Ethnoecology, Resource Use, Conservation And Development In A ...

4.7 Biodiversity Use: the synecology of Wapishana subsistence
4.7.1 Use of animals
A systematic overview of animal use was achieved in interviews on ethnozoological
nomenclature (see chapter 6.1). In these interviews, I elicited a total of 378 named
terminal categories in the animal kingdom. Of these, 169 were normally included in
the category 'wunii', meaning ‘animals eaten by people’, and are thus considered
edible. A few species of animal, both edible and non-edible, have medicinal or
symbolic uses, but these are few in number and not often used, and the ecological
effects of this type of usage are probably minor. I recorded such uses for nine
Wapishana animal categories not normally considered edible, meaning that a total of
47 percent of animal categories named in the Wapishana language have direct human
uses.
As previous sections of this chapter indicate, actual use of animal species is for
the most part restricted to a relatively small number of those species considered
edible. However, some of the species consumed less regularly may be important for
particular people or groups, seasonally, in the provision of micronutrients or as
reserve sources of animal food at times of food stress or when other sources are not
available.
4.7.2 Use of plants
Further data on plants use was collected using ethnobotanical survey plots, which
were established at a number of sites in the forest. Within these plots information
was recorded on the floristic composition (in terms of Wapishana ethnobotanical
categories), and the Wapishana researchers involved also recorded information on the
uses of the trees located within. In addition, I recorded much information on plant use
on an ad hoc basis, based upon my observations and the statements of collaborators
in other areas of the research programme.
Ethnobotanical survey plots included a total of 199 plant categories of tree
habit. The researchers involved knew uses for 144 of these, and uses for five more
were provided by other informants. The statements of other informants also
corroborated many of the observations recorded in connection with the plot surveys,
and the small number of additional uses recorded suggests that the majority of this
information is widely known. In addition, other informants provided the names of a
further 56 segregates not encountered in the survey plots, 51 of which were ascribed
uses. A total of 315 different uses were recorded for these 195 useful segregates.