Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine最新文献

{"title":"Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in Metema and Quara districts, Northwestern Ethiopia.","authors":"Daniel Tadesse, Getinet Masresha, Ermias Lulekal, Asmamaw Alemu","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00761-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-025-00761-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Wild edible plants (WEPs) are vital to enhance food security and generate income. Despite Ethiopia's vast area and cultural diversity, there remains a need for further investigation of WEPs. Therefore, this study aimed to document WEPs, and the indigenous knowledge associated with them in the Metema and Quara districts of north-western Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data on WEPs were collected through semi-structured interviews with 396 informants, guided field walks, focus group discussions, and market surveys. The data were analyzed using preference ranking, priority ranking, direct matrix ranking, and Jaccard's index.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We documented 51 WEPs that were distributed among 26 families and 39 genera. Fabaceae was the most represented family with eight species. Trees accounted for 49% of WEPs and were primarily consumed by their fruits (57%). Local communities usually consume these plants raw as a supplementary food, although some require processing. Of the recorded WEPs, 94.1% had multipurpose uses, in addition to nutrition. The main threats to WEPs availability were agricultural land expansion, fuelwood harvest, and construction use.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>WEPs play a crucial role in enhancing food security, nutrition, and income generation for local communities. However, they are facing increasing threats from human activity. Therefore, sustainable utilization, conservation efforts, and collaboration among stakeholders are necessary for the future use of WEPs. Furthermore, a nutritional composition assessment is recommended for the most promising WEPs.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143371185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of Chinese folk ritual music in biodiversity conservation: an ethnobiological perspective from the Lingnan region.","authors":"Yibo Liu, Yingjie Song","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00755-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00755-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Traditional ecological knowledge embedded in cultural practices is vital for biodiversity conservation but is increasingly under threat from modernization and globalization. This study investigates the role of Chinese folk ritual music in promoting biodiversity conservation, with a focus on Cantonese Opera and agricultural rituals in the Lingnan region of southern China.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We employed literature review, qualitative fieldwork, and ethnographic analysis, including interviews with local musicians and community members, to investigate how Cantonese Opera and agricultural rituals contribute to ecological sustainability by integrating cultural narratives with environmental stewardship.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings reveal three main ways in which Chinese folk ritual music supports biodiversity conservation: (1) fostering ecological understanding through symbolic representations, such as the carp and water buffalo; (2) promoting sustainable practices, including traditional farming techniques and the conservation of wetland ecosystems; and (3) enhancing community cohesion and the transmission of ecological values across generations. Notably, 70% of interviewees highlighted the role of symbolic animals in raising awareness of ecological sustainability.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study underscores the potential of integrating traditional ecological knowledge with modern conservation strategies. Cultural traditions, such as Cantonese Opera and agricultural rituals, not only preserve biodiversity but also provide a framework for sustainable resource management. These findings highlight the importance of protecting and revitalizing cultural practices to ensure both cultural and ecological resilience in the face of global challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"6"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11780889/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143069125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of socioeconomic and human-modified landscape variables on medicinal species richness at a macroscale: the case of the Caatinga, Brazil.","authors":"Aníbal Silva Cantalice, Thiago Gonçalves-Souza, Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00757-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00757-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ethnobiological studies at local scales have shown that knowledge of medicinal species tends to decrease as socioeconomic status and the extent of human-modified landscapes increase. However, it remains largely unknown whether these same factors can predict knowledge of useful species at broader scales and whether their interaction might create scenarios that enhance knowledge of medicinal species.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To address this, we tested whether knowledge of woody medicinal species-measured as the number of species known-is influenced by socioeconomic status, human-modified landscapes, and their interaction. We compiled and curated data on woody medicinal species from a systematic review encompassing diverse communities across the Caatinga region in North-east Brazil. Using the locations of these communities, we extracted data on socioeconomic status (measured by the Human Development Index, HDI) and human-modified landscapes (quantified as the percentage of forest loss).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results indicate that forest loss reduces the knowledge of medicinal woody species among Indigenous People and Local Communities. The interaction between human-modified landscapes and socioeconomic status revealed a significant nonlinear relationship, with different combinations yielding varying levels of knowledge about woody medicinal species. Interestingly, socioeconomic status alone does not appear to influence this knowledge. These findings underscore that the processes shaping knowledge of medicinal species differ across scales and suggest the existence of yet unidentified emergent properties that influence medicinal species knowledge at broader scales.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The conversion of habitats for anthropogenic use poses a significant risk to the well-being of these populations, as it reduces the availability of species used for prophylactic purposes. In contrast, the cultural traditions of Indigenous People and Local Communities, along with the implementation of regional public policies, may explain why socioeconomic status does not affect local knowledge. Moreover, our study highlights that the processes influencing knowledge of medicinal species at broader scales are not simply the aggregation of local-scale observations. Finally, we propose strategies to advance the field of macroethnobiology.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"5"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11760697/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143042975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eating \"rubbish\"? Exploring the herbal secrets of \"Laji-He,\" a traditional herbal rice snack from southern China.","authors":"Renchuan Hu, Qianyun Wang, Zhongxin Duan, Yunan Hu, Kedao Lai, Xiaohui Cai, Ya Peng, Binsheng Luo","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00754-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00754-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Laji-He is a traditional rice-based snack from the Beibu Gulf region in southern China. In the Beibu Gulf region, \"Laji-He\" (literally \"garbage He\") signifies the removal of toxins from the body, making it a truly \"green\" food. Laji-He holds essential cultural and medicinal value, incorporating various medicinal plants into its preparation. Despite its local importance, there is limited scientific documentation on the ethnobotanical properties and cultural relevance of the plants used. This study aims to analyze the medicinal plant used in Laji-He and its implication in human medicine.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ethnobotanical surveys and interviews were conducted in the Beibu Gulf region, covering local markets and communities. Voucher specimens were collected and identified for each plant collected, using botanical references, while the relative frequency of citation index was used to assess the cultural importance of each plant. Additionally, the medicinal properties of these plants were categorized based on traditional Chinese medicinal theory and modern pharmacological literature. A detailed review of historical texts and local chronicles was also performed to trace the historical development and cultural changes of Laji-He.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 63 medicinal plants from 36 families and 53 genera were documented, with Rubiaceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae being the most frequently represented families. The most commonly used plants, such as Paederia foetida, Piper sarmentosum, Houttuynia cordata, Centella asiatica, and Morus alba, were primarily utilized for their heat-clearing, detoxifying, and wind-dampness expelling properties. Laji-He serves as a symbol of cultural identity and community cohesion, particularly during traditional festivals and family gatherings, reinforcing collective memory and local heritage.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Laji-He is a traditional functional snack, with the plants used in its preparation serving as both food and medicine. Preserving and promoting the culture of Laji-He can contribute to enhancing food security and sovereignty at both the local and national levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"4"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11740551/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143014792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ethnobotany of vascular plants use, conservation and management practice in the homegardens by the people of Dawuro in Southwestern Ethiopia.","authors":"Mathewos Agize, Zemede Asfaw, Sileshi Nemomissa, Tizazu Gebre","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00746-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00746-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Homegardens (HGs) are well-time-honored traditional land use systems in small plots of land with purposely designed intricate structure and a mixture of planted vascular plants (VPs) for different purposes. Hence, the present study was initiated to investigate the ethnobotanical information of vascular plants of homegardens and their use, conservation and management practice by the people of Dawuro in southwestern Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 162 farmer informants were selected and interviewed within a distance of < 2 km, 2-4 km and > 4 km between the natural forest and homegardens, and 0.8-1 km between the homegardens. Quadrats of three 5 m × 10 m were laid (except front yard) around each living houses. Shannon-Wiener diversity index was used for analysis of diversity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were 345 vascular plants in the homegardens distributed in 252 genera and 79 families. The most frequently recorded plant families were Fabaceae with 38 (11%), Asteraceae 33 (10%), and Lamiaceae 26 (7.5%). The species richness recorded per homegardens ranged from 13 to 59. Ensete ventricosum, Persea americana, Colocosia esculenta, Coffea arabica, Solanum capsicoides, and Ocimum basilicum were the most frequently occurred species. The homegarden was enset-based agrobiodiversity system providing food, medicine and other uses where the highest, 290 species were for medicine. Men are responsible for planting and propagating large-sized plant species in the homegardens, while small-sized were managed by women and children. The α-diversity (H') ranged from 1.4 to 3.4 and the gamma diversity was 4.2. Culture has positive effect on diversity however, the diversity of species is affected by distance from natural forest (x² = 14.825, df = 4, p = 0.005) at P < 0.05 level.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Awareness raising designed and executed by farmer experts and researchers focusing on managing homegarden is necessary to fill the observed gaps in knowledge and attitude of the new generation. The enset-based homegarden management knowledge and practice as well as avoiding the diseases and other constraints of enset should be given attention. Furthermore, decisions on avoiding the growth and management of invasive exotic plant species like eucalyptus tree in the homegardens have to be made.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11725201/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142972972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ethnobiology! Until when will the colonialist legacy be reinforced?","authors":"Sofia Zank, Cristiane Gomes Julião, Adriana de Souza de Lima, Marciano Toledo da Silva, Carolina Levis, Natalia Hanazaki, Nivaldo Peroni","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00750-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00750-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this essay, we will present arguments for a negative answer to the debate question: \"Is publishing ethnobiology data respectful of Indigenous and Local Knowledge holders' rights?\" We recognize that ethnobiological research has advanced in recognizing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC), but we believe that we still have a long way to go in deconstructing colonialism in ethnobiology. In order to be truly respectful, ethnobiologists need to collaborate with IPLC to achieve an ethical science with equity between knowledge systems, fostering the co-production of knowledge from an intercultural science perspective. This essay was written by a group of Brazilian scientists, both IPLC and non-IPLC, and reflects a perspective of the academic universe seen from the place we are, in this multicultural and imbalanced world.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11724472/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142967265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Food resilience and adaptation on the move: the importance of fostering studies on the Romani local knowledge systems.","authors":"Andrea Pieroni, Naji Sulaiman, Mousaab Alrhmoun","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00752-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00752-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This analysis explores the food local knowledge of the Romani people in Italy, one of the most significant and historically marginalised ethnic groups in Europe. Despite their centuries-long presence across European countries, the Romani community's culinary and herbal practices have often been overlooked. A preliminary study on Romani domestic food and home (plant) remedies was conducted via 106 interviews in Turin, Rome, and Naples during the past fifteen years among urban Romani community members (who migrated to Italy from Romania and Serbia approximately three decades ago). By examining Romani's local food knowledge systems, this research highlights the importance of food ritual practices for preserving identity, fostering resilience, and bridging cultural divides; however, the data also show the plastic adaptability of Romani practices. Most quoted herbal items overlap the ones of the Balkan cultures where they lived together for centuries (Romanians and Serbs). The presented preliminary data insights into how the Romani diaspora in Italy has navigated cultural, economic, and social challenges through sophisticated mimicry and constant adaptation to new environments and cultures. Further understanding the Romani food ecological perceptions and ethnobotanical knowledge may be essential for improving social cohesion, challenging stereotypes, recognising the community's valuable contributions to European cultural diversity and, in general, building a more inclusive ethnobiology.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11724462/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142967266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fishery and ecology-related knowledge about plants among fishing communities along Laguna Lake, Philippines.","authors":"Jimlea Nadezhda Mendoza, Baiba Prūse, Aimee Ciriaco, Amelia Mendoza, Harvey Ciriaco, Cynthia Buen, Julie Joyce Pua, Francesco Primavera, Giulia Mattalia, Renata Sõukand","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00749-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00749-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ethnobotanical knowledge about plant roles in fisheries is crucial for sustainable resource management. Local ecological knowledge helps understand dynamics of the lake ecosystem. Fishers use plants based on availability and characteristics while adapting to the changes in the environment. Studying fishery related uses of plants and algae and the challenges interconnected with them from local perspectives can provide insights into their beneficial uses and impacts to the ecosystem.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study investigates the botanical knowledge of three fishing villages in Laguna Lake or Laguna de Bay (LB), Philippines, including Buhangin, Sampiruhan, and Mabato-Azufre, each with varying degrees of industrialization. The ethnobotanical study, which gathered 27 interviews between June 2022 and July 2024, included plant collection with the help of local collaborators, including local fishers as research guides.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fishers in LB highlighted positive and negative plant-fishing interactions. The most frequently mentioned plant applications were fish habitat and fish hiding places. Fish food, spawning sites, conservation, and a number of challenges such as navigational concerns and aquaculture fish deaths had been previously reported in local use reports. The remaining observations provide new insights into plant-fishing interactions, including indicators of food quality and food sources for fish, the decrease in the action of waves, and how plants help in improving the quality of the water.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These results highlight that the knowledge of fishers regarding the ecosystem in which they conduct their fishing activities provides baseline information about the positive and negative relationships between plants and fishing activities in the region, which is vital for further understanding its biodiversity and ecosystem interactions. It is crucial to consider fisher knowledge and involve them as equal partners in conservation efforts of LB.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"108"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11667982/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142883405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants and their threats in Yeki district, Southwestern Ethiopia.","authors":"Ashebir Awoke, Yared Siyum, Derbew Awoke, Habtamu Gebremedhin, Afework Tadesse","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00748-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00748-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ethiopia is recognized as a significant center of origin for a wide variety of plant species, particularly those with medicinal properties. A substantial segment of the population across the nation depends on these therapeutic plants for their primary healthcare needs. Many communities, both rural and urban, engage in traditional medicine practices, passing down their knowledge orally from one generation to the next. Consequently, this study was undertaken to record the traditional medicinal plants and the related indigenous knowledge in the Yeki district of Southwest Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Between March 2024 and August 2024, semi-structured interviews, in-person meetings, group discussions, and escorted field trips were used to gather quantitative ethnobotanical data. A total of 132 informants 100 men and 32 women were interviewed in order to gather ethnobotanical data. The informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), plant part value, preference ranking, and direct matrix ranking were among the quantitative techniques that were employed. Furthermore, the study used a variety of statistical tests, such as independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, correlation, and regression with R software version 4.3.2, to compare the ethnobotanical knowledge of various informant groups.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>A total of 98 species of traditional medicinal plants from 81 genera and 45 plant families were identified in the current study. The Asteraceae (11 species) were the largest family used by local peoples, followed by Solanaceae (8 species). The most commonly used plant parts were leaves and roots, and the primary technique for making remedies was crushing. The respiratory systems disease categories had the second highest consensus score (ICF: 0.90), after the dermal disease category (ICF: 0.91). The number of medicinal plants reported by respondents across gender, age groups, educational level, and informant's type varied significantly (P < 0.05). Various medicinal species can be found in the area's vegetation, but they are threatened by deforestation, agricultural extension, firewood, modernization, IAS, charcoal production, and material culture.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results highlight the extensive variety of medicinal plants and the accompanying traditional knowledge present in the Guraferda district. The elevated ethnobotanical indices justify the need for additional phytochemical and pharmacological research. It is advisable to implement integrated conservation strategies to tackle the challenges confronting these precious plant resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"107"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11663343/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142873079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Consumption of wild edible plants in the Kofale and Heban-Arsi districts, West Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.","authors":"Geritu Nuro, Ketema Tolossa, Mirutse Giday","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00744-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00744-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Wild edible plants (WEPs) are neglected and have received little attention despite their significant contributions to the sustenance and livelihoods of rural communities. This study was conducted in the Kofale and Heban-Arsi districts of the Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, to document the diversity, to assess the most preferred WEPs, their utilization, and threats they face.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study was conducted in the Kofale and Heban-Arsi districts of the West Arsi Zone of the Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Data collection took place from February to September 2022 in Kofale and from November 2022 to April 2023 in Heban-Arsi district. To gather ethnobotanical information, the research employed semi-structured interviews, field observations, focus group discussions, and guided field walks. The interviews involved 290 informants who were selected via snowball sampling and systemic random sampling methods. Preference ranking values, direct matrix rankings, and use values (UVs) of documented species were computed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 62 WEPs species belonging to 38 families and 56 genera were identified. The Moraceae family includes 7 species, followed by Fabaceae and Rubiaceae (each 4 species), and Lamiaceae (3 species). Shrub was the dominant growth form (32 species), followed by herbs (13 species). The largest number (24 species) of WEPs was collected from grazing lands/fields, followed by forest habitats (17 species). The most widely used edible plant part was fruit (40 species) and leaf (11 species). Most WEPs were collected for consumption from March to May (30 species), and the majority of the species (48, 77.4%) were utilized in their raw state. A large number of WEP (41 species) were consumed only during periods of food shortage, and the remaining (21 species) were used as staple food supplements. Multiple other uses of WEPs in the study area also reported. Fifty-two species mentioned for medicinal use, and the species that had the highest use value was Cordia africana Lam. (0.9). The direct matrix ranking results indicated that agricultural expansion was a principal threat to the WEPs in the study area.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study indicated that WEPs are widely used during food shortages in the study area, but many WEP species are under threat due to growing pressure from various anthropogenic factors. Thus, public awareness and community-based management need to be encouraged at all levels to conserve and sustainably use these resources to address food insecurity.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"105"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11657694/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142856371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}