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Plant Management in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, Mexico. Plant management types currently practiced in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, México, were documented and analyzed based on
ethnobotanical studies conducted in 13 villages with six indigenous groups and Mestizo people. The information was organized
in a data base, and then detailed and guide...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley is located at the southeast of the state of Puebla and the northwest of the state of Oaxaca, central Mexico ( Fig. 1). It is the southernmost arid area of Mexico (Rzedowski 1978), its aridity being caused by the orographic rain shadow determined by the Sierra Madre Oriental. Annual mean temperature and precipitation are on average 21°C and 400 mm, respectively ( Dávila et al. 1993). The region is constituted by a mosaic of 30 types of plant ...
Context 2
... by the authors in the villages of San Juan Raya, Zapotitlán Salinas, Los Reyes Metzontla, San Luis Atolotitlán, Santiago Coatepec, Coxcatlán, San Rafael, and Santa María Coyomeapan in the state of Puebla, as well as Santiago Quiotepec, San Lorenzo Pápalo, San Pedro Nodón, San Pedro Jocotipac and Santa María Ixcatlán in the state of Oaxaca (Fig. 1). These villages are inhabited by Nahua, Mixtec, Cuicatec, Popoloca, Mazatec, Ixcatec and Mestizo people, and their territories comprise a high variation of environmental conditions (Table 1). Ethnobotanical studies documented information on nomenclature, use, extraction rates, cultural and economic value, and distribution and ...
Citations
... A conceptual framework developed to explain the level of care given to NTFPs proposes a gradient of traditional management practices ranging from the simplest, such as gathering species from wild environments, through intermediate practices related to species tolerance in anthropogenic environments, to the most complex ones involving the protection, propagation, and domestication of species in both in situ and ex situ environments [17][18][19]. Within these management practices, those of greater intensity and complexity are directed toward species of cultural and economic values, with the aim of reducing the risk of resource depletion and increasing the availability of culturally significant species and traded resources [10,13,18]. In this sense, it has been proposed that commercialization, among other factors, may influence the intensity of management practices [8][9][10], and as these practices become more intensive for some products, they increase the ability to meet market demands, increase economic income, and ensure the persistence of the species [5,6,16]. ...
... Several authors agree that the biological and ecological characteristics of a species are critical to the feasibility of manipulating it [8,21,24]. Insuasti et al. [9] and Blancas et al. [17] propose that low abundance of a resource in its natural habitat is an ecological factor that influences practices aimed at increasing the quantity of the resource, when that resource is culturally valued. Also, certain biological characteristics of species, such as the length of the life cycle [8,25], and the adaptability of a species to survive in anthropogenic environments [26], are all factors that influence management decisions. ...
... However, González-Insuasti et al. [9] found that species that are both commercially and culturally valuable, may be intensively managed, even when they are harvested on communal lands. In addition, several studies have found that the harvesting and planning of culturally and economically important products are more often regulated by social, communal agreements [14,17,26,28]. ...
Background
The commercialization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) provides income for rural indigenous households. The integration of NTFPs into formal markets tends to intensify management practices to ensure production and monetary benefits. However, more research is needed to understand the motivations for managing of commercialized species. We examine the influence of social, ecological, and economic factors on traditional management and how they drive the adoption of more or less intensive practices for subsistence and commercially traded NTFPs.
Methods
The study was conducted in the Nahua community of Ixtacxochitla, in the Sierra Negra of central Mexico, where we conducted free lists and semi-structured interviews in 32% of the 88 households to assess socio-ecological variables related to management practices. In addition, we interviewed local traders to assess commercial variables used in a cost–benefit model to calculate the net annual income of commercialized species. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to analyze relationships between socio-ecological variables and management practices. We also explored the relationship between management and commercial factors using principal component analysis.
Results
We recorded 64 plant and mushroom species of NTFPs used for medicinal, ornamental, ceremonial, and edible purposes, 36 of which are commercialized in the municipal market of Coyomeapan. The commercialized species generated an average annual net income of MXN 67,526 (USD 3924) per family, with five species contributing the most. Species both used for both subsistence and commercialization were managed through incipient in situ gathering, tolerance in ex situ anthropogenic areas, and intensive protection and propagation efforts in ex situ environments. Even the five species with the highest commercial returns were managed across this gradient of practices. Key factors influencing the adoption of more intensive species management practices were feasibility of management, type of species use, ecological abundance, frequency of consumption, and cultural importance.
Conclusions
The intensification of NTFPs management is not solely driven by the commercial value of the products or the level of income generated. Instead, the interaction between socio-ecological and economic factors determines the extent of management practices. The main constraint to the implementation of intensive practices has been the inability to manage species outside their natural habitats, despite their cultural significance and frequent consumption. Understanding the factors involved in the harvesting of NTFPs can serve as the basis for future research aimed at analyzing the conditions for successful and sustainable NTFPs commercialization.
... Archeological evidence suggests that agaves were essential in the diet of the people in Mesoamerica and Aridoamerica during periods of drought (Davis & Ortiz-Cano, 2023). The interaction between humans and Agave dates back 12,000 years BP (Delgado-Lemus et al., 2014) where a management gradient has been identified, as well as in-situ (i.e., collection, tolerance, induction, protection, etc.) as ex-situ (cultivation of crops and transplanting of individuals), each with a different intensity of management (Blancas et al., 2010;Casas et al., 2007). ...
Social Impact Statement
For hundreds of years, Agave marmorata plants have been used in the production of alcoholic beverages in Mexico. This species is very important in small‐scale rural economies because it is a large plant, yielding five liters of mezcal. However, the production of these beverages takes place when it reaches its reproductive stage, which takes up to 35 years. Due to its slow maturation and high demand, it is considered an endangered species. Therefore, as a conservation strategy, this study proposes the creation of nurseries, genetic breeding programs, and demographic monitoring of wild populations to counteract the extraction of wild plants and, the conservation of the genetic diversity.
Summary
Agave marmorata Roezl., is an endemic species distributed in the states of Oaxaca and Puebla, Mexico, and locally is widely used to produce mezcal.
We assessed the genomic diversity and differentiation using the RADseq method and 29,101 high‐quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in wild plants and grown under three different management types (cultivated, plants used as live fences, and young plants growing in nurseries). We examined the demographic history and used species distribution modeling to understand the future of A. marmorata under scenarios of climate change.
We found high levels of genomic diversity (HS = 0.229) and moderate levels of inbreeding (FIS = 0.106 and Fhat3 = 0.190). The cultivated samples harbored less genetic diversity than the wild plants. Furthermore, we estimated low differentiation between cultivated and wild localities (FST = 0.037). In the wild samples, we identified two main genetic groups, one in the East and another in the West of its distribution area. This genetic structure possibly derived from a population contraction during the Pleistocene (~216,879.75 BP) and the formation of two refugia in small areas with climatic stability. Furthermore, the demographic reconstruction indicated that A. marmorata went through a recent population expansion event, with a large current Ne (Ne = 8,009). The future climate change models indicated contrasting possible changes in its distribution range, from an increase to the reduction of its suitable habitat, differences related to model parametrization, and future levels of CO2 production.
We propose conservation measures for the different management types of the species while also considering the biotic and abiotic interactions of Agave marmorata.
... Este patrón se observa también en zonas de una gran diversidad biológica como el Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán. De acuerdo con estudios etnobotánicos realizados en trece comunidades campesinas, las especies manejadas de agaves se utilizan principalmente como alimento(Blancas et al., 2010). En Ixcatlán, los botones florales de Agave kerchovei Lem se recolectan y se encuentran disponibles en lugares cercanos, mientras que los botones florales de Agave potatorum eran consumidos en tiempos de escasez. ...
En México existen 159 especies de agaves, de las cuales 129 son endémicas con hasta 40 formas de uso por 27 grupos étnicos. El uso más importante; excluyendo al del mezcal, es para la alimentación humana. Oaxaca cuenta con la mayor diversidad de
agaves del mundo, y preserva en sus diversos grupos étnicos un valioso conocimiento tradicional de agaves. Con el objetivo de conocer su aporte a la alimentación humana, se desarrolló una revisión del conocimiento tradicional de agaves en los grupos étnicos de Oaxaca. Se realizó una búsqueda en base de datos científicas de artículos relacionados con el uso de Agaves en Oaxaca. Se recopiló, sistematizó y analizó la información existente de los agaves útiles en la alimentación. Los resultados muestran evidencia de usos alimenticios de 19 especies de agaves en 9 grupos étnicos del estado, así como en varias localidades mestizas. 14 distritos de Oaxaca están representados en estudios
sobre agaves comestibles. Las partes del agave con usos alimenticios son: botones florales, escapo floral en desarrollo, las “piñas” y aguamiel. Estas partes del agave se preparan en guisos (flor), tortillas (escapo), asados (escapo y hojas), en dulce (“mezontle” de la “piña”) y 4 especies para elaborar bebidas tradicionales fermentadas (aguamiel y pulque). Existe en Oaxaca un importante conocimiento tradicional en torno a los agaves
comestibles. Estos aportan beneficios alimenticios diversos a las comunidades indígenas y mestizas de Oaxaca, y es vital preservar este conocimiento y continuar desarrollando más trabajos etnobotánicos en torno a los agaves.
... The traditional preparation of these inflorescences is 'desflemar' (immersion in salt water), namely, boiling with salt or frying them with or without eggs; sometimes, the pistil and part of the style of the individual flowers are removed, although this practice varies regionally. However, the local forms of consumption are not exclusive to Oaxaca but are common in other states, such as Puebla or Hidalgo, Mexico, and include other species of agave such as mezcaleros, pulqueros (fermented agave drink), and 'ixtle' (fibers for ropes) [14,38,39]. ...
In Mexico, the tradition of consuming flowers dates to pre-Columbian times, and flower consumption persists today; however, this practice is typically unknown outside the regions where flowers are used in local gastronomy. The aim of this work was to evaluate the variation in polyphenol and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity in inflorescence samples. Samples of izote (Yucca filifera), maguey pulquero (Agave salmiana), cuachepil or guachepil (Diphysa americana), and tepejilote or pacaya (Chamaedorea tepejilote) were collected from different communities and regions of Oaxaca, Mexico, during 2022. Specifically, ten to eleven inflorescence samples were collected per species, and their polyphenol and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity were evaluated using UV–visible spectrophotometry and reference standards. Significant differences were detected between and within samples depending on their geographical origin (collection locations); the environment and site influenced the composition of the samples for each species. Across all species, significant and positive correlations of the polyphenol and flavonoid contents were identified with the antioxidant activity detected via the DPPH and FRAP methods. The high variability in phenolic compound contents and antioxidant activity within each species shows that the nutritional and nutraceutical potential of flowers may complement diets at the family and communitarian levels.
... Thus, the interaction of rural communities with the capitalist market reflects pressures from the key area over the way natural resources are accessed. This pressure causes modifications in people's perception, use, and management of resources (Blancas et al. 2010). ...
Ethnobiology analyzes the interactions between people and their surrounding environments from various perspectives. Some studies have been criticized by social scientists, who argue that ethnobiologists have insufficiently considered the conflicts between the dominant economic and political model and rural communities’ lives, which are often idealized. However, several ethnobiological studies have increasingly considered these aspects, and important initiatives in this direction have emerged from interactions with other research fields and frameworks, such as sustainability science, political ecology, agroecology, and social-ecological systems. To address criticism on what has been considered ethnobiological utopianism, it is valuable to theorize, develop methodological tools, and construct explanatory models. From such perspective, this work aims to recover an old theory called ecosymbiotic complementarity, which we propose can strengthen analytical approaches in the social-ecological systems framework. We recover the original proposal of the ecosymbiotic complementarity theory, emphasizing the relationships between rural communities and economic and political variables. We consider that the ecosymbiotic complementarity theory can contribute to the contextualization of rural societies analyzed in ethnobiological research.
... Traditional plant management can be defined as practices aimed at transforming or adapting plants and/or their functions and, consequently, the provision of ecosystem services in accordance with human purposes (Blancas et al., 2010;Casas et al., 1997). Traditional plant management can be understood as pre-domestication (Casas et al., 1997), starting to be practiced at the beginning of the Holocene (Piperno, 2011). ...
... Although the management of C. jamacaru practiced by local people in the Caatinga dry forest is not deliberately aimed at the artificial selection of any floral or reproductive traits (Lima-Nascimento et al., 2021), the removal of litter and undesirable plants, associated with the pruning of C. jamacaru individuals, results in changes in these attributes. These factors affect local microclimatic conditions, such as the distribution of temperature, light, and humidity under the plants (Blancas et al., 2010). Removal of competing plants, for example, provides less competition for light and soil nutrients (Craine and Dybzinski, 2013). ...
The management of plants and landscapes can affect the reproductive cycle of species through changes in morphology, temporal distribution of resources, and productivity, with ecological implications. In this study, we investigated the influence of management practices on the reproductive phenology and nectar availability of Cereus jamacaru DC, a columnar cactus native to Brazil managed by local people in the Caatinga dry forest. Our results reveal that the traditional management practices alter the quantitative and spatiotemporal distribution of resources (flowers, fruits, and nectar) of individuals of C. jamacaru in the studied Caatinga. All populations exhibited annual patterns of flowering and fruiting. However, individuals of the ex situ managed population showed a distinct temporal distribution pattern of flowering, with flower buds and flowers more regularly distributed throughout the reproductive period, compared to individuals of the in situ and unmanaged populations. Management practices differentially affected the production of flower buds, flowers, and fruits with a positive effect on fruit set in the in situ managed population. In addition, individuals of managed populations presented anticipation in the average date of the emission peaks of flower buds and ripe fruits. Individuals from the in situ managed population had available a greater volume of nectar with a higher sugar concentration per flower (twice as high) compared to the ex situ managed population and unmanaged population. The management practices seem to provide advantageous conditions for individuals of C. jamacaru since they allow higher availability of resources (flowers, nectar, and fruits) for a longer period in the Caatinga dry forest. Thus, management practices can prolong the temporal distribution of flowers and fruits, providing more resources for specialized pollinators (Sphingids) and dispersers (birds, reptiles), which are groups vulnerable to anthropic disturbances and climate changes in the Caatinga dry forest. These practices ultimately contribute to the maintenance of key ecological interactions of other species dependent on these vectors, benefiting the whole plant and animal community in the Caatinga dry forest.
... Autonomy in seed production in situ is a typical feature of family farming, which distinguishes it from commercial agriculture (Salazar, Altieri, and Nicholls Estrada 2015). Other FFS characteristic activities are gathering, tolerance, protection and cultivation (Blancas et al. 2010). These practices are aimed at what is considered the cornerstone of agriculture, namely managing biodiversity (Félix et al. 2018), particularly of plant species. ...
... *According to Blancas et al. (2010); in the case of the practice "Cultivated" a modification was made, merging it with the category "Induced or Encouraged." **According to Klein et al. (2007). ...
Many of the species used in family farming systems (FFS) in Patagonia belong to the group known as neglected and underutilized species (NUS), which promote biocultural diversity and contribute to food sovereignty. Due to the scarce attention paid to NUS by agronomic sciences, little is known about their biotic pollination, although it is a well-studied aspect for commercially important plants. We evaluate the contribution of animal pollination to NUS managed by Patagonian FFS. We present a literature review of the NUS used and aspects related to their pollination and floral visitors, for which 725 papers were reviewed. FFS use 426 NUS (414 angiosperms, 10 gymnosperms and 2 ferns). Most NUS (86.7%) depend to some extent on animal pollination, either for the production of fruits or seeds that are harvested for consumption (direct dependence, 35%) or for obtaining seeds (indirect dependence, 65%), which in many cases are necessary for reseeding. Gathering and cultivation are the most common management practices for these species. Hymenoptera and Diptera are the animals that contribute most to NUS biotic pollination. Our results show that animal pollination is a key contribution of nature to sustain cultural aspects and food sovereignty of FFS in Patagonia.
... Por otra parte, el manejo de plantas puede definirse como la combinación de acciones enfocadas en adaptar o transformar un sistema, elementos, o procesos, realizados de acuerdo con un plan humano, para favorecer la disponibilidad de poblaciones o individuos dentro de un sistema (Blancas et al., 2010). Estas labores involucran intervención, adecuación o modificación de manera consciente o inconsciente del paisaje, vegetación, especies y genes, según la estructura de las poblaciones naturales para la variabilidad en la obtención de recursos (Casas, Parra y Blancas, 2015). ...
... Para evaluar las prácticas de manejo que las personas realizan por especie, se consideró el índice de Intensidad de Manejo (IM) (Blancas, 2013;Blancas, et al., 2010;Furlan, Pochettino y Hilgert, 2017), calculado como la suma de todas las frecuencias relativas de prácticas para cada especie. Es IM = ∑ Fm(nij) , donde: IM=intensidad de manejo por especie, Fm=frecuencia de prácticas de manejo por especie, nij=número de personas que aplican cada práctica de manejo por especie, i=número de personas que aplican cada práctica de manejo y j=cada una de las especies manejadas. ...
Objetivo:
Documentar la importancia cultural y manejo de plantas con énfasis en las especies alimenticias de comunidades ch’oles de Chiapas, México.
Metodología:
Enfoque etnoagroecológico, se aplicaron herramientas metodológicas participativas y análisis mixto de la información.
Resultados:
Indican grupos de plantas que se consumen con mayor frecuencia, lo que evidencia su arraigo en la cultura alimentaria de estos pueblos. Los criterios de manejo en el HF evidencian dos prácticas ejecutadas por las familias: el manejo ex situ e in situ. En la primera se registran principalmente las plantas cultivadas (40.1%), la segunda enfatiza cuatro niveles de labores agrícolas, recolección (8.4%), tolerancia (12.1%), fomento (10.9%) y protección (28.6%); en este sentido, la intensidad de manejo (IM) reconoció especies con intervalos de 0.2129 + 0.6239.
Limitaciones:
El periodo de Covid-19 limitó las últimas visitas de convivencia a las UPF que se contemplaba originalmente.
Conclusiones:
El componente vegetal, que se maneja en el huerto familiar, constituye un elemento básico que define un sistema alimentario sostenible; en este sentido, junto a la valoración de prácticas de estos grupos sociales, la agricultura familiar puede estar apuntando a construir fundamentos que expliquen motivos partícipes en la domesticación de plantas alimenticias en Mesoamérica.
... Por otra parte, el manejo de plantas puede definirse como la combinación de acciones enfocadas en adaptar o transformar un sistema, elementos, o procesos, realizados de acuerdo con un plan humano, para favorecer la disponibilidad de poblaciones o individuos dentro de un sistema (Blancas et al., 2010). Estas labores involucran intervención, adecuación o modificación de manera consciente o inconsciente del paisaje, vegetación, especies y genes, según la estructura de las poblaciones naturales para la variabilidad en la obtención de recursos (Casas, Parra y Blancas, 2015). ...
... Para evaluar las prácticas de manejo que las personas realizan por especie, se consideró el índice de Intensidad de Manejo (IM) (Blancas, 2013;Blancas, et al., 2010;Furlan, Pochettino y Hilgert, 2017), calculado como la suma de todas las frecuencias relativas de prácticas para cada especie. Es IM = ∑ Fm(nij) , donde: IM=intensidad de manejo por especie, Fm=frecuencia de prácticas de manejo por especie, nij=número de personas que aplican cada práctica de manejo por especie, i=número de personas que aplican cada práctica de manejo y j=cada una de las especies manejadas. ...
Objetivo: documentar la importancia cultural y manejo de plantas con énfasis en las especies alimenticias de comunidades ch’oles de Chiapas, México. Metodología: enfoque etnoagroecológico, se aplicaron herramientas metodológicas participativas y análisis mixto de la información. Resultados: indican grupos de plantas que se consumen con mayor frecuencia, lo que evidencia su arraigo en la cultura alimentaria de estos pueblos. Los criterios de manejo en el HF evidencian dos prácticas ejecutadas por las familias: el manejo ex situ e in situ. En la primera se registran principalmente las plantas cultivadas (40.1%), la segunda enfatiza cuatro niveles de labores agrícolas, recolección (8.4%), tolerancia (12.1%), fomento (10.9%) y protección (28.6%); en este sentido, la intensidad de manejo (IM) reconoció especies con intervalos de 0.2129 + 0.6239. Limitaciones: el periodo de Covid-19 limitó las últimas visitas de convivencia a las UPF que se contemplaba originalmente. Conclusiones: el componente vegetal, que se maneja en el huerto familiar, constituye un elemento básico que define un sistema alimentario sostenible; en este sentido, junto a la valoración de prácticas de estos grupos sociales, la agricultura familiar puede estar apuntando a construir fundamentos que expliquen motivos partícipes en la domesticación de plantas alimenticias en Mesoamérica.
... Identifying individual innovators of current processes might be possible, although innovations in communities are rapidly diffused, tested, and subject to new innovations. The process of innovation is per se a topic of research (Blancas et al. 2010;Rangel-Landa et al. 2016). But identifying discoverers of plant properties or inventors of management techniques and the preparation of a plant used for long time periods is practically impossible. ...
... By comparing wild and managed populations, we can characterize and evaluate the results of these processes that involve morphological, physiological, phytochemical, reproductive biology, and genetic variation in populations (Casas et al. 2016b). These approaches allowed identifying that some plants represent advanced stages of domestication, but plant populations exist on a continuum between wild and domesticated, depending on the type and intensity of management, but also on life cycle and other biological attributes of plants (Blancas et al. 2010(Blancas et al. , 2013Rangel-Landa et al. 2016). New methods allow to measure morphological details of plants, or to monitor movements of pollinators and seed dispersers by telemetry. ...
