Sebsebe Demissew

A Rosetta Stone for Nature's Benefits to People

After a long incubation period, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is now underway. Underpinning all its activities is the IPBES Conceptual Framework (CF), a simplified model of the interactions between nature and people. Drawing on the legacy of previous large-scale environmental assessments, the CF goes further in explicitly embracing different disciplines and knowledge systems (including indigenous and local knowledge) in the co-construction of assessments of the state of the world’s biodiversity and the benefits it provides to humans. The CF can be thought of as a kind of “Rosetta Stone” that highlights commonalities between diverse value sets and seeks to facilitate crossdisciplinary and crosscultural understanding. We argue that the CF will contribute to the increasing trend towards interdisciplinarity in understanding and managing the environment. Rather than displacing disciplinary science, however, we believe that the CF will provide new contexts of discovery and policy applications for it.

Assessing nature’s contributions to people

Recognizing culture, and diverse sources of knowledge, can improve assessments A major challenge today and into the future is to maintain or enhance beneficial contributions of nature to a good quality of life for all people. This is among the key motivations of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), a joint global effort by governments, academia, and civil society to assess and promote knowledge of Earths biodiversity and ecosystems and their contribution to human societies in order to inform policy formulation. One of the more recent key elements of the IPBES conceptual framework (1) is the notion of natures contributions to people (NCP), which builds on the ecosystem service concept popularized by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) (2). But as we detail below, NCP as defined and put into practice in IPBES differs from earlier work in several important ways. First, the NCP approach recognizes the central and pervasive role that culture plays in defining all links between people and nature. Second, use of NCP elevates, emphasizes, and operationalizes the role of indigenous and local knowledge in understanding natures contribution to people.

A description of some essential oil bearing plants in Ethiopia and their indigenous uses

ABSTRACT A morphological description, the habitat and areas where 28 aromatic plants can be found growing in Ethiopia and their local uses is presented. Of the plants discussed, seven are cultivated (Trachyspermumammi, Artemisia rehan, Lepidum sativum, Ocimum basilicum, Ruta chalepensis, Curcuma domestica and Zingiber officinale), five are endemic (Echinops kebericho, Thymus schimperi, T. serrulatus, Lippia adoensis and Aframomum corrorima), while the other 16 aromatic plants (Boswellia papyrifera, B. microphylla, Commiphora myrrha, Ajugaintegrifolia, Ocimum americanum, O. forskolei, O. lamiifolium, O. gratissimum, Satureja abyssinica, S. biflora, S. punctata, Cymbopogon citratus, Lippia carviodora, L. dauensis, Premna resinosa and P. schimperi) can also be found growing in other African countries. The chemical composition of Trachysperrmum ammi (carvacrol 69%); Artemisia rehan (davanone44.4%); Ocimumamericanum (linalool 15.3%, camphor 15.1% and terpinen-4-ol 17.6%); O. gratissimum(eugenol 57.4%); O. fors...

Medicinal plants potential and use by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Erer Valley of Babile Wereda, Eastern Ethiopia

BackgroundEthiopian plants have shown remarkably effective medicinal values for many human and livestock ailments. Some research results are found on medicinal plants of the south, south west, central, north and north western parts of Ethiopia. However, there is lack of data that quantitatively assesses the resource potential and the indigenous knowledge on use and management of medicinal plants in eastern Ethiopia. The main thrust of the present ethnobotanical study centres around the potential and use of traditional medicinal plants by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Babile Wereda (district) of eastern Ethiopia. The results can be used for setting up of conservation priorities, preservation of local biocultural knowledge with sustainable use and development of the resource.Materials and methodsFifty systematically selected informants including fifteen traditional herbalists (as key informants) participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews, discussions and guided field walk constituted the main data collection methods. Techniques of preference ranking, factor of informant consensus and Spearman rank correlation test were employed in data analysis. Medicinal plant specimens were collected, identified and kept at the National Herbarium (ETH) of Addis Ababa University and Haramaya University Herbarium.ResultsFifty-one traditional medicinal plant species in 39 genera and 28 families were recorded, constituting 37% shrubs, 29% trees, 26% herbs, 6% climbers and 2% root parasites. Leaves contributed to 35.3% of the preparations, roots (18.8%) and lower proportions for other parts. Formulations recorded added to 133 remedies for 54 human ailments, in addition to some used in vector control. The majority of remedies were the juice of single species, mixtures being generally infrequent. Aloe pirottae, Azadirachta indica and Hydnora johannis were the most cited and preferred species. Aloe pirottae, a species endemic to Ethiopia, is valued as a remedy for malaria, tropical ulcer, gastro-intestinal parasites, gallstone, eye diseases and snake bite. The jel extracted from dried and ground plant material, called SIBRI (Oromo language), was acclaimed as a cleaner of the human colon. Concoction made from leaf, seed and flower of Azadirachta indica was given for treatment of malaria, fungal infections and intestinal worms. Root preparations from Hydnora johannis were prescribed as remedy for diarrhoea, haemorrhage, wound and painful body swelling, locally called GOFLA (Oromo language).ConclusionsThe study documented many well known and effective medicinal species of relevance for human healthcare, including for the treatment of malaria which is rampant in the area as it is in many parts of Ethiopia. This underscores the importance of the traditional medicinal plants for the people living in the area and the potential of the resource for development. Consequently, the study area deserves urgent conservation priority coupled with mechanisms for the protection of the associated indigenous medical lore as well as development and effective use of the medicinal plant resource.

Acacia: The case against moving the type to Australia

Recent studies have shown that Acacia is polyphyletic and must be split into five genera. Proposal 1584 would retypify Acacia : the type of the Australian taxon A. penninervis would be conserved over the current lectotype ( A. scorpioides ) of an African taxon. We disagree with the recommendation of the Spermatophyte Committee to endorse this proposal. Contrary to Article 14.12 of the ICBN, no detailed case against conservation was presented in Proposal 1584. We maintain that there are strong arguments against conservation, such as the large number of countries that would be affected, the economic importance of the extra-Australian species, and the economic burden placed on developing countries. Acceptance of this proposal would also violate the guidelines for conservation which clearly state that the principle of priority should prevail when conservation for one part of the world would create disadvantageous change in another part of the world.

Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera

BackgroundAloe vera supports a substantial global trade yet its wild origins, and explanations for its popularity over 500 related Aloe species in one of the world’s largest succulent groups, have remained uncertain. We developed an explicit phylogenetic framework to explore links between the rich traditions of medicinal use and leaf succulence in aloes.ResultsThe phylogenetic hypothesis clarifies the origins of Aloe vera to the Arabian Peninsula at the northernmost limits of the range for aloes. The genus Aloe originated in southern Africa ~16 million years ago and underwent two major radiations driven by different speciation processes, giving rise to the extraordinary diversity known today. Large, succulent leaves typical of medicinal aloes arose during the most recent diversification ~10 million years ago and are strongly correlated to the phylogeny and to the likelihood of a species being used for medicine. A significant, albeit weak, phylogenetic signal is evident in the medicinal uses of aloes, suggesting that the properties for which they are valued do not occur randomly across the branches of the phylogenetic tree.ConclusionsPhylogenetic investigation of plant use and leaf succulence among aloes has yielded new explanations for the extraordinary market dominance of Aloe vera. The industry preference for Aloe vera appears to be due to its proximity to important historic trade routes, and early introduction to trade and cultivation. Well-developed succulent leaf mesophyll tissue, an adaptive feature that likely contributed to the ecological success of the genus Aloe, is the main predictor for medicinal use among Aloe species, whereas evolutionary loss of succulence tends to be associated with losses of medicinal use. Phylogenetic analyses of plant use offer potential to understand patterns in the value of global plant diversity.

Anthraquinones, Pre-anthraquinones And Isoeleutherol In The Roots Of Aloe Species

Abstract Comparative TLC analysis of the root extracts of 32 Aloe species showed that chrysophanol, asphodelin, chrysophanol-8-methyl ether, aloechrysone, helminthosporin, aloesaponol III, aloesaponarin I, aloesaponol I, aloesaponarin II, aloesaponol II and laccaic acid D-methyl ester are widely distributed in these plants. Isoeleutherol, which is reported here for the first time as a natural product, occurs only in the Saponariae series of Aloe . The chemotaxonomic implication of the distribution of these compounds for the genus Aloe is discussed.

Diversifying crops for food and nutrition security - a case of teff.

There are more than 50000 known edible plants in the world, yet two‐thirds of global plant‐derived food is provided by only three major cereals – maize (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa). The dominance of this triad, now considered truly global food commodities, has led to a decline in the number of crop species contributing to global food supplies. Our dependence on only a few crop species limits our capability to deal with challenges posed by the adverse effects of climate change and the consequences of dietary imbalance. Emerging evidence suggests that climate change will cause shifts in crop production and yield loss due to more unpredictable and hostile weather patterns. One solution to this problem is through the wider use of underutilised (also called orphan or minor) crops to diversify agricultural systems and food sources. In addition to being highly nutritious, underutilised crops are resilient in natural and agricultural conditions, making them a suitable surrogate to the major crops. One such crop is teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], a warm‐season annual cereal with the tiniest grain in the world. Native to Ethiopia and often the sustenance for local small farmers, teff thrives in both moisture‐stressed and waterlogged soil conditions, making it a dependable staple within and beyond its current centre of origin. Today, teff is deemed a healthy wheat alternative in the West and is sought‐after by health aficionados and those with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity. The blooming market for healthy food is breathing new life into this underutilised crop, which has received relatively limited attention from mainstream research perhaps due to its ‘orphan crop’ status. This review presents the past, present and future of an ancient grain with a potential beyond its size.

Current and Future Fire Regimes and Their Influence on Natural Vegetation in Ethiopia

Fire is a major factor shaping the distribution of vegetation types. In this study, we used a recent high resolution map of potential natural vegetation (PNV) types and MODIS fire products to model and investigate the importance of fire as driver of vegetation distribution patterns in Ethiopia. We employed statistical modeling techniques to estimate the distribution of fire and the PNVs under current climatic conditions, and used the calibrated models to project distributions for different climate change scenarios. Results show a clear congruence between distribution patterns of fire and major vegetation types. The effect of climate change varies considerably between climate change models and scenarios, but as general trend expansions of moist Afromontane forest and Combretum–Terminalia woodlands were predicted. Fire-prone areas were also predicted to increase, and including this factor in vegetation distribution models resulted in stronger expansion of Combretum–Terminalia woodlands and a more limited increase of moist Afromontane forests. These results underline the importance of fire as a regulating factor of vegetation distribution patterns, and how fire needs to be factored into predict the possible effects of climate change. For conservation strategies to effectively address conservation challenges caused by rapid climate shifts, it is imperative that they not only consider the direct influence of climate changes on the vegetation, species species, or biodiversity patterns, but also the influence of future fire regimes.

Ethnobotany of Berta and Gumuz people in western Ethiopia.

Abstract This paper studies the use and management of local botanical resources by the Berta and Gumuz people of western Ethiopia. The study focused on plants that are important in their lives, including those that grow in natural habitats and those maintained in fields and cultivated home gardens. Interviews were conducted along with informal discussions with the purpose of collecting ethnobotanical information on useful plants. The interviews included 125 informants; most of whom were from farming families. Information was provided on 185 plant species that serve as sources of food, medicine and other products essential for local livelihoods. The study showed that the Berta and Gumuz people rely on an assortment of plants, 30% through cultivation and 70% through direct collection from wild stands. The ethnobotanical knowledge of the people was equated with the age and educational level of the informants. Areas of conservation concern are over-harvesting of wild plants that give immediate economic returns, change in plant use due to increased dependence on fabricated materials, cultivation of crops in direct response to market needs and domestication of new plants. Recommendations are made for intervention through in-situ and ex-situ conservation. The traditional conservation options that have ensured the maintenance of the plant diversity and the indigenous knowledge base to date must be encouraged and enhanced through application of modern approaches to biodiversity conservation. This study attempts to provide baseline information that can be used in conservation planning and sustainable resource development programs in addition to documenting the cultural heritage of the people.