Indicators of conservation priorities for medicinal plants from seasonal dry forests of northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Medicinal plants are used by local populations to treat numerous diseases, and many species are used as raw materials for the manufacture of medicines sold by the pharmaceutical industry. However, the intensive collection of these resources poses great challenges related to their conservation. Through a systematic review, we gathered information on the versatility of medicinal trees from seasonal dry forests (Caatinga) in order to create a conservation priority index (CPI) for these species. We found that demand by the pharmaceutical industry is a factor that must be taken into account when establishing conservation priorities for medicinal plants. We found that endemism was not a determining factor in the identification of priority species for conservation. The effects of extractivism on the demographics of Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. Ex DC.) Mattos, Anacardium occidentale L., and Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. populations require urgent assessment, because these species are in high demand by local communities and the pharmaceutical industry. Ecological studies may reveal strategies that should be incorporated into their management plans, which can include an increase in time between collection intervals, the production of plant nurseries, the implementation of reforestation programs, and cryopreservation, in addition to the involvement of the local community in monitoring programs. Other indicators such as the importance of species for the maintenance of ecosystem services, productivity chains, and the elaboration of public policies can be included as conservation strategies for these species.