背景:野生食用植物(WFP)在全球各种土著社区的传统饮食习惯中起着重要作用,特别是在山区。为了了解食物偏好的动态,对食用植物的跨文化研究应在特定地区的不同种族群体中进行。在这种情况下,本研究调查了克什米尔喜马拉雅地区七个不同文化群体对WFP的使用情况。在这个领域,人们收集野生植物及其部分直接食用,传统食品,或在当地市场销售。尽管有这种依赖,食品系统的文件,特别是关于WFP,尤其缺乏。因此,我们的研究旨在记录WFP,以及相关的传统生态知识,并确定穆扎法拉巴德分部对其长期可持续性的主要威胁。
方法:通过问卷调查的综合方法,采访,焦点小组,和市场调查,我们收集了321名受访者的数据。使用R软件中的“factoextra”进行PCA分析威胁和植物使用。OriginPro被用来创建和弦图,而R软件用于生成极地热图。此外,使用生物信息学软件创建维恩图。
结果:该研究包括321名线人,其中男性占75.38%,女性占24.61%。总的来说,报告了来自74属和41个植物科的113个植物分类单元。Polysho科和玫瑰科占多数(各17种),其次是唇形科(7种)。叶是用作食物来源最多的部分(41.04%),其次是水果(33.33%)。大多数物种都是煮熟的(46.46%)和生零食(37.80%)。总共收集了47种植物,并煮熟为野菜,其次是40种用作水果。本研究首次描述了研究区WFP的市场潜力和生态分布。交叉比较表明,WFP的利用率在不同地区和社区之间差异显著,包括它们的可食用部分和消费方式。Jaccard指数(JI)值范围从5.81到25。此外,目前的研究描述了29种WFP和10种传统食品,这些在巴基斯坦的民族植物学文献中很少记录。气候变化,入侵物种,扩大农业,植物病害是研究区域WFP面临的最重大威胁。
结论:与年轻一代相比,年龄较大的人群对WFP的了解更多,他们对了解WFP的使用不感兴趣。年轻一代对有关WFP的信息缺乏兴趣可归因于他们在研究区域中进入市场的机会有限以及食品植物的可获得性。近年来,年轻一代减少了传统的食用植物采集;因此,制定有效的保护策略至关重要。这些努力不仅保护土著植物,食品知识,文化遗产,但他们也有助于粮食安全和公共卫生利用当地野生食品在检查地区。
BACKGROUND: Wild food plants (WFPs) play an important role in the traditional dietary habits of various indigenous communities worldwide, particularly in mountainous regions. To understand the dynamics of food preferences, cross-cultural studies on food plants should be conducted across diverse ethnic groups in a given area. In this context, the current study investigated the use of WFPs by seven different cultural groups in the Kashmir Himalayan Region. In this area, people gather wild plants and their parts for direct consumption, traditional foods, or sale in local markets. Despite this reliance, documentation of the food system, especially concerning WFPs, is notably lacking. Hence, our research aimed to document WFPs, along with associated traditional ecological knowledge, and identify major threats to their long-term sustainability in Division Muzaffarabad.
METHODS: Through a comprehensive approach involving questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and market surveys, we gathered data from 321 respondents. PCA was performed to analyze threats and plant use using \"factoextra\" in R software. Origin Pro was used to create a chord diagram, while R software was used to generate a Polar heat map. Additionally, a Venn diagram was created using Bioinformatics software.
RESULTS: The study included 321 informants, of whom 75.38% were men and 24.61% were women. In total, 113 plant taxa from 74 genera and 41 botanical families were reported. Polygonaceae and Rosaceae accounted for the majority (17 species each), followed by Lamiaceae (7 species). Leaves were the most used part as food sources (41.04%), followed by fruits (33.33%). Most of the species are consumed as cooked (46.46%) and as raw snacks (37.80%). A total of 47 plant species were collected and cooked as wild vegetables, followed by 40 species used as fruits. This study is the first to describe the market potential and ecological distribution of WFPs in the study area. Cross-comparison showed that utilization of WFPs varies significantly across the region and communities, including their edible parts and mode of consumption. Jaccard index (JI) value ranged from 5.81 to 25. Furthermore, the current study describes 29 WFPs and 10 traditional food dishes that have rarely been documented in Pakistan\'s ethnobotanical literature. Climate change, invasive species, expansion of agriculture, and plant diseases are some of the most significant threats to WFPs in the study area.
CONCLUSIONS: The older age group has more knowledge about WFPs compared to the younger generation, who are not interested in learning about the utilization of WFPs. This lack of interest in information about WFPs among the younger generation can be attributed to their limited access to markets and availability of food plants in the study area. Traditional gathering of food plants has been reduced in younger generations during recent years; therefore, it is crucial to develop effective conservation strategies. These efforts not only safeguard indigenous flora, food knowledge, and cultural heritage, but they also contribute to food security and public health by utilizing local wild foods in the examined area.