Ecological Niche Theory: Non-traditional Urban and Rural Human Populations

Nascimento, Ana Paula Branco do; Ferreira, Maurí­cio Lamano; Molina, Silvia

doi:10.1080/09709274.2010.11906337

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…These data were analyzed using the Levins index and the Levins standardized index (Krebs, 1989; as discussed by Nascimento et al, 2010). Levins proposed that a means of measuring the amplitude of the niche is in the following numerical relationship (Krebs, 1989):…”

Section: Food Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

Contributions of the old urban homegardens for food production and consumption in Rio Claro, Southeastern Brazil

Eichemberg

Amorozo

2013

Bol. Mus. Para. Emílio Goeldi. Ciênc. hum.

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Urban homegardens are green areas of households within the city limits and they have the potential to provide families with a cheap alternative for diet improvement, and to complement the income of the families who sell cultivated products. This research analyzes the contributions of old urban homegardens on food consumption and household economy. Data related to homegardens composition were collected by interviews and by collecting cultivated plants.Diets were assessed through a retrospective method (last 24 hours food recall) and administered every two months, during a year, to include seasonal variations. The diet of the sampled population was found to be dependent on certain foods, indicating a narrow food niche (Levins index = 25.9; Levins standardized index = 0.23). Variations in interviewees' diet are related to the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are partly supplied by homegardens. Spices and teas consumed were obtained from homegardens, revealing its importance in food consumption and health. Among the 98 species found in homegardens, only 38% appeared in the interviewees' diet, indicating an under-exploitation of these homegardens. Our study found that the main role of homegardens is to supply variation in the diet, contributing to the consumption of different types of products.Keywords: Diet. Ethnobotany. Food niche. Urban agriculture.Resumo: Os quintais urbanos correspondem às áreas verdes domiciliares dentro dos limites urbanos e têm o potencial de fornecer às famílias uma alternativa barata para a melhoria da dieta e complementação da renda familiar, pela venda de itens produzidos nesse espaço. Este estudo analisa a contribuição dos quintais urbanos antigos na alimentação e na economia doméstica. Os dados sobre a composição dos quintais foram obtidos por meio de entrevistas e pela coleta de plantas presentes nos quintais. As dietas foram levantadas pelo método recordatório das últimas 24 horas, aplicado bimensalmente, durante um ano, para incluir variações sazonais. Verificou-se que a dieta da população amostrada é dependente de alguns alimentos, indicando um nicho alimentar estreito (índice de Levins = 25,9; Levins padronizado = 0,23). As variações nas dietas dos informantes estão relacionadas com o consumo de frutas e hortaliças, em parte fornecidas pelo quintal. Temperos e chás consumidos foram obtidos dos quintais, revelando sua importância para alimentação e saúde. Das 98 espécies alimentares encontradas nos quintais, apenas 38% apareceram na dieta dos entrevistados, indicando uma subexploração dos quintais. Em nosso estudo, a principal função relatada para os quintais foi proporcionar variações da dieta, contribuindo para o consumo de itens diversificados.Palavras-chaves: Dieta. Etnobotânica. Nicho alimentar. Agricultura urbana.

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Section: Food Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

Contributions of the old urban homegardens for food production and consumption in Rio Claro, Southeastern Brazil

Eichemberg

Amorozo

2013

Bol. Mus. Para. Emílio Goeldi. Ciênc. hum.

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“…Analyses based on ecological concepts can reveal spatial and temporal differences in the use of natural resources (Begossi & Richerson, 1993;Cavallini & Nordi, 2005;Hanazaki & Begossi, 2000). In human populations, household income also influences availability and access to resources (Begossi & Richerson, 1993;Hanazaki & Begossi, 2000;MacCord & Begossi, 2006;Nascimento et al, 2010;Silva & Begossi, 2009). Income was not significant within the studied communities; however, it is important to understand the context of the lower amplitude of food resources for households in Praia Grande.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Untitled

2017

HER

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This article is an attempt to relate the concept of generation, as a variable that helps to explain certain environmental behaviors, with theories on intergenerational changes in values (Inglehart, 1977, 1991, 1998; Inglehart & Flanagan, 1987). This theory predicts an increase in post-materialistic values in more developed societies, with ecology being one of these values. According to these forecasts, a greater ecological commitment should be expected from younger generations in developed societies, where material needs are covered. However, my data did not fit into predictions of this theory. On the contrary, there is evidence of an increase in values which could, in a certain way, be called low-cost post-materialistic, applying the term proposed by Diekmann & Preisendörfer (2003).

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“…Income was not significant within the studied communities; however, it is important to understand the context of the lower amplitude of food resources for households in Praia Grande. The Praia Grande households are in an urban environment, which allows them to consume more purchased items and makes their relationship to subsistence more economical than ecological (Nascimento et al, 2010;Reyes-García et al, 2005). The Tapera households experience greater economic fluctuation due to fewer income-generating opportunities (Foppa & Medeiros, 2011), which in turn increases their consumption of a variety of local biological resources, including those that are locally produced, resulting in a greater niche breadth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The low percentage of niche overlap in Tapera means that environmental changes during the year help to define the consumption of local items. A lower richness of consumption during winter may reflect a preference for foods that are found only during summer, which favors the increased intake of other local resources when the preferred item is absent (Begossi & Richerson, 1993;Nascimento et al, 2010). The preferred local resources include two species of fish that are caught in the freshwater river of the protected area: Geophagus brasiliensis and Micropogonias furnieri.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In human populations, household income also influences availability and access to resources (Begossi & Richerson, 1993;Hanazaki & Begossi, 2000;MacCord & Begossi, 2006;Nascimento et al, 2010;Silva & Begossi, 2009). Income was not significant within the studied communities; however, it is important to understand the context of the lower amplitude of food resources for households in Praia Grande.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Protected Area Establishment and Its Implications for Local Food Security

Nakamura¹,

Hanazaki²

2017

HER

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The establishment of protected areas can reduce access to natural resources for communities that depend on such areas for food, and can thus contribute to food insecurity. We studied the local food systems of two communities that surround a protected area in southern coastal Brazil and the relationship between the protected area and local food security. We randomly selected 34 households to perform 24-hour recalls of food intake and administered a questionnaire that addressed food security. Our key findings were: (1) the consumption of biological resources is based on cultivated, raised, and fished food items, which are locally purchased, produced, or caught by households; (2) food vulnerability is related to household income; (3) there is a greater reliance on resources from the protected area among households with livelihoods that depend on the local environment; (4) the restriction of access to natural resources and the potential replacement of diverse activities that generate food and income influence the diets of the affected families, which can also affect local food security in the long term.

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Ecological Niche Theory: Non-traditional Urban and Rural Human Populations

Cited by 8 publications

References 24 publications

Contributions of the old urban homegardens for food production and consumption in Rio Claro, Southeastern Brazil

Contributions of the old urban homegardens for food production and consumption in Rio Claro, Southeastern Brazil

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Protected Area Establishment and Its Implications for Local Food Security

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