Utilisation and conservation strategies for plant resources in tropical montane agroecosystems: A case study from Xishuangbanna, SW China

Abstract

On-farm conservation of plant diversity in traditional agroecosystems has been promoted, whereas indigenous knowledge of timber and NTFPs, either for direct consumption or for income generation, has decreased among forest dwellers because of modernisation, underestimation of their value, and lack of awareness. The internal heterogeneity of agroecosystems and links between agrobiodiversity and peasant livelihood strategies have been little explored. We studied utilisation and on-farm conservation strategies for both wild and cultivated plants consumed in tropical montane agroecosystems in a Hani nationality village, Daka, Xishuangbanna, SW China. We undertook a botanical survey in 99 plots together with annual questionnaire interviews with 60% of households from 1998 to 2005. For wild plants, the main uses are for ethnomedicine (53.4%), wood (13.5%) and as vegetables (6.8%). For cultivated plants, the main uses are for ethnomedicine (27.9%), as vegetables (19.2%) and as ornamentals (16.3%). Households often use low-quality timber species because of deforestation. The proportion of fuelwood collected from fallow land has declined continuously, whereas collection of rubber branches and Cassia siamea plantations have increased. The origin and changes in cultivated species in homegardens, swidden fields and rubber plantations were analysed. Indigenous knowledge of plant resources has decreased, with habitat loss and substitution for exotic species, which have a double-edged impact on biodiversity conservation. Management regulations and on-farm conservation strategies for native plant resources are discussed.