Anthropogenic disturbances and invasion of <em>Mikania micrantha</em> threaten <em>Rauvolfia serpentina</em> populations in Nepal

Rauvolfia serpentina, a threatened medicinal plant in Tropical Asia, faces rapid depletion due to unsustainable harvesting, human-mediated habitat alteration, and invasion of alien species. Lack of knowledge regarding its population status, ecology, and performance hinders effective species-specific conservation management plans.** Therefore, we studied the population density and structure of R. serpentina and assessed the variation in its life history traits (adult plant height, adult stem diameter, adult canopy diameter, number of branches, fruit circumference, dry fruit mass, and reproductive output), and regeneration status among populations at four differentially disturbed sites (highly disturbed, moderately disturbed, undisturbed, and previously disturbed) in the Jalthal forest in eastern Nepal. Seed germination tests were carried out in a polyhouse to determine the seed germination potential and seedling growth performance on four different canopy types (open without-mikania, semi-close without-mikania, close with-mikania and close without-mikania) based on the presence or absence of Mikania micrantha.蛇根木（Rauvolfia serpentina）是热带亚洲的受威胁药用植物，因过度采挖、人类活动介导的生境破坏及外来物种入侵，正经历快速种群衰退。当前对其种群现状、生态学特性与生长表现的认知不足，严重制约了针对性高效物种保护管理方案的制订。为此，本研究以尼泊尔东部贾塔尔森林（Jalthal forest）内4个不同干扰梯度的样地——高干扰、中等干扰、未干扰及既往干扰样地——为研究区域，调查了蛇根木的种群密度与种群结构，评估了其生活史性状（成年株高、成年茎径、成年冠幅、分枝数、果实周长、果实干重及繁殖输出）在种群间的变异，以及各该种群的更新现状。同时，本研究在塑料大棚内开展种子发芽试验，基于薇甘菊（Mikania micrantha）的有无设置4种冠层类型：无薇甘菊的开阔冠层、无薇甘菊的半密闭冠层、有薇甘菊的密闭冠层及无薇甘菊的密闭冠层，以此探究蛇根木的种子发芽潜力与幼苗生长表现。