Western Ghats -MP Diversity

 Flowering plants – 4000 spp.
 Endemic to Western ghats – 1930 spp.
 Med. Fl. plants in Kerala region – 540 spp.
 Rare & Endangered – 56 spp.
 Threatened – 35 spp.
 MPCAs – 7
 Red listed plants in MPCAs – 45
 Sacred groves in Kerala – 1500

Threats to Biodiversity of MPs

Primary factors:
1. Habitat loss
2. Over exploitation.
3. Introduced Species
4. Population pressure

*Raw drugs – main source (72%) : Natural forests- often collected destructively – Decline in MP population.
*Exploding population-Urbanization-Shrinking forests-Environmental catastrophe (Tsunami/Earthquake etc)
*Over harvesting- Bioprospection etc
ALL THE ABOVE FACTORS HAVE DRIVEN MEDICINAL PLANTS TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION.

Conservation of biodiversity of MPs

What has been done:

 FRLHT under the DANIDA Project: Listed 439 prioritized MPs of South India
 Eco-distribution mapping of various MPs (#150+)
Propagation methods of about 250 spp.
Database of mp trade of about 600 spp.
MPCA-Data compiled and computerized.
Threat status assessment of MPs.
 112 taxa in Red list category
 18 taxa critically endangered
 GOI initiated the Vanaspati vana Project

Genetic Resources conservation

Managing and using resources sustainability
Safeguarding pl. gene. diversity from loss and degradation
 IUCN advocates conservation at 3 levels:
 Genetic diversity
 Species diversity
 Ecosystem diversity

 What are to be conserved ?
 Why are they to be conserved ?
 Where are they to be conserved ?
 How are they to be conserved
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