An integrated assessment of wild vegetable resources in Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, China

Mwingi District lies within the Kenyan Arid and Semiarid lands (ASALs) in Eastern Province. Although some ethnobotanical surveys have been undertaken in some arid and semiarid areas of Kenya, limited studies have documented priority medicinal plants as well as local people's awareness of conservation needs of these plants. This study sought to establish the priority traditional medicinal plants used for human, livestock healthcare, and those used for protecting stored grains against pest infestation in Mwingi district. Further, the status of knowledge among the local people on the threat and conservation status of important medicinal species was documented. This study identified 18 species which were regarded as priority traditional medicinal plants for human health. In terms of priority, 8 were classified as moderate, 6 high, while 4 were ranked highest priority species. These four species are Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boiv. (Mimosacaeae), Aloe secundiflora (Engl. (Aloaceae), Acalypha fruticosa Forssk. (Euphorbiaceae) and Salvadora persica L. (Salvadoraceae). In regard to medicinal plants used for ethnoveterinary purposes, eleven species were identified while seven species were reported as being important for obtaining natural products or concoctions used for stored grain preservation especially against weevils. The data obtained revealed that there were new records of priority medicinal plants which had not been documented as priority species in the past. Results on conservation status of these plants showed that more than 80% of the respondents were unaware that wild medicinal plants were declining, and, consequently, few of them have any domesticated species. Some of the species that have been conserved on farm or deliberately allowed to persist when wild habitats are converted into agricultural lands include: Croton megalocarpus Hutch., Aloe secundiflora, Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Warburgia ugandensis Sprague, Ricinus communis L. and Terminalia brownie Fresen. A small proportion of the respondents however, were aware of the threats facing medicnal plants. Some of the plants reported as declining include, Solanum renschii Vatke (Solanaceae), Populus ilicifolia (Engl.) Rouleau (Salicaceae), Strychnos henningsii Gilg (Loganiaceae) and Rumex usambarensis (Dammer) Dammer (Polygonaceae). Considering the low level of understanding of conservation concerns for these species, there is need therefore, to build capacity among the local communities in this area particularly in regard to sustainable use of natural resources, conservation methods as well as domestication processes.     

内蒙古通辽市库伦旗蒙古族庭园植物农业生物多样性分析——以芒汗苏木毛敦塔拉嘎查为例

庭园是形成和保存农业生物多样性的基本单位,也是野生植物和栽培植物聚集的场所。在农村,庭园的主要作用是提供日常生活所需,还可产生收入。庭园中不仅存在较高的生物多样性,而且庭园也有很多社会、文化、生态方面等功能。该研究针对通辽市库伦旗芒汗苏木毛敦塔拉嘎查蒙古族,采用随机抽样和农户推荐的方式选择了11个农户,以农户的整个庭园面积为样方,设立11个样方进行农业生物多样性分析,并用漫谈式访谈和半结构调查方法进行庭园植物及其经济效益调查。结果表明:毛敦塔拉嘎查蒙古族庭园植物物种丰富度较高,庭园植物共有96种,包括栽培及野生的植物蔬菜类33种、水果用19种、观赏用20种、饲料用8种、药食兼用5种、其它用途类16种,其中有些种类具有多种用途;毛敦塔拉嘎查各农户庭园植物的多样性随着庭园类型及庭园管理者的特征而不同;庭园面积大且种植大量经济作物的庭园经济效益高;据调查当地庭园的经营模式具有生态种植型、综合经营型、庭园养殖型三种类型。这些庭园植物不仅对当地农牧民的生活具有广泛作用而且对农业生物多样性保护具有深远意义。