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.
Background: Ethnoentomology, as an interdisciplinary field, explores the interactions between humans and insects from cultural, ecological, and social perspectives, fostering dialogue between traditional knowledge and modern science. Despite its relevance, a comprehensive bibliometric overview of its scientific production has been lacking.
Methods: A bibliometric analysis was carried out on the Ethnoentomology literature published between 1952 and 2024, using the Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Searches were performed in Portuguese, English, and Spanish using the terms "ethnoentomol*", "etnoentomol*" and their variations. Articles directly addressing Ethnoentomology were included, while unrelated studies and duplicates were excluded. The data were analysed to identify publication trends, leading countries, authorship networks, and major research themes.
Results: A total of 1,077 articles were identified, of which 375 met the inclusion criteria after duplicate removal. Publications showed continuous growth over time, with Brazil and other megadiverse countries standing out as the main contributors. Brazil ranked first, particularly in the Northeast Region, followed by studies from Mexico, the United States, India, and Spain. Among the most prominent authors are Costa Neto, Posey, and Monserrat, whose contributions were fundamental to the consolidation of Ethnoentomology as an autonomous field. Collaboration networks revealed increasing interdisciplinarity, encompassing themes such as food security, environmental conservation, and sustainability. Across the analysed studies, 1,043 insect species were recorded for different purposes, predominantly alimentary, medicinal, and utilitarian. Species such as Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758), Rhynchophorus palmarum (Linnaeus, 1758), and Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758) stand out for their versatility and frequency of citation, emphasising the multifunctional value of insects in cultural contexts.
Conclusions: Ethnoentomology plays a strategic role in valuing ancestral knowledge and promoting sustainable practices, reinforcing its importance for biodiversity conservation and local livelihoods. Strengthening research networks and integrating local knowledge into academic and policy agendas are essential for advancing this field.
Introduction: This study compiles ethnomycological information from Andorra, which, in general terms, has remained unexplored compared with plants. Andorra (468 km2; ca. 88,000 inhabitants) comprises seven parishes and 37 villages, with the tertiary sector as the main economic engine. In general, it has a Mediterranean mountain climate with Atlantic influence in North China, an altitude ranging from ca. 900 m a.s.l. to 3000 m, and vegetation stratified by altitude, which is characteristic of the Pyrenees. This study aims to enhance ethnomycological knowledge in Andorra by documenting the uses and vernacular names of wild mushrooms (WMs), quantitatively analysing this insight, and identifying species for future nutritional analyses.
Methods: Semi-structured individual or collective interviews were conducted with informants selected via the snowball sampling technique. Oral consent was obtained from all 131 informants (born between 1914 and 1975), and data were recorded in the research group database. The obtained data were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed.
Results: Fifty taxa belonging to 23 mycological families were reported in this study. The interviewed informants provided 1,172 use reports (URs) of 42 useful taxa, with culinary uses being the most reported, with 1,142 (97.44%), followed by 21 (1.79%) other uses and nine (0.77%) medicinal uses. Marasmius oreades (Bolton) Fr., Boletus sect. Boletus L., Lactarius sect. Deliciosi (Fr.) Redeuilh, Verbeken & Walleyn, Gyromitra esculenta Pers. ex Fr., and Sparassis crispa (Wulfen) Fr. were the most cited wild edible mushrooms (WEMs) in Andorra. In addition to individual uses, 152 fungal mixtures (four used for medicinal purposes and 148 for culinary uses) were identified in this study. Information about poisonous mushrooms was collected for a total of 11 taxa. For 98% of the taxa (49), a total of 155 vernacular names were documented. The informant consensus factor (FIC) obtained for our interviewees was 0.96, the ethnomycoticity index (EMI) was 2.10% for the studied area, and regarding vernacular names, ethnomyconymy index was 2.45%.
Conclusions: This study enriches existing ethnomycological knowledge through ethnobotanical prospection, revealing the diversity of vernacular names and uses of WMs in Andorra. Several taxa with strong traditional use but lacking nutritional data were identified as candidates for further research and potential food innovation.
Background: Ethnobotanical knowledge constitutes a vital component of cultural heritage and biodiversity conservation, particularly in regions undergoing rapid socio-cultural transitions. Southeastern Anatolia, despite its high floristic richness and biocultural diversity, remains underexplored in terms of non-medicinal plant uses.
Methods: This study documents the traditional ethnobotanical knowledge of wild plant species used for non-medicinal and medicinal purposes in the Ergani district of Diyarbakır, Turkey. Data were collected between 2023 and 2024 through structured and semi-structured interviews (n = 112), guided fieldwalks, and participant observation across Ergani and 12 surrounding villages. Demographic variables and plant use data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the cultural importance index to assess the relative significance of each taxon.
Results: A total of 56 plant species belonging to 26 families were identified, used across five categories: medicinal (67.8%), nutritional (53.6%), fuel, decorative, and symbolic (e.g., protection against the evil eye). Multifunctionality was a recurring theme, with several species (e.g., Vitis vinifera, Vitex agnus-castus) employed in more than two categories. The most represented families were Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Brassicaceae. Wild plants played a central role in local subsistence and cultural practices, with vernacular names and preparation methods varying across gender and age groups. Ritual use, particularly of Peganum harmala, remained prevalent among older participants.
Conclusion: The study reveals a complex, integrative system of plant use in Ergani that reflects a holistic ethnoecological worldview. Findings underscore the urgent need for the documentation and preservation of local ecological knowledge amid ongoing socio-economic transformations. Sustaining this intangible heritage is critical for biodiversity conservation, local food security, and cultural resilience.
Coloniality refers to patterns of power that emerged as a result of colonialism beyond the strict limits of colonial administration. Members of the Congolese community in Belgium -being the formerly colonized in the country of the former colonizer- live in an obvious context of coloniality. Medicinal plant use is common among the Congolese community in Belgium, and cultural forces play a significant role in the health and healthcare beliefs and perceptions of minoritized groups. Therefore, our main objective was to understand the lived experiences of the Congolese community in Belgium regarding their use of medicinal plants, with a focus on the influence of coloniality dynamics and cultural transmission in a postcolonial setting. We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with people of Congolese heritage in Belgium and analysed the data using reflexive thematic analysis. Medicinal plant use dynamics were found to be deeply influenced by experiences of living in the context of coloniality. Our results suggest that in contexts where migrant and diaspora communities are minoritized, subject to discrimination and/or racism, and particularly where host countries are shaped by or continue to be influenced by a colonial past, the preservation of traditions, cultural concepts, habits, and belief systems regarding health and healthcare, including perceptions of medicinal plant knowledge and use, cannot be understood without acknowledging the context of coloniality.
Background: Baise City in Guangxi, China, is a culturally and ecologically diverse region where traditional plant knowledge persists despite ongoing urbanization. Traditional markets in such areas play a crucial role in the transmission and preservation of ethnobotanical knowledge. However, no prior ethnobotanical studies have focused on the Jīn Sān Jiǎo Agricultural Market, making this the first systematic documentation of plant diversity and use at this important site.
Methods: This study surveyed plant species sold at the Jīn Sān Jiǎo Agricultural Market. A total of 78 species from 38 families were documented through market observations and vendor interviews. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including species use value (SUV), family use value (FUV), and relative frequency of citation (RFC), were applied to assess plant importance.
Results: A total of 78 species belonging to 38 plant families were recorded during the ethnobotanical survey. The market featured a wide range of edible, medicinal, packaging, and spice plants. Cucurbitaceae, Apiaceae, and Solanaceae were the most represented families. Availability of plant materials closely followed natural phenological cycles supported by staggered planting and imports. Key species included Oryza sativa L. (staple food), Cucurbita maxima Duchesne (versatile vegetable), and Allium sativum L. (aromatic spice). Medicinal plants were fewer in the market, reflecting its primary focus on food crops, while traditional plant-based packaging highlights the unique preparation of certain foods, as well as ecological awareness and sustainable practices.
Conclusion: This study provides the first ethnobotanical account of the Jīn Sān Jiǎo Agricultural Market, contributing new insights into plant diversity, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices in Southwestern China. The market functions as a critical node for conserving plant biodiversity, supporting food and livelihood security, and maintaining ethnobotanical knowledge in an urbanizing region. Further research should explore seasonal dynamics, ethnographic perspectives, and phytochemical properties to better understand the food-medicine continuum in this context.
Background: Wild edible plants (WEPs) play a vital role in food security, nutrition, and cultural heritage in Ethiopia. In the Guraferda district, communities depend on WEPs, but systematic documentation of their diversity, uses, and associated traditional knowledge is limited. This study aimed to document WEPs diversity, utilization patterns, ethnobotanical knowledge, and conservation status.
Methods: Data were collected from 96 informants across eight purposively selected kebeles between June 2023 and May 2024 using semi-structured interviews, guided field walks, focus group discussions, and market surveys. Species identification followed standard herbarium procedures. Ethnobotanical significance and threats were assessed through preference, direct matrix and threats ranking. Quantitative analyses, including the Botanical Ethnoknowledge Index (BEI), t tests, ANOVA, and correlation analyses, were conducted in R software.
Results: A total of 64 WEP species belonging to 47 genera and 25 families were recorded, with Moraceae (7 species) most represented. Fruits (42.2%), leave (29.7%), and tubers (10.9%) were the most consumed parts, and herbs were the dominant life form. Forests were the primary habitat, with peak availability in spring. Common harvesting methods included picking (53.2%), plucking (32.8%), and digging (14%). Ethnobotanical knowledge varied significantly among demographic groups (P < 0.05), and Jaccard's similarity index showed both shared and unique patterns. Culturally and nutritionally important species included Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott and Coccinia abyssinica (Lam.) Cogn. Major threats were deforestation and overharvesting, while traditional practices such as sacred groves and home gardens supported conservation.
Conclusion: WEPs are crucial for dietary diversity, nutrition, and income in Guraferda but face growing human-induced threats. Sustainable management, community-based conservation, and preservation of traditional knowledge are essential, alongside nutritional assessments of key species to strengthen their role in local food systems.
Background: In a changing world, effective wildlife conservation requires translating ecology into management. This emphasises the need to understand the relationships between humans and wildlife, as the survival of often misunderstood species, such as bats, reptiles, and owls, is influenced by environmental factors and cultural and social values associated with them. Ethno-scientific approaches, such as structured questionnaires, have proven invaluable in bridging this gap. We investigated people's perceptions, attitudes, and emotions towards owls in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.
Methods: We used a mixed-methods approach (face-to-face interviews and online questionnaires). A total of 904 questionnaires were conducted via face-to-face interviews (simple random sampling, n = 802) and online interviews (simple random sampling, n = 102); only 681 responses from the participants met the inclusion criteria. We analysed our data using cumulative link mixed models (CLMMs).
Results: Respondents mostly perceived owl species negatively, associated them with witchcraft, and were mostly unaware of the ecological importance of owl species. People's perceptions resulted from an interplay of multifaceted variables, not just socio-demographic variables. We found that positive perceptions of owl species were influenced by an interplay of multifaceted factors, including a higher tolerance for owl species, a general understanding of the ecological importance of owl species to both agriculture and the environment, and positive feelings. We also found that socio-demographic variables alone were not significant predictors of people's perceptions of owl species.
Conclusions: Future conservation initiatives should lean more towards implementing culturally sensitive education programmes that aim to communicate the ecological importance of owls, while also respectfully engaging with beliefs about witchcraft and religious beliefs linked to owl species. These have the potential to improve people's tolerance of owl species and also foster positive perceptions and interactions with owl species.
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：