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Weed Diversity and Uses: a Case Study from Tea Plantations in Northern Thailand
Abstract
Based on concerns that useful weed diversity in agroecosystems as well as associated traditional knowledge may be declining due to agricultural intensification and indiscriminate eradication of weeds, we studied weed diversity and use by local ethnic groups in tea plantations in northern Thailand under different agricultural intensities and landscape complexities, namely agroforestry, organic, and Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) based conventional system. In each system, we sampled five tea plantations using belt-transects of 25 m². Use data were collected through interviews with specialist informants. We recorded 214 weed species (gamma-diversity) of which 66 were useful. Agroforestry system had the highest alpha- and beta-weed diversity, suggesting that the low agricultural intensity and high landscape complexity in this system is associated with higher weed diversity in tea plantations. The common weed species were clearly different in the three systems and only a small fraction (22 species) of widespread weeds was shared among them, resulting in low weed similarity between systems. The 66 useful species of weeds were mostly for food and medicine. Uses of some weeds were shared between systems. Many of the useful weeds are invasive species, suggesting that they are prevalent and inexpensive plant resources for rural people and could represent alternative resources in the future. Because the occurrence of invasive weeds may affect the natural habitats of the native flora, integrating the exploitation of weeds into weed management strategies may reduce the weed population while sustaining agrobiodiversity and conserving associated traditional knowledge in the long term.
... These methods enhance nutrient bioavailability and reduce toxicity [129]. However, there is a limited number of studies on the human consumption of invasive plants [130][131][132][133]. While harvesting these species for human consumption could contribute to biodiversity conservation by reducing their populations, it might also inadvertently encourage their persistence or spread, worsening the ecological impacts. ...
... Nori (Porphyra umbilicalis), a red macroalga, is a rich source of vitamin B12, beneficial for vegan diets, and its polysaccharides act as prebiotics, supporting gut health [145]. However, there is a limited number of studies on the human consumption of invasive plants [130][131][132][133]. While harvesting these species for human consumption could contribute to biodiversity conservation by reducing their populations, it might also inadvertently encourage their persistence or spread, worsening the ecological impacts. ...
Climate change is reshaping global agriculture by altering temperature regimes and other environmental conditions, with profound implications for food security and agricultural productivity. This review examines how key environmental stressors—such as extreme temperatures, water scarcity, increased salinity, UV-B radiation, and elevated concentrations of ozone and CO2—impact the nutritional quality and bioactive compounds in plant-based foods. These stressors can modify the composition of essential nutrients, particularly phytochemicals, which directly affect the viability of specific crops in certain regions and subsequently influence human dietary patterns by shifting the availability of key food resources. To address these challenges, there is growing interest in resilient plant species, including those with natural tolerance to stress and genetically modified variants, as well as in alternative protein sources derived from plants. Additionally, unconventional food sources, such as invasive plant species and algae, are being explored as sustainable solutions for future nutrition.
... Research on social dimensions of inception lags behind the ecological work on biological invasions, partly because the sociocultural impacts of IAS are inherently complex, context-dependent at multiple levels, elusive and hardly quantifiable (Pfeiffer & Voeks, 2008;Pejchar & Mooney, 2009;Srithi et al., 2017;Souza et al., 2018). Sociological research on IAS has primarily focused on individual knowledge and perceptions of such species, their impacts on people's livelihoods, stakeholder engagement, and management dimensions (Kull et al., 2011;Nuñez et al., 2018;Shackleton, Richardson et al., 2019;. ...
... This was even organized in so-called acclimatization societies. It was mainly done for aesthetic or economic reasons, as well as for psychological support, by attempting to recreate a familiar environment and regain a sense of place and continuity for colonial or immigrant communities (Nuñez & Simberloff, 2005;Dickie et al., 2014;Estévez et al., 2015;Srithi et al., 2017;Shackleton, Richardson et al., 2019), with IAS acting as 'culturally facilitating' species (Pfeiffer & Voeks, 2008). ...
1. Many invasive alien species gradually become embedded within local cultures. Such species can increasingly be perceived by society as familiar and native elements of the social-ecological system and as integral parts of local cultures. 2. Here, we explore this phenomenon and define it as cultural inception. Cultural inception can greatly hinder our ability to successfully manage invasive alien species, by reducing public support to their management and contributing to secondary introductions. 3. Furthermore, cultural inception can affect societal values and cultural identities, and lead to erosion and homogenization of cultural diversity. Cultural inception can also modify or displace the cultural uses and values of native species, and even lead to their societal extinction. 4. We present the main mechanisms of cultural inception, its drivers and major implications, and provide key recommendations for the management and conservation of biological and cultural diversity.
... The survey showed that the various kinds of medicinal plants in the Cha Miang forest of Mae Kampong Village were similar to those of the research of Srithi et al. [28], who studied the diversity and use of weeds in the Cha Miang forests of northern Thailand (the Mae Kampong, Pang Kued, and Khun Mae Wak communities). Some similar species such as Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch., and Selaginella willdenowii (Desv. ...
... Compared with other forms of highland farming, Cha Miang forests do not destroy natural forests, and they harm natural resources to a relatively small extent. Because no forest area is cleared or burnt, this serves as one of the best practices for highland agriculture [28,32]. Cha Miang forest management can help conserve medicinal plant diversity for use in primary healthcare; it can also help to conserve watershed forests, which play an important role in maintaining water quality because watershed forests reduce the amount of precipitation that passes through the stream. ...
“People-Forest-Miang” communities are villages located in the cultivated area of Camellia sinensis var. assamica, or Cha Miang, in northern Thailand. Cha Miang forests are a form of agriculture relying on forest-rich bioresources. This study focuses on a survey of the diversity of medicinal plants used by “People-Forest-Miang” communities in Mae Kampong Village, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The results demonstrated that 73 species of medicinal plants were used to prevent and treat various ailments. The highest number of species (30.14%) was used for musculoskeletal system disorders, followed by digestive system disorders (21.92%) and unspecified medicinal disorders (15.07%). The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is the most widely recognized biochemical marker for osteoblast activity. The ALP activity of ethanol and deionized water extracts of the nine selected medicinal plants used for musculoskeletal system disorders were examined in the MG63 cell line. The results showed that the numerous water extracts, including MKP1, MKP2, MKP5, MKP6, MKP7, MKP8, and MKP9, and the ethanolic extracts—namely, MKP2, MKP3, MKP7, and MKP9—significantly increased ALP activity in the MG-63 cell line. The findings indicate that some medicinal plants may be further studied for active chemicals and developed as natural active pharmaceutical ingredients for osteoprotective products.
... In spite of their negative impacts on crop production, weeds may also have positive socioeconomic and other effects, because they are useful and serve as non-crop resources (Blanckaert et al., 2007;Srithi et al., 2017). As well, around the world, weeds are widely consumed and function as important sources of nutrients for local people (Srithi et al., 2017). ...
... In spite of their negative impacts on crop production, weeds may also have positive socioeconomic and other effects, because they are useful and serve as non-crop resources (Blanckaert et al., 2007;Srithi et al., 2017). As well, around the world, weeds are widely consumed and function as important sources of nutrients for local people (Srithi et al., 2017). For example, Crassocephalum crepidioides (redflower ragleaf) (Figure 5a) is one of the source of protein, natural antioxidant, and vitamins (Adjatin et al., 2013) and Sicyos angulatus (bur cucumber) ( Figure 5b) is a source of honey (Terzioğlu et al., 2014). ...
... Wild and weedy plants are an important component in the diet of many rural societies of the world. They are relatively accessible and cheap (Gonzalez-Amaro et al. 2009;Srithi et al. 2017), and help to alleviate the vitamin, mineral, and fiber deficiencies of basic diets. Moreover, they add variety to otherwise monotonous diets, improve the quantity, and enhance the quality of food (Ong and Kim 2017). ...
... It may be uneven: a decrease in use is, at times, juxtaposed with high cultural appreciation (Kalle and Sõukand, 2016). There are several reports of continued use of wild plant resources (Melián et al. 2017;Shackleton 2003;Srithi et al. 2017). For example, wild vegetables are consumed by over 90% of households in some rural communities of South Africa (Shackleton 2003) and approximately 66% of vegetables used in Northern Thailand are weeds. ...
This study evaluates the relevance of wild-growing vegetables in two villages of the Honde Valley, Zimbabwe, by documenting the use, knowledge of, and attitudes toward these plants. Information on plant use was gathered through 20 food diaries, 8 focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews with 76 individuals (32 male) from the villages. Forty-two ethnospecies of wild vegetables were recorded and 26 identified to species. Wild leafy vegetables were consumed about twice a week by participating families; Cleome gynandra and Bidens pilosa were eaten most frequently. Preferred vegetables were dried and conserved for off-season use. Knowledge of wild food plants was transmitted orally within families, acquired in early childhood, and gradually increased with age. Gender differences were found in the quantity and type of knowledge. According to the villagers, the advantages of wild vegetables were their nutritional and economic value, as well as their accessibility. The perceived drawbacks were mainly related to quality issues, strong tastes, and lack of year-round availability. Despite preference for cultivated alternatives among younger people, there was renewed interest in wild plants due to recent health concerns such as diabetes and HIV.
... In ecosystems, the IAPS helps in erosion control and enhanced dune stabilization [8]. For human well-being, it serves as a source of generating income [9,10], food, and medicine [11,12] to IAPS users. For instance, IAPS such as Acacia dealbata Link, Acacia mearnsii De Wild., and Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. ...
This systematic review focused on the benefits of invasive alien plant species (IAPS) for human well-being. It examines the intellectual structure of knowledge of these benefits to identify knowledge gaps for future research and explore sustainable management practices to manage IAPS. The screening of bibliometric data from 1601 publications in Scopus based on the PRISMA protocol resulted in the identification of 69 publications for detailed review. The findings show an increasing trend in studies on IAPS benefits for human well-being since 2009. These benefits include provisioning services (food, medicines, fodder, bioenergy, and construction materials), regulating services (bioagents and shades), cultural services (aesthetics and ornamentals) and supporting services (soil and land reclamation). Additionally, the findings reveal geographical disparity in the distribution of research produced by researchers from different regions, with most research produced in Europe and limited to Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. The findings also show skewness in the management practices of IAPS, though some of them enhance IAPS benefits. Furthermore, there are limited applications of interdisciplinary approaches to investigate the benefits of IAPS for human well-being. Employing interdisciplinary mixed methodologies may help to generate new knowledge with a better understanding of complex interactions between IAPS and human well-being. Given the unique sociocultural, economic, and ecological settings of the IAPS, future research is expected to include comparative perspectives on how different countries and regions use the IAPS for their benefit while considering both the positive and negative impacts of the IAPS on human well-being to develop sustainable management practices.
... This diversity of ecosystems and ethnic groups, and cultures in the country makes ethnobotanical research particularly rich and diverse (Panyadee et al. 2023). Ethnobotanical studies in Thailand have focused on various aspects of the country's humanplant relationship, such as traditional use in agriculture and forestry (Srithi et al. 2017), local medicinal healthcare (Panyadee et al. 2019;Srithi et al. 2012), the cultural significance of plants Panyadee et al. 2018), and food plants (Punchay et al. 2020). However, there are still many parts of Thailand where ethnobotanical knowledge is not well documented, making it crucial to continue research to preserve and understand the country's traditional ecological knowledge (Phumthum and Balslev 2019). ...
Chaiyong S, Pongamornkul W, Panyadee P, Inta A. 2023. Uncovering the ethnobotanical importance of community forests in Chai Nat Province, Central Thailand. Biodiversitas 24: 2052-2063. Ethnobotanical studies are crucial for understanding local communities' traditional knowledge and use of plants and conserving biodiversity. This is the first public ethnobotanical study in the Chai Nat Province. It is an essential contribution to the limited knowledge of the traditional use of plants in this region. Three key informants with high experience in traditional knowledge were selected through a small meeting in the village. Using a semi-structured interview method during the walk-to-the-wood method, we gathered data on 103 plant species belonging to 92 genera and 49 families. The majority of the plant species (57) were used for medicinal purposes, followed by food (38), materials (17), and other small categories. It is worth noting that some plant species were used in more than one category. Our study provides an in-depth understanding of local communities’ traditional knowledge and use of plants which is essential for managing and conserving these important resources. This study not only contributes to the field of ethnobotany but also highlights the importance of preserving traditional ecological knowledge for future generations.
... Many members of Asteraceae family are recognized for their potentials as ornamental, medicinal, and economic plants [1]. On the other hand, some others are known as invasive weeds [2], resulting in significant loss on several crops with respect to productivity [3]. ...
Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn and Calyptocarpus vialis Less are members of Asteraceae family that morphologically show high similarities. To genetically distinguish between them, a particular molecular marker should be employed. This study aims to present molecular comparison between both species using a chloroplast DNA marker, i.e. atpB – rbcL IGS. A pair of PCR universal primers was used to amplify the marker. Sequence alignment on the PCR products reveals longer S. nodiflora sequence in comparison to that of C. vialis. In addition, some transversions and transitions are also observed. This suggests that the two species exhibit considerable genetic difference despite their similar phenotypic appearance
... Weeds are plants that appear without being sown or cultivated in areas that are otherwise managed or controlled. The medicinal use of weeds is gaining importance as they are prevalent and inexpensive resources, and it could provide an economic and eco-friendly weeds management strategy [53]. ...
Background and Objectives: Fibrotic lung disease is one of the main complications of many medical conditions. Therefore, the use of anti-fibrotic agents may provide a chance to prevent, or at least modify, such complication. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective pulmonary anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of Dinebra retroflexa. Materials and methods: Dinebra retroflexa methanolic extract and its synthesized silver nanoparticles were tested on bleomycin-induced
pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis was induced by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (5 mg/5 mL/kg-Saline) as a supposed model for induced lung fibrosis. The weed evaluation was performed by intratracheal instillation of Dinebra retroflexa methanolic extract and its silver nanoparticles (35 mg/100 mL/kg-DMSO, single dose). Results: The results showed that both Dinebra retroflexa
methanolic extract and its silver nanoparticles had a significant pulmonary fibrosis retraction potential, with Ashcroft scores of three and one, respectively, and degrees of collagen deposition reduction of 33.8 and 46.1%, respectively. High-resolution UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS metabolic profiling and colorimetrically polyphenolic quantification were performed for further confirmation and explanation of the represented effects. Such activity was believed to be due to the tentative identification of twenty-seven flavonoids and one phenolic acid along with a phenolic content of 57.8 mg/gm (gallic acid equivalent) and flavonoid content of 22.5 mg/gm (quercetin equivalent). Conclusion: Dinebra retroflexa may be considered as a promising anti-fibrotic agent for people at high risk of complicated lung fibrosis. The results proved that further clinical trials would be recommended to confirm the proposed findings.
... Many useful weeds are invasive species, indicating that they are plant resources, which are common and inexpensive for rural communities and can represent alternative resources in the future. Because invasive weeds can affect the natural habitat of native flora, integrating weed exploitation into weed management strategies can reduce weed populations while maintaining agrobiodiversity in the long term (Srithi et al., 2017). Such types of weeds Nephrolepis bisserata can be exploited for protection on plantations, which may be more effective than the use of any herbicide due to the high diversity of weed flora (Essandoh et al., 2011). ...
Weed vegetation growth affects the growth and production of oil palm plants. To control weeds in plantation land, especially by using herbicides or bioherbicides, weed vegetation analysis is needed. This research was conducted to determine the composition, structure, and level of diversity of weeds in oil palm plantations owned by the community of Pagar Merbau village, Tanjung Morawa District. The method used is a descriptive method with sampling technique done by porposive sampling. The results of the analysis showed that weeds found were 7 families, 10 species, and 3153 individuals. Weed species found were: Clidemia hirta, Borreria alata, Mimosa invisa, Setaria barbata, Ageratum conyzoides, Paspalum conjugatum, Ottochloa nodosa, Cyclosorus aridus, Calopogonium mucudoines, Ophioglossum reticulatum. Ottochloa nodosa is a type of weed that has the highest importance value index 66.52% (1323 individuals) and Setaria barbata is a type of weed that has the lowest important value index of 1.00% (4 individuals). Weed diversity index in this oil palm plantation is in the moderate category (H '= 1.3741). The weed control system to be carried out in this oil palm plantation must consider the dosage and types of herbicides and bioherbicides used so that it does not have the potential to reduce the level of diversity of weeds of grass or broadleaf weeds.
... Both species originate from tropical America and spread over other regions, including Asia [2,3]. They are often seen as broad-leaf weeds in several crops with some severe problems concerning productivity [4], although some potentials of S. nodiflora as medicinal herbs [5], bioinsecticide [6], bio fungicide [7], and detoxificant for heavy metals [8] have been reported. On the other hand, very little is known about the potential use of E. ruderalis for human life, and it was even described as nothing from an economic point of view [1]. ...
... Most references note its potentials as medicinal plant [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12], and others reveal its possibility as bioinsecticide [13], biofungicide [14] and heavy metal detoxificant [15]. On the other hands, as broadleaf weed frequently present in several crops, it may lead to reduce yield [16][17][18][19]. ...
Previous study on Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn populations in Java Island showed both very low haplotype and nucleotide diversity, and at the same time revealed high connectivity among the populations. Sumatra Island, which is like Java Island located in Sunda Shelf, has been subjected to relatively increasing human population and overexploitation of natural resources in a few last decades. This condition put the island of being vulnerable to terrestrial ecosystem changes that potentially influence the existing populations of S. nodiflora . Hence, this study aimed to assess genetic differences among S. nodiflora populations in Sumatra Island using intergenic spacer (IGS) atp B – rbc L. This molecular marker has been used in the population genetic study of some plant species. In this study we collected randomly 20 individuals from four different locations in Sumatra. The results showed, based on IGS atp B – rbc L sequences of 860 bp length, that only two haplotypes were found. One of them was the same haplotype mostly found in Java Island, and the other showed some base substitutions. Low genetic differences indicating high connectivity among populations of S. nodiflora in Sumatra Island is observed.
... It consists of approximately 1,600 genera and 23,000 species, many of which are important for ornamental, medicinal, and economic purposes (Gao et al. 2010). However, some of them are known as invasive weeds (Souza Filho and Takaki 2011), causing detrimental effects on several tropical crops with respect to productivity (Srithi et al. 2017). ...
Susanto AH, Dwiati M, Pratiwi S. 2020. Molecular characteristics of two phenotypically identical species of Asteraceae based on the intergenic spacer trnT(UGU)-trnL(UAA). Biodiversitas 21: 5164-5169. Ogiera (Eleutheranthera ruderalis) and nodeweed (Synedrella nodiflora) are two different weed species belonging to the family Asteraceae commonly found in tropical regions. At a glance, both species show highly identical morphology, thus leading to difficulty in distinguishing between them. Therefore, molecular data based on particular markers are required. Here, we use an intergenic spacer (IGS) in the cpDNA, i.e., trnT(UGU)-trnL(UAA), as the molecular marker to reveal the difference between the two species. A pair of PCR universal primers, i.e., B48557 as the forward primer and A49291 as the reverse primer, were employed to amplify the marker. Sequence alignment was performed by the use of ClustalW implemented in Bioedit version 7.0.4.1. The results revealed that some differences with respect to both indel and base substitution were observed. Overall, this led to longer IGS trnT(UGU)-trnL(UAA) sequences of E. ruderalis than those of S. nodiflora. Although no direct relationship between the genetic and phenotypic dissimilarities was proven, coincidence seemed likely to exist. This provides molecular evidence that the two phenotypically similar species are genetically different from each other.
... It is reported to have various potentials, e.g. as medicinal herbs [1,2,3,4,5], bioinsecticide [6], biofungicide [7] and detoxificant for heavy metals such as Cu and Pb [8]. On the other hands, it is also frequently found as broad-leaf weed in several crops [9,10]. ...
Abstract. Nodeweed (Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn.) is the only member of genus Synedrella, which is widely distributed over many tropical countries. It has been reported as potentially having many benefits for human life, but it is also commonly found as broad-leaf
weed in several crops. In addition to its wide distribution, this species can also grow in a wide range of altitudes. This study was aimed to assess molecular profile of S. nodiflora in three different levels of altitudes, i.e. 0, 130, and 800 m above sea level respectively. Intergenic spacer (IGS) atpB – rbcL was used as the molecular marker. It was shown that no genetic difference among samples from the three altitudes was observed, indicating that any difference that may
appear in the phenotype is merely due to morphological and/or physiological adaptation.
... The growing popularity of health-food and alternative medicine in western societies is a sign of change in this attitude, but health-food remains in the "alternative" sphere of activities often beyond scientific scrutiny. There are also plants otherwise known as weeds that have medicinal uses (Kehlenbeck and Maass, 2004;Srithi et al., 2017). The possession of medicinal properties in some timber species are one of the reasons for keeping them in homegardens (Albuquerque et al., 2005). ...
Ethnopharmacological relevance:
Homegardens are important habitats for medicinal plants and traditional knowledge, especially among indigenous groups in remote areas. In homegardens, medicinal plants and traditional knowledge are well conserved through human management and ease of access.
Aim of the study:
To understand the drivers of diversity and the composition of homegardens with focus on medicinal plants, including exotic species, and their uses. We compare the homegardens of four ethnic groups in northern Thailand (Thai Yuan, Lahu, Karen, and Lisu).
Methods:
We inventoried all medicinal species in 195 homegardens from four villages belonging to the four ethnic groups. The owners were asked to point out all useful species in their homegardens. For any medicinal species, they were then interviewed about their main and secondary uses, medicinal properties, plant part used, preparation methods, and route of administrations.
Results:
We recorded 95 medicinal homegarden plant species ranging from 20-59 species per village and ethnic group. Most of the medicinal plants had a primary use as food plants, which demonstrated the close relationship between local food and medicine in the lives of these ethnic groups. Many of the medicinal plants were also used as food additives, ornamentals, or materials, showing that medicinal plants are not an exclusive category in the homegardens. The number of homegarden plants varied almost four-fold from 58 species in one village to 211 in the most species rich village. The number of medicinal homegarden plants varied accordingly from 20 to 59 in the poorest and the richest villages. Five medicinal species were found in all villages, but 70% of the medicinal plants were found in only one village. Infection & infestation, Nutritional disorders, and Digestive system disorders were the three most important medicinal use categories for plants in the homegardens, and all three categories were found in most of the studied homegardens. Of the 95 species with medicinal uses, 26 (27%) were exotic, which shows that local people amplify the spectrum of alternative ways to treat their illnesses.
Conclusion:
Homegardens are an important source of ethnomedicinal species and knowledge. These species are beneficial for treating acute and common ailments; they are easy to access and can be prepared by simple methods, which are suitable for treating disorders, such as infections or any digestive system ailments. Medicinal plants in homegardens have been important in improving health, at least, at the family level.
Mimosa pudica L. is one of the serious invasive species in Thailand. However, the plant has been widely used by local healers as one of the prominent medicinal species. In this review, the ethnobotanical data of M. pudica in Thailand were analyzed from 54 references which 206 use-reports were received. The plant is mostly used as local medicine to treat diverse medical conditions from general to specifi c disorders. The versatility of uses of the plant could be explained by its possession of many pharmacological activities. Mimosa pudica could be a good candidate for future medical exploration, however, it should be used with carefulness.
The combination of the high biodiversity and many ethnicities in Thailand results in extensive ethnobotanical studies, especially in the northern part of the country. Here we have assembled 7620 records from 60 references regarding how plants are used for food among 14 ethnicities in northern Thailand. The uses are based on 1182 different plant species. Vegetables are the most common food category, which contributed more than 60% of all use-reports and involved nearly 900 species. This was followed by the dessert fruit category, which included about 350 species and over 1800 use-reports. The similarity among the different ethnicities was low and the number of uses and species recorded among different ethnicities were significantly related to the number of studies that had been conducted for each group. This implies that additional ethnobotanical studies are still needed in order to conserve and compile the valuable traditional knowledge related to food plants. Many exotic species are now an important part of traditional knowledge, whereas rare endemic species are uncommon among wild food plants. This situation leads to a loss of traditional knowledge about food plants and reduced awareness of their importance. As a key to using this great reservoir of food for local people, traditional knowledge related to local wild food plants can contribute to the zero-hunger goal of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). More studies on the nutrient content and health properties of these plants could lead to the development of new crops to meet present consumer demands.
Ethnomedicinal studies have demonstrated that Fabaceae include the highest number of medicinal species of all plant families in Thailand. To evaluate which legumes hold the greatest potential for development of public herbal medicines, we used ethnobotanical indices to screen traditional medicinal species from 152 literature sources published from 1986–2019. The homogeneity of each use category was evaluated using the informant consensus factor (ICF). The popularity of the used species was evaluated by percentage of fidelity level (FL) and use value (UV). A total of 261 species from 98 genera of legumes were recorded for their traditional medicinal uses. The uses included 5387 use reports that covered treatments of 420 disorders. The ethnobotanical indices pointed to 15 species with high use values (e.g., Biancaea sappan (L.) Tod., Cassia fistula L., Senna siamea (Lam.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby). Nine of these species are already used in public herbal medicine. The other six species should be studied in greater depth, especially to identify their bioactive compounds so they can be developed for use in public herbal medicine.
Panyadee P, Inta A. 2022. Taxonomy and ethnobotany of Acmella (Asteraceae) in Thailand. Biodiversitas 23: 2177-2183. Thai toothache plant is an ethno-species, referred to as any species in the genus Acmella of the aster family (Asteraceae). The plants are used commonly in Thailand as vegetables and medicine. However, in earlier phytochemistry and ethnobotanical studies, missed scientific names: Acmella olearcea and Spilanthes acmella, were applied to these species. In this study, we have clarified the identity of these ethno-species and related species in the genus Acmella. There were six species of Acmella in Thailand, including two native species and four introduced species. The keys and brief description of these species are provided. In ethnobotanical studies, A. oleracea and S. acmella were mentioned as nearly 80% of total use records. These names could be referred to A. paniculata which is one of the native species and most widely distributed. Although there were a reasonable amount of studies on the Thai toothache plant, more comparative studies for their bioactivities are still needed according to the taxonomical confusion of their names.
Invasive alien plant species are plant species that establish themselves outside their native distributional range. The current study documented utilization of alien plant species in the Eastern Cape province in South Africa. Information about utilization of alien plant species was gathered through interviews conducted with 120 participants, which included 13 traditional healers, 27 herbalists, ten farmers and 70 laypeople. Ethnobotanical importance of documented species was assessed through evaluation of use value (UV), fidelity level (FL) and relative frequency citation (RFC). A third of the participants (33.3%) perceived alien plant species as undesirable, while 71.1% of the participants argued that alien plant species had beneficial effects. A total of 26 alien plant species were recorded, seven species being fruit trees, followed by ornamental plants (five species), fodder and herbal medicines (four species each), construction materials, erosion control and vegetables (two species each). The popular alien plant species with UV > 0.1, RFC > 0.4 and FL > 4.0% included Amaranthus spinosus, Cannabis sativa, Cereus jamaracu, Harrisia balansae, Opuntia engelmannii, Opuntia ficus-indica, Opuntia monocantha and Prunus persica. Information on perceptions of local communities in the Eastern Cape province on the contributions of alien plant species to livelihood needs is an important stage of initiating a management protocol that incorporates public perceptions and values associated with alien plant species.
Farmer training is important to improve weed management practices in tea cultivation. To explore the group characteristics of tea growers, we interviewed 354 growers in Guizhou Province, China. Sixty-one percent of the respondents planted tea for companies or cooperative groups, and 56% managed tea gardens larger than 10 ha. Self-employed tea growers tended to be older and smallholders, and to apply herbicides and conduct weed control less frequently ( P < 0.05). Approximately 87% of the respondents conducted weed control two to four times yr ⁻¹ , 83% spent between 2,000 ha ⁻¹ yr ⁻¹ for weed control, and 42% thought weed control costs would decrease by 5 years from this study. Twenty-eight species were mentioned by the respondents as being the most serious. According to canonical correspondence analysis, latitude, altitude, being self-employed or a member of a cooperative, having training experience in tea-garden weed management, and frequency and cost of weed control in tea gardens had significant ( P < 0.05) influence on the composition of most troublesome weed species listed by respondents. Among the respondents, 60% had had farmer’s training on weed management in tea gardens. Of these, a significant number ( P < 0.05) tended to think weed control costs would decrease, and a nonsignificant number ( P > 0.05) tended to conduct weed control more frequently and have lower weed management costs in their tea gardens.
Although in China tea plants have been cultivated in traditional small holdings for more than 2,000 years, tea cultivation as an estate crop started in India only around 1820. Tea growing areas have expanded into several tropical countries since around 1870, when in some countries such as Sri Lanka the severe damage of coffee plantations by Coffee Rust disease occasioned a search for new sites for tea (Eden 1976). Now tea areas are distributed from warm-temperate to tropical areas, ranging from Georgia, USSR, latitude 43°N, to Corrientes, Argentina, latitude 27°S (Harler 1974).
Weed control measures and policies often view weedy plants as problem species that interfere withagricultural productivity. This results in these plants being eradicated sometimes indiscriminatelywithout regard for their other economic importance. In rural Central Kenya however, people areturning to use of traditional medicinal plant species that include important weeds. This study analyzedthe use of weed species in contemporary traditional medicine in Central Kenya. The results show that75 species in 34 plant families are used as sources of traditional medicine for 59 ailments. Informantconsensus analysis for the ailments cited reveal that 32 of these ailments have a consensus factor of0.5 and above. These weed species therefore deserve to be considered as important plants whenKenyan government is legislating problem plants species. In resource use efficiency variation andmanagement of this variation are crucial and hence agrobiodiversity conservation strategies shouldinclude weedy species of medicinal value. Indigenous as well as non-indigenous weed species werefound to form part of the Central Kenya pharmacopoeia. This implies that traditional medicine in thisregion may be undergoing changing patterns as far as medicinal plant utilization is concerned. Themedicinal weed species used for the treatment of ailments with high informant consensus need to beincorporated in agroecosystems in this region as domesticated plants or plants in the process ofdomestication. Further study of these plants especially phytochemical and pharmacological studiesmay contribute to development of important pharmaceutical products in future. Key words:Biodiversity conservation, ethnobotany, medicinal plants
Utilisation of weed species as sources of traditional medicines in central Kenya. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287013032_Utilisation_of_weed_species_as_sources_of_traditional_medicines_in_central_Kenya [accessed Dec 21, 2015].
In the present ethnobotanical study 27 commonly used weed species were collected from District Bannu belonging to 19 different families, were pressed in the field, treated with mercuric chloride, identified and deposited in the herbarium of Government College Kakki Bannu. Through questioner method more than 80 interviews were made on random basis from local inhabitants, herbalists and Pansaries. The ethnobotanical data colleted about these commonly used weed species were recorded, preserved and documented which revealed that they are quite effective remedies for different diseases such as headache, diabetes, toothache, jaundice, intestinal diseases, asthma, dysentery, diarrhea, fever, urinary tract, bleeding piles, skin disorders and cough.
The expansion of the agricultural frontier by the clearing of remnant forests has led to human-dominated landscape mosaics. Previous studies have evaluated the effect of these landscape mosaics on arthropod diversity at local spatial scales in temperate and tropical regions, but little is known about fragmentation effects in crop systems, such as the complex tropical traditional crop systems that maintain a high diversity of weeds and arthropods in low-Andean regions. To understand the factors that influence patterns of diversity in human-dominated landscapes, we investigate the effect of land use types on plant and arthropod diversity in traditionally managed cornfields, via surveys of plants and arthropods in twelve traditional cornfields in the Colombian Andes. We estimated alpha and beta diversity to analyze changes in diversity related to land uses within a radius of 100 m to 1 km around each cornfield. We observed that forests influenced alpha diversity of plants, but not of arthropods. Agricultural lands had a positive relationship with plants and herbivores, but a negative relationship with predators. Pastures positively influenced the diversity of plants and arthropods. In addition, forest cover seemed to influence changes in plant species composition and species turnover of herbivore communities among cornfields. The dominant plant species varied among fields, resulting in high differentiation of plant communities. Predator communities also exhibited high turnover among cornfields, but differences in composition arose mainly among rare species. The crop system evaluated in this study represents a widespread situation in the tropics, therefore, our results can be of broad significance. Our findings suggest that traditional agriculture may not homogenize biological communities, but instead could maintain the regional pool of species through high beta diversity.
Spatial and Seasonal Diversity of Wild Food Plants in Home Gardens of Northeast Thailand
Wild food plants (WFPs) are major components of tropical home gardens, constituting an important resource for poor farmers. The spatial and seasonal diversity of WFPs was analyzed across multi-species spatial configurations occurring within home gardens in a rice farming village in northeast Thailand. Data were collected in 77 sampling sites corresponding to five different home garden spatial configurations, namely fenced plot, fenced plot margin, yard, home garden boundary, and pot. Absolute abundance and frequency of occurrence were quantified per individual WFP species in both dry and rainy seasons, and data on additional uses (besides food) were collected through focus group discussions for each WFP species. A total of 20 species corresponding to 13 botanical families were reported. Results show that species abundance and frequency of occurrence varied seasonally and spatially within home gardens. Diversity, as observed in the analysis of Shannon and Simpson diversity indexes, also differed seasonally and across different spatial configurations. Home gardens showed higher diversity in the dry season because of the presence of human management. Ninety-five percent of the WFP species presented additional uses, with nine different types of uses in total. Finally, as this study demonstrates, the results on both the spatial and seasonal diversity of WFPs over different spatial configurations comprise a new perspective in home garden research by providing new understandings about their composition and management.
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The objective of this study was to investigate the multiple uses and cognitive importance of edible weeds in Northeast Thailand. Research methods included focus group discussions and freelistings. A total of 43 weeds consumed as vegetable were reported, including economic, naturalized, agricultural and environmental weeds. The weedy vegetables varied considerably on edible parts, presenting both reproductive (flowers, fruits and seeds) and vegetative organs (shoots, leaves, flower stalks, stems or the whole aerial part). The results of this study show that weedy vegetables are an important resource for rice farmers in this region, not only as a food but also because of the multiple additional uses they have, especially as medicine. The fact that the highest Cognitive Salience Index (CSI) scores of all wild vegetables freelisted corresponded to weeds, reinforces the assertion that weeds are culturally cognitively important for local farmers as a vegetable source. This is a key finding, given that these species are targets of common pesticides used in this region.
Invasive species are often considered the pariahs of the plant kingdom. In this study, we investigate the utility of native and exotic invasive plants to local residents in a semi–arid area of northeastern Brazil. We address the following questions: Are invasive species considered useful? How are they useful? Are they more or less useful than non–invasive species? Is there a relationship between use categories and taxonomic groups (families, genera, and species)? What plant parts are preferentially used and how are they distributed by categories of usage? And are there differences in the perceived usefulness of native vs. exotic invasive plants? We employed plot sampling of vegetation in anthropogenic habitats. Semi–structured, checklist interviews were carried out with 106 individuals. A total of 56 invasive species were recorded, of which 55 were considered useful. There was no statistical difference in the perceived utility of native vs. exotic invasive species; however, invasive species overall were considered useful more often than non–invasive species. The predominant use was as animal fodder, followed by medicine, food, and technology. Nearly half (44%) of the animal fodder species also served as medicine for people. Herbaceous plants were the most common. Uses varied significantly within taxonomic ranks (species, genus, and family). The most recognized plants were those that are most used locally. This study underscores the value of invasive species in semi–arid Brazil, as well as the need to include local people in regional and national strategies to address invasive species management.
Weeds abound in urban and agricultural 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 kg/ha. A similar survey performed in a temperate area (739 samples in Bariloche, Argentina) showed mean values between 287 and 2939 kg/ha. A total of 43 species were sampled in Coatepec and 32 species in Bariloche. The general means were 2.1 and 1.3 tons/ha, 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 common among perennials than among annuals.
Wild edible plants, and particularly weeds, continue to be an important dietary component of many people around the world. We study the availability and yield of 15 weedy vegetables traditionally consumed in the Mediterranean region to assess their potential sustainable exploitation. Field work was conducted in Central Spain during 2007–2009. Yields ranged between 10–460 g per plant in non-clonal species and between 400–5,000 g m-2 in clonal species. According to local plant density estimates, a total of 1800 kg ha-1 for Foeniculum vulgare, 700–1000 kg ha-1 for Beta maritima, Rumex pulcher, Papaver rhoeas and Silybum marianum, and 80–400 kg ha-1 for the remaining species could be obtained, except for Scolymus hispanicus that only yielded 30 kg ha-1. Exploitation of those species should consider local yields and preferences to achieve sustainability. We propose: 1) organic cultivation for highly valued species with low production rates in the wild (e.g., Scolymus hispanicus and Silene vulgaris); 2) commercial wild collection for culturally appreciated species with high yields in the wild (e.g., Allium ampeloprasum and Chondrilla juncea); and 3) maintenance of traditional practices and rates of harvest for all species for self-consumption.
A comprehensive, but simple-to-use software package for executing a range of standard numerical analysis and operations used in quantitative paleontology has been developed. The program, called PAST (PAleontological STatistics), runs on standard Windows computers and is available free of charge. PAST integrates spreadsheettype data entry with univariate and multivariate statistics, curve fitting, time-series analysis, data plotting, and simple phylogenetic analysis. Many of the functions are specific to paleontology and ecology, and these functions are not found in standard, more extensive, statistical packages. PAST also includes fourteen case studies (data files and exercises) illustrating use of the program for paleontological problems, making it a complete educational package for courses in quantitative methods.
The standard textbook of Vegetation Ecology. A reprint (2002) is available from The Blackburn Press, Caldwell, New Jersey.
This study evaluates weed dynamics during the first 4 years (2008–2011) of the implementation of an agroforestry system in the municipality of Tomé-açu in the state of Pará, Brazil. The study was conducted in a degraded pasture of Brachiaria humidicola, and treatments (T) included mixed plantations of oil palm with short-cycle leguminous species (T1) with the inclusion of manioc in T2 and forest species and palm trees in T3. In 2008, a floristic survey was conducted in 12 plots of 2 × 2 m per treatment. In 2009, herbicide was applied to one half of the area in each treatment. A total of 19,367 individuals of height <1.5 m were surveyed, of which 51 % were B. humidicola and 21 % were leguminous species that had been planted. Overall, an increase in plant density was observed between 2009 and 2010, followed by a decrease over the following year in areas without herbicide and a tendency for high densities to persist in areas with herbicide. Species richness increased over the study period in all areas (with or without herbicide), which might be related to habitat availability resulting from the reduced density of B. humidicola due to the effects of the herbicide, the leguminous species planted and the development of the agroforestry system. The association of short-cycle leguminous plants with afforestation appears to be an effective method for controlling weeds in the absence of herbicides.
Most agricultural weeds are usually regarded as undesirable and targeted for eradication. However, weeds are useful to human beings as food and traditional medicines. Few studies have been done to document the uses of weeds as traditional vegetables. This study was therefore, done to document indigenous knowledge related to the diversity and use of agricultural weeds as traditional vegetables in Shurugwi District, Zimbabwe, emphasizing their role in food security and livelihoods of the local people.Materials and methodsSemi-structured interviews, observation and guided field walks with 147 participants were employed between December 2011 and January 2012 to obtain ethnobotanical data on the use of edible weeds as traditional vegetables. Based on ethnobotanical information provided by the participants, botanical specimens were collected, numbered, pressed and dried for identification.
A total of 21 edible weeds belonging to 11 families and 15 genera, mostly from Amaranthaceae (19%), Asteraceae and Tiliaceae (14.3%), Capparaceae, Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae (9.5% each) were identified. Of the documented edible weeds, 52.4% are indigenous while 47.6% are exotic to Zimbabwe; either semi-cultivated or growing naturally as agricultural weeds in farmlands, fallow land and home gardens. Among the main uses of edible weeds were leafy vegetables (81%), followed by edible fruits (19%), edible corms (9.5%), edible flowers and seeds (4.8% each). The most important edible weeds were Cleome gynandra, cited by 93.9% of the participants, Cucumis metuliferus (90.5%), Cucumis anguria (87.8%), Corchorus tridens (50.3%) and Amaranthus hybridus (39.5%). All edible weeds were available during rainy and harvest period with Cleome gynandra, Corchorus tridens, Cucumis anguria, Cucumis metuliferus and Moringa oleifera also available during the dry season, enabling households to obtain food outputs in different times of the year. The importance of edible weeds for local livelihoods was ubiquitously perceived, with all participants reporting their contribution towards food security and nutrition.
The present study confirm findings from similar studies conducted elsewhere that rural households engage in harvesting of wild edible vegetables and other non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as a survival strategy. Based on their potential nutritional and medicinal value, edible weeds could contribute in a major way to food security, basic primary health care and balanced diets of rural households and possibly urban households as well.
Gbolo (Crassocephalum crepidioides and Crassocephalum rubens) is a traditional leafy vegetable
highly consumed in southern and central Benin, as well as in some part of northern Benin. The nutritional
potential of the two species of Gbolo were evaluated through their proximate composition, mineral and vitamin
C profile using recommended AOAC method of analysis. The analysis revealed that the contents in raw
protein, total lipids, ash and carbohydrates expressed in % of dry matter were 27.13±0.01%,3.45±
0.00%,19.02± 0.01%and 42.22 ± 0.04% for C. crepidioides; 26.43± 0.01%, 2.75± 0.01%, 19.76± 0.05% and
43.11±0.10 % for C. rubens respectively. The content of vitamin C for 100g of fresh leaf is of 9.17 mg for C.
crepidioides and 3.60 mg for C. rubens. The moisture content (% of cool matter) and the total metabolizable
energy (kcal/100 g of dried matter) were respectively 86.79± 0.04 %and 308.45 ± 0.28 for C. crepidioides and
87.95% ± 0.07 %and 302.91 ± 0.56 for C. rubens. The result of the mineral composition indicated that the
sodium (Na), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn) and
Copper (Cu) contents were higher in C. rubensthan in C. crepidioides. With regard to the obtained values, the
Gbolo vegetable showed a satisfactory composition and a significant variability between the mineral salts in its
two species and can be valorised for a balanced nutrition of populations. Efforts should be made for the
promotion of its wide cultivation and consumption.
© 2013 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Benin, Crassocephalum, Gbolo, mineral composition, proximate composition, vitamin C.
This study was conducted in April to September 2005 in Peshawar. The aim of the study was to analyze weeds, usually used as vegetables, for their mineral composition and to find out their consumption in the female subjects of the area. Two leafy weeds, used as non-conventional vegetables, were analyzed for selected mineral composition. Amarnath (Amaranthus dubius) and wild onion (Brodiaea capitata) appeared to have different levels of minerals. Amarnath had the highest iron content (34.2 mg/100 g) followed by wild onion leaves (6.9 mg/100g). The Ca, P, Mg, Mn, Cu, and Zn contents of amarnath were 721.2, 654.8, 812.5, 3.8, 1.1, and 4.3/100g, respectively. The contents of these minerals in wild onion leaves were 45.5, 56.9, 154.7, 0.56, 0.68, and 2.98, mg/100g, respectively. The poor families used these weeds abundantly during the season and also they dried them for off season use. Thus these contribute good part of the female RDA's for these minerals. The intake of these weeds by female subjects (n = 107, mean age =34.5±7.8) of the study show that these vegetables contributed 41 to 79 % of the RDA's of these minerals of the female subjects of the study locality. The conclusion of the study is that edible weeds can be proved to be good sources of nutrients for human consumption. Further work is needed on the chemical composition of all weeds used as human diet.
The aim of this investigation was to study the influence of organic (ORGFYM - organic with green and cattle manure, ORGGRM - organic with green manure) and conventional (CONFYM - with green manure, cattle manure, mineral fertilizers and pesticides) treatments on weed species diversity, their abundance and biomass. A total of 44 weed species/taxa were encountered during the study covering a period of 2007-2011. In the ORGGRM, the number of weed species was 39 (24 annuals and 15 perennials), in the ORGFYM - 36 (21 annuals, 1 biennial and 14 perennials) and in the CONFYM treatment - 30 (19 annuals, 1 biennial and 10 perennials). Centaurea cyanus, Cerastium arvense, Geranium pratense, Myosurus minimus, Polygonum laphatifolia, Plantago lanceolata and Plantago major were found only in ORGGRM treatment. The average number of species per 0.25 m2 was 9.2 and 9.3 in the organic treatments and 4.9 in the conventional treatment. The average values of Shannon diversity index were statistically higher in the organic (ORGGRM - 1.70, ORGFYM - 1.65) than in the CONFYM (1.06; p < 0.05) treatments. Chenopodium album was the most common annual species in all treatments. We found that herbicide application in the CONFYM treatment decreased the density of the most sensitive species (e.g., C. album, Polygonum convolvulus, Mentha arvensis, Polygonum persicaria, Elytrigia repens) but had a minor or no effect on the proportion of herbicide-tolerant species (especially Viola arvensis, Veronica spp., Myosotis arvensis). Among the perennials E. repens was the most common species in all treatments. The highest number of these plants occurred in the ORGGRM treatment. We found that the species pool was larger and the average number of species higher in the organic than in the conventional treatment. No significant difference was identified between the organic treatments. Our results suggest that weed species diversity could be promoted by using organic cropping practices.
Study of the ecological and economic effects of invasive species has paralleled their progressively pervasive influence worldwide, yet their cultural impacts remain largely unexamined and therefore unrecognized. Unlike biological systems, where the ecological consequences of biological invasions are primarily negative, from an ethnoscientific standpoint, invasive species' impacts on cultural systems span a range of effects. Biological invasions affect cultural groups in myriad, often unpredictable and at times contradictory ways. This review groups case studies into a conceptual matrix suggesting three categorically different cultural impacts of invasive species. Culturally impoverishing invasive species precipitate the loss or replacement of culturally important native species and their associated cultural practices. Culturally enriching invasive species augment cultural traditions, through their inclusion in lexicons, narratives, foods, pharmacopoeias and other tangible and intangible ends. Culturally facilitating invasive species can provide continuity and reformulation of traditional ethnobiological practices. An understanding of the processes by which invasive biota become culturally enriching, facilitating, or impoverishing can contribute to articulating interdisciplinary programmes aimed at simultaneously conserving biological and cultural diversity.
Question: How distinct is the flora of field boundaries? How does the structure of field boundaries determine the composition of vegetation?
Location: Estonia, six 4 km × 4 km agricultural areas.
Methods: We studied the vegetation of fields and field boundaries using 2 m × 2 m sample plots. We estimated the frequency of species in both habitat types, applied an MRPP test to analyse the vegetation composition of field boundaries with various combinations of landscape features (ditches, roads, tree and bush layers) illustrating this by DCA ordination, and used indicator species analysis to determine the characteristic species of each boundary type.
Results: Ca. 45% of the flora of field boundaries comprised species found on agricultural land. Most typical species in fields — agrotolerants — were also the most common in field boundaries. The vegetation of road verges and grassy boundaries consisted mainly of disturbance‐tolerant species. Woody boundaries were characterised by shade‐tolerant and nitrophilous species. Ditch banks included species typical of moist habitats and semi‐natural grasslands. Few threatened or protected species were observed.
Conclusion: The vegetation composition of field boundaries varied due to the complex effects of landscape structure around and in these boundaries. Plant species in agricultural landscapes can be classified into two broad emergent groups on the basis of their different responses to agricultural disturbances — agrotolerant species and nature‐value species. Agrotolerant species are promoted by agriculture, nature‐value species include rare weeds and habitat specialists. We suggest that high‐nature‐value species should prevail in monitoring the effects of land‐use intensification on biodiversity rather than total species richness.
Summary Weeds are major constraints on crop production, yet as part of the primary producers within farming systems, they may be important components of the agroecosystem. Using published literature, the role of weeds in arable systems for other above-ground trophic levels are examined. In the UK, there is evidence that weed flora have changed over the past century, with some species declining in abundance, whereas others have increased. There is also some evidence for a decline in the size of arable weed seedbanks. Some of these changes reflect improved agricultural efficiency, changes to more winter-sown crops in arable rotations and the use of more broad-spectrum herbicide combinations. Interrogation of a database of records of phytophagous insects associated with plant species in the UK reveals that many arable weed species support a high diversity of insect species. Reductions in abundances of host plants may affect associated insects and other taxa. A number of insect groups and farmland birds have shown marked population declines over the past 30 years. Correlational studies indicate that many of these declines are associated with changes in agricultural practices. Certainly reductions in food availability in winter and for nestling birds in spring are implicated in the declines of several bird species, notably the grey partridge, Perdix perdix. Thus weeds have a role within agroecosystems in supporting biodiversity more generally. An understanding of weed competitivity and the importance of weeds for insects and birds may allow the identification of the most important weed species. This may form the first step in balancing the needs for weed control with the requirements for biodiversity and more sustainable production methods.
Macroecological studies infer ecological processes based on observed patterns. An often used measure of pattern is the species-area curve. Insufficient attention has been paid to the variety of methods used to construct those curves. There are six different methods based on different combinations of: (1) the pattern of quadrats or areas sampled (nested, contiguous, noncontiguous, or island); (2) whether successively larger areas are constructed in a spatially explicit fashion or not; and (3) whether the curve is constructed from single values or mean values. The resulting six types of curves differ in their shapes, how diversity is encapsulated, and the scales encom-passed. Inventory diversity (α) can either represent a single value or a mean value, creating a difference in the focus of the measure. Differentiation diversity (β) can vary in the extent encompassed, and thus the spatial scale, depending on the pattern of quadrat placement. Species-area curves are used for a variety of purposes: extrapolation, setting a common grain, and hypothesis testing. The six types of curves differ in how they are used or interpreted in these contexts. A failure to recognize these differences can result in improper conclu-sions. Further work is needed to understand the sampling and measurement properties of the different types of species-area curves.
This report is an output of the "The development of integrated weed management strategies for hillsides in the valleys of Cochabamba, Bolivia" (PROMMASEL) (A0814/ZA0276/R7325) 1 . Project objectives are (a) to characterise weed problems and assess the extent to which current weeding practices contribute to soil erosion and (b) based on this information, to develop improved weed management strategies to reduce erosion while maintaining crop yield. There is active collaboration with other RNRKS hillsides projects in Cochabamba (LPP, CPP, PSRP) as well as other local research institutes (PROINPA). The project is managed by NRI (Dr M. Smith) and co-ordinated by M. Webb (under contract to NRI) and Ing. J. Villarroel (UMSS). The project started in February 1999. During the first year, researchers surveyed weed communities, current weed management practices, and farmer decision making in weed control, besides conducting a participatory evaluation of weed control and soil erosion, and began trials to evaluate alternative cropping systems. Results of the first year's work are discussed in the proceedings of a project workshop (Espinoza et al, 2000). Rationale for this study Local knowledge is of uneven quality, but for weeds, which are of great importance to campesinos, and which are also easier to observe than, say viruses or nematodes, local knowledge should be detailed and consistent with modern science (Bentley & 1 Acknowledgement: The authors are grateful to Morag Webb for comments on a previous draft, and for her encouragement of this research.
Cultivated and associated plant diversity, were compared (the last at 3 scales: alpha, beta and gamma), in 2 farms under conventional and organic management in La Plata. The relevé method was used for associated species recording in spring and summer. At farm level we assessed total spontaneous specific richness (γ diversity), genus and family richness. Richness – species total per crop-was used as index of α diversity. We also calculated the median richness per crop sample unit. A randomization method was used to assess the degree for which differences between the observed and expected median richness per crop in a management style are attributable to chance. β diversity values were compared to a random framework, separately for each farm. Results indicate that the organic farm had higher associated diversity at all levels; also, higher number of cultivated plots and species, and proportion of exclusive, perennials, native and utilitarian species. In the organic farm crops with higher or lower median richness than expected, and higher β, indicated higher spatial and seasonal heterogeneity. Conventional management limited spontaneous plants to a reduced, homogeneously distributed group. Other factors may influence associated plant diversity. KEY WORDS: horticulture, agrobiodiversity, associated diversity, agroecosystems. RESUMEN Se comparó la diversidad cultivada y asociada de plantas, la última a 3 escalas (alfa, beta y gamma), en 2 fincas una con manejo convencional y otra con manejo orgánico en La Plata. Se aplicó el método del relevé para las especies asociadas. A nivel finca se determinó la riqueza específica espontánea total (diversidad γ), y la riqueza de géneros y familias. La riqueza -total de especies por cultivo -se usó como índice de diversidad α. Se calculó la mediana de la riqueza por unidad muestral para cada cultivo, aplicándose un método de aleatorización para conocer la significancia de las diferencias entre las medianas observada y esperada por cultivo en un estilo de manejo. Los valores de diversidad β se compararon con un modelo al azar, en cada finca. La finca orgánica tuvo una mayor diversidad asociada en todos los niveles; un número más alto de parcelas y especies cultivadas, de proporción de especies exclusivas, perennes, nativas y utilitarias. En la finca orgánica los cultivos con una mediana de la riqueza más alta o más baja que la esperada, y β más alto, indicaron mayor heterogeneidad espacial y estacional. El manejo convencional limitó las plantas espontáneas a un grupo reducido, homogéneamente distribuido. Otros factores pueden influenciar la diversidad de plantas asociadas.
It has been widely documented that the traditional farming system of shift-ing cultivation contributes to huge annual losses of forest cover, altering the structure and distribution of species resulting in loss of biodiversity. On the other hand, formal institutional approaches to natural forest biodiversity con-servation focused on protecting the tree species in parks and reserves while neglecting their conservation in farming systems. Improved agroforestry sys-tems (AFS) such as improved fallows that mimic shifting cultivation and other AFS provide benefits that contribute to rural livelihoods, improved socio-economic status and ecosystem functioning of land use systems. Recently, there is an increasing recognition of the contribution of agroforestry to im-prove ecosystem services and livelihoods especially in rural areas. Compared with subsistence agriculture, AFS provides added benefit by generating cash income from the marketing of diverse products. In southern Africa, research that aims to addressed biodiversity and socio-economic issues includes domes-tication of diverse priority indigenous fruit tree species; and the evaluation of soil fertility replenishing Agroforestry technologies. This paper discusses the contribution of the natural forest resource and AFS to the improvement of the socio-economic livelihoods of smallholder farmers and the promotion of the conservation of biodiversity drawing on evidence from research conducted in southern Africa over the last two decades.
Some weedy plant species have competitive advantage over other species found growing in the same habitat due to their efficient utilization of mineral resources, adaptability to the environment and comparative high fecundity. They are often caught in the web of conservation policy which causes the indiscriminate eradication of these species without consideration for other potential economic importance. This review elucidates the medicinal importance of weedy species found growing in South Africa. Twenty four plant families and 34 species were implicated in the treatment of twenty one diseases and sicknesses by the different natives of South Africa. The importance of this work on the future management of weedy species is briefly discussed.
The much-publicized quest for miracle drug plants in tropical rainforests has provided compelling support for the preservationist agenda. This article questions the assumptions that underpin this claim, particularly the myth that pristine forest represents the primary repository of nature's medicinal providence. After tracing colonial European efforts at medicinal plant discovery, intellectual property exploitation, and plant transference and acclimation, I review the recent resurgence of scientific interest in tropical folk pharmacopoeias. In spite of the image marketed by environmental entrepreneurs, the medicinal foraging preference of rural tropical groups is largely successional mosaics of their own creation—trails, kitchen gardens, swiddens, and forest fallows. Focusing on the subsistence transition from hunting and gathering to small-scale cultivation, I propose that disturbance pharmacopoeias are the logical outcome of changing subsistence strategies, ecological processes, and disease patterns. Salient, familiar, accessible, and rich in bioactive compounds, anthropogenic nature represents the ideal tropical medicine chest. Whereas bioprospecting enterprises carried out during the colonial period and at present employ similar rhetoric—deadly disease, miracle cures, and fantastic profits—these endeavors were in the past and continue to be buttressed by fictitious notions of virgin tropical nature and the mysterious healing powers of its “primitives.”Key Words: pharmacopoeia, tropical rainforest, ethnobotany, medicinal plants, human ecology.
Aim In a selected literature survey we reviewed studies on the habitat heterogeneity–animal species diversity relationship and evaluated whether there are uncertainties and biases in its empirical support.
Location World‐wide.
Methods We reviewed 85 publications for the period 1960–2003. We screened each publication for terms that were used to define habitat heterogeneity, the animal species group and ecosystem studied, the definition of the structural variable, the measurement of vegetation structure and the temporal and spatial scale of the study.
Main conclusions The majority of studies found a positive correlation between habitat heterogeneity/diversity and animal species diversity. However, empirical support for this relationship is drastically biased towards studies of vertebrates and habitats under anthropogenic influence. In this paper, we show that ecological effects of habitat heterogeneity may vary considerably between species groups depending on whether structural attributes are perceived as heterogeneity or fragmentation. Possible effects may also vary relative to the structural variable measured. Based upon this, we introduce a classification framework that may be used for across‐studies comparisons. Moreover, the effect of habitat heterogeneity for one species group may differ in relation to the spatial scale. In several studies, however, different species groups are closely linked to ‘keystone structures’ that determine animal species diversity by their presence. Detecting crucial keystone structures of the vegetation has profound implications for nature conservation and biodiversity management.
This paper examines two basic issues that have been of major concern to the Hmong in the diaspora: (1). What is their historical and geographic origin; and (2) are the Hmong part of the Miao nationality in China, and should they accept being known under this generic name?There have been many theories about where the Hmong originally came from, ranging from Mesopotamia in the Middle East during Biblical times, the North Pole, Siberia, to Mongolia and China. This paper consolidates these many propositions with their supporting evidence, and draws its own surprising conclusion as to the real location of the original homeland of the Hmong. Depending on what they regard as their origin and which history they wish to be aligned with, the Hmong may have to reconsider being known as Miao or Meo, a name which most have vehemently rejected because of its derogatory connotation, especially among the more politically conscious Hmong now living in Western countries.
"Prepared for the International Working Group on Taxonomic Databases for Plant Sciences (TDWG)". Published by Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens, 146pp.
Indices of β ‐diversity are of two major types, (1) those that measure among‐plot variability in species composition independently of the position of individual plots on spatial or environmental gradients, and (2) those that measure the extent of change in species composition along predefined gradients, i.e. species turnover. Failure to recognize this distinction can lead to the inappropriate use of some β ‐diversity indices to measure species turnover.
Several commonly‐used indices of β ‐diversity are based on Whittaker's β W ( β W = γ/α , where γ is the number of species in an entire study area and α is the number of species per plot within the study area). It is demonstrated that these indices do not take into account the distribution of species on spatial or environmental gradients, and should therefore not be used to measure species turnover. The terms ‘ β ‐diversity’ and ‘species turnover’ should not be used interchangeably. Species turnover can be measured using matrices of compositional similarity and physical or environmental distances among pairs of study plots. The use of indices of β ‐diversity and similarity‐distance curves is demonstrated using simulated data sets.
Ethnobotany, the study of the classification, use and management of plants by people, draws on a range of disciplines, including natural and social sciences, to show how conservation of plants and of local knowledge about them can be achieved. Ethnobotany is critical to the growing importance of developing new crops and products such as drugs from traditional plants. This book is the basic introduction to the field, showing how botany, anthropology, ecology, economics and linguistics are all employed in the techniques and methods involved. It explains data collection and hypothesis testing and provides practical ideas on fieldwork ethics and the application of results to conservation and community development. Case studies illustrate the explanations, demonstrating the importance of collaboration in achieving results. Published with WWF, UNESCO and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.
Diversity of plants in agricultural landscapes is decreasing continually until today and this has cascading effects on ecosystem services and persistence of rare plants. Plant diversity, however, is not equally distributed among different habitat types. On a larger scale differences among habitats can contribute strongly to the global diversity of an agro-ecosystem. Landscape context and intensity of agriculture can also have effects on diversity. In this work, we present a thorough analysis of beta diversity in Mediterranean vineyard ecosystems, showing the effect of geology based landscape units for the outcome of beta diversity as well as management intensity for diversity of threatened plants. The change in beta diversity according to landscape context emphasizes the importance of landscape heterogeneity and vineyard habitats for local plant diversity. Low intensity agriculture was identified to maintain the highest levels of plant alpha and beta diversity and to promote persistence of rare plants.
The intricate relationship between biodiversity loss and human well-being is increasingly being understood in ecological and economic terms. Despite the knowledge of the multiple dimensions of this relationship and its importance, species and ecosystems are still disappearing at an alarming rate. Anthropogenic pressures are the prime reason for this trend, yet attempts to reduce such pressures and conserve species in protected areas have only achieved limited success. This has led to the realization that sustainable consumptive use approaches that can combine production and conservation functions are also important in conserving biodiversity in human-dominated landscapes. Agroforestry, as part of a multifunctional working landscape, can play a major role in conserving and even enhancing biodiversity from farms to the landscape level in both tropical and temperate regions of the world. This special issue is an attempt to bring together a collection of articles that not only explore and demonstrate the biodiversity benefits of agroforestry, but also the mechanisms by which agroforestry systems sustain such high floristic and faunal diversity. While it is important to conserve biodiversity in protected areas, the articles in the special issue reiterate the importance of agroforestry as a critical tool in conserving biodiversity in human-dominated landscapes.
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of crop management practices on the diversity, structure, and composition of weed communities. A total of 30 fields (15 fields each) in low-input and conventional farming systems were surveyed in north-eastern Iran. In the conventional cropping system, both mineral fertilizers and herbicides were applied, while in the low-input cropping system, the fertilizer was mainly manure and herbicides were avoided. The results showed that the pool of species, species richness, number of unique species, and Shannon's diversity index were greater in the low-input system than in the conventional system. Both cropping systems had more broad-leaved species than grasses and more annual species than perennial species. All the multivariate methods of analysis that were applied revealed that the weed community composition was significantly different between the two management types. The low-input cropping favored herbicide-susceptible broad-leaved weeds, legumes, and weeds with biodiversity value, whereas a high proportion of herbicide-tolerant grasses was found in the conventional fields. The results suggest that low-input cropping can sustain high weed diversity and abundance.
Field boundaries are generally considered as important semi-natural environments in agrarian landscapes. The aim of this paper is to provide a methodological framework towards a holistic approach for field boundary studies. First, an overview of the successive milestones that have been passed in the history of hedgerow studies is given. These are classified a posteriori and then related to the succession of dominant ecological paradigms. Secondly, we show how former results have been used and integrated into a multiple scale approach involving agronomic and ecological studies in hedgerow network landscapes of western France. The hypothesis is that the main determinants of hedgerow biodiversity are related to farming activities. This hypothesis has been tested in three hedgerow network landscapes differing in their density of hedgerows and their relative abundance of grassland versus crops. The dominant agriculture of the region is dairy production, utilising grassland, maize and cereals. We focus on plant biodiversity and relate it to farming activities described from the boundary up to the landscape. The results show that the composition of the plant assemblages of the herb layer of field boundaries depends upon complex interactions between local structure, herb layer management, field use, farm types and landscape structure. The latter factors are related to the diversity of farming systems. Finally, the advantages of such an approach in terms of fundamental and applied landscape management aspects are discussed, showing how our framework of hedgerow studies expands by successive incorporation, rather than by rejection of former approaches. The main lesson is that it is necessary to capitalise on closer collaboration between ecologists and agronomists in order to stimulate future development of field boundary management and planning.
Patterns of plant diversity are often related to local site conditions and to competitive interactions, but landscape context may also be important for local plant species richness. This is shown here by analysing the relationship between landscape complexity and local species richness of arable weeds in wheat fields. The fields were located in 18 landscapes characterised by a gradient in landscape complexity from structurally complex to structurally simple (39–94% arable land). We quantified local site conditions, field management intensity and landscape characteristics, and used principle component analyses to ordinate the environmental variables. The percentage of arable land was negatively correlated with perimeter–area ratio, habitat-type diversity and topographical heterogeneity, but landscape characteristics did not correlate with local site conditions and field management intensity. The number of plant species was mainly related to landscape characteristics and to a lesser extent to field management intensity (nitrogen fertilisation), whereas local soil characteristics did not contribute to the explanation of arable weed richness. In a geographic scale analysis using circular landscape sectors ranging from 1km up to 5km diameter, the predictive power of landscape complexity for local plant species richness was strongest at 2km indicating a scale-dependent relationship between landscape context and plant species richness. Our results support the hypothesis that local plant species richness in arable fields is greatly influenced by processes operating at the landscape scale. Seed rain from ruderal source habitats and disturbed edges may be the most important underlying process.
(1) Six measures of beta diversity (five from the literature, one proposed here) were compared and evaluated. Application was limited to measures suited for species presence-absence data along environmental gradients. (2) Four ecological criteria of `good' performance of beta diversity measures were developed: (i) conformity with the notion of community turnover ensures that the magnitude of a measure is meaningful; (ii) additivity is the property that the sum of beta diversities between contiguous segments equals the beta diversity of the entire gradient; (iii) independence from alpha diversity ensures useful application of a measure to systems with different alpha diversities; (iv) independence from excessive sample size obviates any spurious effects of oversampling. (3) Two measures of beta diversity (one proposed by Whittaker (1960) and one proposed in the present paper) came closest to fulfilling all four criteria and should be of most use in ecological applications. (4) Field data from Mt Hermon in Israel were used to compare the usefulness of the six measures. (5) Current problems and issues, including the relationship between species-area curves and beta diversity, and future applications in measuring beta diversity are discussed.
Most studies in applied ecology use measures of α‐diversity measures, i.e. the mean diversity on a site, to compare biodiversity effects of different management schemes. The total or α‐diversity within a region, however, need not be correlated with the mean α‐diversity within any site of the region. Thus, analyses of α‐diversity alone may misrepresent the contributions of other diversity components (β) to total diversity (γ).
We apply a biodiversity‐partitioning approach to species richness from a comparison between paired organic and conventional wheat fields in 21 sites from three regions in Germany, where we recorded plants, bees, carabids, staphylinids and spiders in the centre and edge of the fields.
Relative values of α‐ and β‐diversity depended on taxon. Both between‐site and between‐region β‐diversity were very high (in total 60–85%). α‐Diversity and between‐site β‐diversity was larger on the edge than in the centre of fields for all taxa.
α‐Diversity, between‐site β‐diversity of plants and bees and between‐region β‐diversity of bees were higher in organic than in conventional fields, providing local as well as larger‐scale species richness benefits. α‐Diversity did not differ between management types for the epigaeic arthropods. Lower between‐site β‐diversity was found for spiders in organic fields than in conventional fields, resulting in higher total species richness in conventionally managed wheat.
Similarity in composition of landscapes surrounding the study fields was correlated with similarity in species composition for epigaeic arthropods in conventional fields. For this group of organisms the variability of landscapes in the sample contributed to increasing β‐diversity.
Synthesis and applications. β‐Diversity accounts for the major part of species richness in agro‐ecosystems. Implementing an agri‐environment scheme such as organic agriculture may result in either an additional increase of total diversity, as could be shown for plants and bees, or in a decrease in total diversity as was the case for the spiders. Therefore, β‐diversity needs to be included in the evaluation of different management schemes for conservation. For plant and bees it is recommended to implement agri‐environment schemes in contrasting landscapes and in different regions to maximize total species richness benefits.
There is growing concern about declining species diversity in agro‐ecosystems caused by agricultural intensification at the field and landscape scales. Species diversity of arable weeds is classically related to local abiotic factors and resource conditions. It is believed to be enhanced by organic farming but the surrounding landscape may also be important.
This study assessed the ruderal vegetation, seed bank and seed rain in 24 winter wheat fields to examine the relative importance of organic vs. conventional farming and landscape complexity for weed species diversity. Diversity was partitioned into its additive components: alpha, beta and gamma diversity. Percentage arable land in a circular landscape sector of 1‐km radius around each study site was used as an indicator of landscape complexity.
Weed species diversity in the vegetation, seed rain and seed bank was higher in organic than in conventional fields. Increasing landscape complexity enhanced species diversity more strongly in the vegetation of conventional than organic fields, to the extent that diversity was similar in both farming systems when the landscape was complex. Species diversity of the seed bank was increased by landscape complexity irrespective of farming system.
Overall diversity was largely determined by the high heterogeneity between and within the fields (beta diversity). Only in very few cases could higher weed species diversity in complex landscapes and/or organic farming be related to species dependence on landscape or farming system.
Synthesis and applications. Local weed species diversity was influenced by both landscape complexity and farming system. Species diversity under organic farming systems was clearly higher in simple landscapes. Conventional vegetation reached similar diversity levels when the surrounding landscape was complex through the presence of refugia for weed populations. Consequently, agri‐environment schemes designed to preserve and enhance biodiversity should not only consider the management of single fields but also of the surrounding landscape.
The Lahu, the third largest of the 6 main tribes in northern Thailand, migrated into Thailand from Burma within the past 100
yr. Most still live in the hills above 1,200 m and practice swidden agriculture. Health is a main theme of the Lahu culture
and they treat illness and injuries in a variety of ways. Traditional medicines derived from plants are usually employed first,
although modern medical treatment is becoming more widespread. Because of this, it appears that they may be losing their knowledge
of medicinal plants. Appendix 1 lists 68 different species and the medical use or uses of them by the Lahu. Appendix 2 lists
21 species not previously reported as having therapeutic value. Voucher specimens are deposited in ECON, WCW, JEPS.
Maize field weeds or agrestals are widely used in central Mexico as potherbs (quelites) and forage. This work presents quantitative
data on these uses from the village of San Bartolo del Llano, Municipio de Ixtlahuaca, Valley of Toluca, an area with a relatively
intensive, semicommercial agriculture. We interviewed 24 families of the village and 10 vendors at the market of Ixtlahuaca
regularly during one rainy season (1995) on type and quantity of weed use. Also, the weed vegetation was surveyed and we interviewed
49 farmers on their farming practices and on costs. All of the 74 weed species found in maize fields were useful as forage,
potherb, medicinal, or ornamental. Within the village, 11 species were eaten; an average family consumed 4.5 kg of wild potherbs
per month during the rainy season. In Ixtlahuaca, 2150 kg of 10 species were sold, worth 3054 pesos (US
611). For quantity and gross economic value, forage was much more important. On the average, 1 ha of maize field produced a harvest of 1.5 t of green forage, worth about 25 with forage weeds for stabled animals constitutes an interesting integrated farming system. The weeds increase the useful biomass of the field, improve nutrition of the farmers, do not reduce the yield of the main crop, as the fields are kept weed free during the critical period, and provide erosion control, shade, and green manure. < /div > < div class=bstract < a name=bs2 < /a > En el centro de México, las plantas arvenses son utilizadas ampliamente como verdura (quelite) o como forraje. Este trabajo presenta datos cuantitativos sobre éstos usos del pueblo de San Bartolo del Llano, Municipio de Ixtlahuaca, Valle de Toluca, una región con una agricultura intensiva y semi-comercial. Entrevistamos a 24 familias del pueblo y 10 vendedores de quelites en
In this paper, weed flora associated with small-scale farming in the semi-arid Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (Mexico) was investigated. The objectives were to describe weed floristic diversity, local uses, indigenous knowledge and farmers’ management as well as weed distribution in four different crop production systems along a gradient of agricultural management intensity. In total, 161 weed species belonging to 40 families and 103 genera were found, including three endemic species of the region. Approximately, 91.9% of all weed species had one or more uses, fodder being the most important one, followed by medicinal, edible and ornamental uses. The experience and knowledge of local farmers and the biodiversity of useful weed resources associated with a large variety of local crop production systems, indicated how small-scale tropical agriculture in a developing country may be compatible with in situ conservation of useful non-crop resources.
Agricultural intensification has led to a widespread decline in farmland biodiversity measured across many different taxa. The changes in agricultural practices affect many different aspects of the farmland habitat, but agricultural industry, policy and much previous research has tended to be concerned with specific sectors or practices (e.g. pesticide use or cereal husbandry). Here, we review the empirical literature to synthesize the research effort that has been directed to investigate specific practices or goals to make general statements regarding the causes and consequences of farmland biodiversity decline. We argue that the loss of ecological heterogeneity at multiple spatial and temporal scales is a universal consequence of multivariate agricultural intensification and, therefore, that future research should develop cross-cutting policy frameworks and management solutions that recreate that heterogeneity as the key to restoring and sustaining biodiversity in temperate agricultural systems.
The intensification and expansion of modern agriculture is amongst the greatest current threats to worldwide biodiversity. Over the last quarter of the 20th century, dramatic declines in both range and abundance of many species associated with farmland have been reported in Europe, leading to growing concern over the sustainability of current intensive farming practices. Purportedly ‘sustainable’ farming systems such as organic farming are now seen by many as a potential solution to this continued loss of biodiversity and receive substantial support in the form of subsidy payments through EU and national government legislation.
