Variation of Ethnomycological Knowledge in a Community from Central Mexico

Abstract

We analyze the effects of the ethnomycological knowledge depending on the age range of its users and how far their homes are from the forest areas. As a study model, the traditional mycological knowledge of San Pedro Tlalcuapan SPT, in Central Mexico was used. During 2017, 135 semi-structured interviews were conducted with people of three age ranges and living in three areas of the community located at different distances from the forest. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and analyses of non-metric multidimensional scaling, which were then applied to calculate two indices. The effect of age and origin of the individuals on bio-cultural relevance was assessed using multiple linear regression models.Fifty species of edible wild mushrooms were registered, those mentioned most often were of the Russuladelica complex., Amanita basii and Boletus aff. edulis. Ninety-five percent of the people interviewed consumed wild mushrooms on average two times a week, while 57% collected them. Wild mushrooms are mainly recognized for their food and ecological importance. Ordination and regression analyses show that people closest to the forest, as well as older people, are able to identify more of the wild mushrooms and have greater bio-cultural mushroom awareness. Results show that there is a risk that traditional knowledge about wild mushrooms will disappear, since it is only popular in a part of the community and only at some age ranges, indicating that there is a disconnect in the transfer of knowledge.

Sociocultural drivers of mycological knowledge: insights from Wixarika and Mestizo groups in western Mexico

“…8 ). This differs from what had been reported so far, in that the people who maintain closeness or contact with the collection sites retained a greater knowledge [ 100 ]. In the case studied here, they have preserved their knowledge and traditions despite living in another environment.…”

Indigenous Traditional Knowledge on Wild Edible Mushrooms: Cultural Significance, Extraction Practices, and Factors Leading to Changes in Their Abundance in Central Mexico

“…Usually, cultural transmission takes place among individuals of different generations but within the same genealogy (Boesch and Tomasello 1998). Even though in SPT ethnomycological knowledge is more prevalent in some parts of the territory and in specific age groups (Bello-Cervantes, Correa-Metrio, et al 2019), indicating a possible disruption of knowledge transmission, knowledge regarding the mushrooms analyzed in this study is generally still transmitted vertically, from one generation to another. The continuing intergenerational transmission reinforces the direct relationship and dependency of the community to the forest, since mushrooms are key to family economy and subsistence.…”

“…Differences have been linked to factors such as age and gender. Commonly young people know fewer mushroom types and their uses (Bello-Cervantes, Correa-Metrio, et al 2019; Fui et al 2018), though in some communities, mushroom extraction is a family activity that involves children's participation (Montoya et al 2008; Robles-García et al 2018). Gender-related differences in the number of mushrooms and uses known or in collection strategies have also been found (Burrola-Aguilar et al 2012; Fui et al 2018; Garibay-Orijel, Ramírez-Terrazo and Ordaz-Velázquez 2012; Milenge Kamalebo et al 2018; Pacheco-Cobos et al 2010; Robles-García et al 2018).…”

Comparación de la disponibilidad de hongos comestibles en tierras altas y bajas de Chiapas y sus implicaciones en las estrategias tradicionales de aprovechamiento

“…En México, las estrategias y dinámicas de aprovechamiento de hongos comestibles silvestres han sido descritas para muchas regiones del país. Se ha evaluado la riqueza de especies que son aprovechadas (Garibay-Orijel y Ruan-Soto, 2014), las estrategias de recolección (Ruan-Soto, 2018) y el grado de importancia cultural de las especies (Montoya et al, 2003;Garibay-Orijel et al, 2007;Bello-Cervantes et al, 2019), así como el efecto de la recolección en la diversidad y abundancia de esporomas (Ruiz-Almenara et al, 2019), por mencionar solo algunos temas. Sin embargo, estos esfuerzos se han centrado en describir procesos etnomicológicos suscitados en los bosques templados, no así en las tierras bajas tropicales (Ruan-Soto, 2014).…”