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Eroding knowledge: An ethnobotanical inventory in Eastern Amazonia’s logging frontier

Conhecimento Em ErosÄo: Inventário Etnobotánico NA Fronteira Maderiera DA AmazÖnia DO Leste

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Abstract

Responding to the decline of game, fruit and fiber post-logging, communities along the Capim River in Pará, Brazil, requested that research be initiated into the value of non-timber forest products. As a first step, an ethnobotanical inventory of one hectare of mature terra firme forest was conducted. The percentage use-values described reflect that Capimenses are knowledgeable about the use of many species (60% of inventoried species); however, active use has declined. Compared to other South American inventories, Capimenses demonstrate a higher degree of trade in timber, a lack of trade in non-timber products, the decreasing use of plants for technological purposes, and the description of the use of many species in the past tense. During the longitudinal study, the 15 most highly valued fruit, nut, game attracting, and medicinal tree species became included in the suite of species extracted by the timber industry.

Resumen

Em resposta à redução de disponibilidade de caça, frutas e fibras, após o desmatamento, comunidades situadas ao longo do Rio Capim no Pará, Brasil, pediram que pesquisas fossem iniciadas para determinar o valor de produtos úteis extraídos da mata não são relacionados à industria madeireira. Como primeiro passo, um inventário etnobotânico de um hectare de floresta madura em terra firme foi realizado. A porcentagem de produtos úteis descritos, apontou que os Capimenses conhecem o uso das várias espécies (60% das espécies inventariadas), porem o uso ativo vem diminuindo. Comparado a outros inventários feitos na America do Sul, Capimenses mostraram: um índice mais alto de comércio era madeira; a falta de comércio de produtos não madeireiros; a diminuição da utilizaçã o de plantas para fins tecnológicos e a declaração de que várias espécies eram utilizadas no passado. Durante o estudo longitudinal, as 15 mais valorizadas espécies de frutas, nozes, medicinais e atrativas de caça, forain incluídas na listagem de espécies sendo retiradas pela indústria madeireira

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest Products and People Programme, Jalan CIFOR, Situ Gede, Sindang Barang, 16680, Bogor Barat, Indonesia

    Patricia Shanley

  2. Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil

    Nelson A. Rosa

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  1. Patricia Shanley
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  2. Nelson A. Rosa
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Shanley, P., Rosa, N.A. Eroding knowledge: An ethnobotanical inventory in Eastern Amazonia’s logging frontier. Econ Bot 58, 135–160 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1663/0013-0001(2004)058[0135:EKAEII]2.0.CO;2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1663/0013-0001(2004)058[0135:EKAEII]2.0.CO;2

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