Arribes Del Duero Research Articles

Evil Eye and Magic Plants in the Arribes del Duero (Salamanca-Zamora, Spain): A Review of the Literature

We performed a review of the literature referring to the existence of plant remedies against the evil eye in the Arribes del Duero (western part of the provinces of Salamanca and Zamora, CW Spain), an area very isolated up to the mid-twentieth century. A total of 20 vascular plant species are mentioned. The preventive remedies are in particular associated with key moments in the religious calendar. On Palm Sunday, bunches made of olive tree, laurel and/or rosemary are blessed and then placed on window sills to protect people’s homes, and during the celebration of St. John’s Bonfire aromatic plants are burned. The traditional use of plants to repel witches, such as those plants being hung behind the doors of houses and stables, and the rituals for curing people, animals and even possessions were also compiled.

Traditional plant-based remedies to control insect vectors of disease in the Arribes del Duero (western Spain): An ethnobotanical study

Ethnopharmacological relevanceIn several Spanish rural communities, simple and effective plant-based remedies are employed for the control of vector-borne diseases. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and usage custom of traditional insect control in the Arribes del Duero–ARD–(Salamanca-Zamora, W Spain). Materials and methodsBetween 2005 and 2009, 116 semi-structured interviews of 80 non-specialist people (44 men and 36 women; mean age, 72) were conducted. This community was located in the Arribes del Duero Natural Park, representative of a highly heterogeneous Mediterranean landscape with a strong decline in the population and a significant proportion (almost 40%) age 65 or greater. We calculated the cultural importance for each species cited. To analyze how traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) varies with the characteristics of the informants, we performed an ANCOVA. Results and conclusionsWe documented the traditional use of 22 vascular plants as remedies to prevent or treat external parasites, and control mosquitoes, flies and other nuisance insects. There were described 27 plant remedies, of which 16 (59%) continue to be in use, including basil (Ocimum basilicum L. and Ocimum minimum L.) as a repellent for mosquitoes and houseflies. Most of the plant species contain phenols and/or terpenoids, and in several investigations bioassays have been performed to test their repellent and/or insecticidal properties. Three taxa (Ballota nigra L., Cicer arietinum L. and Ocimum minimum) have not been tested and these may offer excellent natural remedies. As well as allowing the discovery of new chemical compounds with insecticidal activity, this traditional knowledge may be paramount in the control of potential populations of vectors of emerging diseases in the Mediterranean region without harming the environment.

Ethnoveterinary medicine in the Arribes del Duero, western Spain

Currently, traditional ethnoveterinary practices are rare in Europe and the plants used previously have been replaced by the modern drugs used by national veterinary services. However, in some rural areas of the Mediterranean basin these traditional practices persist. Here we analyze the plant resources still used, or that have been used up until recently, for the treatment of the health and comfort of animals in a region in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, the Arribes del Duero. We document the use of 84 species, belonging to 39 families (with a total of 2243 use-reports), and 62 herbal remedies based on the use of a single plant species (43) and cited by at least three independent informants. The veterinary use of the Ranunculaceae Clematis campaniflora is reported for the first time. We also identify several plants used as bedding or fodder for livestock and discuss the relevance of some toxic plants and some "magical-curative" aspects reported in the territory.

The consumption of wild and semi-domesticated edible plants in the Arribes del Duero (Salamanca-Zamora, Spain): an analysis of traditional knowledge

The collection and consumption of wild (including naturalized) and semi-domesticated (cultivated and reverted to wild status, and neglected cultivated plants for food) edible plants in the rural communities of the Arribes del Duero (western Spain), a highly heterogeneous Mediterranean agroecosystem, were analysed. Through semi-structured interviews with 80 informants, data on the gathering, preparation and consumption of 76 wild edible plant species were acquired. To analyze how traditional knowledge varies with the characteristics of the informants, we performed an ANCOVA. The “age” variable was found to have a significant effect. The most frequently cited species in the study area (i.e. Rubus ulmifolius, Foeniculum vulgare, Quercus ilex, Laurus nobilis, Origanum vulgare) are widely consumed in the Mediterranean region. Also, from a cluster analysis it was observed that the grouping succession this territory matches those of analysed areas of the Iberian southwest. Certain species have traditionally been consumed as an important supplement to the diet, particularly during food shortages (i.e. Rumex induratus, Chondrilla juncea). Several species are ethnobotanical novelties, among which are Erodium botrys and Astragalus pelecinus, whose immature fruits are eaten raw as a snack. Some ecological and cultural aspects of the gathering of wild plants for food are discussed.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants traditionally used in the Arribes del Duero, western Spain

Aim of the study We studied traditional knowledge (TK) and current uses of medicinal plants among the inhabitants of the Arribes del Duero–ARD–(Spain), documenting traditional medical practices. Materials and methods We interviewed 80 key informants (44 men and 36 women). Their average age was 72 years (range 48–98 years). We calculated the cultural importance for each species cited. To analyze how TK varies with the characteristics of the different informants, we performed an ANCOVA, taking the number of use-reports (URs) provided by each informant as a variable to model, and age and gender as explanatory variables. Results and conclusions 156 medicinal remedies were recorded; they were based on a single species and were cited by at least three independent informants, and half of them are still in use today. These remedies are related to nine major organ systems and 54 therapeutic uses, and 70 species (belonging to 39 families) are used, most of which are herbs (64%). The most relevant family is the Lamiaceae (23 remedies, 8 species) and the species employed in the greatest number of remedies (8) is Urtica dioica L. However, the taxon with the greatest cultural value is Hypericum perforatum L. (CI = 0.71). 31% of the variability of the TK can be explained in terms of the age and gender of the informants ( R 2 = 0.315), the age factor having a positive effect. Most of the remedies are related to the treatment of unimportant ailments, referring to disorders of the skin, and the respiratory and digestive systems. The leaves and fruits are the most frequently sought plant parts (40 and 17% of the plants mentioned, respectively), and infusions (34%) and decoctions (28%) are the main methods used for preparing the remedies. Likewise, we recorded remedies based on plant mixtures and ethnomedicinal novelties or rare uses, and comment on the influence exerted by superstition. Currently, many people preserve a rich TK about medicinal plants, and it may be affirmed that the folk medicine is still very much alive in the ARD, above all as regards the treatment of certain common afflictions or unimportant ailments.

Evolution of the landscape as a response of a demographic change. A case study in the Duero riverside, Spain

The Arribes del Duero area, in western Spain, at the border with Portugal, is suffering a drastic change in the landscape, as a response of the diminution of population. Traditional tasks related to agriculture have been abandoned, and heavy sheep farming on the area is provoking the impoverishment of soils. The effect derived from these actions is the disintegration of the terraces, which are one of the major attractions for tourists visiting the region. We propose that incentives for local people could help to develop those traditional labours to recover the landscape, together with the promotion of immigration of families with school-age children, could bring back the economy to the area.

Diversity and Biogeographical Significance of Solitary Wasps (Chrysididae, Eumeninae, and Spheciformes) at the Arribes del Duero Natural Park, Spain: Their Importance for Insect Diversity Conservation in the Mediterranean Region

Between 1997 and 2005, a study was made of the Chrysididae, Eumeninae, and Spheciformes wasps in the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Provinces of Salamanca and Zamora, western Spain), a highly heterogeneous Mediterranean landscape. We collected, respectively, 127, 57, and 230 species of these groups, constituting approximately 50% of the species known for the Iberian Peninsula. The inventory was fairly complete according to the final slope of the species accumulation curves. From a biogeographic point of view, the predominant elements of the Arribes del Duero fauna are Mediterranean in the broad sense, together with a high percentage of species of Euro-Atlantic distribution. The proportion of endemic species obtained is similar to those known for the whole of the Iberian Peninsula. The species endemic to the northern subplateau and to the southwestern quadrant predominate. The Arribes del Duero territory is the northern limit of the distribution of some Iberian-Maghrebine species, although it is also the southern limit of species widely distributed throughout central and northern Europe. The Atlantic influence in the territory has facilitated the persistence of some species, with an Atlantic or sub-Atlantic distribution, related in particular to riparian forests. This space constitutes a large eco-corridor that joins the north of the Peninsula to the south, linking communities corresponding to the Eurosiberian and Mediterranean biogeographic regions and to territories encompassed within the Temperate and Mediterranean macrobioclimates. Thus, because of its geographic situation and extensive latitudinal range, together with the fact that it has a good representation of European biodiversity, the Arribes del Duero Park is proposed as a priority area for insect diversity conservation in the Mediterranean region.

Agromorphological characterization of traditional Spanish sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) and duke cherry (Prunus x gondouinii Rehd.) cultivars

Thirty-one traditional cultivars (26 sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), four duke cherry (Prunus x gondouinii Rehd.), and one sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.)) from Sierra de Francia and Arribes del Duero in Central-Western Spain were surveyed and characterized agromorphologically. A total of 37 descriptors, mainly defined by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants were used to describe flowers, leaves, fruits and the tree itself over a 3 consecutive years. This made possible the unequivocal identification of 25 cultivars. A dendrogram gave a clear separation between the sour, duke and sweet cherry cultivars and showed existing synonymies and homonymies. This work is an important step in the conservation of genetic cherry resources in the province of Salamanca (Spain), which show distinctive and interesting agronomical characters such as low susceptibility to fruit cracking, high levels of soluble solids, early fruit maturity and great rusticity.

Two New Species of <I>Hesperotyphlus</I> (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Leptotyphlinae) from Arribes del Duero, Spain, and Keys to <I>H</I>. <I>besucheti</I> and <I>H</I>. <I>beirensis</I> Species Groups

Two new species of the edaphic genus Hesperotyphlus Coiffait are described from the Natural Park of Arribes del Duero in western Spain. Based on characteristic of its labrum and aedeagus, H. mendezferrini n. sp. belongs to the H. besucheti Coiffait species group, whereas H. zarazagai n. sp. is included in the H. beirensis Coiffait species group. Male and female genitalia are described and illustrated for both new species, and the relations of each taxon to its respective species groups are discussed. Keys for the groups of species of H. besucheti and H. beirensis are provided. The two new species were found in leaf litter of Mediterranean deciduous forests composed of Quercus pyrenaica Willdenow or Q. faginea Lamarck (Fagaceae), and they occurred together in one of the sampling localities. RESUMEN. Se describen dos especies del género edáfico Hesperotyphlus Coiffait, procedentes del Parque Natural de los Arribes del Duero (oeste de España). Debido a las características de su labro y edeago, H. mendezferrini n. sp. pertenece al grupo de especies de H. besucheti Coiffait, mientras que H. zarazagai n. sp. se incluye en el grupo de H. beirensis Coiffait. Se describen e ilustran las genitalia masculina y femenina de los dos nuevos taxones y se discuten las relaciones con las especies de sus respectivos grupos. Se aportan claves para las especies de los grupos de H. besucheti y H. beirensis. Las dos especies nuevas se encontraron en hojarasca de bosques mediterráneos caducifolios compuestos de Quercus pyrenaica Willdenow o Q. faginea Lamarck [Fagaceae], y viven juntas en una de las localidades de muestreo.

Plantas empleadas como combustible en el Espacio Natural de Arribes del Duero (Salamanca-Zamora, España)

En este trabajo se documenta y analiza el conocimiento tradicional relativo al uso de diferentes plantas como recurso para el encendido y la iluminacion, como lena para diferentes fines (hogar, hornos, etc.) y para la elaboracion de carbon vegetal por los habitantes de Arribes del Duero (Salamanca-Zamora, Espana). Se ha entrevistado a 80 personas (44 hombres y 36 mujeres; rango de edades, 45�98 anos; media, 72), que usan, o usaron un pasado reciente, 39 plantas vasculares (incluidas en 19 familias botanicas) como combustible. En todos los casos dichas plantas fueron explotadas de manera sostenible. Se han realizado los calculos necesarios para conocer la importancia cultural (CI) de cada especie. Los dos taxones mas importantes son: Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp. (CI = 0,90) y Cytisus multiflorus (L�Her.) Sweet (CI = 0,84).