Ecological Vulnerability and Phytochemical Richness of Rheum australe in the Indian Himalayan Region: Insights for Conservation

Ecological Vulnerability and Phytochemical Richness of Rheum australe in the Indian Himalayan Region: Insights for Conservation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Ecological Vulnerability and Phytochemical Richness of Rheum australe in the Indian Himalayan Region: Insights for Conservation Ashish Kumar, Neha Thapliyal, Arun K. Jugran, Surendra Singh Bargali, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8308974/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The Indian Himalayan Region, a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot, supports over 10,000 plant species, including a rich repository of medicinal flora (over 1,700 medicinal plants) integral to ecosystem services and traditional healthcare. Among them, Rheum australe, a high-value medicinal species currently listed as “Data Deficient” on the IUCN Red List, facing escalating threats from overharvesting, climate change, and habitat fragmentation. This study assessed the population status, phytochemical diversity, and habitat suitability to inform targeted conservation strategies. Extensive field surveys were conducted across altitudinal gradients (3200-4200 m amsl) in Uttarakhand using a stratified random sampling. Population data revealed an aggregated distribution pattern, with significant site-wise variation in population density (0.73–1.82 ind./m²) and relative density (0.93-2.48%). A clear increase in population density was observed at higher altitudes, supporting higher density, particularly in rocky crevice habitats. Phytochemical analysis showed notable site-specific variations in total phenolic (2.35-12.70 mg GAE/g DW), flavonoid (6.13-15.30 mg QE/g DW), tannin (1.18-10.60 mg TAE/g DW), and antioxidant activity (DPPH: 2.51- 6.67 mM AAE/100g DW; FRAP: 1.31 - 3.73 mM AAE/100g DW). HPLC profiling identified gallic acid as a predominant polyphenolic compound. A significant positive correlation (p<0.01) between altitude and phytochemical parameters suggested, high-altitude stressors, such as UV radiation and temperature extremes, on secondary metabolite accumulation. Habitat suitability modelling, performed using R Studio software, identified a high habitat probability zone (0.7–0.9) above 3000 m asl, particularly in Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh. These findings highlight both ecological vulnerability and phytochemical richness of R. australe, emphasising the urgent need for integrated conservation. In situ conservation should prioritise habitat protection and regulated harvesting, while ex-situ strategies are essential for safeguarding genetic resources. Conservation Habitat Modelling Medicinal plant Population density Phytochemical Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Supp.file.doc Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 30 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 18 Dec, 2025 Reviews received at journal 17 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Dec, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 12 Dec, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 10 Dec, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 10 Dec, 2025 First submitted to journal 08 Dec, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8308974","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":560264994,"identity":"5faf3da4-25ce-450f-b8e6-2ad7f812abbb","order_by":0,"name":"Ashish Kumar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"G.B. 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