Potential distribution of endangered medicinal plant Nardostachys Jatamansi (D.Don) DC. in Shey Phoksundo National Park, Nepal

Shey Phoksundo National Park (SPNP), Nepal’s largest trans-Himalayan national park, is a vital habitat for many endemic and endangered species, including the medicinal plant Nardostachys jatamansi DC. Despite ongoing conservation efforts, the population of Jatamansi has been declining due to over-exploitation, habitat degradation, and increasing anthropogenic disturbances. To predict the suitable habitat of Jatamansi in SPNP, we applied the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modeling approach. The model performed well (AUC = 0.846), with temperature-related variables and elevation emerging as the most influential predictors. Approximately 28,671 hectares of suitable habitat was identified, primarily concentrated in the eastern part of the park, consistent with field observations. These findings provide critical insights into the environmental preferences and spatial distribution of N. jatamansi , offering valuable guidance for targeted conservation, sustainable harvesting, and long-term species management.