http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/66889/1/291BJLS2006.pdf

Ethnobotanical review of wild edible plants in Spain

Background
We compare traditional knowledge and use of wild edible plants in six rural regions of the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula as follows: Campoo, Picos de Europa, Pilona, Sanabria and Caurel in Spain and Parque Natural de Montesinho in Portugal.

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Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants used in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal): a comparative study

In this chapter the reader will have the opportunity of a brief explanation of the terms most commonly used by ethnobiologist and ethnoecologist as well as access to information about procedures for contact with the informant, theoretical and practical to check the validity and reliability of information obtained, and which the main measures to be adopted in resolving the problem of sampling.

Methods and Techniques in Ethnobiology and Ethnoecology

The multiple use of distinct ecological environments in the search for wild resources has been practiced since ancestral times in aboriginal communities inhabiting northwestern Patagonia. This paper examines the actual use and knowledge of wild edible plants in a Mapuche community presently settled in one of the most arid areas of Patagonia, far from the temperate forests where their ancestors used to live. The difference between knowledge of and use of wild plants is analyzed emphasizing that these differences could contribute to the understanding of eroding processes believed to be occurring in the community. These objectives are studied quantitatively by utilizing ethnobotanical indices, partially derived from ecological theory. Our results indicate that the Paineo dwellers still utilize multiple ecological gathering environments and have thorough plant knowledge of both native and exotic species. The Andean forest, more than 50 km away from this community, is the environment from which the Paineo dwellers know the greatest total richness and the highest diversity of wild edible plants, followed by the Monte–Steppe species and lastly, those growing around their homes. The transmission of wild edible plant knowledge in the Paineo community diminishes with age, and the forest plants are the most vulnerable to loss. Our results have shown that the knowledge and consumption of wild edible plants follows a pattern according to ecological conditions of the gathering environments, as well as the cultural heritage of the Paineo people.

Patterns of use and knowledge of wild edible plants in distinct ecological environments: a case study of a Mapuche community from northwestern Patagonia.

Published data on the number of plant species and/or communities were gathered for 77 European cities and 85 villages. The relationships between the floristic and vegetation diversity and some environmental variables were analysed. Species number in cities showed log linear increase with city size (expressed as the population size or city area). A linear increase in the species number with size was found in the village flora. The richness of both city and village flora was not significantly related to any climatic variable. On the contrary, the number of communities in both villages and cities was correlated not only with settlement size but also with altitude and mean annual temperature. The diversity of village vegetation was closely related to the climax type of the respective region. The features of human settlements that make it possible to consider them as landscape islands are discussed.

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Factors affecting the diversity of flora and vegetation in central European settlements

Weeds abound in urban and agricultura! environments. Depending on region and site, up to 66% of weed species are edible, and may constitute an additional food source for humans. Based on 400 samples, 1/4 m2 each, collected in tropical areas (e.g., roadsides, urban vacant lots, streets, sugar cane and coffee plantations in Coatepec, Mexico), average figures of edible fresh biomass vary between 1277 and 3582 kglha. A similar survey performed in a temperate area (739 samples in Bariloche, Argentina) showed mean values between 287 and 2939 kglha A total of 43 species were sampled in Coatepec and 32 species in Bariloche. The general means were 2.1 and 1.3 tonslha, respectively. At a greater geographic scale, a comparison between Mexican and Argentine weeds shows that, proportionately, the food parts vary a little between regions. In general, from higher to lower, the order of uses goes from leaves, seeds, roots, fruits, herbals, flowers and condiments. Edible roots (including bulbs and rhizomes) appear to be more COmInon among perennials thanamong annuals.

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Weeds as a source for human consumption. A comparison between tropical and temperate Latin America

Aspectos de la ecología urbana en la Ciudad de México : flora de las calles y baldíos

The aim of this study is to know the effect of urbanization and human activities on the ant species richness in the city of Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico. On the base of 100 random sample points, we conducted a study on fivedifferent habitats: urban streets, coffee plantations, suggar cane plantations, secondary roads, and suburban vacant lots. We registered a total of 40 ant species. The richest habitats in species were suburban vacant lots with an average of 9.5 species. In contrast, urban streets registered only an average of 4.8 species. The number of introduced species was 14 (35%) and the remaining 26 species (65%) were native of Mexico. Regarding their foraging behavior, we registered five different guilds: omnivorous species (14 species), carnivorous species (10 species), insect and honeydew feeders (10 species), fungus growing ants (3 species) and granivorous species (3 species). According to a linear regression between the species richness and the area covered by cement, we found a negative correlation (r=-0.47 p< 0.05). This means that species richness diminishes with the increasing of urbanization. The result of the analysis of numerical classification shows the formation of two large clusters. One related with typical urban environment, and the other associated with a more natural environment located in the suburbs like the coffee plantations. In general, the influence of urbanization and human activity has a negative effect on the ant species richness.

Ismael R. Lopez-Moreno

Papers

Weeds as a source for human consumption. A comparison between tropical and temperate Latin America

Aspectos de la ecología urbana en la Ciudad de México : flora de las calles y baldíos

Insectos sociales en ambientes antropizados: Las hormigas de la ciudad de Coatepec, Veracruz, México