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<p>Ethnobotanical surveys conducted from May 2017 to September 2018 with 61 tribal shepherds of Bhawanagar in Kinnaur district (Himachal Pradesh) documented the traditional uses of medicinal plants during their seasonal migration from alpine to low hill pastures. Analysis using use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level (FL) identified specific patterns in the use of plants for pastoral health care. Fifty-four plant species from 40 families were recorded. The highest informant consensus (ICF = 0.96) was found for treatments of skin problems, involving 21 species mostly used to treat wounds, boils, and burns. Treatments for digestive problems like indigestion and dysentery displayed similar consensus (ICF = 0.96), while the highest agreement was recorded for musculoskeletal problems (ICF = 0.97), a reflection of the region’s steep and physically demanding terrain. Species possessing the highest cultural importance included <i>Berberis lycium</i> (UV = 1.00) and <i>Thymus linearis</i> (UV = 1.00), both considered indispensable in the local pharmacopeia. Ethnomedicinal knowledge across age groups indicated gradual erosion of traditional expertise, emphasizing an urgent need for knowledge documentation and intergenerational transfer. The study also reveals the potential threat to several widely used species, highlighting the need for sustainable harvesting, rotational grazing and village-based nurseries to maintain species’ availability. For migratory pastoralists in areas with limited access to modern healthcare, these plant-based medicines represent the major source of medicine. The research not only documents important ethnobotanical knowledge but also highlights high-consensus species with potential pharmacological properties for future clinical trials and conservation efforts in the Western Himalaya.</p>

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Quantitative ethnobotany of migratory shepherds in Bhawanagar: disease consensus, cultural keystones, and erosion risks in the Northwestern Himalaya

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月23日

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  • Radha,
  • Ashok Pundir,
  • Samar Gogari,
  • Neeraj Kumari,
  • Suraj Prakash,
  • Abdulahi Mahammed Adem

摘要

Ethnobotanical surveys conducted from May 2017 to September 2018 with 61 tribal shepherds of Bhawanagar in Kinnaur district (Himachal Pradesh) documented the traditional uses of medicinal plants during their seasonal migration from alpine to low hill pastures. Analysis using use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level (FL) identified specific patterns in the use of plants for pastoral health care. Fifty-four plant species from 40 families were recorded. The highest informant consensus (ICF = 0.96) was found for treatments of skin problems, involving 21 species mostly used to treat wounds, boils, and burns. Treatments for digestive problems like indigestion and dysentery displayed similar consensus (ICF = 0.96), while the highest agreement was recorded for musculoskeletal problems (ICF = 0.97), a reflection of the region’s steep and physically demanding terrain. Species possessing the highest cultural importance included Berberis lycium (UV = 1.00) and Thymus linearis (UV = 1.00), both considered indispensable in the local pharmacopeia. Ethnomedicinal knowledge across age groups indicated gradual erosion of traditional expertise, emphasizing an urgent need for knowledge documentation and intergenerational transfer. The study also reveals the potential threat to several widely used species, highlighting the need for sustainable harvesting, rotational grazing and village-based nurseries to maintain species’ availability. For migratory pastoralists in areas with limited access to modern healthcare, these plant-based medicines represent the major source of medicine. The research not only documents important ethnobotanical knowledge but also highlights high-consensus species with potential pharmacological properties for future clinical trials and conservation efforts in the Western Himalaya.