Comparison of the Homegardens of Eight Cultural Groups in Jinping County,Southwest China1 |
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Authors: | Huyin Huai Wei Xu Guangjun Wen Weirong Bai |
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Institution: | (1) College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China |
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Abstract: | Comparison of the Homegardens of Eight Cultural Groups in Jinping County, Southwest China. Species growing in 124 homegardens in 15 villages inhabited by 8 cultural groups living in Jinping County, southwest China,
were recorded, together with information on the uses of the species and other features of the gardens. Data were gathered
using key informant interviews, participatory observation, and ecological sampling. The results showed that production of
food for domestic use was the main function of the gardens. Other uses included plants for income generation, household-level
construction, local health care, and for ecological purposes (confined to higher altitude homegardens). The primary floristic
variation in the gardens was related to climatic change with altitude, with variations in the use of the gardens to grow plants
for local healthcare being also significant. Homegardens can be clustered into two groups based on floristic composition—lower
altitude gardens (including Dai, Zhuang, Homg, and Lahu) and higher altitude gardens (including Yao, Yi, Hani, and Han). Both
cultural conservatism and a readiness to adapt to new economic conditions are reflected in the characteristics of the gardens.
Homegardens maintain considerable conservation value as repositories of several species of endangered plants and several species
of medicinal plants that are over-collected in the wild. |
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