Shifting Herbal Knowledge: The Ecological and Cultural Dynamics Behind Plant Use Changes in the Southern Occitan Alps
This study examines changes in medicinal and wild food plant knowledge in the Alpine Southern Occitan area, focusing on temporal and cultural shifts. Drawing from ethnobotanical data from the Maira Valley (1970, 2022), Stura Valley (2004), and Grana Valley (2011), we explore dynamics in plant use an...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/3/367 |
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| author | Mousaab Alrhmoun Naji Sulaiman Andrea Pieroni |
| author_facet | Mousaab Alrhmoun Naji Sulaiman Andrea Pieroni |
| author_sort | Mousaab Alrhmoun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines changes in medicinal and wild food plant knowledge in the Alpine Southern Occitan area, focusing on temporal and cultural shifts. Drawing from ethnobotanical data from the Maira Valley (1970, 2022), Stura Valley (2004), and Grana Valley (2011), we explore dynamics in plant use and how they may have been generated by ecological, socio-economic, and cultural changes. A total of 308 plant taxa were recorded, with notable declines in Asteraceae and Lamiaceae utilizations by 2022, suggesting a remarkable erosion of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Conversely, the use of families like Brassicaceae and Amaranthaceae increased, possibly due to socio-economic factors. This study also found in recent years a decrease in medicinal plant uses and a greater reliance on food system-related plants. Logistic regression models highlighted altitude (600–1600 masl) as a key factor in plant diversity use, with older participants showing more diverse ethnobotanical knowledge. This study underscores the resilience and transformation of plant knowledge in response to socio-economic and environmental changes in the Alpine area. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e61d5a7384f44536aaafbd8ca6b2e33f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-e61d5a7384f44536aaafbd8ca6b2e33f2025-08-20T02:12:29ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-01-0114336710.3390/plants14030367Shifting Herbal Knowledge: The Ecological and Cultural Dynamics Behind Plant Use Changes in the Southern Occitan AlpsMousaab Alrhmoun0Naji Sulaiman1Andrea Pieroni2University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, ItalyUniversity of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, ItalyUniversity of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, ItalyThis study examines changes in medicinal and wild food plant knowledge in the Alpine Southern Occitan area, focusing on temporal and cultural shifts. Drawing from ethnobotanical data from the Maira Valley (1970, 2022), Stura Valley (2004), and Grana Valley (2011), we explore dynamics in plant use and how they may have been generated by ecological, socio-economic, and cultural changes. A total of 308 plant taxa were recorded, with notable declines in Asteraceae and Lamiaceae utilizations by 2022, suggesting a remarkable erosion of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Conversely, the use of families like Brassicaceae and Amaranthaceae increased, possibly due to socio-economic factors. This study also found in recent years a decrease in medicinal plant uses and a greater reliance on food system-related plants. Logistic regression models highlighted altitude (600–1600 masl) as a key factor in plant diversity use, with older participants showing more diverse ethnobotanical knowledge. This study underscores the resilience and transformation of plant knowledge in response to socio-economic and environmental changes in the Alpine area.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/3/367cultural landscapeecological driversethnobotanymountain communitiesethnoecologytemporal changes |
| spellingShingle | Mousaab Alrhmoun Naji Sulaiman Andrea Pieroni Shifting Herbal Knowledge: The Ecological and Cultural Dynamics Behind Plant Use Changes in the Southern Occitan Alps Plants cultural landscape ecological drivers ethnobotany mountain communities ethnoecology temporal changes |
| title | Shifting Herbal Knowledge: The Ecological and Cultural Dynamics Behind Plant Use Changes in the Southern Occitan Alps |
| title_full | Shifting Herbal Knowledge: The Ecological and Cultural Dynamics Behind Plant Use Changes in the Southern Occitan Alps |
| title_fullStr | Shifting Herbal Knowledge: The Ecological and Cultural Dynamics Behind Plant Use Changes in the Southern Occitan Alps |
| title_full_unstemmed | Shifting Herbal Knowledge: The Ecological and Cultural Dynamics Behind Plant Use Changes in the Southern Occitan Alps |
| title_short | Shifting Herbal Knowledge: The Ecological and Cultural Dynamics Behind Plant Use Changes in the Southern Occitan Alps |
| title_sort | shifting herbal knowledge the ecological and cultural dynamics behind plant use changes in the southern occitan alps |
| topic | cultural landscape ecological drivers ethnobotany mountain communities ethnoecology temporal changes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/3/367 |
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