Evaluation of the degree of mycophilia-mycophobia among highland and lowland inhabitants from Chiapas, Mexico

Abstract

BackgroundMushrooms generate strong and contrasting feelings ranging from extreme aversion to intense liking. To categorize these attitudes, Wasson and Wasson coined the dichotomic terms “mycophilia” and “mycophobia” in 1957. In Mesoamerica these categories have been associated to ecological regions. Highland peoples are viewed as mycophiles, whereas lowland inhabitants are considered mycophobes. However, this division is based on little empirical evidence and few indicators. This study questioned whether mycophilia and mycophobia are indeed related to ecological regions through the evaluation of 19 indicators tested in the highlands and lowlands of Chiapas, Mexico.MethodsThe heterogeneity of attitudes toward mushrooms was explored in terms of ecological region and sociocultural variables. Information was obtained through structured interviews in 10 communities in Los Altos de Chiapas (highlands) and the Selva Lacandona (lowlands). We analyzed indicators separately through χ2 tests and multivariate techniques. The Mycophilia-Mycophobia Index was also used in the analysis. To assess which factors better explain the distribution of attitudes, we built 11 models using the Beta probability-density function and compared them with the Akaike Information Criterion.ResultsMost people had positive attitudes in both ecological regions. The classification and ordination analyses found two large groups comprising both highland and lowland towns. Contrary to expectation if mycophilia and mycophobia were mutually exclusive, all the fitted probability distributions were bell-shaped; indicating these attitudes behave as a continuous variable. The model best supported by data included occupation and ethnicity. Indigenous peasants had the highest degree of mycophilia.DiscussionResults suggest the studied populations tend to be mycophilic and that their attitudes are not dichotomic, but rather a gradient. Most people occupied intermediate degrees of mycophilia. Despite the remarkable similarity in the degree of mycophilia between ecological regions, the Principle-Coordinates Analysis shows differences in the specific way in which people from either region establishes a cultural relationship with mushrooms. The comparison of models suggests that sociocultural variables explains the differences better than ecological regions do. The obtained results are evidence of mycophilia among lowlands inhabitants in the Mayan region and of the fact that the mycophilia-mycophobia phenomenon is not expressed as a bimodal frequency distribution.

Traditional knowledge, uses, and perceptions of mushrooms among the Wixaritari and mestizos of Villa Guerrero, Jalisco, Mexico

“…It was unusual to encounter individuals who did not like their flavour. According to Ruan-Soto et al (2013), these are indicators of mycophilia. Linking mushrooms with meat or the perception that mushrooms are better than meat is common in Mexico (Garibay-Orijel et al 2007), and in some other countries such as Ethiopia (Abate 1995;Tuno 2001).…”

Importancia de la domesticación en la conservación de los hongos silvestres comestibles en México

“…Además de esta gran biodiversidad, las comunidades rurales de las distintas áreas de México, poseen una profunda comprensión sobre las propiedades, taxonomía, biología y ecología local de muchos de los hongos relacionados a los ecosistemas forestales , Ruan-Soto et al 2013, prueba de ello es la nomenclatura tradicional que hace referencia a su morfología, color, lugar de crecimiento e incluso a los árboles asociados (Ruan-Soto et al 2009, jiménez et al 2013, Lara-Vázquez et al 2013. Este conocimiento puede dar lugar a un proceso de domesticación a través de la integración de términos sociales, culturales y biológicos, para un manejo acorde a las condiciones de cada región en particular o a través Cuadro 1.…”

“…que están generado una pérdida del conocimiento tradicional por el abandono de las actividades rurales, además de una transición de los hábitos alimentarios debido a fenómenos de aculturación (Ruan-Soto et al 2013).…”

“…Esta actividad se ha realizado desde épocas prehispánicas y está integrada por componentes económi-cos, sociales, culturales y ecológicos, lo que le otorga el carácter de agroecosistema, ya que consta de elementos ambientales y humanos, que poseen forma, dinámica, función e interrelaciones (Alvarado y Benítez 2009), producto de un proceso eminentemente histórico, cultural y natural (Ruan-Soto et al 2013).…”

“…Incluye importantes elementos culturales determinados por el género, origen, ocupación y grupo étnico de la población rural, así como una extensa comprensión sobre su ingestión, propiedades medicinales y uso ritual (Guzmán 1994, Ruan-Soto et al 2013. Estos conocimientos ancestrales se mantienen activos de manera vertical (de padres a hijos) y horizontal (entre gente de la misma generación) (Mariaca et al 2001, Estrada-Martínez et al 2009), conformando parte de su identidad cultural ) y manteniendo dicho conocimiento hasta el día de hoy (Pérez-Moreno et al 2008).…”