Nusantara Bioscience
Vol. 15 No. 2 (2023)

The link of socioeconomic importance to the conservation status of the Mediterranean endemic plants in Egypt

KAMAL SHALTOUT (Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Tanta University. Al-Geish St., Tanta, Gharbia 31527, Egypt)
HEBA BEDAIR (Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Tanta University. Al-Geish St., Tanta, Gharbia 31527, Egypt)
MOHAMED MAHMOUD EL-KHALAFY (Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University. Qism Kafr El-Shaikh, Kafr el-Sheikh 33516, Egypt)
AMR KESHTA (Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Tanta University. Al-Geish St., Tanta, Gharbia 31527, Egypt)
MARWA W. A. HALMY (Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University. Baghdad, Al Bab Al Gadid WA Mansha, Qism Moharram Bek, Alexandria 21511, Egypt)



Article Info

Publish Date
19 Sep 2023

Abstract

Abstract. Shaltout K, Bedair H, El-Khalafy MM, Keshta A, Halmy MWA. 2023. The link of socioeconomic importance to the conservation status of the Mediterranean endemic plants in Egypt. Nusantara Bioscience 15: 189-211. Mediterranean Basin is the second world's richest hotspot and one of the most critical spots on the planet for endemic species. Therefore, the present study aimed at screening the Mediterranean endemics and evaluating the uses of recorded taxa quantitively through developing new indices and updating the existing ones. Indeed, Semi-structured interviews were used with 43 informants. Relative Cultural Importance (RCI), Species Conservation Importance (SCI), and Relative Medicinal Importance (RMI) indices were applied to determine the most valuable taxa. A preliminary list of 65 Mediterranean endemic species belonging to 49 genera and 22 families in Egypt was compiled from the available literature. Fifty-seven (87.7%) species have at least one aspect of the potential or actual economic value. The most represented use category was the medicinal value (39 taxa: 69.6%). Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. was mentioned in the highest use categories (NU: 5). Veronica syriaca Roem. & Schult. attained the maximum ethnobotanical Relative Importance (RI) index value. It is crucial to shed light on the cultural value of Mediterranean endemics to guide future management planning to support the conservation and sustainable use of these critical species.

Copyrights © 2023






Journal Info

Abbrev

nb

Publisher

Subject

Other

Description

Aims and Scope Nusantara Bioscience (Nusantara Biosci) encourages submission of manuscripts dealing with all aspects of biological sciences that emphasize issues germane to biological and nature ...