Directed cultivation strategy for dictamni cortex under climate change: A comprehensive evaluation based on species distribution models and fingerprint

Abstract

Dictamnus dasycarpus is a perennial plant in the Rutaceae and the Dictamnus genus. It is highly valued for its medicinal properties. A high market demand for D. dasycarpus leads to the over-exploitation of wild resources. Moreover, due to the impact of global climate change and human activities, the habitat of many medicinal plants has been degraded or migrated, and their yield and quality have been seriously affected. However, the distributional changes of D. dasycarpus remain poorly understood, and there is still a knowledge gap regarding the environmental factors influencing the quality of its medicinal material. This study, using Heilongjiang province (one of the core-suitable areas for D. dasycarpus) as a case study, based on species distribution models under current and future climate scenarios and fingerprint of Dictamni Cortex, constructing a targeted high-quality wild tending areas and hotspot counties. The results show that the potential suitable areas for D. dasycarpus exhibit a significant increasing trend under climate change scenarios. Still, the suitability within Heilongjiang province is gradually declining as the leading province of its distribution. The fingerprint results show that the overall quality of Dictamni Cortex samples varies across different areas in Heilongjiang province, with the highest-quality medicinal samples coming from Mudanjiang and Qitaihe cities. Statistical methods were used to explore the relationships between the five active components of the Dictamni Cortex and its overall quality. Additionally, spatial distribution layers of these components under different climatic scenarios and periods were constructed. Based on the above results, we recommended the targeted tending of Dictamni Cortex in specific counties and cities within Heilongjiang province. Our study can provide theoretical guidance for the tending, management, and sustainable use of Dictamni Cortex. It also provides a novel research approach for conserving other medicinal plant resources.