Mexican Ethnobotany: Interactions of People and Plants in Mesoamerica

Casas, Alejandro; Blancas, José; Lira, Rafael

doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-6669-7_1

Cited by 20 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Its diverse socioecological systems and traditions of plant use have provided a wealth of ethnobotanical knowledge [2]. From empirical practice to evolution of modern scientific discipline, Mexico's ethnobotany has influenced theories and methods of this science around the world [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in Zacatecas state, Mexico

et al. 2018

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Despite the fact that Mexico has vast biocultural biodiversity, there are numerous regions where the traditional medicinal use of plants has not yet been studied. We aimed to document, analyze quantitatively, and preserve medicinal plant knowledge among local people living in over 40 communities in the state of Zacatecas. Ethnobotanical information was collected by semistructured interviews with 132 informants. Data were analyzed using standard quantitative indices such as relative frequency of citation, family importance value, cultural importance index, and informant consensus factor. We recorded 168 medicinal plant taxa belonging to 151 genera and 69 botanical families and used to treat 99 health disorders. The most medicinally important plant families were Asteraceae (20 species), followed by Fabaceae and Lamiaceae (12 species) and Cactaceae (five species). The most culturally important species was Matricaria chamomilla L., mentioned 140 times, followed by Arnica montana L. (62 times) and Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt (48 times). The highest consensus for use was for diseases of the reproductive system. The type of disorder for which there was the highest number of references for use (389; 25% of all uses) and plant species (67) were diseases of the digestive and gastrointestinal system. The present study represents the first quantitative medical-ethnobotanical documentation and analysis of the traditional use of medicinal plants in Zacatecas state. Despite the semiarid climate, this region is botanically highly diverse, and its flora have versatile medicinal uses.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in Zacatecas state, Mexico

et al. 2018

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“…But importantly, they complement their diet by gathering forest products from the wild vegetation. We have estimated that, on average, the annual diet in rural communities of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley is nearly 12% formed by wild and weedy food products (Casas et al, 2008;Casas et al, 2014;Casas et al, 2016;Casas et al, 2017). In addition, Moreno-Calles et al (2012) found that TAFS with intermediate forest cover have higher economic value than monocultures and forests.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peasants’ Motivations to Maintain Vegetation of Tropical Dry Forests in Traditional Agroforestry Systems from Cuicatlán, Oaxaca, Mexico

Rendón‐Sandoval

Casas

Sinco-Ramos

et al. 2021

Front. Environ. Sci.

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The ways traditional rural communities conduct activities to meet their livelihoods commonly contribute to conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Traditional agroforestry systems (TAFS) are expressions of management that deliberately retain wild vegetation coexisting with crops to obtain multiple socio-ecological contributions. However, processes enhancing productive intensification endanger their permanence. This study aimed to 1) identify the peasants’ motivations to maintain the vegetation of tropical dry forest within their agricultural fields, 2) analyze the capacity of TAFS to provide contributions to people’s well-being, and 3) identify factors and processes limiting conservation capacities and possible alternatives. The study was conducted in three communities of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico. We performed a qualitative analysis with information from two workshops with local people, 10 semi-structured interviews with managers of TAFS, participant observation, complementary informal talks, and fieldwork notes. For analyzing the data, we: 1) generated a list of central themes based on the data collected, 2) established preliminary categories of such themes, 3) coded all information through the Atlas. ti software, 4) adjusted the classification of categories and codes to the data, 5) grouped codes and analyzed their relationships. We found that the peasants’ motivations to maintain the wild vegetation are the provision of multiple beneficial contributions: material (edible fruit, medicinal plants, fodder, firewood), regulating (shade, soil fertility, humidity keeping, rain attraction), and nonmaterial (regional flavors, ornamental, ritual), among others, which meet some of their fundamental needs (primarily subsistence, identity, and protection). The main reasons for keeping the wild vegetation were material contributions (62%). Also, we observed that TAFS safeguarding a higher forest cover and species diversity provide a broader range of socio-ecological contributions and potential to satisfy human needs than those with lower cover. Peasant agriculture may allow maintaining biodiversity while satisfying fundamental human needs. However, it needs to be revitalized, made more efficient, profitable, and dignified. The agroecological management implemented by peasants in TAFS is crucial for ensuring the continuity of essential environmental functions and people’s well-being.

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“…research has been conducted to demonstrate the wealth of TEK held in Indigenous communities, we know considerably less about TEK in rural mestizo communities of Mexico (Casas et al 2016).…”

Section: Research Communicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medicinal Plants of Tecopatlán, Jalisco, Mexico: Description of the Uses and Environmental Availability

Alonso

Olson

Espinosa

et al. 2020

EBL

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The non-Indigenous, mestizo, ejido (communal agricultural land) Tecopatlán is located in the municipality of Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, in the influence zone of the Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserve (SMBR). The primary purpose of this research was to characterize traditional knowledge of medicinal plants held by residents of Tecopatlán in relationship to the land use patterns of the ejido. We interviewed 34 people, selected by convenience sampling, to identify their knowledge of medicinal plants and the local environment. Informants reported a total of 72 medicinal species, belonging to 45 botanical families, distributed across 67 genera. Of the plants recorded, 55 were exogenous and 19 were native species. Informants were surveyed regarding common ailments and the plants used to treat those ailments. The most common ailments reported include diabetes, coughs, kidney problems, nerves, stomach pain, insomnia, cancer, and stroke. The land use patterns described by community members reveal specific areas of the local environment that have the most commonly used medicinal plants.

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Mexican Ethnobotany: Interactions of People and Plants in Mesoamerica

Cited by 20 publications

References 27 publications

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in Zacatecas state, Mexico

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in Zacatecas state, Mexico

Peasants’ Motivations to Maintain Vegetation of Tropical Dry Forests in Traditional Agroforestry Systems from Cuicatlán, Oaxaca, Mexico

Medicinal Plants of Tecopatlán, Jalisco, Mexico: Description of the Uses and Environmental Availability

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