https://cyberleninka.org/article/n/1331790.pdf

Annona muricata: A comprehensive review on its traditional medicinal uses, phytochemicals, pharmacological activities, mechanisms of action and toxicity

Ethnobotanical survey of herbal remedies traditionally used in Kohghiluyeh va Boyer Ahmad province of Iran

Spiders have been suspected to be one of the most important groups of natural enemies of insects worldwide. To document the impact of the global spider community as insect predators, we present estimates of the biomass of annually killed insect prey. Our estimates assessed with two different methods suggest that the annual prey kill of the global spider community is in the range of 400–800 million metric tons (fresh weight), with insects and collembolans composing >90% of the captured prey. This equals approximately 1‰ of the global terrestrial net primary production. Spiders associated with forests and grasslands account for >95% of the annual prey kill of the global spider community, whereas spiders in other habitats are rather insignificant contributors over a full year. The spider communities associated with annual crops contribute less than 2% to the global annual prey kill. This, however, can be partly explained by the fact that annual crop fields are “disturbed habitats” with a low buildup of spider biomass and that agrobiont spiders often only kill prey over short time periods in a year. Our estimates are supported by the published results of exclusion experiments, showing that the number of herbivorous/detritivorous insects and collembolans increased significantly after spider removal from experimental plots. The presented estimates of the global annual prey kill and the relative contribution of spider predation in different biomes improve the general understanding of spider ecology and provide a first assessment of the global impact of this very important predator group.

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An estimated 400-800 million tons of prey are annually killed by the global spider community.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants and traditional therapies on Batan Island, the Philippines.

The goal of this study was to characterise chemical and histochemical properties of five dipterocarp timber wood species (Dipterocarpus kerrii, Hopea plagata, Parashorea malaanoman, Shorea almon, and Shorea contorta) differing in wood service life and utilisation. Wood of H. plagata, the most durable species, contained the lowest concentrations of nitrogen and ligno-protein, the highest C/N ratio and the lowest lignin concentration per dry mass but the highest lignin and extractive concentrations per wood density. FTIR spectroscopic studies of wood and isolated lignins of D. kerrii and H. plagata revealed differences compared to P. malaanoman and Shorea sp., which are species with short service life. Lignins of the Shorea/Parashorea species had a higher G/S ratio than those of H. plagata and D. kerrii. This was also evident from histochemical staining. Principle component analysis of FTIR spectra identified differences in both lignin composition and ligno-protein content as major source of variation.

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FTIR spectroscopy, chemical and histochemical characterisation of wood and lignin of five tropical timber wood species of the family of Dipterocarpaceae

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants utilised by Hani ethnicity in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China

Wild food plants (WFPs) contribute to the nutrition, economy and even cultural identity of people in many parts of the world. Different factors determine the preference and use of WFPs such as abundance, availability, cultural preference, economic conditions, shortage periods or unsecure food production systems. Understanding these factors and knowing the patterns of selection, use and cultural significance and value of wild food plants for local communities is helpful in setting priorities for conservation and/or domestication of these plants. Thus in this study knowledge of wild food plant use among four groups namely Dai, Lahu, Hani and Mountain Han in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve ((NRWNNR), Xishuangbanna were documented and analyzed to find the similarity and difference among their plant use. Data on wild food plant use was collected through freelisting and semi-structured interviews and participatory field collection and direct observation. Botanical plant sample specimens were collected, prepared, dried and identified. A total of 173 species and subspecies from 64 families and one species of lichen (Ramalina sp.) are used as WFP. There were differences on the saliency of wild food plant species among four ethnic groups. Consensus analysis revealed that knowledge of wild food plant use for each ethnic group differs from others with some variation in each group. Among informant attributes only age was related with the knowledge of wild food plant use, whereas no significant relationship was found between gender and age*gender and informants knowledge of wild food plant use. Wild food plants are still used extensively by local people in the NRWNNR, some of them on a daily base. This diversity of wild food plants provide important source of nutrients for the local communities which much of their caloric intake comes from one or few crops. The results also show the role of ethnicity on the preference and use of wild food plants. There is a big potential for harvesting, participatory domestication and marketing of WFPs especially in the tourism sector in the area.

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A comparison of the wild food plant use knowledge of ethnic minorities in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, SW China

The last decades brought along a tremendous expansion of rubber plantations as well as respective socio-economic transformations. This paper reviews the historical development of rubber cultivation with special reference to intercropping and illustrates the major development steps. The agronomic challenges of intercropping are analyzed and a management classification scheme is suggested. Though the topic of labor always accompanied rubber management, it is nowadays of even higher relevance due to alternative income options, be it due to competing crops such as oil palm, or be it off-farm income opportunities. This development challenges labor intensive permanent intercropping systems. It can thus be concluded that the permanent integration of additional plants needs either to be highly profitable or at least be labor extensive to be adopted on a considerable scale. Given the large area of rubber plantations the latter seems to be more realistic. In this context timber trees might offer promising options if tree selection is properly adapted to site and plantation conditions. Nevertheless, without external interventions, such as land-use planning and implementation, or incentives, the development will be difficult to control.

Rubber intercropping: a viable concept for the 21st century?

Complex agroforestry systems that mimic local forest structure, so-called ‘analogs’, are assumed to be of specific value to rural people as well as the environment. The objective of this study was to document and evaluate the utilization of plant resources by Philippine lowland farmers to identify native species suitable for integration in such a system. The interviewed farmers maintain a comprehensive ethnobotanical knowledge. They reported using 122 plant species for 77 purposes. Eighty species have medicinal value, 35 provide food, and 32 serve other uses. About 64% of the identified species are Philippine natives. The life form composition of these species is dominated by trees but also includes herbs, lianas, and graminoids, thus providing the structural elements required in analog systems. Nevertheless, only a few of the species seem to be promising for cultivation. Many of them are ubiquitous in the vicinity of villages. Some species are also not much appreciated but act as staple food only during food shortage. Even though several of the species have proven market value, such as rattan (e.g. Calamus
 merrillii), or are reputed medicines, such as ‘Philippine ginseng’ (Sarcandra glabra), no cultivation could be observed. This shows that usefulness in itself cannot be the only criterion to promote species but that it requires a careful analysis of the marketability of the respective species. In this context we suggest the following three species that are of proven medicinal value for in-depth study: the liana Tinospora crispa (Menispermaceae), the tree Picrasma javanica (Simaroubaceae), and the herb Sarcandra glabra (Chloranthaceae). They represent three different life form strategies and would thus fit well in vertically structured agroforestry systems.

Ethnobotanical knowledge of Philippine lowland farmers and its application in agroforestry

The Philippines are one of the most important biodiveristy hotspots on earth. Due to the extraordinary rate of environmental destruction, leaving only 3% of the land with primary forest, this biodiversity is at high risk. Despite that situation information on Philippine forest vegetation is fragmentary and focused on trees. This study aimed at analysing forest remnants in the Leyte Cordillera on the Island of Leyte, and at evaluating their role as refuge to the largely destroyed lowland forest vegetation. A total of 49 plots (100 m2 each) between 55 and 520 m a.s.l. were studied. All vascular plant species except epiphytes were included. Records include 685 taxa from 289 genera and 111 families, representing nearly 8% of the known Philippine vascular plant species. More than half (52%) of the species are Philippine endemics. A number of 41 tree species, or 6% of all taxa recorded, are included in the IUCN red list, either as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. Life form composition was dominated by phanerophytes (65.3%), followed by lianas and chamaephytes (17.1 and 16.9%, respectively). The most common families were the Rubiaceae with 35 and the Euphorbiaceae with 32 species. All five Philippine dipterocarp forest types as well as the molave forest type were represented by typical tree species. The area provides an important gene bank of the highly threatened Philippine lowland forest vegetation and is of high value for biodiversity conservation. Additionally, it can play an important role as seed source of valuable tree species for the increasing initiatives to rehabilitate and reforest degraded land with native species.

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Gerhard Langenberger

Papers

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants utilised by Hani ethnicity in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China

A comparison of the wild food plant use knowledge of ethnic minorities in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, SW China

Rubber intercropping: a viable concept for the 21st century?

Ethnobotanical knowledge of Philippine lowland farmers and its application in agroforestry

Vascular plant species inventory of a Philippine lowland rain forest and its conservation value