Dahdouh-Guebas F, Collin S, Lo Seen D, Rönnbäck P, Depommier D, Ravishankar T, Koedam N
Biocomplexity Research Team, c/o, Mangrove Management Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2006 May 8;2:24. doi: 10.1186/1746-4269-2-24.
Mangrove forests, though essentially common and wide-spread, are highly threatened. Local societies along with their knowledge about the mangrove also are endangered, while they are still underrepresented as scientific research topics. With the present study we document local utilization patterns, and perception of ecosystem change. We illustrate how information generated by ethnobiological research can be used to strengthen the management of the ecosystem. This study was conducted in the Godavari mangrove forest located in the East-Godavari District of the state Andhra Pradesh in India, where mangroves have been degrading due to over-exploitation, extensive development of aquaculture, and pollution from rural and urbanized areas (Kakinada).One hundred interviews were carried out among the fisherfolk population present in two mangrove zones in the study area, a wildlife sanctuary with strong conservation status and an adjacent zone. Results from the interviews indicated that Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh., a dominant species in the Godavari mangroves, is used most frequently as firewood and for construction. Multiple products of the mangrove included the bark of Ceriops decandra (Griff.) Ding Hou to dye the fishing nets and improve their durability, the bark of Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco to poison and catch fish, and the leaves of Avicennia spp. and Excoecaria agallocha L. as fodder for cattle. No medicinal uses of true mangrove species were reported, but there were a few traditional uses for mangrove associates. Utilization patterns varied in the two zones that we investigated, most likely due to differences in their ecology and legal status. The findings are discussed in relation with the demographic and socio-economic traits of the fisherfolk communities of the Godavari mangroves and indicate a clear dependency of their livelihood on the mangrove forest.Reported changes in the Godavari mangrove cover also differed in the two zones, with significantly less perceptions of a decrease in the protected area, as compared to the adjacent non-protected area. A posteriori comparisons between sequential satellite imagery (retrospective till 1977) and respondents that were at least 15 years back then, revealed a mangrove decrease which was however perceived to different extents depending on the area with which the fishermen were familiar. While local needs had not been incorporated in the existing policy, we created a framework on how data on ethnobotanical traditions, fishery-related activities and local people's perceptions of change can be incorporated into management strategies.
红树林虽然基本上很常见且分布广泛，但却受到严重威胁。当地社会及其对红树林的认知也面临濒危，然而它们作为科研主题的代表性仍然不足。通过本研究，我们记录了当地的利用模式以及对生态系统变化的认知。我们阐述了民族植物学研究产生的信息如何能够用于加强生态系统的管理。本研究在印度安得拉邦东戈达瓦里区的戈达瓦里红树林进行，由于过度开发、水产养殖的大规模发展以及农村和城市化地区（卡基纳达）的污染，这里的红树林一直在退化。在研究区域的两个红树林地带，即一个具有较强保护地位的野生动物保护区及其相邻区域，对渔民群体进行了100次访谈。访谈结果表明，戈达瓦里红树林中的优势物种白骨壤（Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh.）最常被用作柴火和建筑材料。红树林的多种产品包括角果木（Ceriops decandra (Griff.) Ding Hou）的树皮用于染渔网并提高其耐用性，桐花树（Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco）的树皮用于毒鱼和捕鱼，以及白骨壤属植物和海漆（Excoecaria agallocha L.）的叶子作为牛的饲料。未报告真正红树林物种的药用用途，但红树林伴生植物有一些传统用途。我们调查的两个区域的利用模式有所不同，很可能是由于它们的生态和法律地位存在差异。结合戈达瓦里红树林渔民社区的人口统计学和社会经济特征对研究结果进行了讨论，结果表明他们的生计明显依赖于红树林。报告的戈达瓦里红树林覆盖面积的变化在两个区域也有所不同，与相邻的非保护区相比，保护区内对面积减少的感知明显较少。对连续卫星图像（追溯至1977年）与当时至少15岁的受访者进行的事后比较显示，红树林面积有所减少，但根据渔民熟悉的区域不同，他们对这种减少的感知程度也不同。虽然当地需求尚未纳入现有政策，但我们创建了一个框架，说明民族植物学传统、渔业相关活动以及当地人对变化的认知等数据如何能够纳入管理策略。
