Ethnobotany of wild plants and crop wild relatives in walnut-fruit forests of Kyrgyzstan

Bc. Linda Vlčková, BSc

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The world's largest walnut-fruit forest is located in Kyrgyzstan Fergana valley. This unique ecosystem is rich in natural resources, which are very important for local people, who gather mainly fruits, wood, herbs, and mushrooms in the forest. The forest is also used for pasture of domestic animals. Excessive grazing, premature fruit, and berries collection, excessive firewood collection, unsustainable forest management cause degradation of the forest ecosystem. The study focuses on how extensive traditional knowledge of wild food and medicinal plants, non-timber products, wood is. The main aim is to determine the most important gathered species, how these species are used if they are sold and therefore economically important for local people. What impact could the overuses have of the forest by animals and local people? The research was conducted between August and September in 2018 in 5 leshoz (Arslanbob, Toskol-Ata, Kyzyl-Unkur, Kara-Alma, and Salam-Alik) with selected informants (n=146). Informants were selected randomly and asked during collecting plants, wood, and grass in the forest or home gardens.

Keywords

walnut fruit forest, ethnobotany, traditional knowledge

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 27. 4. 2019

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Zbyněk Polesný, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / field:
Forestry Engineering / Tropical Forestry and Agroforestry