Ethnozoology in Brazil: analysis of the methodological risks in published studies

Abstract

There has been a growth in the field of Ethnozoology throughout the years, especially in Brazil, where a considerable number of scientific articles pertaining to this subject has been published in recent decades. With this increase in publications comes the opportunity to assess the quality of these publications, as there are no known studies assessing the methodological risks in this area. Based on this observation, our objectives were to compile the papers published on the subject of ethnozoology and to answer the following questions: 1) Do the Brazilian ethnozoological studies use sound sampling methods?; 2) Is the sampling quality influenced by characteristics of the studies/publications? The studies found in databases and using web search engines were compiled to answer these questions. The studies were assessed based on their nature, sampling methods, use of hypotheses and tests, journal's impact factor, and animal group studied. The majority of the studies analyzed exhibited problems associated with the samples, as 144 (66.98%) studies were classified as having a high risk of bias. With regard to the characteristics analyzed, we determined that a quantitative nature and the use of tests are essential components of good sampling. Most studies classified as moderate and low risk either did not provide these data or provided data that were not clear; therefore, these studies were classified as being of a quali-quantitative nature. Studies performed with vertebrate groups were of high risk. Most of the papers analyzed here focused on fish, insects, and/or mollusks, thus highlighting the difficulties associated with conducting interviews regarding tetrapod vertebrates. Such difficulties are largely related to the extremely strict Brazilian laws, justified by the decline and extinction of some species, related to the use of wild tetrapod vertebrates.Keywords: scientometry, Ethnobiology, Ethnoecology, methodological biases. Etnozoologia no Brasil: análise de riscos metodológicos nos trabalhos publicados ResumoAo longo dos anos a Etnozoologia vem crescendo, principalmente no Brasil, no qual se observa um expressivo número de publicações científicas nas últimas décadas. Com isto abriu-se a oportunidade para avaliar a qualidade das publicações, já que não existem pesquisas que avaliem os riscos metodológicos na área. Partindo desta premissa objetivamos compilar os artigos publicados na área e responder as seguintes questões: os trabalhos etnozoológicos brasileiros possuem boa qualidade amostral? A qualidade amostral é influenciada por características dos estudos/publicações? Para responder tais perguntas foi realizado levantamento das publicações em bases de dados e sites de busca. As características avaliadas foram relacionadas à natureza, amostragem, uso de hipóteses e testes, fator de impacto do periódico e grupo animalBraz.

Sampling Bias in Ethnobotanical Studies on Medicinal Plants Conducted in Local Markets

“…The prevalence of studies with a high risk of bias among surveys of medicinal plants conducted in markets raises concerns as the results may be biased. This high-risk classification also prevailed among the systematic reviews conducted in Brazil outside the market context (Lyra-Neves et al 2015;Medeiros et al 2014).…”

“…In another systematic review related to sampling bias (Lyra-Neves et al 2015), most Brazilian ethnozoological studies (66.98%) were also classified as having a high risk of bias. Furthermore, the problems concentrate especially on the presentation of methodological procedures, as the sampling strategy and the sample size are not disclosed.…”

“…The two studies mentioned above (Lyra-Neves et al 2015; Medeiros et al 2014) focused on the Brazilian research experience. However, there are still no studies that evaluate, on a global scale, how ethnobiological studies are dealing with sampling issues.…”

Ethnoecology and socioeconomic around an artificial reef: the case of artisanal fisheries from southeastern Brazil

“…The interviewee selection was based on the following mandatory aspects: i) to be an artisanal fisher based in northern Rio de Janeiro, and ii) having fishing as the main professional activity. The first interviewee involved the collaboration of a local guide (president of the Z-1 Fishers' Colony), and a snowball sampling was used with the second interview, where the interviewee indicate the next one (Lyra-Neves et al 2015).…”

Uso de animais como zooterápicos: uma questão bioética

“…Contudo ainda se limita a listas de espécies, muitas vezes incorretas ou incompletas. Esses autores compartilham da visão de Lyra-Neves et al (2015) segundo a qual os estudos etnozoológicos demandam aprimoramento e incorporação de delineamento metodológico fundamentados em questionamentos e hipóteses testáveis por meio de instrumentos estatísticos. Como exemplo há os estudos de Ferreira et al (2016), que focaram a zooterapia na conservação avaliando a possibilidade de substituição do uso de animais selvagens por domésticos.…”