Notes about the uses of plants by one of the last healers in the Basilicata Region (South Italy)

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The paper refers to the knowledge and uses of plants and to the linked ritual practices as referred by Matteo (It.'Zi Matteo', En. 'Uncle Matthew'), one of the last elder healers in the Basilicata Region (South Italy). Particular attention is also paid to the uses of 'Vruca' (Tamarix gallica L.) as a medicinal and magical plant used to heal common warts on various parts of the body. METHODS: After obtaining prior informed consent, we collected data through an open interview about the uses of the plants and on the associated ritual practices. For each species, data were collected that included the vernacular names, preparation, plant parts utilized and their method of use. RESULTS: The uses of 52 taxa are described. Among these, 43 are or were employed medicinally, eight as culinary foodstuffs, and 4 for domestic, handicraft or ethnoveterinary uses. Among the major findings: the ritual and magical use of Tamarix gallica L. to heal warts is described in detail; so far, no records of similar use were found in any Italian ethnobotanical studies conducted in southern Italy. CONCLUSION: Phytotherapy in the Basilicata region is practiced by elderly people who resort to medicinal plants for mild illnesses; we interviewed one of those traditional healers who is very experienced in the field, and possesses rich ethno-pharmacological knowledge.     

Evidence of a link between taboos and sacrifices and resource scarcity of ritual plants

Background

One of the main obstacles for the mainstreaming of religious traditions as tools for the conservation of nature is the limited applicability of research results in this field. We documented two different restrictions implemented by local people (taboos and sacrifices) related to the use of ritual plants in Benin (West Africa) and Gabon (Central Africa).

Methods

To see whether these restrictions reflected plant scarcity from an etic perspective (official threat status) and an emic viewpoint (perceived scarcity by local people), we conducted 102 interviews with traditional healers and adepts of traditional faiths.

Results

We documented a total of 618 ritual plants, from which 52 species were used in both countries. In Benin, the use of 63 of the 414 ritual plant species was restricted; while in Gabon 23 of the 256 ritual plants were associated with taboos and sacrifices. In Benin, restricted plants were significantly more often officially threatened, perceived as scarce, and actively protected than non-restricted plants. In the more forested and less densely populated Gabon, plants that were perceived as scarce were more often associated to local restrictions than officially threatened species.

Conclusions

These results prove the presence of a form of adaptive management where restrictions are related to resource scarcity and protection of ritual plant species. By providing baseline data on possibly endangered species, we demonstrate how plant use in the context of religious traditions can yield important information for conservation planning.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1746-4269-11-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Seasonal Altitudinal Movements of Mountain Goats

Abstract: I investigated seasonal altitudinal movements of 42 mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) in the Cascade Range of Washington, USA. Because mountain goats typically move to lower elevations during the winter, I partitioned locations from Global Positioning System collars into summer and winter seasons based on elevation. Using an iterative narrowing search, I identified summer and winter start dates for each individual and year and derived several measures of altitudinal movements from these, and examined differences in these measures on the basis of sex and year and their interrelationship. Generally, female mountain goats started summer about 2 weeks earlier than nondispersing males; winter start dates varied among years. Horizontal distance moved between seasons was unrelated to measures of altitudinal movement. Based on elevation, winters were generally longer than summers for mountain goats I studied, suggesting that the common perception of mountain goats as inhabitants of alpine and subalpine terrain is biased, because they spent the greater part of the year at lower elevations. Mountain goats showed a wide range of responses to seasonal environmental changes and individuals cannot be easily classified as migratory or nonmigratory. Because ecological conditions in mountain environments are closely related to elevation and horizontal and altitudinal movements were unrelated, studies of seasonal movements of mountain animals based on horizontal movement may be misleading. Because seasonal altitudinal movements of mountain goats are highly variable, the management needs of each population must be considered separately.     

Plant knowledge of the Shuhi in the Hengduan Mountains, Southwest China

The Shuhi are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group of around 1,500 people living exclusively in the Shuiluo Valley, southwest China. We documented their plant knowledge concerning wild collected species, and analyzed food, medicine, and ritual uses. Overall, uses, collection sites, and use frequencies of 136 plant species were documented. The plants were divided in fodder (46 spp.), food (43 spp.), medicine (27 spp.), ritual plants (20 spp.), fuelwood (17 spp.), plants used for construction (8 spp.), ornamentals (2 spp.), and "others" (34 spp.). Food plants mainly consist of fruits and leafy vegetables, and the uses are comparable with those of other ethnic groups in the area. Knowledge about medicinal plants is relatively limited, since traditional Shuhi healers use ritual and other healing methods instead of medicinal plants. Ritual plants play an important role relative to human well-being. Villagers and ritualists use them to keep the environment clean of malevolent spirits and to maintain a good relationship with the deities. All habitats, from the dry shrub vegetation at the valley bottom up to the alpine shrub, are used for plant collection, but 87% of all species are collected in the near vicinity of the villages around the fields and in the dry shrub vegetation. Finally, we postulate two main factors influencing wild plant use among the Shuhi: cultural values and accessibility.     

Multivariate approaches evaluated in the ethnoecological investigation of Tehsil Oghi,Mansehra, Pakistan

Pakistan has rich history of indigenous folk medicine, and of the 6000 species of higher plants found in the country 12% are used in medicinal formulations. This immensely important knowledge of folk practices to cure different ailments has been learned after centuries and is mostly verbally communicated. Therefore, a field study was designed to investigate the plant biodiversity and accumulate the indigenous knowledge about the uses of plants of Tehsil Oghi, District Mansehra, Pakistan. A total of 141 local inhabitants were interviewed through a structured questionnaire followed by multivariate approaches to evaluate the data based on the Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA). Plants specimen were preserved, mounted and labeled on the herbarium sheets, cataloged and deposited for voucher numbers in Herbarium, Government Post Graduate College, Mansehra, Pakistan. In present study, a total 104 species belonging to 88 genera and 54 families were recorded from the study area; herbaceous growth form dominated the study area with 56 species, followed by trees with 30 species and shrubs 14 species. Among all 54 families, Rosaceae species were dominant with 12 species, followed by Asteraceae with 8 species. Out of the reported 104 species, 94 plant species are medicinal, 22 plant species are edible fruits, 37 plant species are fuel wood, 24 plant species are timber wood, 38 plant species are fuel wood, 9 plant species are vegetables, while 34 plant species are ornamental. The present study revealed the importance of the flora of this unexplored area and also provides the baseline study for future biological, phytochemical and pharmacological experimentations.     

Herbaceous ecosystems on the Guayana Shield, a regional overview

Aims Ecosystems dominated by herbaceous plant communities are amongst the most diversified landscape units in the Guayana (Guiana) Shield region. This paper aims to present a synthetic overview of the wide array of herbaceous ecosystems found in the region in an attempt to furnish a more concrete baseline for a better understanding of the pattern of variation, and to clarify some of the differences that occur in the vegetation of the area. Location The Guayana Shield region, and the area of north‐eastern South America extending between the Orinoco River to the North and the Amazon River to the South (c. 8° N to 1° S). Methods Floristic and ecological field data gathered from over 300 study sites located at different altitudinal levels in the Venezuelan Guayana and the northern Brazilian Amazon are evaluated and interpreted in the light of personal observations and existing literature. Results The diversification pattern includes physiognomic as well as floristic variation and shows two opposing tendencies in relation to their altitudinal location: grass‐dominated meadows (savannas) predominate in the macrothermic lowlands, whereas non‐gramineous, broadleaved herbaceous communities are dominant in the mesothermic highlands of the Guayanan mountains. In detail, the biogeographic region of Guayana (Guiana) consists of three easily recognized altitudinal levels, each of which contains a highly characteristic set of landscape types with their associated ecosystems and endemic plant communities. Between 0 and c. 500 m a.s.l. the extensive macrothermic (mean annual temperature, MAT > 24 °C) lowlands are found, where an enormous – still largely unexplored – diversity of forest types represents the main plant cover of the plains, peneplains, glacis and piedmont slopes. Sparsely distributed within this forest cover are numerous herbaceous ecosystems, ranging from true grass savannas to unusual and poorly understood meadows developed on extremely oligotrophic white sandy soils dominated by non‐gramineous genera of Rapateaceae and Xyridaceae. In the intermediate submesothermic (MAT 24–18 °C) Guayana uplands, extending roughly between 500 and 1500 m a.s.l., the grasslands of the Gran Sabana in south‐eastern Venezuela reach their upper altitudinal limit. At the same altitudinal level, however, several distinct herbaceous communities are found, in which other genera of Rapateaceae, together with Bromeliaceae and Xyridaceae, are predominant. Finally, at the uppermost altitudinal level, i.e. in Pantepui (which includes the characteristically flat topped mountain summits (tepuis) of the Guayana highlands) between 1500 and 3000 m a.s.l., encompassing a range of meso‐ to submicrothermic temperature regimes (MAT 18–8 °C), the extensive herbaceous ecosystems are developed either on deep organic soils (peat) or on open sandstone surfaces. These high‐tepui meadows present a considerable physiognomic diversification and are formed by a variety of endemic genera of the Rapateaceae, Bromeliaceae, Xyridaceae, Eriocaulaceae and Cyperaceae families, often dominated by locally endemic species on each of the larger tepui massifs. In contrast, grass dominated plant communities are very rare and restricted to only a few high‐tepui sites. Main conclusions A marked floristic and ecologic differentiation of herbaceous ecosystems in the Guayana Shield region can be recognized. The ecological differentiation results primarily from the wide spectrum of variations in the substrate found at the various altitudinal levels of the Guayana Shield region. A possible explanation for the present‐day pattern of herbaceous vegetation types may be the following: Non‐gramineous meadows representing ancient species pools of Guayana‐centred families had evolved successful colonization strategies in occupying extremely nutrient poor sites at all altitudinal levels. In contrast, the more modern grass savannas, which preferentially occupy the peripheral Guayana landscapes, are restricted to richer soil conditions with better internal drainage and water retention conditions.     

The altitudinal gradient of vascular plant richness in Aurland, western Norway

Differences in vascular plant species richness; along the altitudinal gradient in the Aurland area of western Norway have been investigated. Based on field surveys, as complete lists as possible of all vascular plants have been compiled for each 100 m altitudinal band, from sea level to the highest mountain (1764 m). For each of the 18 altitudinal bands, climatic data have been estimated. A total of 444 vascular plant species were recorded. Highest species richness (263 species) occurred in the 600–700 in band, whereas the uppermost band had only 10 species. There are minor differences in species number between the altitudinal bands < 1000 m. Partial least squares regression shows that species richness for the overall altitudinal gradient is well predicted by mean July and January temperatures and mean annual precipitation. Species turnover is highest in the 100–200 m. 600–700 m. and 1400–1500 m altitudinal bands. In terms of the gradient in summer temperature, the study supports the generally assumed linear relationship between July temperature and the number of vascular plant species between 700 and 1500 m corresponding with a mean July temperature range of 7–11°C. The study shows a decrease of ca 30 vascular plant species with a 1°C decrease in mean July temperature, and that the “climatic vascular plant limit” is here estimated to occur at a mean July temperature of 2.4°C. Above 1500 and below 700 m. species number is lower than expected based on summer iemperature conditions alone. The 700–800 m band represents the highest floristic difference compared to the other bands. Ordination and classification analyses of the floristic compositional data of all the bands highlight the 600–800 and 1500–1600 m altitudinal bands as the major biotic boundaries along the gradient. No major discontinuity in species richness, composition, or turnover was consistently found, however, at the 1100–1200 m band representing the forest-limit ecotone in Aurland.     

The unique and endangered Campo Rupestre vegetation and protected areas in the Iron Quadrangle,Minas Gerais,Brazil

The Iron Quadrangle (IQ) in Brazil is one of the world's largest reserves of iron ore, and besides its economic importance, the region also plays a key role in nature conservation with the endemic Campo Rupestre vegetation. Despite a large number of protected areas (PAs) offering refuge for the remaining Campo Rupestre vegetation in the IQ, studies on the current situation of these natural remnants, and the real functionality of these PAs are scarce. This study aimed to map the remaining natural phytophysiognomies of the IQ, evaluating the proportion of Campo Rupestre on ferruginous and non-ferruginous substrates in PAs. We applied the object-oriented classification using Sentinel 2A and 2B satellite images, vegetation indexes, iron oxide index and terrain attributes, with field-collected validation points. We identified thirteen types of land use and cover, of which five represented natural phytophysiognomies. The most common phytophysiognomies in the IQ are Seasonal Forests and Cerrado (all types included), accounting for more than 60% of the total area. Campo Rupestre on ferruginous and non-ferruginous substrates accounts for 5.4% of the total mapped area only. On the other hand, about 42.5% of the Campo Rupestre (ferruginous or not) are protected and correspond to 17.7% of the PAs. We show that an appropriate mapping of the phytophysiognomies in the IQ region is key for improving landscape ecology knowledge and future conservation planning, especially of the endangered Campo Rupestre vegetation.     

The implications of ritual practices and ritual plant uses on nature conservation: a case study among the Naxi in Yunnan Province,Southwest China

Background

Conservation of biodiversity is primary important of today’s critically vulnerable environment. Efficient conservation can be possible only with the long-term participation and understanding of the communities. Ritual beliefs of the indigenous people are one of the important tools to understand the local communities and aid the nature conservation. In this paper, we documented contemporary ritual practices and ritual plant uses among the Naxi people and discussed the importance of traditional knowledge on ritual practice in the conservation of plants in the mountains presenting a case study of the Dongba culture.

Methods

This study was carried out from July in 2013 to July in 2014. To document and analyze the present state of the ritual plant used by the Naxi people we conducted an ethnobotanical survey. We interviewed local people including Dongba priests using the semi-structured questionnaire. During the field study, we participated in the local religious activities to witness the use of different plants in ritual activities of the Naxi people. We interviewed twenty-two key informants and eleven of them were male. All the specimens of documented species were collected and deposited at the herbarium of Kunming Institute of Botany.

Results

The survey results revealed the Naxi people possessed sound knowledge of the traditional ritual plants and great diversity of plants used in many of Naxi rituals and festivals. From the survey, we documented 32 ritual plant species belonging to 24 genera of 17 families used in various ritual activities. The ritual plants were grouped into two categories, namely those burned as incense, and those used for decoration. The incense plants like Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata and Pistacia weinmanniifolia were probably promising natural aromatic resource. Plants of genus Quercus were the most frequently used species. The places for ritual activities were diverse, such as the incense burners inside and outside the house and sacred trees at the Baishuitai. Local people except the young generation had an abundant of traditional knowledge.

Conclusions

Our study shows the live ritual activities and the beliefs of the residents are keeping the plant diversity and the entire forest preserved as sacred mountains. Our study emphasizes traditional belief and an alternative view of conservation that is not led mainly by governmental policies, as local practices and ritual plants uses play as constant reminders to the Naxi on nature conservation. However, further research is recommended for in-depth understanding the role of traditional belief in biodiversity conservation.

     

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in Terai forest of western Nepal

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Nepal Himalayas have been known as a rich source for valuable medicinal plants since Vedic periods. Present work is the documentation of indigenous knowledge on plant utilization as natural remedy by the inhabitants of terai forest in Western Nepal. METHODS: Study was conducted during 2010-2011 following standard ethnobotanical methods. Data about medicinal uses of plants were collected by questionnaire, personal interview and group discussion with pre identified informants. Voucher specimens were collected with the help of informants, processed into herbarium following standard methods, identified with the help of pertinent floras and taxonomic experts, and submitted in Department of Botany, Butwal Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal for future references. RESULTS: During the present study 66 medicinal plant species belonging to 37 families and 60 genera has been documented. These plants were used to treat various diseases and ailments grouped under 11 disease categories, with the highest number of species (41) being used for gastro-intestinal disorders, followed by dermatological disorders (34). In the study area the informants' consensus about usages of medicinal plants ranges from 0.93 to 0.97 with an average value of 0.94. Herbs (53 %) were the primary source of medicine, followed by trees (23 %). Curcuma longa (84 %) and Azadirachta indica (76 %) are the most frequently and popularly used medicinal plant species in the study area. Acacia catechu, Bacopa monnieri, Bombax ceiba, Drymaria diandra, Rauvolfia serpentina, and Tribulus terrestris are threatened species which needs to be conserved for future use. CONCLUSIONS: The high degree of consensus among the informants suggests that current use and knowledge are still strong, and thus the preservation of today's knowledge shows good foresight in acting before much has been lost. The connections between plant use and conservation are also important ones, especially as the authors note that neither the local inhabitants nor the government is addressing the potential loss of valuable species in this region.     

Altitudinal variation in the diet of sika deer on the Izu Peninsula: patterns in the transitional zone of geographic variation along the Japanese archipelago

Geographical variation in the diet of sika deer Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838 has been well characterised: northern populations are grazers, whereas southern deer are browsers. This variation largely reflects genetic-based differences in morphology. However, environmental factors would be also important. If a same genetic population live in different habitats, we can check altitudinal shifts in sika deer food consumption. We hypothesised that changes in the diet of the sika deer population on the Izu Peninsula, which is located within the transitional zone of resource (vegetation) variation and encompasses a broad altitudinal range, would mirror shifts in the composition of vegetation. Analyses of the rumen contents of the deer population indicated that dwarf bamboo accounted for 10.5, 46.2, and 74.3% of the deer diet in the low (<800 m), middle (800–1000 m), and high (>1000 m) altitudinal zones, respectively. In contrast, evergreen broad-leaved species accounted for 35.7, 23.1, and 5.9%, respectively. These results suggest that the diet of sika deer is more strongly affected by environmental factors, such as plant community composition, than by genetic factors.     

ETHNOBOTANICAL CONSERVATION STATUS OF MARGALLA HILLS NATIONAL PARK, ISLAMABAD

马加拉山国家公园自建立以来,在自然环境保护方面面临着一些问题。园内住民向来使用药用植物治疗各种疾病,长期依赖周围的植物资源提供食品、房舍、饲料、保健品和其他人文生活的需要。然而,工业化的兴起以及随之而来的人们生活方式的改变,使得利用当地植物作医药的情况不断减少。因此,有必要进行民族植物学研究,把本土植物的利用信息在丧失之前记录下来。调查结果表明,ＡｓｐａｒａｇｕｓａｄｅｓｃｅｎｄｅｎｓＲｏｘｂ．,ＢｅｒｂｅｒｉｓｌｙｃｉｕｍＲｏｙｌｅ（柯杞小檗）和ＶｉｏｌａｃａｎｅｓｃｅｎｃｅＷａｌ．ｅｘＲｏｘｂ．只能少量采集,ＡｃａｃｉａｍｏｄｅｓｔａＷａｌ．,Ａ．ｎｉｌｏｔｉｃａ（Ｌ．）Ｄｅｌｉｌｅ（阿拉伯胶金合欢）,ＢｕｘｕｓｐｉｐｉｌｏｓａＣ．Ｋ．Ｓｃｈｎｅｉｄ．和Ｄｏｄｏｎａｅａｖｉｓｃｏｓａ（Ｌ．）Ｊａｃｑ．（车桑子）等作为薪材面临砍伐的压力。而ＧｒｅｗｉａｏｐｔｉｖａＤｒｕｍ．ｅｘＢｕｒｒｅｔ作为持续利用的饲料和制绳用的种类显示良好的前景     

The revealing muteness of rituals: a psychoanalytical approach to a Spanish ceremony

This analysis of a heterodox Corpus Christi ceremony celebrated in Spain emphasizes one of its distinctive features: the ritual is carried out by two moieties, who provide contradictory exegeses of the same ritual performance. Yet, despite their incompatibility, the two theories have a feature in common: the denial of a Jewish presence within the groups that express them. This phenomenon is discussed in the historical context of Christian stereotypes of Jews, enabling recognition of the fact that the ceremonial of Camuñas may be regarded, on a first level of analysis, within the framework of performance theory, as a ritual of memory. Some conceptual tools defined by Sigmund Freud, especially the concepts of negation and disavowal, are then used to analyse the ritual. The denial of reality and the irreconcilable exegeses of the two moieties evoke the split attitude of a fetishist towards castration. Thus, three analytical approaches of increasing depth are proposed to one and the same ritual: structuralist, performative, and psychoanalytical.     

Affinity among mountain ranges in Megamexico: A phytogeographical scenario

The concept of Megamexico as a phytogeographic unit has been introduced by Rzedowski (1991) on the basis of distribution patterns of genera. Until now precise information on the resemblance between plant communities in the proposed Megamexico was scarce. This phytosociological study documents the affinities between plant communities within Megamexico, based on studies from mountain ranges in Mexico (Sierra Chichinautzin, Sierra Nevada) and Guatemalan mountain ranges (Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, Cadena Volcánica). Data, collected in the style of Braun-Blanquet during extensive fieldwork, were pooled into a single data set, and analyzed by using (1) TWINSPAN, for plant community classification, (2) ordination (DCA), (3) alpha log series biodiversity-index to measure intergroup diversity, and (4) information on the altitudinal distribution of the vegetation belts. Classification showed that four communities were common to the two groups of mountain ranges, namely, alpine bunchgrass-land, pine forest, fir forest and mixed forest. Along the altitudinal gradient Mexican communities are distributed 200 m higher than their Guatemalan equivalents. This appears to be an illustration of the Massenerhebungseffekt. DCA showed that the first axis represents a set of minor differences of closely related ecological factors (e.g., temperature, precipitation) and the second a humidity gradient. The biodiversity index showed that the Mexican mixed forest was significantly more diverse than the Guatemalan mixed forest. From the present results, ecological conditions among mountain ranges in Megamexico differed significantly. To conclude, phytogeographical units in Megamexico can better be defined on basis of both historical and ecological characteristics of the communities.Abbreviations: community refers to plant community throughout the paper.     

Distribution and abundance of butterflies in a mountain area in the northern Iberian peninsula

The effect of alutudinal range, distance to the latitudinal boundary of geographical range, body size and larval food plant on both the distribution and abundance of butterflies have been studied in a mountain area along a marked altitudinal gradient Multiple regression analysis revealed that distribution was positively related to altitudinal range and abundance Altitudinal range accounted for a great part of vanance in species distribution Altitudinal range increased as both distance to latitudinal boundary of geographical range and body size increased Abundance was not affected by altitudinal range, body size or distance to latitudinal boundary Larval food plants family was related to the abundance of butterflies, but not to distribution or altitudinal range These results suggest that regional distributions of butterflies are likely to be limited by climatic tolerances of species, while local abundance might be influenced by local resource levels     

Cultural transmission of ethnobotanical knowledge in a rural community of northwestern Patagonia, Argentina

In the present study we analyzed medicinal and edible plant utilization in Cuyin Manzano, a small rural population located near the Andean forests of Argentina. We also studied where and when plant knowledge was learned, who the principal transmitters were, and how people were taught. The participants were interviewed individually and at random, by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. Interviews were carried out in 16 families in order to examine the present use of wild plants. The inhabitants of Cuyin Manzano cited 87 plants: 63 medicinal and 24 edible species. They mentioned on average 31 ± 10 species per person. Similar patterns of plant use were found in young and old people alike, irrespective of gender. Learning about useful plants took place at an early age as a result of family tradition. This local knowledge is acquired and taught “by doing,” and is mostly transmitted vertically through family dissemination. Wild plant learning implies the acquisition of plants' physical and functional features as well as their environmental characteristics.     

Home Gardens Sustain Crop Diversity and Improve Farm Resilience in Candelaria Loxicha,Oaxaca, Mexico

Home gardens are land use units embedded in a larger land use system, in this case in Candelaria Loxicha, Oaxaca, Mexico. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, we investigated how home gardens are integrated into local farming practices and how these influence biodiversity. Our findings suggest that home gardens harbour high levels of biodiversity, which are maintained and enriched by farmers’ practices, particularly plant and seed exchange. Plant diversity is higher in younger home gardens and in home gardens where owners actively exchange plant material with other people. Through plant exchange, seed storage, and the dispersion of seeds and plants in different land uses, farmers encourage plant diversity and consequently increase the resilience of their farming system in changing climatic, demographic and economic conditions. Both men and women participate in the establishment, care and management of home gardens, but they are responsible for different plants and home garden functions. For economic reasons, the inhabitants of Candelaria Loxicha are increasingly engaging in international migration. Migrants, upon their return bring new ideas and plants that might transform the rural landscape.     

Importance of local knowledge in plant resources management and conservation in two protected areas from Trás-os-Montes, Portugal

Assam is very rich in plant biodiversity as well as in ethnic diversity and has a great traditional knowledge base in plant resources. It is inhabited by the largest number of tribes and they lead an intricate life totally dependent on forest plants. The Mising is the major section and second largest tribal community of Assam and have a rich tradition of religion and culture. Their religious practices and beliefs are based on supernaturalism. A study of the plants related to magico religious beliefs in Dobur Uie of Mising is carried out. The results revealed the use of 30 plants belonging to 23 families. All plant species are used both in religious purpose as well as in the treatment of different ailments. Details of the uses of plants and conservational practices employed in Dobur Uie are provided. Our findings on the use of plants in Dobur Uie ritual reflect that some plants are facing problems for survival and they need urgent conservation before their elimination. Because this elimination may threat the rich tradition of Mising culture. Most of the plants that are domesticated for different rituals are almost same in all Mising populated areas.     

Flexibility in the food selection by the European hare (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepus europaeus</Emphasis>) along the altitudinal gradient of the Southern Andean Precordillera (Argentina)

Predictions derived from the optimal foraging theory are interesting to test on wild herbivores living in mountain environments, considering the expected vegetation changes across altitudinal gradients. A lower food richness and a more generalist diet are expected as altitude increases, with higher diet diversity and a shift to browsing as food availability decreases seasonally. With broad diets and ecological adaptability, Lepus europaeus is a non-native herbivore inhabiting Andean altitudinal gradients. Diet and vegetation were analyzed using microhistological analysis and point-quadrat transects at six sampling sites, representative of altitudinal phytogeographic belts. The diet included 67 of the 109 species present in the vegetation. Lepus europaeus proved to be an intermediate feeder with a generalist and selective diet. Following the prediction for altitudinal gradients, dietary generalism increased as plant cover and diversity decreased with altitude. Differences in plant phenology and toxins justified changes in food preferences, from shrubs at the summit to grasses at lower altitudes. Seasonal changes in diet diversity were consistent with different hypotheses depending on altitude. The tundra climate at the summit determined a strong phenological decline and food scarcity during winter, when the less diverse diet was more focused on a preferred shrub, following the selective quality hypothesis. With a milder climate at lower altitudes, the winter increase in diet diversity, with inclusion of avoided shrubs, agrees with the food abundance hypothesis. Climate severity, food shortage, plant phenology, and secondary compounds are relevant for explaining the feeding strategy of European hares in these mountain environments.     

Growth-form regulates the altitudinal variation of interspecific seed mass of woody plants in Mt. Dalaoling,the Three Gorges Region China北大核心CSCD

Aims: Seed size is one of the most important characteristics of plant seeds, and has significant implications in plant ecological functions. Exploring the altitudinal pattern of seed size would help to detect environmental constraints on species distribution and understand the linkage between plant ecological function traits. Methods: The present study measured the quantitative features of seed size, including weight of 1 000 grain seeds, lengths of longer and shorter axes, and analyzed the relationships between seed size and altitude, as well as the influence of growth form. Seed samples were all collected from 201 locally common woody plants (belonging to 59 families and 87 genera) in the Dalaoling Natural Reserve in Yichang City, Hubei Province. Important findings: Measured values of the seed mass, the longer axis, and the shorter axis of the 201 woody plant species all follow the lognormal distribution. Measurements of seed mass vary across five orders of magnitude. Significant correlation was found between seed mass, seed length of the longer and shorter axes (R2 = 0.755; 0.819; 0.630, p > 0.01). Moreover, seed mass of trees and small trees are significantly heavier than those of shrubs and woody vines. Seed mass values of evergreen broad leaved species are significantly heavier than those of deciduous broad leaved species and needle leaved species. Seed mass of all 201 species shows a slightly but statistically significant decreasing trend with the increase of altitude. In addition, altitudinal patterns of seed mass varied between species with different growth form. Our results indicated the variation of altitudinal trends of seed mass for different structural components of plant communities, implying the local community structure as a critical aspect of variation in macro-ecological patterns.