The Fading Face of Healing Herbs

Project TeamShashwati VII-C : Group LeaderShambhabi VII-C : MemberKanishk VII-E : MemberSaurabh Samir VII-E : MemberAntas Sinha VII-E : Member

:

ByClass VII StudentsDelhi Public School, Patna

An Investigative Project on the Central Theme ‘Biodiversity’

What is Biodiversity?Why to Conserve Biodiversity?

Biodiversity refers to all sort of variability occuring in all living biological forms available on the Earth that includes all the species of animals, birds, insects, microbes and plants.

Each living being has genes similar to each other but, they are combined in a different ratio. If we want to conserve the variety and beauty in nature, we will have to conserve these genes i.e. we need to conserve different species.

Objectives

To assess the status of biodiversity of local medicinal plants in the urban localities of Patna.

To make a database of the natural remedies using local herbs.

To initiate a popular movement against the destruction of diversity of plants , by emphasizing the interdependence of various species.

To make local people conscious that the thoughtless destruction of natural habitats of herbs are leading to slow but steady extinction of the diverse medicinal plant species.

Earlier Work Done

In the year 2005, a project was done in DPS Patna under the name “Nature’s Healing Herbs” which documented the different variety of local herbs available in and around Patna with their usage .

This project is an endeavour to assess the rate of depletion of plant biodiversity in Patna along with finding out the probable causes of the depletion.

Methodology: Comparative Research

Two Areas were Chosen in and around Patna

Control Area

Where human encroachment and interference is minimum

[WALMI Complex, Patna]

Research Area

Where human encroachment and interference is maximum

[Urban Areas, Patna]

Work done1. Gathered data about the available plant species, their frequency, relative

frequency, density and abundance by the method of quadrat sampling in the Control Area as well as the Research Area.

2. Analysed the data collected from the two areas.

3. Compared the data obtained from the two areas by bar graphs and pie charts.

Group members busy in quadrat sampling

Total Number of Individuals of Different Species in Control Area

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Total Number of Individual

Number of species available=31

Number of individuals of different species in Research Area

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Number of species available=16

Comparison of Densities of Different Species in the Two Areas

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Amrool Grass/Dub Kush BavaniyaSaag

Dudhiya Bhu Amla Tulsi Hibiscus

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Density Density

Some cruel facts : The number of plant species found in Control Area is

31 whereas The number of plant species found in Research area is

16 (almost 50% of that of Control Area) Among the 8 species, which are common in both the

areas, most of the important local herbs are absent. Whatever common plant species are found in the

Research Area, except grass, kush or dudhiya, all have lower density as compared to that of Control Area ;

For instance,Density of Bhu-amla in Control area=149.6but, density of Bhu-amla in Research area=0.6

Density of Tulsi in Control area=5.6Density of Tulsi in research area=0.4

Conclusions

• The need of the hour is to evaluate the efficacy and sustainability of our resource use patterns.

• We, the urbanites, never know what we are losing in the name of ‘Development’. Unplanned construction and urbanisation are destroying the habitats of local medicinal plants.

• The lack of knowledge about traditional herbal remedies have worsened the situation. In urban area, people do not know about the importance of the medicinal plants, so they do not try to conserve these species.

• If this trend continues, in near future, we would lose many members from our rich heritage of medicinal plants.

Recommendations

•Sustainable use of the land resources•Planned urbanization and•Preservation of traditional knowledge database

Can reverse the situation and we can retrieve the “fading face of healing herbs” from permanent extinction

THANK YOU