Knowledge transmission patterns at the border: ethnobotany of Hutsuls living in the Carpathian Mountains of Bukovina (SW Ukraine and NE Romania)

Background Cross-border research is a novel and important tool for detecting variability of ecological knowledge. This is especially evident in regions recently divided and annexed to different political regimes. Therefore, we conducted a study among Hutsuls, a cultural and linguistic minority group living in Northern and Southern Bukovina (Ukraine and Romania, respectively). Indeed, in the 1940s, a border was created: Northern Bukovina was annexed by the USSR while Southern Bukovina remained part of the Kingdom of Romania. In this research, we aim to document uses of plants for food and medicinal preparations, discussing the different dynamics of Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) transmission among Hutsuls living in Ukraine and Romania. Methods Field research was conducted using convenience and snowball sampling techniques to recruit 31 Hutsuls in Ukraine and 30 in Romania for participation in semi-structured interviews regarding the use of plants for medicinal and food preparation purposes and the sources of such knowledge. Results The interviews revealed that, despite a common cultural and linguistic background, ethnobotanical knowledge transmission occurs in different ways on each side of the border. Family is a primary source of ethnobotanical knowledge transmission on both sides of the border; however, in Romania, knowledge from other sources is very limited, whereas in Ukraine interviewees reported several other sources including books, magazines, newspapers, the Internet and television. This is especially evident when analysing the wild plants used for medicinal purposes as we found 53 taxa that were common to both, 47 used only in Ukraine and 11 used only in Romania. While Romanian Hutsuls used almost exclusively locally available plants, Ukrainian Hutsuls often reported novel plants such as Aloe vera, Aronia melanocarpa and Elaeagnus rhamnoides. Knowledge related to these plants was transferred by sources of knowledge other than oral transmission among members of the same family. Therefore, this may imply hybridization of the local body of knowledge with foreign elements originating in the Soviet context which has enriched the corpus of ethnobotanical knowledge held by Ukrainian Hutsuls. Conclusions While ethnobotanical knowledge among Romanian Hutsuls is mainly traditional and vertically transmitted, among Ukrainian Hutsuls there is a considerable proportion of LEK that is transmitted from other (written and visual) sources of knowledge. This cross-border research reveals that despite a common cultural background, socio-political scenarios have impacted Hutsul ethnobotanical knowledge and its transmission patterns

Of the importance of a leaf: the ethnobotany of sarma in Turkey and the Balkans

BACKGROUND: Sarma - cooked leaves rolled around a filling made from rice and/or minced meat, possibly vegetables and seasoning plants - represents one of the most widespread feasting dishes of the Middle Eastern and South-Eastern European cuisines. Although cabbage and grape vine sarma is well-known worldwide, the use of alternative plant leaves remains largely unexplored. The aim of this research was to document all of the botanical taxa whose leaves are used for preparing sarma in the folk cuisines of Turkey and the Balkans. Methods: Field studies were conducted during broader ethnobotanical surveys, as well as during ad-hoc investigations between the years 2011 and 2014 that included diverse rural communities in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Primary ethnobotanical and folkloric literatures in each country were also considered. Results: Eighty-seven botanical taxa, mainly wild, belonging to 50 genera and 27 families, were found to represent the bio-cultural heritage of sarma in Turkey and the Balkans. The greatest plant biodiversity in sarma was found in Turkey and, to less extent, in Bulgaria and Romania. The most commonly used leaves for preparing sarma were those of cabbage (both fresh and lacto-fermented), grape vine, beet, dock, sorrel, horseradish, lime tree, bean, and spinach. In a few cases, the leaves of endemic species (Centaurea haradjianii, Rumex gracilescens, and R. olympicus in Turkey) were recorded. Other uncommon sarma preparations were based on lightly toxic taxa, such as potato leaves in NE Albania, leaves of Arum, Convolvulus, and Smilax species in Turkey, of Phytolacca americana in Macedonia, and of Tussilago farfara in diverse countries. Moreover, the use of leaves of the introduced species Reynoutria japonica in Romania, Colocasia esculenta in Turkey, and Phytolacca americana in Macedonia shows the dynamic nature of folk cuisines. Conclusion: The rich ethnobotanical diversity of sarma confirms the urgent need to record folk culinary plant knowledge. The results presented here can be implemented into initiatives aimed at re-evaluating folk cuisines and niche food markets based on local neglected ingredients, and possibly also to foster trajectories of the avant-garde cuisines inspired by ethnobotanical knowledge

How Long and Low Can You Go? Effect of Conformation on the Risk of Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Extrusion in Domestic Dogs

Intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE) is a common neurological disorder in certain dog breeds, resulting in spinal cord compression and injury that can cause pain and neurological deficits. Most disc extrusions are reported in chondrodystrophic breeds (e.g. Dachshunds, Basset Hounds, Pekingese), where selection for ‘long and low’ morphologies is linked with intervertebral discs abnormalities that predispose dogs to IVDE. The aim of this study was to quantify the relationship between relative thoracolumbar vertebral column length and IVDE risk in diverse breeds. A 14 month cross-sectional study of dogs entering a UK small animal referral hospital for diverse disorders including IVDE was carried out. Dogs were measured on breed-defining morphometrics, including back length (BL) and height at the withers (HW). Of 700 dogs recruited from this referral population, measured and clinically examined, 79 were diagnosed with thoracolumbar IVDE following diagnostic imaging ± surgery. The BL:HW ratio was positively associated with IVDE risk, indicating that relatively longer dogs were at increased risk, e.g. the probability of IVDE was 0.30 for Miniature Dachshunds when BL:HW ratio equalled 1.1, compared to 0.68 when BL:HW ratio equalled 1.5. Additionally, both being overweight and skeletally smaller significantly increased IVDE risk. Therefore, selection for longer backs and miniaturisation should be discouraged in high-risk breeds to reduce IVDE risk. In higher risk individuals, maintaining a lean body shape is particularly important to reduce the risk of IVDE. Results are reported as probabilities to aid decision-making regarding breed standards and screening programmes reflecting the degree of risk acceptable to stakeholders

Multi-functionality of the few: Current and past uses of wild plants for food and healing in LiubaÅ\u84 region, Belarus

Background: This study examined the use of wild plants in the food, medicinal and veterinary areas within a small territory limited to one village council in the LiubaÅ\u84 district of Belarus. The objectives of the research were to document the current and past uses of wild plants in this region for food and human/animal medication; to analyse the food, medicinal and veterinary areas in the context of wild plants; and to qualitatively compare the results with relevant publications concerning the wild food plants of Belarus. Methods: Fieldwork was carried out as a practical part of a development cooperation project in May 2016 in 11 villages of the LiubaÅ\u84 district. One hundred thirty-four respondents were selected randomly. Information about local uses of wild plants was obtained via semi-structured interviews and the folk-history method. Interview records were digitalized and the data structured in Detailed Use Records (DUR), which were divided into food, medicinal and veterinary areas and then analysed to ascertain local perceptions. Results: A total of 2252 DUR of wild plants were recorded. Eighty-eight wild plant taxa belonging to 45 plant families were used across all three areas. Of these, 58 taxa were used in the food, 74 in the medicinal and 23 in the veterinary areas. A relatively high percentage of the taxa were used in both the food and medicinal areas (55%) and an even greater percentage in both the medicinal and veterinary areas (87%). Comparison with earlier research on wild food plants shows the considerable difference among seldom-mentioned taxa or uses, showing possible regional differences despite the homogenization of the population during the Soviet era. Conclusions: As the majority of taxa with overlapping uses belonged to the most utilized plants, there appears to be clear a tendency to use plants in several different areas once they are brought into the home. This may be due to the need to maximize the versatility of limited resources. While the number of wild taxa used is relatively high, the mean number of taxa used per person is quite low, which indicates the relatively minor importance of wild plants in the respective areas in the study region. The low importance of snacks signals that unintended contact with nature has been lost

Impact of meteorological conditions on air pollution with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with rural aerosol particles

Wielopierścieniowe węglowodory aromatyczne (WWA) w Polsce emitowane są do atmosfery przede wszystkim z sektora komunalnego, transportu oraz przemysłu i energetyki. WWA znajdujące się w powietrzu atmosferycznym są przenoszone na dalekie odległości, a ich zawartość na danym obszarze zależy przede wszystkim od rozmiaru emisji i warunków meteorologicznych. W pracy dokonano oceny stopnia zanieczyszczenia powietrza pyłem i związanymi z nim WWA na obszarze pozamiejskim w regionie Polski północno-wschodniej (Puszcza Borecka). Analizie poddano wpływ warunków meteorologicznych na obserwowane ilości WWA w powietrzu atmosferycznym w latach 2008–2012, w ujęciu rocznym i sezonowym. Statystycznie istotne wyniki korelacji zawartości WWA w powietrzu z parametrami meteorologicznymi uzyskano w przypadku temperatury, natężenia całkowitego promieniowania słonecznego oraz usłonecznienia i parowania. Stwierdzono, że w ciepłym półroczu większy wpływ na zawartość WWA w powietrzu miała temperatura i wysokość opadów, zaś w chłodnym – natężenie promieniowania, usłonecznienie i parowanie.In Poland, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are emitted into the atmosphere mainly from the non-industrial fossil fuel combustion and energy production sector, transport and industry. PAHs in ambient air are transported over long distances and their concentration in a given area depends primarily on the emission size and local meteorological conditions. Our study assessed the level of air pollution with particle-associated PAHs in rural area in North-Eastern Poland (Puszcza Borecka). Impact of weather conditions on PAH concentrations in ambient air in the period from 2008 to 2012 was analyzed on annual and seasonal basis. Statistically significant correlation results between PAH concentrations and meteorological parameters were achieved for temperature, total solar radiation intensity, sunshine duration and evaporation. It was established that the temperature and precipitation level had stronger influence on PAH air content in the warm half year, while radiation intensity, sunshine duration and evaporation – in the cool half-year period

Carabidae (Coleoptera) wybranych środowisk przyrodniczych w Puszczy Boreckiej . .

The paper presents the results of research on Carabidae of a mixed forest site and an oak-hornbeam forest site carried out between 2004 and 2011 within the Integrated Natural Environment Monitoring Base Station in Puszcza Borecka. Carabidae were captured into glycol-filled Barber pitfall traps between May and September every year in five one-month catch cycles. The aim of the study was to characterise assemblage structures of Carabidae in these two habitats with regard to selected abiotic environmental factors. A total of 13,227 individuals of Carabidae representing 31 species were captured. The total yield in the mixed forest was 8,023 individuals of 25 species, compared to 5,204 individuals of 26 species in the oak-hornbeam forest. Both habitats supported species associated with forest, open and forested areas, and open areas. The species represented all zoogeographical elements found in Poland. However, their proportions differed between the two habitats. There was also a difference in the pattern of activity, with peak activity of the mixed forest assemblage seen in August and in the oak-hornbeam forest, in July. Species diversity, measured with the Shannon-Wiener index (H’), and evenness, measured with the Pielou index (J’), were H’ = 1.8981, J’ = 0.5897 for the mixed mesic forest assemblage and H’ = 2.1328, J’ = 0.6546 for the oak-hornbeam forest site. Catch results were analysed with regard to such factors as air temperature, ground temperature, precipitation, relative air humidity, and air levels of SO2 and NO2. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the Carabidae catch yield and air temperature at 2 metres in both habitats: for the mixed forest, r = 0.4, df = 38, p = 0.01; for the oak-hornbeam forest, r = 0.35, df = 38, p = 0.02; and between catch yield and ground temperature at a depth of 0.05 m: for the mixed forest, r = 0.49, df = 38, p = 0.001; for the oak-hornbeam forest, r = 0.42, df = 38, p = 0.007. Correlations between catch yield and the remaining factors were less marked and reached statistical significance only in three cases.W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań nad Carabidae lasu mieszanego oraz grądu prowadzonych w latach 2004–2011 w obrębie Stacji Bazowej ZMŚP w Puszczy Boreckiej. Celem pracy była charakterystyka struktur zgrupowań Carabidae funkcjonujących w wymienionych środowiskach na tle wybranych abiotycznych czynników środowiska. Podczas badań odłowiono łącznie 13227 osobników Carabidae należących do 31 gatunków.W lesie mieszanym odłowiono łącznie 8023 osobniki należące do 25 gatunków, w grądzie 5204 osobniki należące do 26 gatunków. Różnorodność gatunkowa mierzona wskaźnikiem Shannona-Wienera (H’) oraz równomierność mierzona wskaźnikiem Pielou (J’) wyniosły w przypadku lasu mieszanego H’ = 1,8981; J’ = 0,5897 a dla grądu odpowiednio H’ = 2,1328; J’ = 0,6546. Wyniki odłowów analizowano na tle takich czynników, jak temperatura powietrza, gruntu, opady atmosferyczne, wilgotność względna powietrza, zawartość w powietrzu SO2, NO2. Stwierdzono istotną statystycznie, dodatnią korelację między liczebnością odłowów Carabidae a temperaturą powietrza na wysokości 2 m w obydwu badanych środowiskach: las mieszany – r = 0,4, df = 38, p = 0,01, grąd – r = 0,35, df = 38, p = 0,02; jak również między liczebnością odłowów biegaczowatych a temperaturą gruntu na głębokości 0,05 m, odpowiednio: dla lasu mieszanego – r = 0,49, df = 38, p = 0,001 oraz grądu – r = 0,42, df = 38, p = 0,007. Zależności między liczebnością odłowów, a wartością pozostałych czynników były słabo wyrażone, tylko w trzech przypadkach istotne statystycznie