Use of wood resources in central Argentina: a multivariate approach for the study of phytogeography and culture.

RODRÍGUEZ LÓPEZ, S.; ARIAS TOLEDO, B; GALETTO, L.

Ethnobotany Research & Applications

University of Hawaii Press

Lugar: Hawaii; Año: 2015 vol. 14 p. 381 - 392

Changes in land use and forest loss determine not onlythe loss of biodiversity, but the associated traditional ecologicalknowledge. Thus, knowing the several uses of forestresources by rural communities might help in guidingconservation efforts. We applied a multivariate approachto evaluate knowledge on uses of wood species?basedon environmental factors and participants? (N = 114) socioeconomiccharacteristics?in six rural communities ofCórdoba Province, Argentina, located in three differentphytogeographical areas. Older men with unstable jobsand low education represent the embodiment of thosewho know about wood resources. Although the multivariateanalysis suggests that socioeconomic factors are importantwhen determining the known uses of wood resourceswithin each area, environmental factors such asthe availability of species considerably contribute to thecharacterization of the different communities. Quantitativeanalysis, including the socioeconomic characterization ofhuman populations, might provide a valuable tool whenplanning policies for management and conservation of fuelwoodresources.