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The International Society of Ethnobiology
- Ninth International Congress
Hosted by the Department of Anthropology
at the University of Kent, Canterbury, UK, 13th - 17th June, 2004
sldskds
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Abstracts for the First Poster Session
Boards 25 - 38
Viewing: Monday 14th June 09.00 - 20.00, and Tuesday 09.00 - 18.00
Reception: Monday 14th June 19.00 - 20.00
Eliot Great Hall
Boards 1 - 12 | Boards
13 - 24
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Abstracts are ordered by Poster Board Number
25
AMEND, ANTHONY; Danica Anderson; Jan Salick
P.O. Box 299, Applied Research, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299
USA.
Anthony.Amend@mobot.org, Danica.Anderson@mobot.org, Jan.Salick@mobot.org.
THE ROLE OF TIBETAN SACRED SITES IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN NORTHWEST YUNNAN,
CHINA
Throughout the world, areas considered sacred by local populations have demonstrated
unique ecological characteristics and patterns of human use that show promise for
conservation strategies. In the Kawa Karpo Mountain region of the Eastern Himalayas,
GIS analysis comparing biodiversity within and outside sacred sites supports the
hypothesis that sacred areas are more diverse (p=0.042), species rich (p=0.033),
contain more endemic plants (p=0.045), and contain more useful plants (p=0.034) than
secular areas. Local, ethnically Tibetan communities consider conserving resources
in sacred sites important for performing rituals to accrue merit, for historical
reasons and to placate deities. Surveys are being conducted within sacred and ecologically
equivalent secular sites; to date we have completed sampling 16 pairs. These preliminary
data indicate that site pairs may differ in number of tree species and average DBH,
though understory species richness and cover are unaffected by sacred designation.
Likewise, useful tree species appear conserved by sacred status while understory
useful plants are not. The sample size is being increased in the 2004 field season
to allow for more powerful statistical analyses. Because sacred and secular are not
polarized concepts in Tibetan culture, we distinguish different types and levels
of sacred sites and the ethnoecology associated with each.
26
MELO, CLAUDIA.
Escola Superior Agrária de Beja, Instituto Politécnico de Beja,
Beja, Portugal.
melo_claudia@hotmail.com.
NATURAL PARK OF GUADIANA VALLEY, ETHNOBOTANY METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATION
Methodology description utilised for an ethnobotanical investigation, having as a
practical case, the area of the Natural Park of Guadiana Valley. Ethnobotanical characterisation,
corresponds in this case, to botany classification of the local flora, especially
the spontaneous and the cultivated flora; registration of the traditional uses defined
from the local population in the region of the Natural Park of Guadiana Valley; elaboration
of a database and its systematisation. Evaluation of the local population, including
the recording of age, professional activity and educational levels, in order to understand
which aspects can characterise it. The reunion of this information, define and influence
the passage of information from generation to generation. In brief, the definition
of a strategy and methodology applied to a region, where the ethnobotanical potential
corresponds to a natural and cultural heritage in a protected area - the Natural
Park of Guadiana Valley.
27
DAHDOUH-GUEBAS, FARID; Sarah Collin; Patrick Rönnbäck; Denis Depommier;
Thupalli Ravishankar; Nico Koedam.
Laboratory of General Botany and Nature Management, Mangrove Management
Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
fdahdouh@vub.ac.be, nikoedam@vub.ac.be, pat@system.ecology.su.se, denis.depommier@cirad.fr,raviethnobotanist@rediffmail.com,
nikoedam@vub.ac.be.
ANALYSING ETHNOBIOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF TWO MANGROVE AREAS WITH DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION
STATUS IN THE EAST-GODAVARI DELTA (ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA) FOR CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT
PURPOSES
We assess local utilization and fishery-related aspects of the mangrove, and perceptions
of the status and dynamics of the forest in the East-Godavari Delta. 100 interviews
were carried out among the fisherfolk present in two mangrove zones in the study
area, a wildlife sanctuary and an adjacent zone. Results from the interviews indicated
that Avicennia marina, a dominant species in the Godavari mangroves, is most frequently
used as firewood and for construction purposes. Multiple products of the mangrove
include the bark of Ceriops decandra (used to dye the fishing nets and improve their
durability), the bark of Aegiceras corniculatum (poison and catch fish), the leaves
of Avicennia spp. and Excoecaria agallocha (fodder for the cattle). No medicinal
use of the mangroves was reported. Interestingly, several of these generalities varied
with the zone investigated, as a result of its ecological and legal environment (accessibility,
law enforcement). The majority of respondents report that mangrove area has increased
and believe this trend will continue, whereas a posteriori confrontation with remote
sensing data suggested an opposite trend. The mangroves have been degraded by various
anthropogenic processes e.g. over-exploitation to meet local demand for firewood,
extensive development of aquaculture, pollution from rural and urbanised areas (Kakinada).
However, the results of the surveys indicate that some elements essential to their
lifestyle have not been incorporated in the existing policy.
28
DAHDOUH-GUEBAS, FARID; Deirdre Vrancken; Thupalli Ravishankar; Nico Koedam.
Laboratory of General Botany and Nature Management, Mangrove Management
Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
fdahdouh@vub.ac.be, nikoedam@vub.ac.be, raviethnobotanist@rediffmail.com, nikoedam@vub.ac.be.
SHORT-TERM MANGROVE BROWSING BY FERAL WATER BUFFALOES : IS THERE A CONFLICT
BETWEEN NATURAL RESOURCES AUTHORITIES, WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES AND INDIAN
TRADITIONAL SUBSISTENCE PRACTICES?
Mangrove browsing by feral water buffaloes in the East-Godavari Delta has been considered
harmful for mangrove regeneration by the Forest Department, leading to conflicts
between authorities and local herdsmen, who have an ancient ethnozoological relationship
with these animals. Our objective was to develop a method to monitor the impact of
browsing and grazing of mangroves, and to confront the results of our monitoring
with the management strategy of the local authorities. Our results show that feral
water buffaloes consume mangroves and that they have a strong preference for Avicennia
alba, A. marina and A. officinalis. Their browsing behaviour is not linked to height
zones, and buffaloes prefer fresh leaves from previously undamaged branches. Under
our experimental and natural conditions browsing does induce compensatory regrowth
in Avicennia. It is clear that feral water buffaloes have an impact, but our results
are inconclusive to state that the carrying capacity of the mangrove is too low to
deal with their impact, or to ban them from mangrove forests. It must be realised
that buffaloes may have other impacts, positive and negative, on the forest, and
socio-cultural consequences must be carefully assessed prior to changes in mangrove
management with respect to feral water buffaloes.
29A
LÓPEZ, CITLALLI; Patricia Shanley.
Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 6596 JKPWB, Jakarta
10065, Indonesia.
ci.lopez@cgiar.org, p.shanley@cgiar.org
EQUITY IN ETHNOBIOLOGY: MAKING RESEARCH RESULTS ACCESSIBLE AND RELEVANT
The great deal of ethnobiological information generated by researchers is disseminated
through research articles, academic books or policy briefs to an elite audience of
scientists and decision makers. The assumption behind such research products is that
promotion of change occurs through a rational, top down process. To conserve plant
resources in the face of rapid change, civil society and forest managers themselves
will also need improved access to relevant science. This poster documents the way
in which over 100 researchers from 30 countries have presented research results of
CIFOR’s Non-Timber Forest Product Case Comparison Project. In addition to the conventional
scientific outputs, collaborators organized to design outputs geared to reach civil
society, consumers, students and forest product traders. For example, a three-volume
set of illustrated booklets describing the cultural significance, harvest, processing
and trade of products such as panama hat, cat’s claw, rattan, chewing sticks and
rattan, helps consumers understand the ingenuity of harvesters and how their fates
are intimately linked with that of wild resources. A video showing trade chains for
medicinal plants, bushmeat and woodcarving in Latin America, Asia and Africa helps
non-specialists better understand the subsistence and trade value of forest resources.
29
OKAO, OSARETIN.
Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme, 1 Tinuade Street, Off Allen
Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
osaretinokao@yahoo.com.
ETHNOBOTANY AND EDUCATION
Ethnobotany involves the process of collecting data and information on the natural
flora within an ethnic region. It also involves the study of the distribution and
identification of plant resources and requires long periods of observation before
an appropriate report and evaluation can be documented. An ethnobotanist presents
a complete description of a culture but sometimes focuses on either social or material
culture, which in most cases are intertwined. The significance of ethnobotanical
research becomes more apparent when viewed against the background of the fact that
plant and non-plant aspects of culture are continually prone to change. The information
collected by an ethnobotanist in the course of his or her research not only provides
the needed resource base for scientific research, but will also provide a well of
knowledge for understanding the biological and cultural diversity within an ethnic
region. Ethnobotany will provide the means to educate on the need to conserve culture
with the aim of preserving the natural plant resource base which will serve as a
visual aid apparatus and help to illuminate the cultural similarities between diverse
linguistic groups and allow for a comparative study to be carried out.
30 WITHDRAWN
31
CHRISTANELL, ANJA; Christian R. Vogl.
Institute for Organic Farming, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life
Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
anja.christanell@gmx.net, christian.vogl@boku.ac.at.
THE GATHERING OF WILD PLANTS IN KARTITSCH (EASTERN TYROL, AUSTRIA) AND THE INFLUENCE
OF SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES ON THE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM
Collecting of non-cultivated plant species in natural habitats is a traditional activity
of farmers in Alpine regions. This study analyses the knowledge of 31 farmers in
Kartitsch (Eastern Tyrol) about collected species based upon i) freelists about collected
plant species, ii) pile sorts to elicit the local classification system for collected
plants iii) semistructured and iv) structured interviews on knowledge of respondents
and plant use. The gathering of wild plants is still a lively part of the daily,
social life of the farmers, and is the responsibility of women. The most frequently
mentioned species (in total 87 species) were Vaccinium myrtillus (94%), Arnica montana
(81%), Vaccinium vitis-idaea (75%), Picea abies (69%) and Urtica dioica (69%). The
respondents mostly classified species according to the plant parts that they were
using. The main reasons for gathering wild plants were emotional motives (31%) and
health (26%). The non-cultivated plants are primarily used for nutrition and healing
purposes. Socio-environmental changes (due to tourism or agricultural production)
have an influence on the utilization of collected species and on religious practices
related to the utilization of these species.
32 WITHDRAWN
33
Rivera-Núñez, Diego; CRISTINA INOCENCIO; José Fajardo; Alonso
Verde; Rafael Llorach; Michael Heinrich; Concepción Obón de Castro.
Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad
de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
drivera@um.es, cpretel@um.es, michael.heinrich@ulsop.ac.uk, cobon@umh.es.
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSYS OF GATHERED PLANT FOOD USES AND KNOWLEDGE IN CASTILLA-LA MANCHA
MOUNTAINS, SPAIN
This paper will present the results of a quantitative study of gathered plant food
preferences and knowledge in two mountain areas of Central Spain: Serranía
de Cuenca and Sierras de Alcaraz y Segura, within the project 'Local Mediterranean
Food-Plants: Potential New Nutraceuticals and Current Role in the Mediterranean Diet',
QLK1-2001-00173, funded by the European Commission. Over 200 taxa of vascular plants
and mushrooms have been mentioned in the questionnaires or in open interviews. The
questionnaires were administered to over 150 selected representative informants from
nearly 50 small localities (< 2000 inhabitants) of the area. We recovered questionnaires
from 90 informants, born between 1914 and 1967, in 41 localities (18 from Sierras
de Alcaraz y Segura and 23 from Serranía de Cuenca). The most popular taxa
according to the 1003 questionnaires recovered are: 60 independent references (66%
of informants) to Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garke leaves, 47 (52%) to Scolymus hispanicus
L. young leaf rachises, 44 to Rubus ulmifolius Schott fruits, 40 to Pleurotus eryngii
(DC: Fr.) Quélet carpophores, 37 to Quercus ilex Lam. ssp. ballota (Desf.)
Samp. acorns, and Lactarius deliciosus Fr carpophores, 33 to Scorzonera angustifolia
L. tender leaves, 30 to Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Hayek leaves, 29 to Asparagus
acutifolius L. sprouts, 22 to Crataegus monogyna Jacq. fruits.
34
ALARCÓN, REMEDIOS; Luis Tomás Ortiz; Javier Tardío; Pilar García.
Instituto Madrileño de Investigación Agraria y Alimentaria (IMIA)
Finca “El Encín” Apdo. 127, 28800-Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain.
remedios.alarcon@imia.madrid.org, ltortiz@vet.ucm.es, javier.tardio@imia.madrid.org,
pilar.garcia@imia.madrid.org.
THE BLADDER CAMPION (Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke): AN ANCESTRAL AND PROMISING
LEAFY VEGETABLE.
A great number of edible plant species have always been in direct contact with man,
even though they have never been cultivated. Among the edible wild plant species
still collected, one of the most esteemed is Silene vulgaris. This Eurasian member
of the family CARYOPHILLACEAE is used as a leafy vegetable in Turkey, Italy, Austria,
Germany and Spain. It is very much appreciated in the gastronomy of many regions
of Spain where is eaten cooked in stews or omelettes, and also raw in salads. The
macronutrient composition of tender leaves of ten bladder campion populations from
central Spain was investigated. Fibre and protein contents were present at higher
concentrations than other leafy vegetables such as beet. The species has a high proportion
of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Its C18:2 fatty acid content varies between 16.76%
and 23.96%, and its C18:3 content between 48.21% and 56.75%. With respect to generalising
the consumption of this species through its cultivation, these are promising results.
35
MENDONÇA DE CARVALHO, L.; M.T. Almeida; F. Fernandes.
Escola Superior Agrária de Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, Apartado 158, Beja
7800 Portugal.
lmmc@esab.ipbeja.pt, talmeida@ci.uc.pt, ffernandes@eseb.ipbeja.pt.
ETHNOBOTANICAL RESEARCH IN BEJA COUNTY (ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL)
The city of Beja is located in a rural area in the south of Portugal. Our ethnobotanical
research has been conducted from 2002 onwards, and has enabled us to record several
hundred traditional uses of spontaneous and introduced plants. The data are collected
following the ethnobotanical methods of semistructured interviews, and the records
are made following the Economic Botany Data Collecting Standard guidelines. The work
is done with the cooperation of peasants that still use traditional practices, and
also with those who still have a living memory of old crafts and techniques that
used raw plant materials. The data recorded so far show that the local aromatic and
medicinal plants is the group of plants with the most diverse number of applications.
36
Carmona, Loles; Diego Rivera-Núñez; Cristina Inocencio; J. Fajardo;
Alonso Verde; Michael Heinrich; CONCEPCIÓN OBÓN DE CASTRO.
Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad
de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
drivera@um.es, cpretel@um.es, michael.heinrich@ulsop.ac.uk, cobon@umh.es.
LOCAL FOOD, ETHNOVARIETIES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANIC FARMING IN SPAIN
This paper will present the activities of determining, analysing, collecting and
promoting traditional local cultivars of fruits and vegetables as a relevant part
of healthy Mediterranean local food in Southeastern Spain. Ethnovarieties have been
locally selected over centuries because of their adaptation to the particular agroecological
and cultural features of the area. In the last fifty years these have been replaced
with world-wide new cultivars and more recently transgenics. These ethnovarieties
are a substantial part of the healthy traditional Mediterranean diet and some are
being investigated within the project 'Local Mediterranean Food-Plants: Potential
New Nutraceuticals and Current Role in the Mediterranean Diet', QLK1-2001-00173,
funded by the European Commission. Preliminary results are promising. Organic farmers
in the area are developing a joint project with the Murcia and Miguel Hernández
Universities, to describing the local cultivars and produce certified seed under
organic conditions.
37
POVOA, ORLANDA; Sérgio Marinho; Noémia Farinha.
Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas, Rua de Alcamim, no.19; 7350-903 Elvas,
Portugal.
Opovoa@esaelvas.pt, sermar@portugalmail.pt, mfarinha@esaelvas.pt.
PRELIMINARY STUDY OF HART'S PENNYROYAL (Mentha pulegium L.) AND PENNYROYAL (Mentha
cervina L.) ETHNOBOTANY IN ALENTEJO, SOUTH PORTUGAL
This ethnobotanic study was based on 30 ethnobothanic inquiries for each taxa and
the respective collection of 30 vegetative and/or seed samples from backyards and
natural habitats. The sampled sites were representative in terms of altitude, latitude,
longitude and soil type heterogeneity of the Alentejo region. The analysis of the
ethnobotanic inquiries shows that most of the informants are aged above 60 years,
illiterate or with elementary school education, dedicating a small length of time
and a small size area (<1 m2) near their houses to the production of these species.
Pennyroyal is used at least once a week and hart's pennyroyal at least once a month
as food seasoning, especially in traditional recipes based on regional bread called
«açordas» and fish. Twenty-five traditional gastronomic recipes
and eight medicinal uses, mainly to treat illnesses related to the respiratory system,
were identified. The main causes of genetic erosion were identified by the informants
as: desertification, soil erosion, excessive collection from natural habitats, overgrazing,
shrub invasion of natural habitats, riparian vegetation cleaning, indiscriminate
herbicide application and agricultural machinery use. This preliminary study indicates
that the traditional knowledge and use of these taxa in the region are at serious
risk.
38
FRANCES, ANNE.
Fairchild Tropical Garden, 11935 Old Cutler Rd., Miami, FL 33156, USA.
afrances@fairchildgarden.org.
FOOD TRADITIONS AND HOLIDAY OBSERVANCES OF GREEK JEWS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES:
AN ETHNOBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Traditional foods play an important role in preserving the cultural identity of immigrant
and minority groups. Greek Jews have maintained a rich cultural heritage, which is
reflected in traditional holiday foods. Within the confines of dietary laws and local
and seasonal food availability, there exists a great diversity of traditional Jewish
food that is heavily influenced by neighbouring cultures. However, the Holocaust
reduced the number of Jews in Greece from 80,000 to 10,000 and the majority of survivors
emigrated to Israel and the United States. Fifteen open-ended interviews were conducted
with Romaniote and Spanish Greek Jews currently living in the United States to document
the use of plants and animals in holiday observances. Jewish food and holiday customs
from Greece persist in the U.S. and include germinating wheat during Rosh Hashana,
dying hard boiled eggs with onion skins for Passover, and eating fried dough (Haman's
ears) during Purim. Some holiday foods from Greece are consistent with Jewish observance
throughout the world such as the use of pomegranates and honey during Rosh Hashana.
Participants in the study indicate that few from the younger generation know how
to prepare traditional recipes, suggesting a loss of traditional knowledge.
The ICE2004 pages are maintained by Christine Eagle
email: C.M.Eagle@kent.ac.uk
Conference email: ice2004@kent.ac.uk
Last updated: 07.06.04