Variation in Indigenous Forest Resource Use in Central Guyana

Sustainable forest conservation strategies should be based on local as well as landscape-scale forest resource use data. Using ecological and sociological techniques, we test the hypotheses that (1) forest resource use differs between ethnic and socioeconomic indigenous groups and (2) that this difference results in differing spatial patterns of resource use, with implications for forest diversity and for conservation planning. In the North Rupununi Guyana, three adjacent indigenous communities (differing in their indigenous/immigrant balance) were recorded using 73 animal and 164 plant species (plus several unidentified ethno-species). Farm sites formed important foci for most forest based activities and ex-farm sites supported similar floristic diversity to surrounding forest. Resource usage differences between communities could be attributed to socio-cultural drivers, e.g. mammal meat consumption and the use of the fruits from the palm tree A. maripa were higher in more traditional households. When extracting household construction timber, lower income groups created small scattered felling sites akin to tree fall gaps whereas higher income groups created larger gaps. Lower income (indigenous) households tended to clear larger but more contained sites for farming while mixed or non-Amerindian household tended to clear smaller but more widely dispersed farm sites. These variations resulted in different patterns of forest disturbance originating from agriculture and timber extraction.     

Selecting replacements for invasive plants to support frugivores in highly modified sites: A case study focusing on Lantana camara

Summary Invasive plants are regarded as a major threat to biodiversity worldwide. Yet, in some cases, invasive plants now perform important ecological functions. For example, fleshy‐fruited invasive plants provide food that supports indigenous frugivore populations. How can the disparate goals of conservation versus invasive weed control be managed? We suggest using the fruit characteristics of the invasive plant to select replacement indigenous plants that are functionally similar from the perspective of frugivores. These could provide replacement food resources at sites where plants with these characteristics are part of the goal plant community and where such plants would not otherwise regenerate. Replacement plants could also redirect seed dispersal processes to favour indigenous, rather than invasive, plant species. We investigated the utility of this approach by ranking all indigenous fleshy‐fruited plant species from a region using a simple model that scored species based upon measures of fruit phenology, morphology, conspicuousness and accessibility relative to a target invasive species, Lantana (Lantana camara). The model successfully produced high scores for indigenous plant species that were used by more of the frugivores of Lantana than a random selection of plants, suggesting that this approach warrants further investigation.     

Unrecorded Ethnomedicinal Uses of Biodiversity from Tadgarh-Raoli Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India

The World Health Organization(WHO)estimatesthat as manyas80%of the world′s populationrely pri-marily on plant and animal-based medicines.Amongthe252essential chemicals that have been selected bythe World Health Organization,11.1%comefrompla-nts,and8.7%fr…     

A comparison of the wild food plant use knowledge of ethnic minorities in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, SW China

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Wild food plants (WFPs) contribute to the nutrition, economy and even cultural identity of people in many parts of the world. Different factors determine the preference and use of WFPs such as abundance, availability, cultural preference, economic conditions, shortage periods or unsecure food production systems. Understanding these factors and knowing the patterns of selection, use and cultural significance and value of wild food plants for local communities is helpful in setting priorities for conservation and/or domestication of these plants. Thus in this study knowledge of wild food plant use among four groups namely Dai, Lahu, Hani and Mountain Han in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve ((NRWNNR), Xishuangbanna were documented and analyzed to find the similarity and difference among their plant use. METHODS: Data on wild food plant use was collected through freelisting and semi-structured interviews and participatory field collection and direct observation. Botanical plant sample specimens were collected, prepared, dried and identified. RESULTS: A total of 173 species and subspecies from 64 families and one species of lichen (Ramalina sp.) are used as WFP. There were differences on the saliency of wild food plant species among four ethnic groups. Consensus analysis revealed that knowledge of wild food plant use for each ethnic group differs from others with some variation in each group. Among informant attributes only age was related with the knowledge if wild food plant use, whereas no significant relationship was found between gender and age*gender and informants knowledge of wild food plant use. CONCLUSION: Wild food plants are still used extensively by local people in the NRWNNR, some of them on a daily base. This diversity of wild food plants provide important source of nutrients for the local communities which much of their caloric intake comes from one or few crops. The results also show the role of ethnicity on the preference and use of wild food plants. There is a big potential for harvesting, participatory domestication and marketing of WFPs especially in the tourism sector in the area.     

Edible wild plants of the Chorote Indians, Gran Chaco, Argentina

The Chorote Indians are hunter-gatherers and fishermen from north-west Argentina and south-west Paraguay who belong to the Mataco-Maká linguistic family. Their edible plants are identified by botanical and vernacular names, the parts employed and modes of preparation and consumption. The Chorote people use 57 plant species as a source of food, which they consume in 118 different ways. Five new edible species, that yield seven plant foods, are reported here for the first time for Chaquenian ethnic groups. However, only a few wild plant foods are in frequent use today, with most being used occasionally, infrequently or not at all. A cross-cultural comparison with four neighbouring ethnic groups reveals that one third of their plant foods are exclusive to the Chorote people, despite the fact that they share most of their edible plants with the other groups. This article is the first contribution to an understanding of the Chorote's ethnobotany and to a comparison of interethnic relationships concerning their edible plant resources.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 73–85.     

Ethnobotanical Survey on Traditional Knowledge of Hodgsonia macrocarpa,Xishuangbanna, SW China

Hodgsonia macrocarpa, commonly known as lardfruit, is a perennial woody vine belongs to family Cucurbitaceae. Since the food value of its kernel was reported in the early 20th century, increasing studies have been focused on the introduction and cultivation of the wild populations and chemical analysis of the edible kernel oils. While its ethnobotanical details about local nomenclaetures, gathering techniques, form of consumption and folk resouce management are left unclear. In this study we collected these ethnobotanical data from 8 ethnic groups by conducting field survey in 23 ethnic villages in Xishuangbana. Methods including key informants interview and group discussion were used for recording the traditional medicinal and culinary knowledge of lardfruit. The results show an unexpected diversity of their folk names, which indicate the long history of folk uses. The baked edible kernel is favored by all the 8 ethnic groups. The root, stem, leaf, fruit and seed are widely used as herbal medicine for the treatment of intestinal diseases and skin ailments. The diverse folk names and multiple medicinal uses practice among different ethnic groups indicate that they exploited this plant resource in various perspectives for culture, economic and social reasons.     

油瓜的民族植物学研究

油瓜Hodgsonia macrocarpa,葫芦科多年生木质藤本植物。自20世纪初其食用价值被发现以来,各国科学家对其油脂组成、栽培利用进行了广泛研究。而油瓜的民族植物学系统研究则鲜为报道。本文运用关键人物访谈、小组讨论等民族植物学方法对油瓜的传统知识进行深入调查。本研究对西双版纳地区23个村寨的8个民族进行多次野外调查,记录民间传统利用数据,采集凭证标本。调查结果显示,油瓜的民族民间名多样;烤熟后的种仁被各民族所喜食;油瓜的根、茎、叶、果皮、种仁均可入药,主要用于肠道类疾病与皮肤类疾病的治疗。当地名称的多样性反映了各民族认识油瓜角度的差异,各民族间在油瓜食用知识方面较为一致,在药用知识上具在一定的差异。     

Food partitioning among Malagasy primates

Summary Food partitioning among lemurs was studied in relation to food patch size and plant chemistry in the eastern rainforest and a western deciduous forest of Madagascar. Patch size (i.e. crown diameter of food trees) is significantly correlated with group body weight of different lemur species. But intraspecific variability is high and prevents effective species separation. Chemical analyses of more than 400 plant parts eaten by seven different lemur species revealed major differences in their food choice with respect to protein concentrations, condensed tannins and alkaloids. Among the leaf eating lemurs discriminant analysis segregates three groups à two species based on chemical characteristics of their food. Whereas differences in food chemistry are pronounced between groups they are lacking between the two species within each group. The two species of each group avoid interference competition by different activity rhythms. Actual competition for slowly renewable resources such as leaves and fruit, however, can not be reduced by different activities. Here interspecific differences in gross categories of food, food species composition and different habitat utilization due to other constraints may contribute to the possible coexistence of species. Thus interspecific differences in food selection in relation to primary and secondary plant chemicals is an integrated part of the mechanisms allowing several primate species to coexist in sympatry.     

Beetle assemblages of indigenous and alien decomposing fruit in subtropical Durban,South Africa

Ecological theory predicts that insect assemblages on indigenous plants will be more diverse than those on alien plants. However, this theory refers primarily to herbivores, and its applicability to decomposers is unclear. Here, we compare beetle assemblages from the fallen fruit of the two most common plants producing large fleshy fruit at our study site in Durban, South Africa: one indigenous African plant (the toad tree, Tabernaemontana ventricosa, Apocynaceae) and one invasive tropical American one (the granadilla, Passiflora edulis, Passifloraceae), at various stages of the decomposition process, thus spanning a continuum between herbivory and detritivory. Beetles found on the two plants included both alien (some categorized as pests of stored fruit) and indigenous species (including some localized endemics). We found that the mean diversity and abundance were not significantly different between the two plant species (with nine beetles from four morphospecies in the average sample) and that the beetle assemblages from the two plant species largely overlap. Statistical analyses suggested that other factors such as stage of fruit decomposition and seasonality could have greater influence on diversity and abundance than the provenance of the plant species. We conclude that insect–plant interactions in the emerging ecosystems that include indigenous and alien species in both groups are complex and that the importance of interactions between species of different provenances may have previously been underestimated.     

Tree dispersal strategies in the littoral forest of Sainte Luce (SE-Madagascar)

Zoochory is the most common mode of seed dispersal for the majority of plant species in the tropics. Based on the assumption of tight plant-animal interactions several hypotheses have been developed to investigate the origin of life history traits of plant diaspores and their dispersers, such as species-specific co-evolution, the low/high investment model (low investment in single fruits but massive fruiting to attract many different frugivores versus high investment in single fruits and fruit production for extended periods to provide food for few frugivores), and the evolution of syndromes which represent plant adaptations to disperser groups (e.g. birds, mammals, mixed). To test these hypotheses the dispersal strategies of 34 tree species were determined in the littoral forest of Sainte Luce (SE-Madagascar) with the help of fruit traps and tree watches. The impact of fruit consumers on the seeds was determined based on detailed behavioral observations. Phenological, morphological and biochemical fruit traits from tree species were measured to look for co-variation with different types of dispersal. No indication for species-specific co-evolution could be found nor any support for the low/high investment model. However dispersal syndromes could be distinguished as diaspores dispersed by birds, mammals or both groups (mixed) differ in the size of their fruits and seeds, fruit shape, and seed number, but not in biochemical traits. Five large-seeded tree species seem to depend critically on the largest lemur, Eulemur fulvus collaris, for seed dispersal. However, this does not represent a case of tight species-specific co-evolution. Rather it seems to be the consequence of the extinction of the larger frugivorous birds and lemurs which might also have fed on these large fruits. Nevertheless these interactions are of crucial importance to conserve the integrity of the forest.     

Modernity and ethnic affiliation in Israeli schools: A dependence approach*

In this article, we argue that there is an important, but as yet unidentified, process involved in the maintenance and reconstruction of ethnic identity. We call this process ‘ethnic reorganization’. We argue that this process is useful for understanding the ethnic survival of indigenous peoples in colonized societies, as well as for illuminating the processes of ethnic renascence among both indigenous and immigrant groups. We find it especially useful in accounting for both the persistence and the transformation of American Indian ethnicity in the United States. Ethnic reorganization occurs when an ethnic minority undergoes a reorganization of its social structure, redefinition of ethnic group boundaries, or some other change in response to pressures or demands imposed by the dominant culture. From this viewpoint, ethnic reorganization is a mechanism that facilitates ethnic group survival, albeit in a modified form. We specify several types of ethnic reorganization. These include: social reorganization, economic reorganization, political reorganization, and cultural reorganization. We argue that ethnic reorganization represents a central mechanism of ethnic change. We present evidence of these forms of ethnic reorganization among many different American Indian societies faced with demographic and cultural extinction.     

Ethnic differences in use value and use patterns of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) in northern Benin

The aim of this study was to combine qualitative and quantitative tools to evidence ethnic differences in use value and use patterns of baobab for the rural populations of northern Benin. The study was carried out in the municipalities of Boukoumbé and Karimama, focusing on Ottamari and Dendi ethnic groups, respectively, who have good knowledge on baobab uses. Ethnobotanical data were gathered through semi-structured individual interviews and processed by quantitative (multiple use curve, use value and fidelity level) and qualitative (flow chart) analytical and ethnobotanical methods. Leaves, fruit pulp and seeds of baobab were shown to be well-known for several food uses and were often the main ingredient in sauces, pastes, porridges and beverages. Medicinal uses were especially well-known for the bark, which was also used for making ropes. In both communities, a total of 38 different uses were mentioned for baobab products. There were significantly more uses known by the Ottamari than by the Dendi, with use values of 8 and 5, respectively. There were no differences detected in knowledge between sexes and age classes. As a result of its nutritional and high potential market value, preservation of ethnobotanical knowledge on baobab and exchange between communities is critical.     

Diet of Grauer's Gorillas in the Montane Forest of Kahuzi,Democratic Republic of Congo

We describe the diet of a semihabituated group of Grauer's gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) inhabiting the montane forest of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo, based on direct observations, feeding remains in their fresh trails, and fecal samples collected over 9 yr. We examined fruit availability in their habitat; consumption of fruit, vegetative, and animal food; and daily intake of vegetative plant food using a transect, fruit monitoring trails, fecal analysis, and tracing of the animal's daily trails between consecutive nest sites. The fruit food repertoire of Kahuzi gorillas resembles that of western and eastern lowland gorillas inhabiting lowland tropical forests, while their vegetative food repertoire resembles that of mountain gorillas inhabiting montane forests. Among 236 plant foods (116 species), leaves, pith, and barks constitute the major parts (70.2%), with fruit making up the minor part (19.7%). About half (53.2%) of the total fecal samples included fruit remains. The gorillas used leaves, stems and other vegetative plant parts as staples. Their fruit intake was similar to that reported for mountain gorillas in Bwindi. They ate animal foods, including earthworms, on rare occasions. Variation in fruit consumption was positively associated with variation in fruit production. The gorillas ate fig fruits frequently; fig intake is positively correlated with that of other fruits, and figs were not fallback foods. They relied heavily on bamboo shoots on a seasonal basis; however, no bamboo shoots were available for several years after a major flowering event. Our results support the argument that variation in gorilla diets mostly reflects variation in vegetational composition of their habitats.     

Comparative use patterns of plant resources in rural areas of South Africa and Zimbabwe

Documentation of use patterns of plants across national boundaries is of relevance in understanding the importance of plant resources to livelihood strategies of different ethnic groups. Plant resources have gained prominence as a natural asset through which families derive food, firewood, income, medicines and timber, enabling particularly poor communities to achieve self-sufficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate the trends in plant usage in South Africa and Zimbabwe. An ethnobotanical investigation was conducted between January 2012 and January 2013 in the Limpopo Province, South Africa and the Midlands Province, Zimbabwe. The study used questionnaire surveys and interviews with a total of 143 participants to explore plant use patterns in South Africa and Zimbabwe. A total of 98 plant species were identified, with Zimbabwe contributing 70 species and 47 species from South Africa. The uses were classified into 15 categories, major use categories were firewood, food plants, medicine and timber. Food plant was a major plant use category in Zimbabwe, contributing 55.1%, followed by medicinal plants (36.8%), firewood (35.7%) and timber (31.6%). In contrast, firewood was the major plant use category in South Africa, contributing 18.4%, followed by food plants (17.3%), medicinal (14.3%) and timber (1.0%). Comparison of the two countries demonstrated remarkable differences in plant use patterns. The results showed that rural households in Zimbabwe were more reliant on plant resources than their counterparts in South Africa. Such a trend could be attributed to a close relationship between the local people, and their natural and agricultural environment leading to a rich knowledge base on plants, plant use and related practices. This comparative analysis strengthens the firm belief that utilization of plant resources represents an important shared heritage, preserved over the centuries, which must be exploited in order to provide further new and useful body of ethnobotanical knowledge.     

An analysis of the use of plant products for commerce in remote aboriginal communities of northern Australia

The indigenous people of Australia have a long and well documented history of using native plants as an essential component of their customary economy. However, few have engaged successfully in commerce based on native plant use. Recently there has been an increasing interest in exploring options for use of native plants for food, food additives, botanical medicines, and related purposes. In this paper, we determine the issues important to Aboriginal people in enterprise development utilizing plant products, and we define some of the factors affecting progress in realizing opportunities. The Aboriginal people with whom we have worked appear to prefer small-scale enterprises where they have community ownership of ideas and control of the rate and direction of development. Government could play a larger and more active role through supporting additional research and marketing information, providing training, and better matching policy and legislation to support indigenous development and reduce dependence of welfare.     

Fleshy fruits of indigenous and adventive plants in the diet of birds in forest remnants, Nelson, New Zealand

The relationship between fleshy-fruited indigenous species and adventive weeds in the diet of 500 mist-netted birds was studied in forest remnants of differing size and degree of modification. Fruit abundance Peaked in March and April, and most fruit was either red/orange or purple/black. The physical parameters of adventive and indigenous fruits were not significantly different. Six of the 15 passerine species netted are frugivores, and of those netted 77% had eaten fruit. They were divisible into three groups: endemic (bellbirds, Anthornis melanura; tuis, Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), non-endemic but indigenous (silvereyes, Zosterops lateralis), and adventive (blackbirds, Turdus merula; song thrushes, T. philomelos; starlings, Sturnus vulgaris). Bird diets varied between the groups and according to fruit availability as determined by sires and seasons. Endemic birds ate the least adventive fruit; bellbirds ate mainly Podocarpus hallii and Coprosma robusta fruits at all sites. Tuis had a varied diet, including some adventive fruits. Silvereyes ate the widest range of indigenous and adventive fruits. Blackbirds and, to a smaller extent, song thrushes ate many of the same indigenous fruits as the other bird groups, but their diet included more adventive fruits, e.g., Berberis glaucocarpa. Starlings were caught only when they fed on Sambucus nigra, but they also ate a few indigenous fruits. There was little seasonal variation in bird numbers caught. Adventive species extended the seasonal availability of fruits into winter, particularly in the forest remnant closest to a town, which had the highest proportion of adventive fruits. Several weed species distributed mainly by non-endemic and adventive birds are forming new secondary vegetation. Some have large fruit crops which generally offer little food for endemic birds. Where fruiting weeds pre-empt sites that may have been occupied by native species, they create an inferior habitat for endemic birds. However, the non-endemic and adventive birds also disperse indigenous fruits into early successional vegetation, and the importance of their seed rain for conservation of biodiversity will therefore depend on the site.     

Sharing Ethnobotanical Knowledge in Traditional Villages: Evidence of Food and Nutraceutical “Core Groups” in Bali,Indonesia

The island of Bali has several aga (indigenous) villages that have survived despite the pressures of an intense tourist industry and agricultural changes. A rich ethnobotanical culture persists, but the meaning of differences in traditional ethnobotanical knowledge (TEK) remains under-explored. We analyzed information obtained from interviews of inhabitants from diverse villages on food and nutraceutical plants to identify plant patterns, i.e., relevant plant groups with species sharing a similar occurrence. Through cluster analysis, we identified 12 main groups of species and found that species were grouped based on traditional knowledge and the use each community made of plants on the whole, and not on growth forms nor on specific uses. The frequency distribution of species clusters showed a bimodal trend, with several groups present only in few villages, and a few groups present in almost all villages. The latter are defined as “core groups,” and represent the shared TEK of each aga community. Other “satellite species groups” embodied in the local TEK were related to small isolated communities. Cultural erosion caused by modernization, with the consequent fragmentation of information, was judged to be one of the main causes of increasing TEK heterogeneity.     

Plant resources of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán valley, Mexico

Information on richness of plant resources, and their forms of use and management in the biosphere reserve Tehuacan-Cuicatlan, Mexico is analyzed. This 10 000 km² region hosts nearly 2700 vascular plant species, and it is acknowledged as one of the arid areas with the highest floristic diversity in North America. The seven indigenous ethnic groups that live in this region have cultural roots that date back almost 10 000 years. Based upon ethnobotanical and floristic studies, as well as bibliographical sources, a total of 808 useful plant species were identified, most of them (90%) being native, and 44 species being endemic to the region. A total of 681 species are wild plants, 109 are weeds and ruderal plants, and 86 are domesticated crops. However, it was noted that considerable overlap exists between the species of these 3 categories. For example, while wild and ruderal plants (706 species) are foraged by both humans and domestic animals, 59 species of this group are also managed in situ. On the other hand, 168 wild, ruderal and domesticated species are cultivated. The Tehuacán-Cuicatlan Valley is one of the richest regions of Mexico in plant resources. Local knowledge on use and management of plants is a valuable source of information for designing conservation and social development strategies for the biosphere reserve.     

Dietary Variability of Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park,Uganda

Data on intraspecific dietary variability has important implications for understanding flexibility in foraging behavior, habitat utilization, population dynamics, and social behavior and may also assist in conservation efforts. We compared food availability and diet of a group of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) at a high altitude site and 2 groups at a low altitude site in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, from September 2001 to August 2002. Plant species diversity was greater at the low altitude site than at the high altitude site. The two groups at the low elevation consumed more plant species (140 species vs. 62 species), and a greater number of fruit species per mo (7 vs. 3 species) and per yr (36 vs. 11 species) than the high altitude group did. Furthermore, each group shared <51% of important fibrous food items in their diet with the 2 other groups. There is no significant difference in the proportion of days fruit remains were found in the dung among groups. Finally, according to Ivlev's electivity index, all groups positively selected the majority of food items in their diets. We attribute a large proportion of dietary variation between locations to differences in fruit availability and plant species composition between sites. Differences between groups at the low altitude site may be due to variation in food profitability—more profitable foods available to choose in the same area—within their overlapping home range, or group traditions. A comparison of our results with the diets of gorillas of the Virunga Volcanoes in Rwanda and Kahuzi-Biega, DRC shows that eastern gorilla populations have highly variable dietary patterns with limited overlap in species consumed among groups and populations.