Exotic Plants Used by the Hmong in Thailand

Adaptive ecological knowledge among the Ndjuka Maroons of French Guiana; a case study of two 'invasive species': Melaleuca quinquenervia and Acacia mangium

BACKGROUND

To understand how local ecological knowledge changes and adapts, here in the case of the recent introduction of plant species, we report the knowledge and perceptions of the Ndjuka (Maroon) of French Guiana concerning two tree species, Acacia mangium and niaouli (Melaleuca quinquenervia), which are categorized as "invasive alien plants" in the savannas of their territory.

METHODS

To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted between April and July 2022, using a pre-designed questionnaire, plant samples and photographs. The uses, local ecological knowledge, and representations of these species were surveyed among populations of Maroon origin in western French Guiana. All responses to closed questions collected during the field survey were compiled into an Excel spreadsheet in order to perform quantitative analyses, including the calculation of use reports (URs).

RESULTS

It appears that the local populations have integrated these two plant species, which are named, used and even traded, into their knowledge systems. On the other hand, neither foreignness nor invasiveness seem to be relevant concepts in the perspective of the informants. The usefulness of these plants is the determining factor of their integration into the Ndjuka medicinal flora, thus resulting in the adaptation of their local ecological knowledge.

CONCLUSION

In addition to highlighting the need for the integration of the discourse of local stakeholders into the management of "invasive alien species," this study also allows us to observe the forms of adaptation that are set in motion by the arrival of a new species, particularly within populations that are themselves the result of recent migrations. Our results furthermore indicate that such adaptations of local ecological knowledge can occur very quickly.

Genome-wide allele and haplotype-sharing patterns suggested one unique Hmong-Mein-related lineage and biological adaptation history in Southwest China

BACKGROUND

Fine-scale genetic structure of ethnolinguistically diverse Chinese populations can fill the gap in the missing diversity and evolutionary landscape of East Asians, particularly for anthropologically informed Chinese minorities. Hmong-Mien (HM) people were one of the most significant indigenous populations in South China and Southeast Asia, which were suggested to be the descendants of the ancient Yangtze rice farmers based on linguistic and archeological evidence. However, their deep population history and biological adaptative features remained to be fully characterized.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the evolutionary and adaptive characteristics of the Miao people, we genotyped genome-wide SNP data in Guizhou HM-speaking populations and merged it with modern and ancient reference populations via a comprehensive population genetic analysis and evolutionary admixture modeling.

RESULTS

The overall genetic admixture landscape of Guizhou Miao showed genetic differentiation between them and other linguistically diverse Guizhou populations. Admixture models further confirmed that Miao people derived their primary ancestry from geographically close Guangxi Gaohuahua people. The estimated identity by descent and effective population size confirmed a plausible population bottleneck, contributing to their unique genetic diversity and population structure patterns. We finally identified several natural selection candidate genes associated with several biological pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Guizhou Miao possessed a specific genetic structure and harbored a close genetic relationship with geographically close southern Chinese indigenous populations and Guangxi historical people. Miao people derived their major ancestry from geographically close Guangxi Gaohuahua people and experienced a plausible population bottleneck which contributed to the unique pattern of their genetic diversity and structure. Future ancient DNA from Shijiahe and Qujialing will provide new insights into the origin of the Miao people.

Very High Food Plant Diversity among Ethnic Groups in Northern Thailand

The combination of the high biodiversity and many ethnicities in Thailand results in extensive ethnobotanical studies, especially in the northern part of the country. Here we have assembled 7620 records from 60 references regarding how plants are used for food among 14 ethnicities in northern Thailand. The uses are based on 1182 different plant species. Vegetables are the most common food category, which contributed more than 60% of all use-reports and involved nearly 900 species. This was followed by the dessert fruit category, which included about 350 species and over 1800 use-reports. The similarity among the different ethnicities was low and the number of uses and species recorded among different ethnicities were significantly related to the number of studies that had been conducted for each group. This implies that additional ethnobotanical studies are still needed in order to conserve and compile the valuable traditional knowledge related to food plants. Many exotic species are now an important part of traditional knowledge, whereas rare endemic species are uncommon among wild food plants. This situation leads to a loss of traditional knowledge about food plants and reduced awareness of their importance. As a key to using this great reservoir of food for local people, traditional knowledge related to local wild food plants can contribute to the zero-hunger goal of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). More studies on the nutrient content and health properties of these plants could lead to the development of new crops to meet present consumer demands.