Quantitative Ethnobotany and Traditional Knowledge of Toxic Plants for Livestock in Tebessa, Algeria

Abstract

This ethnobotanical survey was conducted in the region of Tebessa, northeastern Algeria, to identify toxic plants affecting animals and to assess local knowledge of their toxicity using quantitative ethnobotanical indicators. Information was explored by means of 206 structured interviews with local stakeholders (veterinarians, farmers, herbalists and elders). Ethnobotanical indices like Cultural Toxicity Index (CTI), Use Value (UV), Fidelity Level (FL), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) and Family Importance Value (FIV) were prescribed. Similarity analysis between the floras of different studies was performed using Jaccard's Index (JI). A total of 64 species belonging to 32 botanical families were recorded. The Fabaceae (12.5%) and Asteraceae (10.94%) families were the most represented. The highest CTI values were recorded for Urtica dioica (7.28%), Nerium oleander (5.83%), Ricinus communis (CTI= 4.37%) and Datura stramonium (CTI= 3.88%), while FL values reached up to 100% for some species with specific toxicity. The ICF ranged from 0.391 to 0.778, indicating strong agreement for dermatological and gastrointestinal disorders. Finally, the JI showed limited similarity (1.19-6.74%) with other studies, confirming the floristic singularity of the region. These results confirm the richness of local ethnoveterinary knowledge, and underline the need to raise farmers' awareness of the recognition and management of toxic plants.