Riqueza e conservação, associadas aos usos múltiplos, das espécies vegetais em quilombos da Baixada Maranhense

Abstract

The great biological and cultural diversity of Brazil has driven research on human societies and their cultural, ecological, and symbolic interactions with plants through Ethnobotany. These studies enable sampling the biological richness of an area, evaluating the model of resource use, and understanding the influence of socioeconomic factors and environmental changes on species availability. In Maranhão, these approaches are still underdeveloped in ecological and botanical studies. Thus, considering the Baixada Maranhense area, which is part of the Amazon Biome and has the largest number of quilombola communities in the State, this work aimed to understand, through ethnobotanical and floristic studies, the plant richness, the forms of species use, and the influences of environmental and socioeconomic factors on the knowledge of the flora in quilombola communities in the municipality of Anajatuba. Therefore, semi-structured interviews and free listing were conducted between 2022 and 2023 with 75 families from the rural quilombo of Queluz to identify known species and perceived abundance. Generalized Linear Models were used to relate perceived abundance with the multifunctionality, versatility, and salience of species by usage category. The importance of the proximity of food resources to residences and the versatility of medicinal and timber species was noted as a crucial criterion for plant selection. The highest collection risks were identified for timber species. Seeking to compare Queluz's reality with that of the São Benedito quilombo, subjected to a higher level of urbanization, floristic collections were conducted in the communities' reserve areas and 138 interviews in São Benedito. The data were analyzed for richness and similarity (X² and Jaccard), perception of abundance, and versatility (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney). The quilombos showed similarity in the richness and similarity of medicinal and food species but differences in timber species. The perception of abundance differs for food species, which are more available in urban markets. The use of shared species reflects a historical tradition, indicating sustainable practices and adaptation to local needs. The importance of quilombola communities in the conservation and maintenance of the areas is highlighted, demonstrating the cultural and environmental influence on their plant use practices