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© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Wild edible trees (WETs) play an important role in the diet of many rural communities. Therefore, research on their use and management is important to support both food sovereignty and local conservation of biocultural resources. We evaluated the different uses of WETs by the community of Zacualpan, Colima, in western Mexico, through 32 semi-structured interviews registering the species richness, plant parts consumed, and non-food uses. Additional information was collected on their management, availability, and forms of preparation. We used a cultural salience index to determine the food importance of the WETs mentioned. We registered 33 edible tree species (26 wild, 3 native crops, and 4 exotic crops) that were most commonly consumed as fruits or seeds. WETs were also used for fuel, live fences, timber, handicrafts, medicine, shade, fodder, poles, utensils, construction, tanning, soap, and paper. Pithecellobium dulce had the highest food salience, followed by Spondias purpurea, Leucaena esculenta, Leucaena leucocephala, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, and Jacaratia mexicana. Salient wild trees were collected in the wild and promoted in agroforestry systems. These trees provided food during the dry season and also had the highest number of additional uses. Promoting the biocultural value of WETs and their sustainable use can favor ecosystem conservation and local food sovereignty.

Details

Title
Multiple Uses of Wild Edible Trees by a Nahua-Origin Community in Western Mexico
Author
Pacheco-Flores, Alana 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ortega-Álvarez, Rubén 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Carrillo-Galván, María Guadalupe 2 ; Cach-Pérez, Manuel J 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ruiz-Villarreal, Emanuel 4 ; Casas, Alejandro 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, Morelia 58190, Michoacán, Mexico; Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad de Posgrado, Edificio D, 1° Piso, Circuito de Posgrados, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico; Jardín Etnobiológico La Campana, Villa de Álvarez 28977, Colima, Mexico; [email protected] (M.G.C.-G.); [email protected] (E.R.-V.) 
 Jardín Etnobiológico La Campana, Villa de Álvarez 28977, Colima, Mexico; [email protected] (M.G.C.-G.); [email protected] (E.R.-V.); Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Centro de Estudios e Investigación en Biocultura, Agroecología, Ambiente y Salud Unidad Colima, Centro Universitario de Gestión Ambiental y Ecoparque Nogueras, Hacienda Nogueras s/n, Comala 28454, Colima, Mexico; Programa Investigadoras e Investigadores Por México, Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías, Av. Insurgentes Sur 1582, Col. Crédito Constructor, Ciudad de México 03940, Mexico 
 El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Villahermosa, Carretera a Reforma Km. 15.5 s/n, Guineo 2da. Sección, Villahermosa 86280, Tabasco, Mexico; [email protected] 
 Jardín Etnobiológico La Campana, Villa de Álvarez 28977, Colima, Mexico; [email protected] (M.G.C.-G.); [email protected] (E.R.-V.) 
 Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, Morelia 58190, Michoacán, Mexico 
First page
3334
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
22237747
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3144141876
Copyright
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.