Search

Background: Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and practice associated with wild edible plants (WEPs) is an important part of local culture of the Yao people in Jianghua Yao Autonomous County, which possesses the biggest population of Yao ethnic group in China. Economic development, urbanization, and transition of lifestyle and changing interests of the younger generations risk loss of such valuable knowledge. However, no record had been reported about WEPs from the Yao communities of Jianghua County. It is urgent to assemble data on the major WEPs and their uses in Jianghua. This can be used to educate and stimulate new interest in these WEPs, to aid inheritance and improvement of cultural identity and confidence, to enhance local resilience to various changes and to suggest pathways for novel and value-added applications to create new local business opportunities. Methods: To record WEPs associated with TEK and practice, we conducted field surveys in 2018, 2019 and 2023. The ethnobotanical methods such as free-listing, participatory observation, semi-structured interview, and market survey were adopted in the field investigations. Information about WEPs including vernacular names, parts used, ways of use, and collection time were recorded. Voucher specimens were collected, identified, and deposited in the herbarium at Minzu University of China, in Beijing. Results: Totally, 81 Yao people from 12 villages were interviewed. WEPs traditionally play a crucial role in Yao peoples' daily lives. A total of 130 plant species from 89 genera and 49 families were recorded. The plants collected showed great diversity and reflected unique local culture. Most (54.5%) WEPs were also used as medicines. Baba can be defined as a cultural identity food, and WEPs are commonly used as tea substitutes for their health benefits. Conclusions: We conclude that WEPs use is facing great challenges in a rapidly changing era. Preservation of WEPs related practice and knowledge is not only important for conserving local biocultural diversity, but also valuable in providing potential functional and healthy materials for food security and future economic development. Cultivation of young generations' interest in nature and biodiversity, combined with local policy to enhance public awareness are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Homegardens are small-scale land use systems with significant implications for local livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development due to their diverse flora and fauna. Conducting homegarden surveys enables researchers to gain insights into the traditional ecological knowledge of indigenous communities, preserve homegarden biodiversity, and promote sustainable livelihoods. This study has two objectives: first, to collect, record, and organize data on homegarden plants and related traditional knowledge from three communities in the Laershan Plateau, and second, to analyze the species and functional diversity of homegarden plants in the region while exploring the factors that contribute to the heterogeneous distribution of these plants among the communities of three townships. Methods: This research employed field surveys in the Laershan Miao Autonomous Region in Xiangxi, China, from September 2021 to August 2023. Data were collected through observation and semi-structured interviews. The study utilized descriptive statistics and quantitative analysis, including the Relative Importance Value (RI), Use Value Index (UV), Jaccard Index (JI), and Comprehensive Index of Land Use Degree (La), to examine the diversity of local homegarden plants and related traditional knowledge, as well as community heterogeneity. Results: The study area exhibited rich biodiversity, with 152 plant species recorded belonging to 62 families and 124 genera. These findings highlight the importance of homegarden plants in maintaining ecological balance and enhancing system resilience against disturbances. Homegarden plants serve multiple functions such as food, ornamental, medicinal, and fodder purposes, with edible and trade plants having the most abundant knowledge. Furthermore, this research revealed that communities with similar forest resource compositions may have similar homegarden plant compositions, demonstrating the connection between cultural exchange among different communities and patterns of plant species distribution. Conclusions: The Laershan region boasts diverse homegarden plant species crucial for ecological balance and resilience. Their multifunctionality reflects human impact. Plant diversity varies with residents' lifestyles, needs, and cultural exchanges. The close connection between plants and local life is clear. Factors like resource distribution, cultural exchange, and lifestyle influence plant distribution. Further research is needed for conservation and sustainable development. Future research should focus on culturally valuable plant species and traditional knowledge applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Bai people in Yunlong County, northwest Yunnan, China, have used medicinal plants and traditional remedies for ethnoveterinary practices. The Bai have mastered ethnoveterinary therapeutic methods in livestock breeding since ancient times. The Bai's traditional ethnoveterinary knowledge is now facing extinction, and their unique ethnoveterinary practices have rarely been recorded. This study documented animal diseases, EMPs, and related traditional knowledge in Yunlong County, China. Methods: Ethnobotanical fieldwork was conducted in six villages and townships of Yunlong County between 2021 and 2022. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews, participatory observations, and keyperson interviews. A total of 68 informants were interviewed, and the informant consensus factor and use reports (URs) were used to evaluate the current ethnoveterinary practices among the local communities. Information on livestock diseases, medicinal plants, and traditional ethnoveterinary medicine knowledge were also obtained. Results: A total of 90 plant species belong to 51 families, 84 genera were recorded as being used as EMPs by the Bai people, and Asteraceae plants are most frequently used. A total of 68 informants were interviewed, including 58 men (85.3%) and 10 women (14.7%). The most commonly used EMPs parts included the roots, whole plants, leaves, and stems, and the common livestock diseases identified in this field investigation included trauma and fracture, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory disorders, parasitic diseases, miscellaneous, venomous snake bites, reproductive diseases, infectious diseases, skin disease, and urinary diseases. Most of the EMPs are herbs (77.78%). Courtyard is one of the habitats of medicinal plants in Yunlong County. Conclusion: Traditional knowledge of ethnoveterinary medicine is related to the local sociocultural characteristics of the Bai. Plants are used in cultural traditions, which, in turn, nourish the plant culture. Cultural diversity and biodiversity are interdependent. This traditional knowledge is at risk of disappearance because of the increasing extension of Western veterinary medicine, lifestyle changes, and mainstream cultural influences. Therefore, it is important to continue research on ethnoveterinary practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]