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Functional Traits Drive the Selection of Plant Species Used by Agropastoralists in the Brazilian Semiarid Region

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Abstract

Biodiversity is crucial for human well-being and sustenance, especially for rural communities that directly depend on plant resources. We investigated the plant selection process among rural communities in the Brazilian semiarid region. We aimed to understand how these communities choose plants for various functions, including fuel, construction, and forage. We hypothesized that people’s choices are influenced by specific functional plant traits, leading them to select the most suitable species for each purpose. Our results support this hypothesis, as they showed that agropastoralists base their plant choices on functional traits that correspond to their needs. For instance, wood density, which is directly linked to wood durability, plays a key role in selecting plants for fuel and construction. By integrating ethnobotany and functional ecology, this study highlights the connection between functional plant traits and Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK), and thus contributes to a deeper understanding of the nuanced bond between humans and biodiversity. This allowed us to identify functional plant traits that guide plant selection in the Caatinga and probably also in other semiarid tropical regions worldwide. Based on our results, we conclude that functional plant traits play a critical role in decision-making for the selection of plant species for different primary uses.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the agropastoralists of the study region for sharing their knowledge and their kind disposition that made this study possible. Wendell F. S. Gaudêncio and Maria Talia provided support during fieldwork, Fernanda Kelly da Silva assisted with the processing of satellite images and NDVI calculation, José Iranildo Miranda de Melo helped with species identification, Arleu Barbosa Viana Junior helped with data analysis and proofread a previous version, and Mayana R. Eneas helped in preparing Fig. 5. MBR and KMP acknowledge the Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Estado da Paraíba (FAPESq) for granting research scholarships. SFL thanks CNPq for a productivity grant. MGRM, SSC, and SMS are grateful to Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for study scholarships.

Funding

This study was funded by grants Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) (no 42 490/2018–6) e Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa -UEPB (2.05.03.00–8-375 / 2017–1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Ecologia Neotropical, Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Bairro Universitário, Campina Grande, Paraíba, 58429-500, Brazil

    Maiara Bezerra Ramos, Sonaly Silva da Cunha, Maria Gracielle Rodrigues Maciel, Kamila Marques Pedrosa & Sérgio de Faria Lopes

  2. Laboratório de Fisiologia Vegetal, Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 31.270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 6627, Brazil

    Humberto Araújo de Almeida

  3. Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico

    Jorge A. Meave

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  1. Maiara Bezerra Ramos
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  2. Humberto Araújo de Almeida
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  4. Maria Gracielle Rodrigues Maciel
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  7. Sérgio de Faria Lopes
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Contributions

MBR: investigation, conceptualization, data acquisition (field work), data analysis, writing—original draft preparation, visualization, writing—review and editing, project administration. HAA: investigation, conceptualization, data analysis, writing—original draft preparation, visualization, writing—review and editing. MGRM, SSC, and KMP investigation, conceptualization, data acquisition (field work), data analysis, writing—review and editing. JAM: conceptualization, data analysis, visualization, writing—original draft preparation, writing—review and editing. SFL: conceptualization, data analysis, funding acquisition, supervision, project administration, visualization, writing—review and editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maiara Bezerra Ramos.

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Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Centro Universitário UNIFACISA (appraisal no: 010713/2019; certificate of presentation for ethical review no. 07564918.2.0000.5175). Before starting data collection in situ, we explained our research objectives to the interviewees and made clear to them that all information would be treated confidentially. We did this to get their consent before conducting the interviews and also to establish a relationship of trust with them. We obtained oral consent from those who agreed to participate, and later they signed the free and informed consent form.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Ramos, M.B., de Almeida, H.A., da Cunha, S.S. et al. Functional Traits Drive the Selection of Plant Species Used by Agropastoralists in the Brazilian Semiarid Region. Econ Bot 78, 81–98 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-023-09596-5

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