A framework for considering ecological interactions for common non-timber forest product species: a case study of mountain date palm (Phoenix loureiroi Kunth) leaf harvest in South India

Introduction: Many economically important non-timber forest products (NTFPs) come from widespread and common plant species. Harvest of these species often is assumed to be sustainable due to their commonness. However, because of the ecological roles of common species, harvest may affect and be affected by ecological interactions at broader scales, which are rarely considered when evaluating the sustainability of harvest. We use a case study of the mountain date palm (Phoenix loureiroi Kunth), harvested in South India to produce brooms, to present a conceptual framework illustrating how intensive harvest of a common species interacts with other anthropogenic management practices, plant-animal interactions and surrounding environmental conditions. Methods: We apply this framework to understanding the impacts of mountain date palm harvest in the southern Western Ghats regions of the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. We integrate data on the extent and levels of commercial harvest, local management practices, the ecological context in which harvest occurs, and research on harvest effects. We use this information to document the intensity and extent of mountain date palm harvest in the study area, identify the ecological implications of harvest, and demonstrate how a framework that considers harvest in the context of ecological communities and ecosystems is important for assessing the impacts of harvest of common NTFP species.Results: We show that mountain date palm leaves are heavily harvested from natural areas in the southern Western Ghats but that harvest levels have declined in recent years. Mountain date palm management and harvest occur within a network of ecological interactions, linking human activities to population-, community-, and ecosystem-level processes. We demonstrate that understanding the effects of return interval of anthropogenic fire, herbivory by wild animals and livestock, as well as the light environment in which harvest occurs are critical to assessing the sustainability of mountain date palm harvest. Conclusions: By considering mountain date palm leaf harvest in the context of ecological interactions at multiple scales, our findings show that sustainability cannot be assessed only from a population-level perspective. This general framework highlights the need to incorporate ecosystem- and community-level properties and processes more frequently into assessments of the sustainability of NTFP harvest—especially for widespread and common species—to ensure that their important economic and ecological roles are maintained

Fogo e artesanato de capim-dourado no Jalapão – usos tradicionais e consequências ecológicas

O artesanato de hastes florais de capim-dourado Syngonanthus nitens, Eriocaulaceae) costuradas com as fibras de folhas-jovens de buriti (Mauritia flexuosa, Arecaceae) tornou-se símbolo da região do Jalapão e mesmo de todo o estado de Tocantins na última década. Além do extrativismo vegetal, esta importante atividade econômica envolve o uso do fogo para o estímulo da floração do capim-dourado. Este artigo sintetiza resultados de estudos etno-ecológicos desenvolvidos em cooperação com comunidades rurais e gestores ambientais do Jalapão entre 2002 e 2011. Os estudos centraram-se nos efeitos do extrativismo de hastes de capim-dourado e folhas-jovens de buriti nas populações destas espécies, bem como nos efeitos do uso do fogo para o manejo dos campos úmidos de colheita de capim-dourado. Conforme relatado por extrativistas experientes, queimadas bienais estimulam a floração, ou seja, a produção de hastes do capim-dourado. Além disto, simulações numéricas indicam que queimadas bienais são ideais para o crescimento populacional de capim-dourado em longo prazo. Intervalos de queima mais longos, apesar de não estimularem a floração, não prejudicam as populações desta espécie. As populações de capim-dourado são muito resistentes a queimas, no entanto, apresentaram flutuações anuais significativas em resposta a variações também anuais na precipitação durante o período chuvoso. Estas características são provavelmente compartilhadas por outras dezenas de espécies vegetais dos campos úmidos. A colheita de hastes de capimdourado após 20 de setembro, como determinado por legislação estadual em Tocantins, não tem efeitos negativos sobre os indivíduos tampouco sobre as populações de capim-dourado. A colheita de folhas-jovens de buriti para a obtenção das fibras utilizadas para costurar o capim-dourado não causam efeitos negativos em indivíduos e populações de buriti, na intensidade praticada no Jalapão. A legislação atual é adequada a todo o estado do Tocantins, pois previne a colheita precoce de capim-dourado, que é extremamente prejudicial à conservação da espécie. Ações para prevenção da colheita precoce devem envolver educação ambiental e fiscalização. Como forma de reduzir a incidência de incêndios de grande extensão na região deve-se capacitar os moradores locais para o uso controlado do fogo. Queimadas controladas nos campos úmidos devem ser feitas com extremo cuidado para evitar incêndios em fisionomias sensíveis ao fogo, como as áreas de ocorrência de buriti. Palavras-chave: extrativismo; gestão de recursos naturais; produtos da biodiversidade; produtos florestais não-madeireiros; uso sustentável

Local ecological knowledge and its relationship with biodiversity conservation among two Quilombola groups living in the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

Information on the knowledge, uses, and abundance of natural resources in local communities can provide insight on conservation status and conservation strategies in these locations. The aim of this research was to evaluate the uses, knowledge and conservation status of plants in two Quilombolas (descendants of slaves of African origin) communities in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil, Sao Sebastiao da Boa Vista (SSBV) and Sao Bento (SB). We used a combination of ethnobotanical and ecological survey methods to ask: 1) What ethnobotanical knowledge do the communities hold? 2) What native species are most valuable to them? 3) What is the conservation status of the native species used? Thirteen local experts described the names and uses of 212 species in SSBV (105 native species) and 221 in SB (96 native species). Shannon Wiener diversity and Pielou's Equitability indices of ethnobotanical knowledge of species were very high (5.27/0.96 and 5.28/0.96, respectively). Species with the highest cultural significance and use-value indexes in SSBV were Dalbergia hortensis (26/2.14), Eremanthus erythropappus (6.88/1), and Tibouchina granulosa (6.02/1); while Piptadenia gonoacantha (3.32/1), Sparattosperma leucanthum (3.32/1) and Cecropia glaziovii (3.32/0.67) were the highest in SB. Thirty-three native species ranked in the highest conservation priority category at SSBV and 31 at SB. D. hortensis was noteworthy because of its extremely high cultural importance at SSBV, and its categorization as a conservation priority in both communities. This information can be used towards generating sustainable use and conservation plans that are appropriate for the local communities.Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Ecologia of Universidade Federal de Juiz de ForaCoordenacao de Aperfeicoamento Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)University of Hawaii at ManoaUniv Fed Juiz de Fora, Dept Bot, Juiz De Fora, MG, BrazilUniv Hawaii Manoa, Dept Bot, Honolulu, HI 96822 USACtr Ensino Super Juiz de Fora, Dept Ciencias Biol, Juiz De Fora, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Fluminense, Dept Quim Organ, Niteroi, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Juiz de Fora, Dept Geog, Juiz De Fora, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Ambientais, Diadema, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Ambientais, Diadema, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Causal Connections between Water Quality and Land Use in a Rural Tropical Island Watershed: Rural Tropical Island Watershed Analysis

We examined associations between riparian canopy cover, presence or absence of cattle, rainfall, solar radiation, month of year, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, salinity, and Enterococcus concentrations in riparian surface soils with Enterococcus geometric mean in-stream water concentrations at Waipā watershed on the north side of the Hawaiian island Kaua’i. Each 1% decrease in riparian canopy cover was associated with a 4.6 most probable number (MPN)/100 ml increase of the geometric mean of Enterococcus in stream water (P < 0.05). Each unit decrease in salinity (ppt) was associated with an increase of Enterococcus by 68.2 MPN/100 ml in-stream water geometric mean concentrations (P < 0.05). Month of year was also associated with increases in stream water Enterococcus geometric mean concentrations (P < 0.05). Reducing riparian canopy cover is associated with Enterococcus increases in stream water, suggesting that decreasing riparian vegetation density could increase fecal bacteria surface runoff

Status, challenges and pathways to the sustainable use of wild species

DATA AVAILABILITY : Data will be made available on request.The use of wild species is extensive in both high- and low-income countries. At least 50,000 wild species are used by billions of people around the world for food, energy, medicine, material, education or recreation, contributing significantly to efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, overexploitation remains a major threat to many wild species. Ensuring and enhancing the sustainability of use of wild species is thus essential for human well-being and biodiversity conservation. Globally, the use of wild species is increasing due to growing human demand and efficiency, but its sustainability varies and depends on the social-ecological contexts in which the use occurs. Multiple environmental and social (including economic) drivers affect the sustainability of use of wild species, posing major current and future challenges. In particular, climate change has already increased the vulnerability of many uses and is expected to increase it further in the coming decades, while global and illegal trades are, in many cases, key drivers of unsustainability. There is no single “silver bullet” policy to address these and other major challenges in the sustainable use of wild species. Rather, effective policies need to integrate inclusive actions at multiple scales that adopt right-based approaches, pay attention to equitable distribution of access and costs and benefits, employ participatory processes, strengthen monitoring programs, build robust customary or government institutions and support context-specific policies, as well as adaptive management.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/gloenvchahj2023Plant Production and Soil Scienc

Damage to tropical forests caused by cyclones is driven by wind speed but mediated by topographical exposure and tree characteristics

Each year, an average of 45 tropical cyclones affect coastal areas and potentially impact forests. The proportion of the most intense cyclones has increased over the past four decades and is predicted to continue to do so. Yet, it remains uncertain how topographical exposure and tree characteristics can mediate the damage caused by increasing wind speed. Here, we compiled empirical data on the damage caused by 11 cyclones occurring over the past 40 years, from 74 forest plots representing tropical regions worldwide, encompassing field data for 22,176 trees and 815 species. We reconstructed the wind structure of those tropical cyclones to estimate the maximum sustained wind speed (MSW) and wind direction at the studied plots. Then, we used a causal inference framework combined with Bayesian generalised linear mixed models to understand and quantify the causal effects of MSW, topographical exposure to wind (EXP), tree size (DBH) and species wood density (ρ) on the proportion of damaged trees at the community level, and on the probability of snapping or uprooting at the tree level. The probability of snapping or uprooting at the tree level and, hence, the proportion of damaged trees at the community level, increased with increasing MSW, and with increasing EXP accentuating the damaging effects of cyclones, in particular at higher wind speeds. Higher ρ decreased the probability of snapping and to a lesser extent of uprooting. Larger trees tended to have lower probabilities of snapping but increased probabilities of uprooting. Importantly, the effect of ρ decreasing the probabilities of snapping was more marked for smaller than larger trees and was further accentuated at higher MSW. Our work emphasises how local topography, tree size and species wood density together mediate cyclone damage to tropical forests, facilitating better predictions of the impacts of such disturbances in an increasingly windier world

Uras : Medicinal and ritual plants of Serampas, Jambi Indonesia

Documenting indigenous healthcare practices provides insight into how human communities have adapted to their local environments and can guide culturally appropriate medical care. The Serampas inhabit the border of Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia, and the only ethnobotanical study carried out there was in 1783. We identified the Serampas’ conceptions of health and illness and the medicinal and ritual plants they use; and assessed how this has changed over the past two centuries. Participant observation and in-depth interviews were carried out with 36 respondents. The Serampas conceive of health and illness to be caused by external and internal factors and recognize obat rajo (king’s medicine) and obat ditawar (enchanted medicine). They use > 127 medicinal plant species, which overlap with their 32 species of ritual plants. Most medicinal plants are gathered from shifting cultivation fields and secondary forests, > 50% are cultivated, and 40% are also food. The Serampas use 50% of the medicinal plants recorded in 1783

Documenting ethnobotany

How can basic ethnobotanical skills aid linguists in the process of language documentation? Why is this important? In this course we will discuss methods that ethnobotanists use to document plant and animal names and the traditional knowledge associated with them (uses, phenological and ecological information, stories, songs, chants etc). Topics include collection of plants in the field, preparation of voucher specimens, metadata, herbaria, recording of traditional ecological knowledge, as well as a discussion of ethical issues that can arise. We will conclude with a discussion of the importance of collaborations between linguists and ethnobotanists, and the opportunities and challenges this can present

Ethnoecology of Aechmea magdalenae (Bromeliaceae) : a participatory investigation into the sustainable harvest and conservation of a non-timber rainforest product

An understanding of the effects of harvest on wild plant populations is essential for discerning the ecological impacts of past and present human uses of wild species, and for conserving species which are currently overexploited. This dissertation builds on theories and methods to describe and predict the impacts of harvesting non-timber forest products (NTFP) through an ethnoecological study of the terrestrial bromeliad Aechmea magdalenae. A. magdalenae is harvested from the rainforests of South-eastern Mexico where it has a long history of exploitation. The fiber extracted from its leaves is used to embroider leather articles in an artwork known as piteado. The sustainable harvest of this species has been promoted in Mexico as a strategy to conserve forests and provide local people with a stable income.A combination of demographic, ethnobotanical and participatory methods was used to quantify harvest strategies, measure their impacts on A. magdalenae populations, and assess potential for cultivation. The impacts of harvesting: (1) ramets used for forest plantations; (2) leaves and ramets; (3) and whole plants and ramets, were measured by comparing the dynamics of harvested and nonharvested populations. The demographic implications of variation in the ecological and human context of harvest were examined. The effects of variation in traditional management and traditional knowledge of this species were also quantified.Analyses using matrix models indicate that primary forest populations harvested for their ramets are declining due to overexploitation. Secondary forest populations are tolerant to ramet harvest and show elevated rates of growth and vegetative propagation in wild and cultivated plants. High rates of fiber harvest have little impact on population growth rates and increase A. magdalenae's tolerance to ramet harvest. The economic and ecological implications of local harvesting strategies vary within regions as well as between regions with short and long histories of A. magdalenae management. A test of the accuracy of estimating maximum sustainable harvests using current approaches illustrates that these methods can lead to erroneous conclusions.The results of this study are used to suggest improvements for approaches to assessing the impacts of NTFP harvest, for combining traditional ecological knowledge and science in management plans, and for using participatory ecological and ethnoecological research to promote conservation