Language extinction triggers the loss of unique medicinal knowledge

Cámara‐Leret, Rodrigo; Bascompte, Jordi

doi:10.1073/pnas.2103683118

Cited by 63 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…LEK about WEP is also critical for safeguarding biocultural diversity and local resilience in times of food scarcity [ 4 , 5 ]. LEK, however, is drastically threatened by multiple factors and rapid socio-ecological changes–e.g., habitat lost, or species and language extinction [ 6 – 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growing up in the Betsileo landscape: Children’s wild edible plants knowledge in Madagascar

et al. 2022

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Understanding local knowledge about wild edible plants (WEP) is essential for assessing plant services, reducing the risks of knowledge extinction, recognizing the rights of local communities, and improving biodiversity conservation efforts. However, the knowledge of specific groups such as women or children tends to be under-represented in local ecological knowledge (LEK) research. In this study, we explore how knowledge of WEP is distributed across gender and life stages (adults/children) among Betsileo people in the southern highlands of Madagascar. Using data from free listings with 42 adults and 40 children, gender-balanced, we show that knowledge on WEP differs widely across gender and life stage. In addition, we find that children have extended knowledge of WEP while reporting different species than adults. Women’s knowledge specializes in herbaceous species (versus other plant life forms), while men’s knowledge specializes in endemic species (versus native or introduced). Finally, we find that introduced species are more frequently cited by children, while adults cite more endemic species. We discuss the LEK differentiation mechanisms and the implications of acquiring life stage’s knowledge in the highland landscapes of Madagascar. Given our findings, we highlight the importance of considering groups with under-represented knowledge repositories, such as children and women, into future research.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growing up in the Betsileo landscape: Children’s wild edible plants knowledge in Madagascar

et al. 2022

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“…Studies have shown that the potential for humans to acquire resources from nature through language will become increasingly difficult with the loss of languages. Because indigenous languages are closely related to the pharmaceutical knowledge of ethnic groups, it is believed that the demise of indigenous languages will have a greater impact on pharmaceutical knowledge than on the loss of biodiversity [ 79 ]. The use of folk botanical names enables us to harness benefits from natural plant resources.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A study of the plant folk nomenclature of the Yi people in Xiaoliangshan, Yunnan Province, China, and the implications for protecting biodiversity

Addi

Ding

Guo

et al. 2022

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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Background Folk plant nomenclature is a part of knowledge of indigenous people often used to distinguish plant species. This study aimed to document the folk botanical nomenclature of the Yi people in Xiaoliangshan, Yunnan Province, which has not been systematically investigated to date. The results of this study will assist in conserving biodiversity and the language of the Yi people and will promote the transmission of ethnobotanical knowledge. Methods An ethnobotanical survey of plants used by the Yi people in Xiaoliangshan, Yunnan Province, was conducted from September 2019 to August 2021. Semi-structured interviews and key informant interviews were conducted to collect and document ethnobotanical information, which was then used to analyse the folk botanical nomenclature of the Yi people. In addition, the folk names of plants used by the Xiaoliangshan Yi community were compared with those of the Yi people living in the Daliangshan, where the environment is considerably different. Results In this study, 266 informants were interviewed, and the names of 228 indigenous plants were extracted from 3088 use reports. The nomenclature used by the local Yi people is based on plant characteristics, plant habitat, plant use, and the local culture. By comparing the folk plant names of the Yi people in Xiaoliangshan with those of the Yi people in Daliangshan, we found that the plant names of the two places have some similarities and also with their own unique characters. The important folk plant names of the Yi people in Xiaoliangshan usually have a monosyllable non-binomial structure or have "Image missing" and "divine attributes" in their names. Conclusions The Yi people in Xiaoliangshan have a rich and diverse knowledge of plant naming determined by cultural, and environmental factors. The botanical nomenclature of the Yi people has distinct rules and characteristics, and the plant naming directly includes important plants that they believe to be used and protected, which is of great significance to the protection of biodiversity.

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“…The inclusion of the socio-cultural dimension emphasizes that societies, their cultures, and nature are in constant interactions, which are integral to human survival in the biosphere [70,71]. Biodiversity and language loss have also been linked to the loss of unique medicinal plants, uses, and meanings especially among peoples who practice oral and land-based teachings [72,73]. Biocultural diversity conservation aims at sustaining the biophysical and sociocultural integrity of life systems, including the protection of species that reflect long-held relations with nature and help shape cultural identity [52,74].…”

Section: Biocultural Diversity and Plant Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is an issue of concern for some Haudenosaunee Peoples because in their view, a new kinship bond would need to be built between people and the new trees [93]. This illustrates that technological introductions can engender socio-cultural tensions or alter human-plant relationships that can be counterproductive to the success of plant conservation and the wellbeing of people [73].…”

Section: Biocultural Diversity and Plant Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

In Vitro Technology in Plant Conservation: Relevance to Biocultural Diversity

Kulak

Longboat

Brunet

et al. 2022

Plants

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Plant diversity is critical to the functioning of human societies, and evidence shows that plant conservation success is driven by integrative approaches that include social and biological factors. Plants have a unique capacity to reproduce asexually, and propagation practices can yield large numbers of plantlets. These plantlets can be used in several ways to fulfil conservation goals including the repopulation of regions with declining densities of threatened species that hold cultural meaning. However, the potential of in vitro technologies in the conservation of plants that hold cultural meaning is understudied. In this paper we focus upon the roles of in vitro technologies in the conservation of plants relevant to biocultural environments and provide an overview of potential knowledge gaps at the interface of in vitro and plants used traditionally, including those meaningful to Indigenous Peoples. We conclude that in vitro technologies can be powerful tools in biocultural conservation if they are deployed in a manner respectful of the socio-cultural context in which plants play a role, but that further research is needed in this regard. We suggest several epistemological points to facilitate future research.

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Language extinction triggers the loss of unique medicinal knowledge

Cited by 63 publications

References 34 publications

Growing up in the Betsileo landscape: Children’s wild edible plants knowledge in Madagascar

Growing up in the Betsileo landscape: Children’s wild edible plants knowledge in Madagascar

A study of the plant folk nomenclature of the Yi people in Xiaoliangshan, Yunnan Province, China, and the implications for protecting biodiversity

In Vitro Technology in Plant Conservation: Relevance to Biocultural Diversity

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