Climate Change and Indigenous Medicinal Plant Biodiversity: Assessing Threats to Traditional Healing Systems

Abstract

Climate change represents one of the most significant threats to global biodiversity, with profound implications for indigenous medicinal plant species and the traditional healing systems that depend upon them. This research examines the multifaceted relationship between climate variability, medicinal plant biodiversity loss, and the erosion of indigenous knowledge systems across diverse geographical regions. Through comprehensive analysis of current literature and empirical data, this study reveals that rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events are driving unprecedented shifts in medicinal plant distributions, phenological patterns, and phytochemical compositions. Indigenous communities, who have served as custodians of botanical knowledge for millennia, face compounded vulnerabilities as climate change simultaneously threatens both their natural pharmacopoeia and traditional ways of life. The research identifies critical hotspots of medicinal plant diversity under threat, evaluates adaptation strategies employed by indigenous populations, and proposes integrated conservation frameworks that honor traditional ecological knowledge while incorporating modern scientific approaches. Findings indicate that approximately 60-70% of medicinal plant species utilized by indigenous communities are experiencing climate-induced population declines, with montane and arctic ecosystems showing the most severe impacts. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting urgent action to protect medicinal plant biodiversity and preserve traditional healing systems as essential components of global health security and cultural heritage.