Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), Cyanogenic Potential, and Predation in Northwestern Amazonia: The Tukanoan Perspective |
| |
Authors: | W. M. Wilson |
| |
Affiliation: | (1) Department of Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 1N4 |
| |
Abstract: | The Tukanoans of northwestern Amazonia cultivate high-cyanogenic potential cassava, which provides 80% of their dietary energy. In an effort to understand why the Tukanoans cultivate primarily high-rather than low-cyanogenic potential cassava, which requires far less processing before consumption, this paper seeks to determine whether the Tukanoans discern a difference in levels of predation on high-and low-cyanogenic potential cassava. Given the potential protection afforded by high-cyanogenic potential, it was hypothesized that the Tukanoans would report higher predation upon low-cyanogenic potential cassava in comparison to high-cyanogenic potential cassava. Both unstructured interviews and pile-sort exercises were conducted to address this question. The unstructured interviews provide some support for the hypothesis, while the pile-sort interviews did not support the hypothesis. These data demonstrate that while the Tukanoans are cognizant of differences in predation on different cassava cultivars, resistance to predation may not be a characteristic of paramount concern in cultivar selection. |
| |
Keywords: | manioc yuca swidden agriculture Amazonian Indians crop selection |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|