Medicinal plants in the Altai Mountains: reserves of raw materials and annual possible volumes of harvesting

Abstract

Russia is one of the leading exporters of wild medicinal plants in Europe, and the Altai Mountains are the main harvest areas. The conservation strategy includes both the exploitation of wild populations and the cultivation of medicinal plants. To avoid over-harvesting of medicinal plants in nature it is essential to observe the mode of sustainable use. The paper aims to analyse data on resources of 91 medicinal plant species in the Altai Mountains. Exploitable reserves, annual possible volume of harvesting and harvesting periodicity are given for 34 commercial species. We compared data on dynamics of harvestings and exploitable reserves for brand species with subsurface parts used. The Altai Mountains has great potential as a resource region of medicinal plants. Commercial harvesters apparently ignore the mode of sustainable use. The question needs further research and effective enforcement of the legal framework.

Impact of elevation and slope exposure on abundance of rare medicinal plant Rhaponticum carthamoides (Maral root)

“…Today the collection of the raw material of this species is prohibited only in the Kuznetsk Alatau representing only a small part of its range. However, the Red List did not become an obstacle for mass gathering even there due the lack of special controls for wildlife (Nekratova & Shurupova, 2015). It is obvious that as long as there is no way a directive to enforce the mode of sustainable use at the state level, the R. carthamoides must not be subjected to industrial harvesting of raw materials because it leads to destruction of strategically important natural resource.…”

Morphophysiological changes of wild Stachys multicaulis species under physical conditions during the cultivation process

“…However, cultivation as one of the most important stage of domestication process could have a positive effect on plant conservation strategy includes both the exploitation of wild populations, especially for medicinal plants (Nekratova and Shurupova, 2015), but environmental conditions have different effects on the performance of plants cultivated. For instance, climate factors represents a serious threat to the development of more environmentally resilient crops to safeguard the future of food production.…”