Ethnobotanical study of wild forage plants in the semi-arid region of Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria

While ethnobotanical studies often focus on a broad range of plant uses, this study in a pastoral region specifically examined local knowledge concerning forage plants, providing valuable insights for sustainable livestock feeding practices. This pioneering study, conducted in Algeria's semi-arid region, documents local knowledge of wild forage plants utilized by pastoralists. The survey was conducted using a snowball sampling method. Data was collected between February and July 2022. 84 participants, including male and female shepherds, farmers, veterinarians, and forest rangers aged 25 to 85, were involved in the study. The data collection process included semi-structured interviews, discussions, guided field visits, and participatory observation. The data obtained were analyzed using a relative frequency citation (RFC) index, presented in percentages and graphs using Microsoft Excel. 133 forage interest plants were recorded belonging to 90 genera and 43 families, 92 of which were reported to be medicinal. Asteraceae (with 27 plant species), Poaceae (17), Fabaceae (11) and Apiaceae (8) were the most frequently cited families. The parts most consumed by livestock were the aerial parts (96 plant species), followed by the leaves and tender branches (21), the whole plant (9), and the leaves (7). Herbaceous species represent 76% of the total species, followed by shrubs (14%) and trees (10%). Grazing and mowing were the most common harvesting techniques. The most frequently cited species were Artemisia herba-alba, sinapis arvensis, Stipa tenacissima, Zizyhus lotus and Atriplex canescens.