Use of plant resources in a seasonal dry forest (Northeastern Brazil)

Abstract

RESUMO -(O uso de recursos vegetais em uma floresta estacional seca (Nordeste do Brasil)). Para estudar o uso de recursos vegetais de uma floresta estacional seca por uma comunidade rural, foram demarcadas parcelas em áreas de vegetação perturbada e relativamente preservada. O estudo foi conduzido em vegetação de caatinga arbórea hiperxerófila situada no município de Alagoinha (08 o 27'59" S e 36 o 46'33" W), no estado de Pernambuco, Nordeste do Brasil. Os resultados mostram que um padrão semelhante de oferecimento de recursos medicinais foi encontrado ao de outras florestas tropicais, nas quais as áreas perturbadas ou de vegetação secundária são uma maior fonte de plantas medicinais. Todavia, um novo padrão foi evidenciado ao verificar-se que áreas perturbadas não detêm a preferência das pessoas, e que isso pode estar relacionado com a disponibilidade temporal dos recursos (adaptação a estacionalidade característica do tipo vegetacional) e a permanência dos valores culturais e de conhecimentos básicos sobre as plantas da vegetação natural, e que são de maior importância para a comunidade.Palavras-chave: etnobotânica quantitativa, florestas sazonais secas, caatinga, plantas medicinais, diversidade tropical ABSTRACT -(Use of plant resources in a seasonal dry forest (Northeastern Brazil)).To study the use of plant resources by a rural community in a seasonal dry forest, plots were established in a disturbed area and in a relatively preserved area. The study was carried out in caatinga vegetation located at the municipality of Alagoinha (08 o 27'59" S and 36 o 46'33" W), state of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil. The results show a pattern of medicinal resources offering similar to that found in other tropical forests, in which the disturbed areas or those of secondary vegetation are a major source of medicinal plants. Nevertheless, a new pattern was evidenced as it was found that disturbed areas are not preferred by local people, and that it may be related to temporal availability of resources (adaptation to the characteristic seasonality of the vegetation type) and to the permanence of cultural values and basic knowledge on plants of the natural vegetation, which are of major importance for the community.

Impact assessment of the harvest of a medicinal plant (Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan) by a rural semi-arid community (Pernambuco), northeastern Brazil

“…Negative, sharp angles indicate a stable population that is capable of self-perpetuation, while slightly negative angles point to a declining population with poor recruitment (Condit et al 1998;Tabuti 2007;Tabuti and Mugula 2007). Finally, to analyse the availability of A. colubrina, the population absolute density was compared using a chi-square test with secondary data from 13 angico populations growing in similar contexts (Drumond et al 1982;Fonseca 1991;Araújo et al 1995;Andrade 2000;Figueiredo 2000;Alcoforado-Filho et al 2003;Albuquerque et al 2005). For this comparison, we respected the inclusion criterion of each study, that is, in order to compare the population analysed in this study with a study that used DSL (diameter at soil level) sampling criteria greater than or equal to 3 cm, we considered only individuals that fitted this same criterion, discarding all others from the analysis.…”

Dynamics of traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in a rural community in the Brazilian semi-arid region

“…This is especially true with regard to the use of plant resources that are so strikingly present in many aspects of peoples' lives in different cultures in the world (Albuquerque et al, 2005;Case et al, 2005). Accordingly, experience gained over years of contact with the environment and different social groups has now become an element of great interest, because cultural factors may both contribute to the diversity and richness of knowledge of plants through transmission between groups (Bain, 1993;Estomba et al, 2006).…”

Bioactivity and potential therapeutic benefits of some medicinal plants from the Caatinga (semi-arid) vegetation of Northeast Brazil: a review of the literature

“…The ecosystem of the Caatinga occupies an area of approximately 750000 km 2 , accounting for about 10% of the Brazilian territory and approximately 60% of the northeast region, including parts of the states of Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, and Minas Gerais . This biome is dominated by one of the few types of vegetation whose distribution is totally restricted to Brazil (Hueck 1972;Ferri 1980) and has suffered from strong human infl uence for many decades, resulting in the conversion of extensive areas to pasture or farm land and the intensive harvesting of wood products, especially as energy sources (Albuquerque & Andrade, 2002;Albuquerque et al, 2005).…”