Scale for Assessing the Impact of Operational Stress on the Resource Potential of Medicinal Plants: A Case Study of Southern Uzbekistan

This article discusses the development of a scale for assessing the impact of exploitation stress on the resource potential of medicinal plants. The scale assesses the degree of exploitation impact, taking into account the life form of the plant and the type of harvested raw material, based on certain criteria. According to this scale, for perennial herbaceous plants harvested for their underground part, one-year exploitation in a given area is assessed at 2 points (β), and repeated exploitation over two years is assessed at 3 points (α). For perennial herbaceous plants and subshrubs harvested for their aboveground part, the assessment varies depending on the intensity of harvesting and is assessed at 1 point (γ), 2 points (β) or 3 points (α). In this regard, it is recommended to harvest the aboveground part of perennial herbs in one area no more than once every 4 years. With a one-time harvesting of raw materials from the underground part of perennial herbaceous plants, the number of exploitable individuals is reduced by approximately 44%. This is confirmed by the dynamics of the decrease in the resource potential of southern Uzbekistan during the collection of the root resin of Ferula tadshikorum and the roots of Inula grandis. In this regard, after a single procurement of raw materials of such species, it is necessary to withstand a three-year period without exploitation. According to the scale, this load is estimated at 2 points (β), and repeated two-year exploitation at 3 points (α). With the systematic collection of raw materials of the aboveground part of semi-shrubs for three or more years in one area, an irreversible decrease in the resource potential of plants also occurs. This is confirmed by a decrease in the number of exploitable individuals of Ajuga turkestanica by 55% after two-year procurement. Two-year exploitation requires 6-7 years for restoration and is estimated at 2 points (β), and three-year or more at 3 points (α). Thus, the collection of the aboveground part of semi-shrubs in natural conditions is also recommended to be carried out once every 4 years in one area. The proposed scale can also be used to assess the resource potential of other types of medicinal plants not studied within the framework of this study. To do this, it is necessary to take into account the life form of the plant, the type of raw material and the time of its restoration according to the established criteria.