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Pak. J. Bot., 45(SI): 157-164, 2013.

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ROLE OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION OF AN AREA: A CASE STUDY ON TREE ETHNOBOTANY OF SOONA VALLEY, DISTRICT BHIMBER AZAD KASHMIR, PAKISTAN

MUHAMMAD ISHTIAQ*, MEHWISH MAQBOOL, TANVEER HUSSAIN AND AMIN SHAH¹

Abstract: The present research work was carried out to construct ethnobotanical profile (EBP) of indigenous knowledge of being employed in fragment of Soona Valley (SV), Tehsil Samahni, District Bhimber, (A.K.) Pakistan and its consequences in Biodiversity Conservation. The study was conducted through an intensive, systematic and comprehensive survey in two stages during the year 2009. The floristic inventory and EBP was formulated in order to identify plant species present in the area and their economic use in SV. A total of 70 informants of both genders participated in the study survey and male community (79%) had more information about the plants than women (21%). Ethnobotanical enumerations of 58 woody plant species (24 families) were recorded and among these 30 species were of high significant value. The community examined demonstrated a significant knowledge of woody species in the area that can be used to satisfy local needs, especially of wooden materials, fodder, construction and ethnomedicines (39 spp). Decoction, extraction and whole fruit were popular form of ethnomedicinal ingestion. In spite of diversity of total plant diversity observed, the utilitarian potential was concentrated in reduce number of species demonstrating high relative importance. For reliability of EBP informations fidelity level (FL %), direct matrix ranking (DMR) and priority ranking (PR) were also calculated. It was demonstrated that Terminalia belerica, Butea monosperma, Terminalia arjuna, Phyllanthus embllica, Tribulus terristris and Cordia obliqa were threatened species. This study will be a step towards for new drug discovery by using this traditional knowledge about the woody species of the area. It will also provide guiding torch for conservation of threatened woody and other medicinal plant species.

Department of Botany, Mirpur University of Science & Technology (MUST) Bhimber Campus, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan

¹Department of Biological Sciences, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan

*Corresponding author: E-mail: drishtiaqajk@gmail.com