Theories and Major Hypotheses in Ethnobotany

Gaoue, Orou G.; Coe, Michael A.; Bond, Matthew O.; Hart, Georgia; Seyler, Barnabas C.; McMillen, Heather

doi:10.1007/s12231-017-9389-8

Cited by 198 publications

(236 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…We use the theoretical framework of the food environment, which shows that food behaviors, that is, the way groups or individuals consume certain foods, are driven by affordability (the prices of food), convenience (the energy spent acquiring food), availability (presence of food based on environment, season, or market), and desirability (personal preference, which is related to socio-cultural factors) (Herforth and Ahmed 2015). Whereas many studies have explored how the first three categories explain the use of forest resources, few of them have considered desirability and psycho-cultural factors related to food behavior (Gaoue et al 2017). However, these representations towards food strongly affect food choices (de Garine 1996a; Pollard et al 2002), and vary among cultural and social groups, sexes, and individuals (Berbesque and Marlowe 2009;Sorokowska et al 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Bush Mangoes to Bouillon Cubes: Wild Plants and Diet among the Baka, Forager-Horticulturalists from Southeast Cameroon

et al. 2020

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Increasing deforestation affects tropical forests, threatening the livelihoods of local populations who subsist on forest resources. The disappearance of wild plants and animals and the increasing influence of market economies affect local health, well-being, and diet. The impact of these changes on wild meat consumption has been well documented, but little attention has been given to wild edible plants, despite their importance as sources of calories and micronutrients. Furthermore, the relationships among food behavior strategies adopted by local populations, their psycho-cultural representations of food, and their food preferences have been poorly explored. In this study, we investigate food behaviors with an emphasis on the role of wild edible plants among a forager-horticulturalist society from the Congo Basin: the Baka. By combining an ethnobotanical survey with data from interviews (n = 536) related to food behaviors and representations of food, our data show that the Baka valorize both agricultural and marketable foods, and that wild plants represent a minor part of their diet, both in frequency and diversity. Finally, by examining how some wild edible plants have shifted from being eaten to being sold, we explore how market-oriented uses of wild edible plants may affect dietary behaviors and biocultural resilience.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Bush Mangoes to Bouillon Cubes: Wild Plants and Diet among the Baka, Forager-Horticulturalists from Southeast Cameroon

et al. 2020

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“…In our case, the availability of the species was evaluated by the respondents based on how they perceive the balance between their demand and the abundance of the species in their community. To better account for the complexity of the concept of species availability, Gaoue et al (2017) suggested a multi-dimensional index incorporating ecological, socio-cultural, economic, and political aspects and drivers of availability.…”

Section: Factors Influencing the Use Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The availability hypothesis states that accessible or locally abundant plants are more likely to be used as medicinal plants. The ecological apparency hypothesis speculates that species with short lifespan (non-apparent species) develop Binexpensive^qualitative defense compounds against herbivores (secondary metabolites) Gaoue et al 2017). Those compounds also have beneficial health-promoting properties.…”

Section: Factors Influencing the Use Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drivers of Management of Spider Plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) Across Different Socio-linguistic Groups in Benin and Togo

et al. 2018

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We investigated the relationships between the cultural importance of spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra), a neglected leafy vegetable in West Africa, and the different management regimes of the species among six socio-linguistic groups in Benin and one in Togo. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 428 respondents. Cultural significance and management indices were used to quantify the importance of the species for each respondent. In addition to food uses, G. gynandra was used to cure 42 different diseases. A regression tree analysis revealed that the cultural importance and level of management of the species were strongly associated with ethnicity, gender, and to a lesser extent to age, education, income, and land tenure. Socio-linguistic groups with similar cultural background had convergent perceptions of the cultural importance of the species and described similar management practices. An analysis of farmers' willingness to change their current management practices revealed that migration, market opportunities, and external intervention might significantly affect future management decision-making processes. We discuss community-oriented approaches to upscale the species cultivation in the region. Our study highlights how cultural importance influences current and future management intensity and illustrates how ethnobotanical research can guide research for development strategies to enact positive changes in communities' management of traditional leafy vegetables.Nous avons étudié les relations entre l'importance culturelle du Caya blanc (Gynandropsis gynandra), un légume-feuille négligé en Afrique de l'Ouest, et les différents régimes de gestion de l'espèce au sein de six groupes socio-linguistiques au Bénin et un au Togo. Des entretiens semi-structurés ont été menés auprès de 428 informants. Des indices d'importance culturelle et de gestion ont été utilisés pour quantifier l'importance de l'espèce pour chaque informant. En plus des utilisations alimentaires, G. gynandra a été utilisé pour soigner 42 maladies différentes. Une analyse par arbre de régression a révélé que l'importance culturelle de l'espèce était fortement associée à l'ethnicité et au genre, et dans une moindre mesure à l'âge, l'instruction, le niveau de revenu et le mode de faire-valoir de la terre. Les groupes sociolinguistiques culturellement proches ont eu des perceptions convergentes de l'importance culturelle de l'espèce et décrit des pratiques de gestion similaires. Une analyse de la volonté des agriculteurs de modifier leurs pratiques de gestion actuelles a montré que la migration, les opportunités de marché et l'intervention extérieure pourraient affecter les futurs processus décisionnels de gestion. Nous avons discuté des approches axées sur la communauté pour améliorer la production de l'espèce dans la région. La présente étude souligne comment l'importance culturelle influence l'intensité de la gestion actuelle et future et illustre comment la recherche ethnobotanique peut guider les stratégies de recherche pour le dévelo...

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“…Amongst the many ethnobotanical hypotheses and theories (reviewed by Gaoue et al, ), non‐random (intentional) plant selection as proposed by Moerman (, ) provides a methodology to identify families that are preferentially selected or avoided. Moerman (, ) argued that if plant selection is random (not intentional), then there will be a linear relationship between the total number of species in a given plant family and the number of species selected for medicinal use.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…and Succulent Karoo-dominated by dwarf, succulent shrubs. The Desert, Nama Karoo, Savanna and Succulent Karoo also extend into Namibia and Botswana (Low & Rebelo, 1996;Van Wyk & Van Wyk, 2013;White, 1983 Amongst the many ethnobotanical hypotheses and theories (reviewed by Gaoue et al, 2017), non-random (intentional) plant selection as proposed by Moerman (1979Moerman ( , 1991 provides a methodology to identify families that are preferentially selected or avoided. Moerman (1979Moerman ( , 1991 argued that if plant selection is random (not intentional), then there will be a linear relationship between the total number of species in a given plant family and the number of species (Moerman, 1979(Moerman, , 1991, as well as a multi-layered map and GIS software.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial patterns, availability and cultural preferences for edible plants in southern Africa

Welcome

Wyk

2019

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim We investigated whether cross‐cultural food plant selection in southern Africa is best explained by language ancestry, floristic environment or subsistence strategy. Location The flora of southern Africa region. Taxa All 1,740 edible plant taxa of southern Africa, representing 711 genera in 156 families. Methods Distribution data of plants were overlapped in ArcMap with 19 language maps, eight biomes and all taxa with nutritional data. Six correlations were estimated between five pairwise distance matrices (language ancestry, geographical proximity, floristic and edible environments and utilized species) with Mantel tests using the ‘vegan’ package in R. Regression analyses were used to identify floristic and cultural preferences in food plant selection. Results Spatial autocorrelation did not influence the selection of edible plants by the 19 language groups of southern Africa (r = −.078). The floristic and edible environments had a strong correlation (r = .9743) while the distance matrices of the edible and actually utilized plants had a low correlation for 13 of the language groups (r = .2174). Regression analyses between the floristic and edible environments for the FSA region and three languages, representing hunter‐gatherers (Ju│’hoan), pastoralists (Khoekhoe) and agrarians (Venda) were all significant (p < .001) with high R2 values (respectively .6181, .7702, .6654 and .7900), as were the relationship (p < .001) between what is edible and what was actually utilized. Surprisingly, the Apocynaceae had a much higher residual value than globally important food plant families. Vitamin C of fruits seems to have higher levels along the coastal regions, and carbohydrates in underground storage organs have higher levels in the summer‐arid western region. Main conclusions There is an apparent preference for certain food plant families in southern Africa. This selection appears to be driven by subsistence strategy, based on the categories of plants preferred by the three representative language groups.

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Theories and Major Hypotheses in Ethnobotany

Cited by 198 publications

References 108 publications

From Bush Mangoes to Bouillon Cubes: Wild Plants and Diet among the Baka, Forager-Horticulturalists from Southeast Cameroon

From Bush Mangoes to Bouillon Cubes: Wild Plants and Diet among the Baka, Forager-Horticulturalists from Southeast Cameroon

Drivers of Management of Spider Plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) Across Different Socio-linguistic Groups in Benin and Togo

Spatial patterns, availability and cultural preferences for edible plants in southern Africa

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