Ethnobotanical knowledge in rural communities of Cordoba (Argentine): the significance of cultural and biogeographical factors

ARIAS TOLEDO, B.; GALETTO, L. Y COLANTONIO, S.

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine

Biomed

Año: 2009 vol. 5 p. 40 - 48

1746-4269

Background: The possibility to better understand the relationships within the men, the natureand their culture has extreme importance because allows the characterisation of social systemsthrough their particular environmental perception, and provides useful tools for the developmentof conservation policies.Methods: The present study was planned to disentangle environmental and cultural factors thatare influencing the perception, knowledge and uses of edible and medicinal plants in ruralcommunities of Cordoba (Argentina). Interviews an participant observation were conducted innine rural communities located in three different biogeographical areas. Data about knowledge ofmedicinal and edible plants and sociocultural variables were obtained. Data were analysed byPrincipal Components Analysis (PCA).Results: The analysis of data confirmed that medicinal species are widely used whereas theknowledge on edible plants is eroding. The PCA showed four groups of communities, defined byseveral particular combinations of sociocultural and/or natural variables.Conclusion: This comprehensive approach suggests that in general terms the culturalenvironment has a stronger influence than the natural environment on the use of medicinal andedible plants in rural communities of Cordoba (Argentina).