Resumo

CABRERA-PEREZ, Samuel et al. Vulnerability for use and distribution of woody species from local perspective in Reserva del Cañon del Usumacinta, Tabasco, Mexico. Polibotánica [online]. 2013, n.35, pp.143-172. ISSN 1405-2768.

The objective of this research was to document the use and degree of vulnerability of multiuse woody species from the perspective of local residents, as well as to describe the distribution of these species on the territory of the community of Niños Héroes in Tenosique, Mexico. Ethnobotanical methods were used, such as: field trips with local guides, botanical collects, and interviews with inhabitants. The interviews included general and specific questions to document the uses of the flora and to ask for their participation in a community workshop to create the Vulnerability Index. We identified 168 species of useful woody plants, 97 of which are multipurpose. These species were grouped in 20 categories of utility; firewood was the most important represented by 70 species, followed by wood for tools (65), wood for construction (63), dead fences (53), food (53), and live fences (50). The evergreen forest and the tree fallow are among the habitats that provide the community with a greater number of multipurpose flora species (27 and 26% respectively). The 22% of the multipurpose species show high exploitation vulnerability; meanwhile 50% are categorized with low vulnerability. However, the vulnerability index, only is useful to evaluate local fragility, but does not corresponds to threat indices elaborated by Mexican governmental agency NOM-059-SEMARNAT. It is recommended, applied the vulnerability index to wild species, to alert about fragility at local or regional scale. The generated data set the basis for the management of resources and can serve as a guide to government agencies, academic institutions and productive sector, in order to have a wide range and variety of options for the exploitation of native forest species that favors the production of goods and services, such as habitat conservation and biodiversity.

Palavras-chave : ethnobotany; rural knowledge; tropical rain forest; useful species habitat.