Patrick Hällzon, Zulhayat Ötkür, Sabira Ståhlberg, Ingvar Svanberg
{"title":"Making the most of scarce biological resources in the desert: Loptuq material culture in Eastern Turkestan around 1900","authors":"Patrick Hällzon, Zulhayat Ötkür, Sabira Ståhlberg, Ingvar Svanberg","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00660-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-024-00660-5","url":null,"abstract":"Most fisher-gatherer communities we know of utilized a limited number of natural resources for their livelihood. The Turkic-speaking Loptuq (exonym Loplik, Loplyk) in the Lower Tarim River basin, Taklamakan desert, Eastern Turkestan (Xinjiang), were no exception. Their habitat, the Lop Nor marsh and lake area, was surrounded by desert and very poor in plant species; the Loptuq had to make the most of a handful of available biological resources for housing, furniture, clothing and fabric, fishnets and traps, tools and other equipment. The taxa used by the Loptuq were documented by foreign explorers at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries, prior to the forced resettlement of the group in the 1950s and subsequent destruction of their language, lifestyle and culture. Ethnobiology explores the relationship between humans and their environment, including the use of biological resources for different purposes. In several aspects, historical ethnobiology is more challenging; it studies this relationship in the past and therefore cannot verify results with informants. As the present study discusses an extinct culture on the basis of literary and material sources, we apply a method called source pluralism. This approach allows the inclusion and combination of a wide range of data and materials, even scraps of information from various sources, with the aim to understand phenomena which are sparsely mentioned in historical records. Travel reports by Swedish, British, German, American and Russian explorers together with linguistic data provide the most important sources for understanding Loptuq interaction with the environment and its biota. Especially the large number of toponyms and phytonyms recorded by the Swedish explorer Sven Hedin and materials from his expeditions, including voucher specimens kept in Stockholm in the herbarium of the Swedish Natural History Museum, and objects of material culture in the collections of the Ethnographical Museum, are crucial for our analysis about local knowledge among the Loptuq. Illustrations and photographs provide us with additional information. The question of how the Loptuq managed to survive at the fringe of a desert, a marsh and a lake which changed its location, intrigued all foreign visitors to the Lop Nor. The Loptuq’s main livelihood was fishing, hunting and gathering, and their material culture provided by plants and other organic materials included their usage, consumption and trade. Only a handful of species formed the basis of the Loptuq material culture, but they had learned to use these specific plants for a variety of purposes. The most important of these were Lop hemp, Poacynum pictum (Schrenk) Baill., the riparian tree Euphrates poplar, Populus euphratica Olivier, and the aquatic common reed, Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. Several species of tamarisk were used for fuel and building fences. A few plants were also harvested for making foodstuffs such as snack","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139967486","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":"An ethnobotanical study of wild edible fruits in miombo woodlands of Tabora region in Western Tanzania","authors":"Michael Elias Mgalula","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00668-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-024-00668-x","url":null,"abstract":"Wild edible fruits found in Tanzania's miombo woods are an indispensable source of food and medicine. Unfortunately, with the rapid expansion of human activities and urbanisation in the Tabora rural, Uyui and Sikonge districts of Western Tanzania, some wild fruits are disappearing due to the loss of plant diversity. The objectives of this study wereL: to document the knowledge related to wild edible fruits; to quantify the use and cultural significance, and to determine their threats. The ethnobotanical study was conducted from June 2022 to February 2023 involving 244 local informants. The study used field visits, the collection of plant parts, and semi-structured interviews with locals for its data collection. Descriptive statistics and correlation test were used to analyse the knowledge related to wild fruits. Frequency citation (f) and use reports (UR) were computed to understand the diversity and cultural significance (CI). The study documented 27 wild edible fruit species used for food and medicine. The life form constituted deciduous shrubs or trees (64%), shrub trees (21%) and evergreen or deciduous trees (15%). About (56%) of wild edible fruits were collected from June to August after the rainy season, (33%) were harvested between December and May during the rainy season, and (11%) were gathered from September and November before the rainy season. Household size and sex of the respondents were significantly correlated to the knowledge of wild edible fruits. Higher utilisation frequency (f) was recorded for Vitex mombassae Vatke (f = 0.84), Strychnos spinosa Lam. (f = 0.82), Vitex payos (Lour.) Merr. (f = 0.56), Phyllogeiton discolor (Klotzsch) Herzog. (f = 0.45), Vangueria infausta Burchell (f = 0.45), Tamarindus indica L. (f = 0.38), Parinari curatellifolia (f = 0.25), Landolphia parvifolia K.Schum. (f = 0.22) and Microcos conocarpa Burret (f = 0.22) fruits species. Additionally, Phyllogeiton discolor (Klotzsch) Herzog. (UR = 56), Vitex mombassae Vatke (UR = 56), Tamarindus indica L. (UR = 37), Strychnos spinosa Lam. (UR = 14) and Friesodielsia obovata (Benth.) Verdc. (UR = 11), have higher use reports (UR) and considered culturally important. Wild fruits were used to cure diabetes, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and respiratory infections ailments. Multiple uses as well as the related knowledge of wild fruits have been documented. Friesodielsia obovata, Grewia flavescens Juss and Thespesia garckeana F.Hoffm. are the medicinal fruit species reported for the first time. Harvesting of wood plants, charcoal activities, crop cultivation, grazing expansion, and environmental change, have had an impact on the diversity of wild edible fruit plants. Over the past three decades, the use of wild fruits has been impacted by the loss of plant diversity due to decline of cultural norms on the forests management. Given the variety of uses for wild fruits, promoting markets for native fruits, sensitising the locals about the cultural importance and in","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139967883","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":"Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Yi people in Mile, Yunnan, China.","authors":"Hongrui Li, Caiwen Huang, Yanhong Li, Pujing Wang, Jingxian Sun, Zizhen Bi, Shisheng Xia, Yong Xiong, Xishan Bai, Xiangzhong Huang","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00656-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00656-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Yi people are a sociolinguistic group living in Mile City, which is their typical settlement in southeastern Yunnan, China. Over the long history of using medicinal plants, the Yi people have accumulated and developed a wealth of traditional medicinal knowledge, which has played a vital role in their health care. However, only a few studies have been performed to systematically document the medicinal plants commonly used by the Yi people. This study provides fundamental data for the development and application of ethnomedicine as well as supports the conservation of the traditional medical knowledge of the Yi people.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was conducted from May 2020 to August 2022 and involved five townships in Mile. Information regarding medicinal plants was obtained through semistructured interviews, key informant interviews, and participatory observation. The collected voucher specimens were identified using the botanical taxonomy method and deposited in the herbarium. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using informant consensus factor, relative frequency of citation, and fidelity level.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 114 informants distributed in five townships of Mile were interviewed. The Yi people used 267 medicinal plant species belonging to 232 genera and 104 families to treat various diseases. Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Fabaceae were the most commonly used plant families by the Yi people. In addition, herbs were most commonly used by the Yi people. Whole plants and roots were the preferred medicinal parts. Decoctions were the most common method of herbal medicine preparation. There are 49 different recorded diseases treated by Yi medicinal plants, and among them, respiratory diseases, rheumatism, traumatic injury, fractures, and digestive system diseases have the largest number of species used. A quantitative analysis demonstrated that plants such as Zingiber officinale, Lycopodium japonicum, Aconitum carmichaelii, Panax notoginseng, Cyathula officinalis, and Leonurus japonicus played crucial roles in disease prevention and treatment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants is closely associated with the social culture of the local Yi people. The medicinal plants used for health care in the study area were diverse. Local healers were skilled at using medicinal plants to treat various diseases. Their treatment methods were convenient and unique, exhibiting distinctive regional characteristics. However, the inheritance of their traditional medicinal knowledge and protection of wild medicinal plant resources are facing serious challenges, including the decreasing number of local healers, aging of healers, lack of successors, and excessive harvesting of medicinal plant resources. This ethnobotanical survey provides a useful reference for the sustainable utilization and protection of medicinal plant resources in Mile and the inheritance of","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10893717/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139941090","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":"Ethnoveterinary medicinal plants and their utilization by the people of Soro District, Hadiya Zone, southern Ethiopia","authors":"Mulatu Hankiso, Zemede Asfaw, Bikila Warkineh, Abiy Abebe, Bihonegn Sisay, Asfaw Debella","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00651-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-024-00651-6","url":null,"abstract":"Ethnoveterinary studies are important to maintain the sustainability of livestock health and support people’s livelihoods through the provision of food, maintaining livestock health, and other biological resources. This study was carried out in Soro District, southern Ethiopia, to identify, document and analyse plant species with ethnoveterinary uses along with the associated indigenous and local knowledge. Informants were selected using purposive (key informants) and systematic random sampling (general informants) methods. Data on ethnoveterinary plants and their uses were collected through semi-structured interviews, guided field walks, 13 focus group discussions with five to seven members in each and participant observation. Informant consensus factor and fidelity level were computed to identify the most common livestock ailment categories and the best plant species with ethnoveterinary use, respectively. Preference ranking methods were used to identify the potentially effective ethnoveterinary medicinal plants for the most frequently reported livestock ailments. The use diversity of multipurpose plants with ethnoveterinary importance was analysed using the analytical methods of ethnobotany including priority ranking, comparisons and important indices. The T-test statistic was used to compare knowledge differences among different social groups. A total of 132 plant species in 120 genera and 61 families were reported by informants as having ethnoveterinary uses. The plants are said to be used by the local communities in various ways to treat 50 livestock health problems. Higher number of informants (23.77%) cited Momordica foetida for the treatment of 16 livestock ailments. The highest informant consensus value for this species is associated with its use for treating blackleg in cattle; Nicotiana tabacum was cited for the treatment of 15 livestock ailments mainly recommended for the Lumpy Skin Disease/Ailment of bovines; Croton macrostachyus for treatment of 13 livestock ailments including wooden tongue, FMD in bovines; and Gymnanthemum amygdalinum for nine ailments mainly diarrhoea of all livestock types. Achyranthes aspera is claimed to provide the most effective treatment for Aspiration pneumonia (severe coughing in bovines, sheep and goats) alone, while Croton macrostachyus, Ximenia americana, Allium sativum and Juniperus procera were indicated as potential plant species to treat Lumpy Skin Disease in bovines in the order given. The fidelity level analysis showed that Datura stramonium, Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustifolia and Asparagus africanus were potential medicinal plant species to treat the respective ailments of rabies, Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) and evil eye/spirit. Multipurpose plant species including Prunus africanus, Combretum molle and Afrocarpus falcatus have been highly threatened as indicated by direct matrix ranking mainly due to collection of fuel wood, construction materials and making household utensils, and farm i","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"128 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139921586","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}
Laura Van Damme, Lars Chatrou, Eduardo de la Peña, Pathy Kibungu, Césarine Sinatu Bolya, Patrick Van Damme, Wouter Vanhove, Melissa Ceuterick, Emiel De Meyer
{"title":"Plant use and perceptions in the context of sexual health among people of Congolese descent in Belgium.","authors":"Laura Van Damme, Lars Chatrou, Eduardo de la Peña, Pathy Kibungu, Césarine Sinatu Bolya, Patrick Van Damme, Wouter Vanhove, Melissa Ceuterick, Emiel De Meyer","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00662-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00662-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The use of medicinal plants is integral to global healthcare systems, with Sub-Saharan Africa maintaining a robust tradition of herbal medicine alongside Western-oriented healthcare. As migrant communities tend to continue traditional herbal practices after migration, documenting this use is vital to develop culturally sensitive healthcare. This study investigates plant usage and perspectives in the context of sexual and reproductive health among the Congolese community in Belgium, particularly in the Matongé quarter of Brussels. Our research questions were: (1) What is the current knowledge of medicinal plants among the Congolese community in Belgium in the context of sexual health, and what are the applications and commonly employed administration methods of these plants? (2) What role does herbal medicine play in the context of sexual health for people of Congolese descent in Belgium and how this is influenced by perceptions of sexuality? and (3) Is there a gender bias in the use of medicinal plants, and if so, can this be related to perceived gender norms?</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with people of Congolese descent currently living in Belgium. Participants were selected using both snowball sampling and purposive sampling. Plant use in the context of sexual health was recorded through freelisting. Data on narratives, ideas, and perceptions of this plant use in the context of sexual health were collected. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified 17 plant species used for sexual health. Three overarching themes emerged from our data. Plants were used with a notable gender bias favoring male sexual potency enhancement. Men used these plants for both remedying potency issues and enhancing sexual prowess. In contrast, knowledge about plants for female sexual health was limited. Gender norms reinforced the importance of male sexual potency, while stigmatizing open discussions of female sexuality.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The use of medicinal plants for sexual health raises health, social, and conservation concerns, underscoring the need for further research in this area. This study contributes to understanding medicinal plant use within the Congolese community in Belgium and highlights the necessity for future research on herbal practices for female sexual health in this context.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"20"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10877895/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139906728","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}
Muhammad Manzoor, Mushtaq Ahmad, Muhammad Zafar, Syed Waseem Gillani, Hamayun Shaheen, Andrea Pieroni, Abdullah Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, Mohamed Soliman Elshikh, Saddam Saqib, Trobjon Makhkamov, Khislat Khaydarov
{"title":"Correction: The local medicinal plant knowledge in Kashmir Western Himalaya: a way to foster ecological transition via community-centred health seeking strategies.","authors":"Muhammad Manzoor, Mushtaq Ahmad, Muhammad Zafar, Syed Waseem Gillani, Hamayun Shaheen, Andrea Pieroni, Abdullah Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, Mohamed Soliman Elshikh, Saddam Saqib, Trobjon Makhkamov, Khislat Khaydarov","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00654-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00654-3","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"19"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10877837/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139906727","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}
Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque, Alfred Maroyi, Ana H Ladio, Andrea Pieroni, Arshad Mehmood Abbasi, Bárbara Arias Toledo, Farid Dahdouh-Guebas, Gustavo Hallwass, Gustavo Taboada Soldati, Guillaume Odonne, Ina Vandebroek, Joan Vallès, Julio Alberto Hurrell, Manuel Pardo de Santayana, María de Los Ángeles La Torre-Cuadros, María Teresa Pulido Silva, Michelle Cristine Medeiros Jacob, Viviane Stern da Fonseca-Kruel, Washington Soares Ferreira Júnior
{"title":"Advancing ethnobiology for the ecological transition and a more inclusive and just world: a comprehensive framework for the next 20 years.","authors":"Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque, Alfred Maroyi, Ana H Ladio, Andrea Pieroni, Arshad Mehmood Abbasi, Bárbara Arias Toledo, Farid Dahdouh-Guebas, Gustavo Hallwass, Gustavo Taboada Soldati, Guillaume Odonne, Ina Vandebroek, Joan Vallès, Julio Alberto Hurrell, Manuel Pardo de Santayana, María de Los Ángeles La Torre-Cuadros, María Teresa Pulido Silva, Michelle Cristine Medeiros Jacob, Viviane Stern da Fonseca-Kruel, Washington Soares Ferreira Júnior","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00661-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00661-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This opinion piece, written by ethnobiologists from different parts of the world, emphasizes the importance of ethnobiology research in advancing contemporary biology, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and, especially, contributing to the ecological transition and more just and inclusive world. To achieve these goals, it is essential to develop research and collaborate with social groups that live in close relationship with nature in research activities, such as Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC), as well as Afro-descendants and other Marginalized, Minority or Minoritized Communities (AMMC). Ethnobiology can identify and provide locally appropriate solutions to local problems, enabling sustainable resource management at the landscape level. The text explores important aspects that need to be considered to guide the future of ethnobiology in the next 20 years, aiming to integrate and amplify previous discussions held in the discipline and identify points that demand ongoing attention. This paper highlights reflections from diverse researchers, emphasizing how ethnobiology can embrace different perspectives and employ rigorous analysis of complex phenomena toward effective policies and practices. This approach holds the potential to address the challenges the planet is currently facing in the coming decades.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10870687/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139742448","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}
Xueyu Ma, Dan Luo, Yong Xiong, Caiwen Huang, Ganpeng Li
{"title":"Ethnobotanical study on ritual plants used by Hani people in Yunnan, China.","authors":"Xueyu Ma, Dan Luo, Yong Xiong, Caiwen Huang, Ganpeng Li","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00659-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00659-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Hani people, who reside in Yuanyang County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, rely on rice terrace farming as their primary livelihood. They utilize plants in various traditional ritual practices. The Hani people have categorized the value of plants based on their natural attributes and have refined the ways of using different plants in specific rituals through practical observations and experiences derived from their agricultural culture. Although the plants used in these rituals hold significant cultural value, they have yet to be studied from the perspective of ethnobotany. This study aims to approach the ritual plants using ethnobotanical methods.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ethnobotanical fieldwork was conducted in 10 villages in Yuanyang County between 2021 and 2023. Data were collected from the local Hani people through semi-structured interviews and participatory observations and 41 informants were interviewed during the field investigations. The frequency of citation (FC) and relative frequency of citation (RFC) were utilized to evaluate the relative importance of ritual plants among the local communities.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 36 plant species, belonging to 18 families and 34 genera, were recorded as being used in 11 ritual practices by the Hani people. Rosaceae, Poaceae, and Fabaceae were found to have the highest number of species. Most of the ritual plants used by the Hani people were collected from the wild. FC and RFC analysis showed that the preferred plants for Hani rituals were Rhus chinensis Mill, Oryza sativa L., Phyllostachys sulphurea (Carr.) A. et C. Riv. and Musa basjoo Siebold & Zucc. ex Iinuma. The 11 rituals are all centered around the performance of people, crops and livestock. The Hani people use plants in different rituals mainly based on their biological attributes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Many rituals of the Hani people are closely related to their production and livelihood, and the plants used in these rituals are deeply rooted in Hani's traditional ecological knowledge and beliefs. The Hani people's reverence for nature, respect for life, gratitude towards ancestors, and seeking blessings and disaster prevention for their families, crops, and livestock are all reflected in these rituals and their utilization of ritual plants. The Hani people showcase their agricultural culture in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces through plant-based ritual performances. Studying ritual plants in the core area of the Hani Rice Terraces is of great significance for protecting the Hani Terrace farming culture. In the future, it is essential to pay more attention to the role of traditional knowledge in biodiversity conservation.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"17"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10865556/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139730806","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}
Mazulkieliche Jeronimo Dos Reis, Lucas Leonardo-Silva, Solange Xavier-Santos
{"title":"The perception of fungi among Karajá indigenous children and adolescents from Brazil.","authors":"Mazulkieliche Jeronimo Dos Reis, Lucas Leonardo-Silva, Solange Xavier-Santos","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00652-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00652-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Environmental perception involves the interpretation and interaction of individuals with their surroundings, influenced by cultural, social, and individual factors. Analyzing the environmental perception of children and adolescents contributes to fostering awareness and ethical behavior toward the environment. Indigenous communities, such as the Karajá from Brazil, possess significant environmental knowledge due to their connection with nature, providing distinctive insights into biodiversity and natural interconnections. In this study, the perception of fungi among Karajá indigenous children and adolescents was investigated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study involved 229 elementary school students from the Macaúba, Fontoura and Santa Isabel do Morro communities, located on Bananal Island, Brazil. Students were encouraged to draw what they knew about fungi and answer where they learned about fungi and what name they give to these organisms. The drawings were analyzed considering seven categories.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The term most used to refer to fungi was hedoro(u) (56%), followed by fungus (21%) and mushroom (11%). Most students said they had learned about fungi in nature (38%) and at school (36%). The most represented organisms were in fact fungi (93%), mainly being portrayed in nature (94%). Most participants did not attribute any ecological function to fungi (83%), although 16% of them recognized fungi as decomposers and 1% as phytopathogenic agents. Negative aspects, particularly food contamination, were more frequently represented (13%) than positive aspects (4%). The drawings identified two morphological types: mushrooms (87%) and mold (13%). Among these mushrooms, 68% possibly represent the Amanita muscaria species.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although the children and adolescents showed that they noticed the fungi around them, the group's concept and understanding were limited to the figure of the mushroom and the negative aspects related to food contamination. Strong association of the fungi with the A. muscaria is noteworthy, since it does not occur in the environment in which the participants live, suggesting that external stimuli, such as TV or the internet, can influence their perception more than the nature they are exposed to.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"16"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10858474/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139713281","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}
Carlos Cédric Ahoyo, Thierry Dèhouegnon Houéhanou, Alain Sèakpo Yaoitcha, Bénédicte Perpétue Akpi, Armand Natta, Marcel Romuald Benjamin Houinato
{"title":"How do plant demographic and ecological traits combined with social dynamics and human traits affect woody plant selection for medicinal uses in Benin (West Africa)?","authors":"Carlos Cédric Ahoyo, Thierry Dèhouegnon Houéhanou, Alain Sèakpo Yaoitcha, Bénédicte Perpétue Akpi, Armand Natta, Marcel Romuald Benjamin Houinato","doi":"10.1186/s13002-024-00655-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-024-00655-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Several hypotheses have been used in ethnobotany to explain the plant's selection criteria by people for their daily needs. Thus, it is important to assess synergy and complementarity among them, especially, those concerning the plant use value, social dynamics and human traits. The study aims to (i) highlight people's socio-economic factors, and plant ecological traits that affect the plant use-availability dynamic (PUD); and (ii) assess the available species diversity effect on ethno-medicinal knowledge diversity in Benin.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ethnobotanical interviews were carried out to quantify the importance of local species in different ecological zones of Benin with 590 traditional medicine actors. Vegetation surveys were done to assess species availability within 337 plots of 50 m x 40 m or 60 m x 30 m, depending on the climatic zone, for a total of 61.6 ha, established in 15 forests distributed within the 10 phytodistricts of Benin. The plant use availability hypothesis was quantified as a dynamic link between species use value and availability (PUD). A general and mixed linear models were used to assess the significance of each factor's effect on PUD. Pearson correlation test was applied on Shannon diversity index considering inventoried species in the field and those which were cited by people, for the available species diversity effect on ethno-medicinal knowledge diversity assessment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A hundred and twenty woody medicinal plants, mostly trees (68.33%), were sampled. Growth form and its interaction with phytodistrict have a significant effect (p: 0.005) on PUD. The less available trees were the most used in the phytodistricts 3, 4, 8 and 10. PUD varies significantly according to social factors (p: 0.007). Ethnicity, age and main activity were the most quoted social factors which influenced the PUD. Ethnicity and age have various effects considering the phytodistricts. Moreover, the influence of age changes following the main activity. Plant selection did not solely link to the surrounding diversity (r: - 0.293; p: 0.403). Within some phytodistricts, especially those of 3, 4, 8 and 10, the less available tree species were the most requested.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>It is urgent to reforest vegetation patches in some phytodistricts (3, 4, 8 and 10) of Benin with widely requested and no available species to avoid the extinction of their wild populations. This concerns Cassia sieberiana DC., Anonychium africanum (Guill. & Perr.) C. E.Hughes & G. P. Lewis, Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir., Cola millenii K. Schum., Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss., Pseudocedrela kotschyi (Schweinf.) Harms, Treculia africana Decne. ex Trécul, Uapaca heudelotii Baill., Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn., Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. and Newbouldia laevis (P. Beauv.) Seem. ex Bureau.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"20 1","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10854095/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139713280","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}