Traditional Knowledge and Management of Caryocar coriaceum Wittm. (Pequi) in the Brazilian Savanna, Northeastern Brazil1

• Published in: Economic botany Vol. 67; no. 3; pp. 225 - 233
• Main Authors: Sousa Júnior, José Ribamar, Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino, Peroni, Nivaldo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-09-2013
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Life Sciences; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Ecology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; local knowledge; NTFP; Ethnobotany; local management
• ISSN: 0013-0001; 1874-9364
• DOI: 10.1007/s12231-013-9241-8

Traditional Knowledge and Management of
Caryocar coriaceum
Wittm. (
Pequi
) in the Brazilian Savanna, Northeastern Brazil
Caryocar coriaceum
Wittm. (
pequi
) is a tree native to northeastern Brazil that produces fruits of importance to human populations of the region. This species serves as a resource for the livelihoods of many people and represents a source of income in many rural communities in northeastern Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, use, collection practices, and forms of local management related to
C
.
coriaceum
in a rural community in the state of Ceará, Chapada do Araripe, northeast Brazil.
Pequi
collectors were identified and constituted the sample of respondents (N = 56). The knowledge of
C
.
coriaceum
is uniformly distributed in the community. The categories food and derivatives (oil) were the most relevant. Considering all use categories, there was a significant difference between the knowledge of men and women (p <0.05, 95% confidence interval) based on the Shannon-Wiener and Hurlbert’s PIE diversity indices. The main form of management applied to
pequi
trees was collection of its fruits, followed by the practice locally referred to as
zelar
(similar to the management practice “protection”) and sowing seeds. All of the informants stated that they commercialize
pequi
fruits. The mean income from fruit sales is less than the mean income obtained via selling
pequi
oil, as the latter product is of greater commercial value. Among the nine most relevant collection sites,
Barreiro Novo
(savanna) was highlighted, which is part of both a protected area and the anthropogenic landscape of the region, and has great economic and cultural importance for
pequi
collectors.