a minimum in the 40-year-old stand. Performance of cardamom in association of N2-fixing Alnus remained beneficial until 20 years of age. Annual net energy fixation was highest (444 x 10(6) kJ ha(-1) per year) in the 15-year-old stand, being 1.4 times that of the 5-year-old stand and 2.9-times that of the 40-year-old stand. Inverse relationships of production efficiency, energy conversion efficiency and energy utilized in N2-fixation against stand age, and a positive relationship between production efficiency and energy conversion efficiency suggest that the younger plantations are more productive. The Alnus-cardamom plantation system will be sustainable by adopting a rotational cycle of 15 to 20 years.     

Ecology,distribution mapping and conservation implications of four critically endangered endemic plants of Kashmir Himalaya

During the last few decades, human-driven activities have led to indiscriminate habitat destruction and exploitation of many plant species in Kashmir Himalaya. As a result, many species have become threatened and are struggling for survival. Of particular concern are the endemic and critically endangered species which have the highest risk of the extinction, hence warranting immediate conservation actions. Therefore the current study was carried out to understand the distribution, ecology and conservation implications of the four critically endangered endemic plants of Kashmir Himalaya. Habitat distribution modelling showed that the suitable potential areas for the species occurred from subalpine to alpine meadowlands with an elevational range of 1500–4600 m asl. The output of the MaxEnt model and field surveys have revealed that their highest potential distribution is in Panchari, Khrew, Ramnagar, Pahalgam, Gurez, Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Kishtwar forest ranges. Based on the field explorations and herbarium records, Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch have 27 distribution areas, Gentiana kurroo Royle 18, Lilium polyphyllum D. Don 12 and Aconitum chasmanthum Stapf have 15. Precipitation of the driest month and annual mean temperature played an important role in the distribution of the studied species. The species started their lifecycle with the onset of the spring season, flowered in summer, fruit in autumn and senesce in the winter season. Under natural conditions, the number of days required for germination ranged from 180 to 210 where cold stratification played a pivotal role. Since last few decades, the populations of these species have been shrinking in their natural habitats due to over-exploitation for medicinal purposes and habitat destruction through amplified humanoid interferences like the expansion of agricultural land, road building, grazing and urbanization. Thus there is an urgent need to come up with positive strategies to save whatever is left and plan long term rescue measures not only to protect these species from extinction but also to reintroduce them along with framing the plans to supply sustained raw materials for medicine.     

Performance of an age series of Alnus-cardamom plantations in the Sikkim Himalaya: nutrient dynamics

Nutrient cycling, nutrient use efficiency and nitrogen fixation in an age series of Alnus-cardamom plantations were studied in the eastern Himalaya. The impact of stand age (5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 years) on the nutrient dynamics of mixtures of N2-fixing (Alnus nepalensis) and non-N2-fixing (large cardamom) plants was assessed. Foliar nutrient concentrations of Alnus decreased with advancing age groups of plantations and showed an inverse relationship with stand age. Annual N fixation increased from the 5-year-old stand (52 kg ha(-1)), peaking in the 15-year-old stand (155 kg ha(-1)) and then decreased with increasing plantation age. Nitrogen and phosphorus uptake was lowest in the 40-year-old stand, and highest in the 15- and 5-year-old stand, respectively. Nutrient storage in understorey cardamom was very high: up to 31 % N and 59 % P of the stand total in the 15-year-old stand. Nutrient use efficiency was higher (with faster turnover times) in younger stands and decreased (with slower turnover times) in older plantations. Nitrogen retranslocation showed a strong positive relationship with stand age, while that of P was inversely related to stand age. Nutrient standing stock, uptake and return were also highest in the 15-year-old stand. Nitrogen and P cycling in Alnus-cardamom plantations was functionally balanced. Nutrient cycling and dynamics indicated that Alnus-cardamom plantations performed sustainably up to 15-20 years. The management practice should be altered to incorporate replantation after this age.     

Why they eat,what they eat: patterns of wild edible plants consumption in a tribal area of Western Himalaya

Background

From time immemorial, wild plants have been used for edible purposes. They still continue to be a major source of nutrition for tribal people. However, unfortunately, their use is now declining. This has implications in food security, narrowing genetic base, and future leads. The present study was, therefore, carried out in Chhota Bhangal region of Western Himalaya to analyze uses of wild edible plants (WEP) and the motivations behind their use or abandonment.

Methods

Field surveys were conducted to the study area from January 2016 to March 2017. Household surveys, group discussions, free listing, and structured questionnaires were used to elicit information on WEP. WEP use was categorized into six categories (vegetables, fruits, chutney, flavoring food, raw food, and local brew). Trends of use (continuing, decreasing, increasing, and not used) and motivations (environmental, economic, sociocultural, agriculture and land use practices, and human-wildlife conflict) behind their use were analyzed.

Results

Fifty plant species were used by the local people for edible purposes under six WEP categories. Mean and median of WEP used per respondent was 22.3 and 21, respectively. Highest number of these were used as vegetable (mean 8.9) while lowest were used as brew (mean 0.4). Out of the 50 WEP used, 20 were prioritized for motivation analyses. Though plant use is still maintained in the area, changes are evident. Almost 50% of the respondents revealed that they still continue the use of WEP while 36% reported trends of declining use as compared to 5–10 years back. Close to 10% respondents have stopped consuming WEP now and ~?3% reported an increase in the use of WEP. Among the WEP categories, use of chutney showed an increasing trend. Sociocultural motivations were found to play a prime role, both, in limiting and promoting WEP use. Taste and aroma were the major sociocultural reasons behind using WEP while modernization and changing lifestyle were the main reasons behind declining use of WEP.

Conclusions

The study concludes that though use of WEP is still maintained in the area, changes in consumption trends are evident. Sociocultural motivations guided use of WEP in the area.

     

Kitam Bird Sanctuary,the only low elevation protected area of Sikkim: A conservation hotspot for butterflies in the Eastern Himalaya

The lowland areas of the Himalayan region are subjected to immense anthropogenic pressure because of least representation in the protected area network. Kitam Bird Sanctuary is the only representative protected area that occurs below 1000 m in Sikkim state of India (a part of globally significant biodiversity hotspot of Himalayas) and serves as the refuge for various species of flora and fauna. Here we studied butterfly diversity and community composition in Kitam Bird Sanctuary (a small protected area of 6 km² geographical area) following point count method spread across predetermined transects. Altogether 1674 butterflies belonging to 111 species and six families were recorded after completion of 240 point counts. Among these, 18 species are federally protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972) of India. Most of the butterflies were forest specialist in terms of habitat preference, whereas based on host plant specificity, the butterfly community was mostly dominated by generalist feeder (Oligophagous II and Polyphagous). Butterfly community parameters showed a strong correlation with habitat variables. While Kitam Bird Sanctuary is primarily designated for conservation of lowland birds, the high diversity of butterflies both in terms of taxonomic richness and trait composition suggests that the sanctuary harbors an ideal habitat for butterflies of the tropical region and invites conservation attention.     

Stemflow: A Source of Nutrients in some Naturally Growing Epiphytic Orchids of the Sikkim Himalaya

A study on five naturally growing epiphytic orchids viz., Bulbophyllum affine Lindl., Coelogyne ochracea Lindl., Otochilus porrecta Lindl., Cirrhopetalum cornutum Lindl. and C. cornutum (var.) was carried out in the subtropical belt of Sikkim Himalaya. Stemflow leachates formed the main source of ammonium-N and nitrate-N for uptake by these orchids. Phosphorus concentration in the tissues of these orchids was high. Phosphate-P from stemflow does not seem to be a regular source of phosphorus for these orchids. Absorption/desorption results indicate that organic-N from stemflow leachates is not utilized by these orchids.     

Tree structure,regeneration and woody biomass removal in a sub-tropical forest of Mamlay watershed in the Sikkim Himalaya

This paper reports on the tree structure, tree dimension relationships and woody biomass production and removal of a sub-tropical natural forest in the Mamlay watershed of the Sikkim Himalaya. The forest provides fuel, fodder and timber to four villages. Only 11 tree species were found growing in the tree stratum despite the high diversity in the stand (32 tree species). The forest shows good regeneration potential with 5474 seedlings/ha and 1776 saplings/ha, but the population structure revealed a marked paucity of trees of higher diameter classes due to removal of trees of lower diameters. Standing wood biomass of 362 Mg/ha is mainly shared by 4 dominating species in the stand. The boles are removed mainly for timber and fuel purposes and about 22 Mg/ha wood biomass was removed in between 1987–1991. Net Primary productivity of woody biomass of the forest is recorded to be 18 Mg/ha/year. 3.85 Mg/ha of annual woody biomass production was removed in the form of tree boles apart from lopping of branches.     

Negative,neutral, and positive interactions among nonnative plants: patterns,processes, and management implications

The movement of species is one of the most pervasive forms of global change, and few ecosystems remain uninvaded by nonnative species. Studying species interactions is crucial for understanding their distribution and abundance, particularly for nonnative species because interactions may influence the probability of invasion and consequent ecological impact. Interactions among nonnatives are relatively understudied, though the likelihood of nonnative species co‐occurrence is high. We quantify and describe the types of interactions among nonnative plants and determine what factors affect interaction outcomes for ecosystems globally. We reviewed 65 studies comprising 201 observations and recorded the interaction type, traits of the interacting species, and study characteristics. We conducted a census of interaction types and a meta‐analysis of experiments that tested nonnative competition intensity. Both methods showed that negative and neutral interactions prevailed, and a number of studies reported that the removal of a dominant nonnative led to competitive release of other nonnatives. Positive interactions were less frequently reported and positive mean effect sizes were rare, but the plant characteristics nitrogen fixation, life cycle (annual or perennial), and functional group significantly influenced positive interactions. Positive interactions were three times more frequent when a neighboring nonnative was a nitrogen fixer and 3.5 times lower when a neighboring nonnative was an annual. Woody plants were two or four times more likely to have positive interactions relative to grasses or herbs, respectively. The prevalence of negative interactions suggests that managers should prepare for reinvasion of sites when treating dominant nonnatives. Though positive interactions were infrequent, managers may be able to anticipate positive interactions among nonnatives based upon traits of the co‐occurring invaders. Predicting positive nonnative interactions is an important tool for determining habitat susceptibility to a particular invasion and for prioritizing management of nonnatives with a higher likelihood of positive interactions.     

Assessment of phytochemicals,antioxidant and antimutagenic activity in micropropagated plants of Quercus serrata,a high value tree species of Himalaya

The major aim of the present study was to: (i) develop an efficient clonal in vitro propagation procedure, and (ii) investigate and compare phytochemicals, antioxidant, and DNA damage protection activity in methanolic extracts of in vitro raised and mother plant leaves of Quercus serrata. The study succeeded in establishing an efficient clonal micropropagation procedure using nodal segments taken from in vivo growing mother plant. The WP medium supplemented with six-benzyleaminopurine (BAP: 8.88 μM) plus indole-3-acetic acid (IAA: 1.43μM) produced the highest number of shoots/explant having maximum average shoot length. In vitro derived shoots exhibited best rooting upon application of 100μM indole-3-butyric acid for 48 h. Among studied phytochemicals, the total phenol content was recorded higher from in vitro raised plants and total flavonoid in the mother plant. Antioxidant activities were recorded higher in case of in vitro raised plants. Also, the methanolic leaf extract of in vitro raised plants exhibited higher antimutagenic activity that of mother plant. These findings indicate Q. serrata as a promising source of natural antioxidants that could be utilized commercially for the prevention of photoaging and oxidative stress-mediated skin diseases.     

Ethno-medicinal plants of tribal people: A case study in Pakyong subdivision of East Sikkim,India

BackgroundTribal people of India still use ancient traditional health care practices, using available plants in their surroundings. Traditional knowledge of medicine is vanishing due to urbanization and outmigration thus its urgent need to preserve this valuable knowledge.MethodsThis recent study was carried out in Pakyong subdivision of East Sikkim during 2016–17, and information was collected interviewing 71 informants of the Lepcha, Bhotia, and Nepali tribes.ResultsPresent study documenting 60 useful plant species belonging to 38 families, used for local health care needs including ten veterinary useful species. Herbaceous plants were used in high proportion (32 species, 54%) followed by trees (20, 33%), shrubs (20, 8%) and climbers (3, 5%). Leaves were the most frequently used plant parts and decoction was the common drug formulation among the inhabitants. The Informant consensus factor (ICF) ranged between 0.88 and 0.97, and fidelity levels in the study region were varied from 11.53% to 100%.ConclusionDocumentation of local plant uses by tribal people will be helpful in sustainable use of indigenous practices of medicinal plants, and further information may be used for pharmacological investigation and novel phytoconstituents isolation.     

A morphometric analysis and taxonomic study of Panax bipinnatifidus Seem. (Araliaceae) species complex from Sikkim Himalaya, India

Cattleya elongata is a rupicolous orchid species spread throughout and endemic to outcrop islands in campo rupestre vegetation of the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil. We scored nine natural populations of C. elongata for morphological and genetic variability, covering the whole distribution area of the species, using allozymes and ISSR markers and morphometric multivariate analyses. Genetic variability in allozimes was relatively high (H _e?=?0.12?C0.25), and unexpectedly higher than the values based on ISSR (H _e?=?0.16?C0.19). The populations present moderate structuring (allozymes, ??_PT?=?0.14; ISSR, ??_PT?=?0.18) and low inbreeding (allozymes, F _IS?=?0.06). Genetic similarity among the populations was high in both markers, in spite of the discontinuity of the outcrops of the Chapada Diamantina. We found no particular biogeographical pattern to the distribution of the genetic and morphologic similarity among the populations of C. elongata. We found high morphological variability with moderate differentiation among the populations. We did not find any correlation among genetic, morphological, and geographical distances, and among the variability found in the morphological and genetic markers. The differences observed between the two genetic markers and the various morphological markers examined here indicated that the isolated use of any single parameter of these different populations for conservation planning or management would not consider all of the variability to be found in the species, as found in other Brazilian campos rupestres plants.     

Uses of ethnomedicinal plants by the people living around Kitam Bird Wildlife Sanctuary,South Sikkim,India

The utilization of wild medicinal plants in primary healthcare system is still vital for mankind, particularly for people residing nearby the protected area. However, ethnobiological knowledge of indigenous people on plant usage is diminishing. The present study aimed at documenting the wild ethnomedicinal plants and to evaluate their importance in the healthcare among the local inhabitants in the fringe villages of Kitam Bird Sanctuary, South Sikkim, India. The methodology comprised interviews and questionnaire-based household surveys focusing on the informant's knowledge and experience in the use of wild medicinal plants against several diseases and ailments. Data was analysed using relative frequency citation (RFC), use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level (FL%). A total of 23 ethnomedicinal plant species belonging to 20 families were recorded from the study area. Among the growth forms, herbs accounted the highest number of species (39%), followed by trees (30%), climbers (13%), ferns and shrubs with 9% each. Fruits have shown the highest use (20%), followed by leaves (16%) and whole plant. Terminalia chebula had the highest RFC (0.91) and UV (0.99), followed by Terminalia bellirica (RFC = 0.89, UV = 0.96) and Phyllanthus emblica (RFC = 0.84, UV = 0.91). Results indicate that the locals in the area had good ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants which indicates their dependency on plants for treating several ailments and diseases. Some unexplored species such as Calamus erectus, Laportea bulbifera, Pteris biaurita and Solanum viarum possessing high fidelity level have scope for further pharmacological investigation.     

Phenology of high-altitude plants of Kumaun in Central Himalaya,India

The various developmental stages of 184 species of high-altitude plants were studied during 1987 and 1988 in the Pindari glacial moraine area of Kumaun Himalaya in the Central Himalaya. The initiation of growth was synchronised with the beginning of the spring/or summer temperature rise and snowmelt. In this high-altitude zone, the peaks of various phenophases succeeded one after another over about 4 months from early June to October. It is suggested that the plants complete various growth cycles within a very short period of favourable conditions to ensure the survival of their progeny.     

Knowledge,use and management of native wild edible plants from a seasonal dry forest (NE,Brazil)

Background

Despite being an ancient practice that satisfies basic human needs, the use of wild edible plants tends to be forgotten along with associated knowledge in rural communities. The objective of this work is to analyze existing relationships between knowledge, use, and management of native wild edible plants and socioeconomic factors such as age, gender, family income, individual income, past occupation and current occupation.

Methods

The field work took place between 2009 and 2010 in the community of Carão, Altinho municipality, in the state of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 39 members of the community regarding knowledge, use and management of 14 native wild edible plants from the Caatinga region, corresponding to 12 vegetable species. In parallel, we documented the socioeconomic aspects of the interviewed population (age, gender, family income, individual income, past occupation and current occupation).

Results

Knowledge about edible plants was related to age but not to current occupation or use. Current use was not associated with age, gender or occupation. The association between age and past use may indicate abandonment of these resources.

Conclusion

Because conservation of the species is not endangered by their use but by deforestation of the ecosystems in which these plants grow, we suggest that the promotion and consumption of the plants by community members is convenient and thereby stimulates the appropriation and consequent protection of the ecosystem. To promote consumption of these plants, it is important to begin by teaching people about plant species that can be used for their alimentation, disproving existing myths about plant use, and encouraging diversification of use by motivating the invention of new preparation methods. An example of how this can be achieved is through events like the “Preserves Festival”.