Background: Mauritania has the most detailed and diverse knowledge on traditional plant remedies of medicinal plant use, despite its comparatively limited native flora due to its low population density and severe desert climate. However, the country is at the crossroads of Sub-Saharan African and Arabo-Berber cultures. Despite this, the country's ethnobotanical expertise is severely under documented.
Methods: The study was conducted through an extensive review of ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies, scientific reports, and historical records related to the traditional use of medicinal plants in Mauritania. Data were collected from scientific databases includingGoogle Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline, as well as from dissertations, theses, ethnobotanical books, and local folklore records. The search targeted studies published between January 1950 and January 2025, using specific keywords and Boolean operators to ensure comprehensive coverage of the topic. Additional references were identified by examining the bibliographies of selected articles.
Results: The first attempt to compile a traditional herbal pharmacopoeia for Mauritania is presented.According to the sources, a total of 133 medicinal and aromatic plants; these plants are used to treat 17 categories of diseases, with the majority addressing digestive group.These plants are used to treat 17 categories of diseases, with the majority addressing digestive disorders (55 plant species) and dermatological disorders (20 species). Notably, the study emphasises apparentcultural differences: the Moors have the best medical knowledge, while the Pulaar, Wolof, and Soninke have distinct ethnobotanical practices that haven't been widely studied.
Conclusion: This review aims to document, in a single work, the medical ethnobotanical traditions of Mauritania, underscoring the country's medicinal flora and its potential for future pharmacological studies. Targeted field investigations are needed to properly capture the diversity and practical usefulness of traditional plant knowledge. The study underlines also significant gaps in the field ethnobotanical documentation, particularly among certain ethnic groups.
Background: Local vegetables are essential for food security, nutrition, and cultural practices in rural northeastern Thailand. Despite their importance, comprehensive documentation of their diversity, nutritional contributions, cultural significance, and economic value in Pa Tio District, Yasothon Province, is lacking. This study provides the first systematic account of edible plants in the district, highlighting their multifunctional roles in food, medicine, household nutrition, and local markets.
Methods: Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews with local informants, and species uses were categorized as food, spices, medicinal, or ornamental. Quantitative indices-including the Cultural Importance Index (CI), Informant Consensus Factor (Fic), Fidelity Level (FL), and Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI)-were applied to assess species multifunctionality, frequency of use, and cultural prominence. Nutritional significance was evaluated using literature-reported mineral and vitamin contents, focusing on calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamin C. Economic assessments estimated annual income from marketable edible plants based on monthly prices, sales volume, and availability.
Results: A total of 73 species from 33 families were recorded, with Cucurbitaceae, Zingiberaceae, and Apiaceae being particularly species-rich. Multifunctional species such as Allium cepa L., A. sativum L., and Ocimum spp. were central to diets, medicine, and local markets. Leafy greens and aromatic herbs were the most frequently used, contributing substantially to micronutrient intake. Marketable species provided supplementary income, enhancing household resilience and supporting local livelihoods.
Conclusion: This study highlights the nutritional, socio-ecological and economic importance of edible plants in Pa Tio District. Conserving plant diversity and indigenous knowledge is essential for sustaining household nutrition and food security. Future work should investigate nutrient bioavailability, phytochemical composition, and improved cultivation practices to strengthen sustainable use and horticultural development of these culturally important edible plants.
Background: Ethnomycological studies explore the relationships between humans and fungi, often reflecting cultural practices and ecological knowledge. While such studies have expanded across Brazil, the Southern region remains understudied. This research aims to document the ethnomycological knowledge of Polish and Ukrainian immigrant descendant communities in a subtropical area in Southern Brazil, and discuss the persistence, transformation, and erosion of mycological knowledge.
Methods: Fieldwork was conducted in rural areas of Itaiópolis and Papanduva (Santa Catarina, Brazil), with 35 participants interviewed using semi-structured methods. A photographic catalog was used to support species identification. Fungal specimens were collected, morphologically identified, and in some cases, DNA barcoded. The data were analyzed qualitatively.
Results: A total of 19 fungal species were reported, with Agaricus, Armillaria, Macrolepiota, and Auricularia being the most cited genera. Mushrooms were primarily used as food, though medicinal, ornamental, recreational, and symbolic uses were also documented. Traditional recipes and vernacular names in Polish and Ukrainian were preserved, illustrating cultural continuity. Some reports suggest stock knowledge persists, even when active use has declined.
Conclusions: The study reveals that mushrooms remain culturally significant among immigrant descendant communities in Southern Brazil. While some traditional knowledge is preserved and even adapted, other aspects show signs of erosion or restricted transmission. The findings highlight how immigration, environmental factors, and cultural resilience interact in shaping mycological knowledge. This research contributes to the broader understanding of how human-fungus relationships evolve in migratory contexts and calls attention to the importance of preserving biocultural heritage.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and other recent zoonotic outbreaks have renewed global scrutiny of the bushmeat trade, particularly in West Africa. This study examines regional differences in bushmeat consumption, hunting practices, and perceptions of zoonotic disease risk in Ghana, using a mixed-methods approach combining a household survey (n = 335) and key informant interviews with hunters (n = 53).
Methods: Respondents were drawn from northern and southern Ghana to reflect ecological and cultural diversity. Socio-demographic characteristics, bushmeat consumption patterns, and knowledge of zoonotic diseases were analyzed. Hunters were interviewed to explore occupational activities and risk mitigation behaviors.
Results: Bushmeat consumption declined after the COVID-19 outbreak, more so in southern Ghana (from 62% to 33%) than in the north (from 81% to 61%). Awareness of zoonotic disease transmission was high (~ 70%) and primarily acquired through mass media, yet this had limited impact on behavior. Hunting activity declined during the pandemic, but hunters attributed this not to health concerns, but to wildlife scarcity and reduced commercial demand. Use of personal protective equipment was absent, with hunters citing discomfort, cultural beliefs, and spiritual protection as justifications. Risk perceptions varied regionally: northern respondents emphasized improper cooking as the main transmission pathway, while southerners pointed to handling of live animals. Religious beliefs significantly shaped attitudes toward disease vulnerability, with 80% of southern respondents and 58% in the north attributing protection from disease to divine intervention.
Conclusion: Bushmeat-related behaviors in Ghana are influenced more by cultural norms, economic necessity, and ecological conditions than by knowledge of zoonotic disease risks. Public health messaging alone is insufficient. Effective interventions must be culturally responsive, integrate conservation with health surveillance, and align with local worldviews. A multidimensional "One Health" approach is essential for sustainable behavior change and zoonotic disease prevention.
Background: Pollination is a complex and biocultural significant ecological process, essential for the reproduction of cultivated and wild plants. In family farming, pollination is crucial due to the economic and cultural dependence on pollinators. This study examines local ecological knowledge about pollination in three localities of northern Patagonia, Argentina.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were conducted with 30 family farmers in Villa Llanquín, Río Villegas, and El Manso. The interviews included open- and closed-ended questions about perceptions and practices related to pollination. In addition, free listing and visual stimulus techniques were used to further explore local ecological knowledge. The data were analyzed qualitatively through discourse analysis and quantitatively using indices, descriptive statistics, and generalized linear models to investigate the relationship between LEKP and cultivated area, management practices, seniority, and plant species richness.
Results: Sixteen local names were identified to refer to 15 pollinators. The insects with the highest cultural significance index were the honeybee Apis mellifera and bumblebees Bombus spp. About 97% of the farmers recognized the pollination process, and 93% emphasized its importance for horticultural production and the environment. Management practices carried out by farmers were indirect in 67.2% of cases and direct in 32.8%. Both types of practices favor pollinators and promote biodiversity. Finally, the importance of reflexivity and methodological flexibility in ethnobiological work was discussed.
Discussion and conclusion: These results underscore the importance of local ecological knowledge in pollinator conservation and biodiversity promotion. This study emphasizes the necessity of contextualized and specific approaches to understand the socioecological dynamics that influence local knowledge.
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