Submitting Campus

Daytona Beach

Department

Applied Aviation Sciences

Document Type

Article

Publication/Presentation Date

5-2009

Abstract/Description

Conservation biology and restoration ecology are concerned not only with protecting fragile ecosystems but also with intervening in an attempt to repair what has been damaged largely through anthropogenic activities. As a result of high demand as a medicinal herb and the failure of harvesters to conserve, the federal government has placed American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) on the list of plants that may be in danger of extinction. Ginseng favors a habitat ranging from 30 to 50 degrees north latitude and minimum cold cycles of 45 days with temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius. Other specific criteria include 20 inches of annual precipitation, adequate shade, and slightly acidic, well-drained soil that is high in organic material content. Remote sensing, ground truthing, and an analysis of local climate data helped determine whether the study areas met these requirements. The role of remote sensing and the use of GIS in preserving forests and biodiversity are discussed. Although it could take from eight to ten years before harvest, the wild simulated ginseng roots command a price that is approximately the same as that of wild ginseng. The present body of knowledge concerning the optimal growing conditions of ginseng should be enhanced as a result of this research and could serve as a model for a viable economic alternative to clear cutting deciduous forests, which is among the long term goals of this project.

Publication Title

WSEAS Transactions on Biology and Biomedicine

Publisher

World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society

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