Volume 5 Special Issue 1 2011
Proceedings of the 2nd Latin-American Congress of Ethnobiology
and 8th Brazilian Congress on Ethnobiology and Ethnoecology

ISBN 978-4-903313-77-1

How to reference: Almada ED (2011) Urban Socio-biodiversity: Ethnoecology of Cities. In: Albuquerque UP, Nóbrega Alves RR (Eds) Proceedings of the 2nd Latin-American Congress of Ethnobiology. Bioremediation, Biodiversity and Bioavailability 5 (Special Issue 1), 1-8

Guest Editors

Ulysses Paulino de Albuquerque

Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco

www.ufrpe.br

Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves

Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadualda Paraíba

www.uepb.edu.br/

Proceedings of the 2nd Latin-American Congress of Ethnobiology
and 8th Brazilian Congress on Ethnobiology and Ethnoecology

November 8-12, 2010, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

www.viiisbee-iiclae.com.br/

GSB is the sponsor of the BBB Prize for Scientific Ecellence

Matías Pérez-Ojeda del Arco

Fábio José Vieira

Raynner Rilke D. Barboza

CONTENTS AND ABSTRACTS

Emmanuel Duarte Almada (Brazil) Urban Socio-biodiversity: Ethnoecology of Cities (pp 1-8)

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Invited Review: The process of urbanization experienced by mankind over the past several decades creates new scenarios for ethnoecology research. Not only has the urban population already exceeded the rural population in numbers, but material and symbolic urban-industrial elements have also spread over the earth’s surface. This article seeks to reflect on new ways in which to investigate ecological knowledge within this novel scenario. To do so requires going beyond the dichotomies of natural/artificial, rural/urban that currently hinder our comprehension of this field of study.

Elcida de Lima Araújo, Ulysses Paulino de Albuquerque (Brazil) The Contribution of Ethnobotany to Studies of Plant Population Ecology in Northeastern Brazil (pp 9-13)

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Invited Mini-Review: Ethnobotany maintains clear relationship with the ecology of plant populations. Actually, the ethnobotanical studies are more advanced that of the plant population’s ecology approaches in northeastern Brazil, but are concentrated in few places. The results of the researches show that together ethnobotany and ecology population are enables the identification of useful species in a region (and those with future potential uses); determines how local communities use each species, identifies preferred sites for resource collection; characterizes the ways in which a resource is exploited; indicates the intensity of resource exploitation; identifies alternative management strategies from the perspective of local communities; determines the age structure of the population; determines the growth, reproduction and survival rates of plants both under natural conditions and under conditions of frequent use by human populations; identifies key ecological factors for the self-renewal of populations and the maintenance of communities; describes numerical changes in populations over time and when under exploitation pressure; distinguishes short- and long-term fluctuations and to determine the stability of populations over space and time, identifies species conservation priorities and identifies social demands that should be addressed through public policies.

Patrícia Muniz de Medeiros, Ulysses Paulino de Albuquerque (Brazil) Methods to Study the Ethnobotany of Wood Resources: A Critical Evaluation (pp 14-21)

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Invited Review: In this review, we aim to discuss current methodologies used by ethnobotanical and related studies that investigate wood use. This text focuses on state-of-the-art studies concerning wood uses, with information from interviews, techniques for measuring harvested or consumed wood and techniques for analyzing the use pressure based on the joint analysis of ethnobotanical and ecological data.

Alonso Pérez-Ojeda del Arco, Matías Pérez-Ojeda del Arco, Sebastián Tapia-Cortese (Peru), Nicolás Ibáñez Blancas (Peru/Spain) What Have We Forgotten? Returning Data from Ethnobiological Research to Local Communities (pp 22-27)

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Original Research Paper: The intention of this article is to analyze and discuss the past experiences and lessons pertaining the process of returning data from ethnobiological investigation, as well as to show the perception of the investigators regarding this process. In this way, the article makes a contribution to laying the foundations of an ethical code based on reciprocity that will guarantee the well-being of local communities and the sustainability of ethnobiology as a scientific discipline. A survey was carried out with participation from 48 researchers from 20 countries. The researchers emphasized the importance of the training and graphic material as a means of giving back to the local communities. In addition, a list of 14 forms of giving back was generated based on the investigator’s experience. Most of them stated that they encountered difficulties during the process of giving back that were mainly attributed to limited economic funds and time for research. Considering the different means that were used, we can confirm that there is interest from the researchers to give back to the local communities. Thus, we reaffirm the idea that we cannot consider that there is a single best strategy to achieve this. In this sense, it is necessary that future investigations address the issue from the perspective of the local partners.

Fábio José Vieira, Luciana Gomes de Sousa Nascimento, Cybelle Maria de Albuquerque Duarte Almeida, Lucilene Lima dos Santos, Flávia dos Santos Silva, Nélson Leal Alencar, Thiago Antônio de Sousa Araújo, Ulysses Paulino de Albuquerque (Brazil) Use of Participatory Methods in the Creation of a Catalog of Medicinal Plants (pp 28-33)

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Original Research Paper: Participatory methods are currently used in different research areas, especially for the rapid diagnosis of the needs of people involved in the study. Thus, these methods were used in an extension project carried out in the Carão community, located in the city of Altinho in the arid zone of Pernambuco (Northeastern Brazil), in an area of Caatinga. A catalog of medicinal plants native to the Caatinga was needed by the community and generated through participatory methods. The need for this catalog arose from the desire to know the useful flora of the area and to maintain a record of the traditional medical practices of the community. Species with a greater number of medicinal and therapeutic uses, totaling 30 woody species, were selected based on a survey previously conducted. These species were photographed, with an emphasis on plant habitat and details of the leaves, flowers and fruits. Two workshops were carried out with the participation of about 30 residents, who were divided into three groups. On these occasions, we presented names and pictures of each plant, and the residents discussed their medicinal uses, including which plant parts were used in the preparation of the medicine and how the medicine was prepared and administered. The information gathered from the workshop participants was cataloged and organized so that each plant had a brief description, an illustration and information on its common uses. The compilation of this catalog was a way of valuing and recording the local knowledge of medicinal plants and the local medical practices.

Pâmela Roberta Dantas-Aguiar, Rebeca Mascarenhas Barreto (Brazil), Dídac Santos-Fita (Mexico), Ednei Barros dos Santos (Brazil) Hunting Activities and Wild Fauna Use: a Profile of Queixo D’antas Community, Campo Formoso, Bahia, Brazil (pp 34-43)

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Original Research Paper: Brazil’s wild animals are still used nowadays as a food source by traditional populations. However, there is little knowledge about hunting activities in the Northeastern region of Brazil. The aim of this research was to evaluate the hunting activities and use of wild fauna by the inhabitants of Queixo D’antas. It is a community located within the area where the Parque Nacional do Boqueirão da Onça (PNBO, Boqueirão da Onça National Park) will be established in the town of Campo Formoso, Bahia. In order to obtain data, we did 40 semi-structured interviews in May 2010. Most of the interviewees (67.5%) admitted to do hunting activities, 55.17% for subsistence and 37.93% for recreation purposes. The ‘tatu-verdadeiro’ (Dasypus novemcintus) is the most hunted animal in the study area. The hunters showed preference for using a rifle as the preferred hunting tool (47.5%). The interviewees mentioned a total of 16 wild animal species that they think are disappearing from the study area. A total of 35% consider over-hunting as the major cause for the disappearance of the species. The community’s inhabitants also raise wild animals as pets and birds were the most mentioned species used for this purpose (17.5%). Wild fauna is also used as a source for therapeutic treatments. Fifteen species were mentioned as the source of 11 raw materials used to prepare medicine to treat 17 illnesses. Our data show that the establishment of the PNBO and the implementation of educational programs for the local inhabitants are fundamental for the management and conservation of the study area’s biodiversity.

Juliano S. Lima, Paulo Sergio Maroti, Renata Silva-Mann, Laura Jane Gomes (Brazil) Ethnobotanical Survey of Wild Food Plants by Rural Communities Surrounding the PARNASI, Sergipe, Brazil (pp 44-52)

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Original Research Paper: This study was carried out in the four rural communities (Pedrinhas, Ladeira, Caroba and Cajueiro) surrounding the National Park of Serra de Itabaiana - PARNASI, in order to assess which botanical species are recognized by local specialists as wild food plants. The methodology was based on stages of observation, questionnaires, performance-guided tours, and a floristic inventory. There were 31 specialties divided into three categories of emic wild food plants, those being for human consumption, for domestic animals and for wildlife animals as food. We totaled 86 species, 67% being native and 33% exotic. They were made up of the following families: Myrtaceae (16 spp.), Anacardiaceae (8 spp.), Arecaceae (8 spp.), Fabaceae (7 spp.), Annonaceae (5 spp.), and Malpighiaceae (5 spp.). 59 wild food species were identified for human use. The most cited were: cashew (Anacardium ocidentale L.), murici (Byrsonima sericea DC.), and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.). In the category of species for domestic animals, 22 species were cited, those being jackfruit (A. heterophyllus), ingá (Inga sp.), and mimosa (Mimosa sp.). In the category for wildlife animals, 26 species were cited, including angelim (Andira nitida Mart. ex Benth.), murici (B. sericea) and embaúba (Cecropia pachystachya Trécul). It was observed that specialists from the surrounding communities to PARNASI have a vast knowledge of wild food plant resources used for different purposes. As far as human consumption was concerned, the majority of species mentioned were wild flora, because these are the species cultivated and appreciated by specialists.

Raynner Rilke D. Barboza, José S. Mourão, Wedson M. S. Souto, Rômulo R. N. Alves (Brazil) Knowledge and Strategies of Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus L. 1758 and Euphractus sexcinctus L. 1758) Hunters in the “Sertão Paraibano”, Paraíba State, NE Brazil (pp 53-59)

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Original Research Paper: The hunting of nine-banded (Dasypus novemcinctus) and six-banded (Euphractus sexcinctus) armadillo is a common practice in the semi-arid region of Brazil where predominates the Caatinga biome, of which these animals constitute important protein resource in local communities. In order to gain access to these resources, hunters have developed specific strategies and techniques that are described in the present work. The main hunting strategies encountered were: Firearms, locally named as “sovaqueira” or “garruncheira” constitute the basic equipment to the hunter and may be homemade or manufactured; Hunting dogs, used by almost all local hunters brings greater efficiency during hunting activities. Additionally, armadillos are captured using mechanical traps which include “tatuzeira” or “pebeira”, both with a trigger mechanism. Flooding the burrows was a technique considered high efficient in capturing both armadillo species. The choice of which strategy to use depends on each hunters preference or skills. Subsistence hunting occur regularly in the study areas and both armadillo species are traditionally considered local delicacies as well as alimentary taboo. Achieving sustainable use of faunal resources is of great importance to the local human communities, and the successful conservation of hunted wildlife requires collaboration at all scales, involving local people, resource extraction companies, governments and scientists.

Ana H. Ladio (Argentina) Traditional Knowledge of Edible Wild Native and Exotic Plants in the Context of Cultural Change in Human Populations of Arid Patagonia (pp 60-64)

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Original Research Paper: Traditional plant knowledge can be defined as dynamic and flexible. In this work it is suggested that this body of knowledge assimilates the experience of change in systems involving humans and plants. Taking the case of Mapuche communities in arid Patagonia (Argentina) as a study base, I analysed the effect of maintaining or not practices associated with the use and/or transformation of the environment, such as hunting, transhumance, Pewen seed collection (called piñoneo) and small-scale family horticulture, on traditional knowledge of edible wild plants, both native and exotic. Information from interviews was analysed by means of logistic regression. The maintenance of certain traditional practices, such as hunting and speaking the native language, which on the one hand represent direct experience of the environment, and on the other hand familiarity with the linguistic categories which represent the Mapuche world vision, are associated with a greater diversity of native and exotic plant knowledge. This greater diversity implies greater resilience of the traditional plant knowledge possessed by different populations. In contrast, the practice of piñoneo is differentially linked to greater knowledge of native, but not of exotic species. The role played by horticulture and transhumance in wild plant knowledge is discussed, since conflicting and/or unclear relationships were found. In these communities, the social memory of plants is dynamic, in tune with the dynamics of the Patagonian ecosystem, which has incorporated numerous exotic plants into its natural ecosystems. The importance of studies that show how human communities have the capacity to adjust and adapt their bodies of plant resource knowledge is emphasised.

Néstor David Jiménez-Escobar, Ana Cristina Estupiñán-González (Colombia) Useful Trees of the Caribbean Region of Colombia (pp 65-79)

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Original Research Paper: Information was compiled on the uses and common names of trees among rural communities of the Caribbean Region of Colombia. Eleven field trips were made in the departments of Atlántico, Cesar, Córdoba and La Guajira, and 133 people interviewed. Ethnobotanical information from the region was also compiled from literature sources and from specimens in the National Colombian Herbarium (COL). The departments with the greatest number of uses and/or common names were Córdoba (368) and Cesar (329), with the most of the information coming from herbarium specimens and published qualitative ethnobotanical studies. Information was compiled for a total of 329 useful tree species, in 231 genera and 59 families, associated with 608 common names. The family Fabaceae was represented by the greatest number of species (68) followed by Arecaceae (28), Rubiaceae (15) and Euphorbiaceae (13). A total of 49 different uses were recorded across 12 categories with the category Construction presenting the greatest number of species (216), followed by Food (93), Medicinal (79) and Firewood (68). The parts of the tree most commonly used were trunk/stem (245 species), fruits (101) and live plant (78). The species with the greatest number of uses were “guásimo”, Guazuma ulmifolia (12), “resbalamono”, Bursera simaruba (12), and “jobo”, Spondias mombin (11). Based on the information compiled in this study, the native species with greatest economic potential are proposed for more detailed studies so that they can be incorporated into plans for management, conservation and economic development of the region.

Mario Rique Fernandes (Brazil) “A Tree with Much Authority”: The Place of the Buriti Palm (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.) in the Sertaneja Culture of Terra Ronca, Goiás State, Central Brazil (pp 80-91)

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Original Research Paper: For more than 200 years, buriti palm (Mauritia flexuosa Lnn. f.) has given structure to the environment of the inhabitants of Terra Ronca (TR). This time has been sufficient for the tree to imprint itself in the memory of these people, in their senses of touch and taste and in their strategies of adaptation to the environment, generating conditions for the construction a significant ethnobotanical knowledge about this plant. The present text discusses the place of buriti in the sertaneja culture of TR, highlighting the local particularities of the connections between the sertanejos and buriti and the context in which this palm is used. To obtain the data was collected bibliographic information on sertaneja culture of Central Brazil, as well as on the palms and specifically on buriti. Field work was undertaken between December 2006 and December 2008, and a combination of techniques and procedures used in qualitative anthropological research were employed to collect information, included participatory observations, field notes, examinations of life histories, and informal conversations using free and semi-structured interviews. Considered a “tree with much authority” by the oldest interviewees, the buriti has accrued significant historical and socio-cultural value and is respected and preserved in the cultural context of the region. In light of the economic and socio-cultural dynamics in the region, we suggest that the “authority” of the buriti should be rescue, for if it was traditionally a tree of life for the sertanejo because it provided “a house, food and a bed”, it has acquired even more authority today, not only as a potential source of income but also as a symbol of beauty, biodiversity and ecological services.

Matías Pérez-Ojeda del Arco, María de los Ángeles La Torre-Cuadros, Carlos Reynel, Infierno and Sonene communities (Peru) Cultural Transmission on Palms among Ese Eja Communities in Peru (pp 92-99)

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Original Research Paper: In this research paper we propose a reflection about the context of the cultural transmission related to the use of palms for two of the Ese Eja communities in Peru. This work was done in the communities of Infierno and Sonene between 2009 and 2010. A stratified random sample was used to interview 31 residents in Infierno and 30 in Sonene. These were grouped into 4 age categories (15-29, 30-44, 45-59, 60 and over) and divided by gender. Previous botanical records for palms of the region were used, selecting 21 species which were verified in the field by the researchers. Visual stimulus guides were created and semi-structured interviews were held, evaluating the knowledge of palms, knowledge transmission paths and learning contexts. Furthermore, information on the perceived state of the conservation of the studied species in both communities was taken into account. The majority of the interviewees mentioned having learned in their childhood and in the field, however, the contexts are changing for the transmission of traditional ecological knowledge of palms, including new forms of learning of youth and in the school. The main cultural transmission path was vertical. Use of palm leaves for housing construction is used as example and how the dynamics of knowledge is influenced by the cultural transmission paths is explored. We conclude that the theoretical transmission model does not reflect entirely what this research has found in terms of Ese Eja TEK stability over time.

Julio M. Monteiro, Marcelo A. Ramos, Elcida de L. Araújo, Elba L. C. Amorim, Ulysses P. Albuquerque (Brazil) Collection and Commerce of the Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão Bark in the Semi-Arid Region of Northeastern Brazil (pp 100-102)

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Research Note: Given the importance of markets and fairs for the commerce of medicinal plants, an ethnobotanical study was undertaken at the Caruaru Fair (Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil). Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão (“aroeira”), a species of great local importance that is threatened by extinction, was specifically analyzed. The objective of this communication was to estimate the monthly marketed bark stock quantity of M. urundeuva Allemão (aroeira). In addition, the study attempted to compare these results with the available quantities of this bark in one hectare of savanna vegetation. The Caruaru Fair is located in the 18 de Maio Park in the urban area of the city. It covers an area of 40,000 m² and is used by merchants who sell several types of products, such as supplies, handicrafts, clay and aluminum utensils, shoes, clothes and medicinal plants. To estimate the amount of M. urundeuva Allemão bark sold at the Caruaru Fair, the total weight (kg) of this species’ bark was calculated from an arboreal caatingafragment approximately 20 ha in size that belongs to IPA’s experimental station in Caruaru. The diameter at breast height and the bark's thickness at breast height were measured (mm); for the latter, four parts of the bark were removed, and the mass was calculated. It was estimated that 1381.25 kg of M. urundeuva barkissold each year at the Caruaru Fair. However, further studies are necessary to evaluate the demand for these plants and the scope and impact of this kind of commerce on the region’s native species; only then will it be possible to make suggestions for public policies that effectively address this issue.

Joaci dos Santos Cerqueira, Luciana da Rocha Oliveira Cerqueira, Tércio José da Silva, Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves (Brazil) Perception of the Residents of Campina Grande (Brazil) of the Effects of Natural Gas Vehicles on Air Quality (pp 103-107)

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Research Note: Natural gas has gained a good reputation as being one of the cleaner fuels. Several studies worldwide have shown that engines powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) produce the lowest emission levels compared to other fuels. This study aimed to determine the degree of public opinion about air quality, with a green vision, assessing attitudes about the use of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) as a possible way to mitigate the effects of air pollution in cities. The research was conducted with 100 NGV drivers, aged between 18 and 65. The instrument used was an anonymous questionnaire containing multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions, administered between June and July of 2010. The results showed a possible improvement of air quality related to the use of CNG, frequency of car maintenance, safety check during refueling and adopted measures that contribute to mitigating the effects of air pollution in the city of Campina Grande. Most respondents believed that NGVs contribute directly and are efficient in improving air quality in urban areas, and half of those surveyed stated that they were concerned with safety and fuel prices The concern most frequently shown during refueling at CNG stations was the Inmetro seal of quality control, while price was a minor factor. It was found that the respondents expressed the beginnings of environmental awareness, adopting the idea of preserving the environment, but were not giving up comfort and technology.

Erinaldo Barbosa da Silva, Peter Herman May (Brazil) Experience of Forest and Organic Certification in the Kayapó Community through the Helpdesk for Sustainable Business Program of Amigos da Terra - Amazonia Brasileira (pp 108-112)

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Research Note: This study reports on the experience of forest and organic certification of non-timber products in the Kayapó Baú indigenous territory. The aim of forest product certification was Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa), both in natura and also processed for oil extraction. The importance of the Brazil nut project among the Kayapó people is far more significant than simply contributing toward a sustainable economic alternative for indigenous communities, for in these indigenous lands there is strong external pressure for predatory exploitation of timber and gold mining by local actors who work in illegality. An endogenous economic alternative helps to reinforce the Kayapó’s ability to repel such external pressures. The initiative was supported by the organization Amigos da Terra- Amazonia Brasileira through the project Support Services its Helpdesk for Sustainable Business, with funding from the European Community.

Aparecida C. P. Santos, Marciano Quinelato, Cristiane F. F. Grael, Christopher W. Fagg, Maria G. L. Brandão (Brazil) Current Use of Native Medicinal Species recorded by European Naturalists in the 19^th Century along the Royal Road, Minas Gerais, Brazil (pp 113-116)

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Research Note: Medicinal plants are widely used as home remedies both by rural and urban inhabitants of Brazil but the intermixing of cultures has led to introduction of several exotic species into popular medicine. The continuous destruction of botanically rich native ecosystems has also contributed to a gradual loss of knowledge about native medicinal plants. In this study, we have gathered information about the actual use of native species in three municipalities along the Royal Road, visited by European naturalists in the 19^th century. Local informers (one woman and nine men, ages ranging from 60 to 95 years old) were interviewed about their native medicinal plant knowledge. A total of 69 native species were recommended for use by the informers within the studied area, 36 (52%) had been previously observed by the European naturalists but only 17 (24.6%) are used now for the same purpose as they had been in the past.

Dandara Monalisa Mariz da Silva Quirino Bezerra, Helder Farias Pereira de Araujo, Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves (Brazil) The Use of Wild Birds by Rural Communities in the Semi-arid Region of Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil (pp 117-120)

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Research Note: Wild animals, especially birds, are widely used by local populations for many different purposes in the semi-arid region in Northeastern Brazil. The present work was undertaken with the help of rural inhabitants in the municipality of Serra Negra do Norte in the semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil, with the purpose of identifying the bird species used as well as their utility. A use-value (UV) was calculated for each bird species to indicate its relative importance. The rural inhabitants customarily used 30 bird species distributed among 14 families and seven orders, with a predominance of species of the families Columbidae (23.33%), Emberizidae (16.67%), and Icteridae (16.67%). These birds were used for different purposes in the study area, with 70.00% being kept as pets, 43.33% eaten as food, 20.00% negotiated commercially, 10.00% were used in association with local mystical beliefs, and 3.33% used in preparing folk medicines; the same species could be included in more than one category. The use-values of the species cited varied from 0.032 to 0.548, with special emphasis on: Zenaida auriculata 'Ribaçã' (UV=0.548); Sporophila albogularis 'Golinha'; Leptoptila verreauxi 'Juriti' (UV=0.452); Nothura boraquira 'Codorniz' (UV=0.419); Icterus jamacaii 'Concriz'; and Patagioemas picazuro 'Asa-branca' (UV=0.387). These results indicated the cultural importance of wild birds to these rural inhabitants as well as their preferences for certain species, especially as pets and as food. It is hoped that the information presented here will contribute to conservation planning for the avifauna of this region.