Factors Influencing Plant Choices and Traditional Knowledge in Tujia Homegardens

Jim Crocker
4th December, 2024

Factors Influencing Plant Choices and Traditional Knowledge in Tujia Homegardens

The homegardens of the Laifeng Tujia ethnic communities, as depicted in several villages (a-d), are diverse, small-scale agricultural ecosystems essential for providing food, medicine, and ornamental plants that sustain local livelihoods and preserve traditional knowledge.

Image adapted from: Hou et al. / CC BY (Source)

Key Findings

  • In Laifeng County, Hubei Province, researchers documented 414 species of homegarden plants from 114 families
  • These plants serve multiple functions, including ornamental, medicinal, edible, traded, timber, forage, and other uses
  • Traditional knowledge and homegarden area significantly impact plant composition and diversity, with the average age of household residents also playing a role
Homegardens, small-scale agricultural ecosystems managed primarily by humans, provide a variety of products and services essential to local communities. In the Wuling mountain area of China, recognized for its biodiversity, the Tujia ethnic communities have preserved traditional knowledge related to homegarden plants. This study, conducted by Yangtze University[1], aims to document the diversity, functions, and factors influencing the composition of homegarden plants in Laifeng County, Hubei Province. From May 2023 to August 2024, researchers carried out field surveys using semi-structured interviews and participatory observation to collect data on homegarden plants. They employed the relative frequency of citation (RFC) and Jaccard index (J) for quantitative analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA) to identify factors influencing plant diversity. The study documented 414 species of homegarden plants from 114 families, sourced from market purchases, spontaneous species, wild introductions, neighborhood sharing, and self-preservation. These plants serve multiple functions, including ornamental, medicinal, edible, traded, timber, forage, and other uses. Notably, 24 species had an RFC greater than 0.5, indicating their high importance, such as Allium fistulosum, Raphanus sativus, and Brassica rapa var. chinensis. The Jaccard index revealed the highest similarity between homegarden plants in Geleche Town and Dahe Town. RDA results indicated that knowledge of herbal medicine and homegarden area significantly impact plant composition and diversity, with the average age of household residents also playing a role. The findings align with previous research on the Baiku Yao homegardens, which also highlighted high species diversity and multifunctionality[2]. Similar to the Baiku Yao, the Tujia community's homegardens are integral to local livelihoods, providing food, medicine, and ornamental plants. The study underscores the importance of traditional knowledge in maintaining plant diversity, as observed in the ancient Baiku Yao villages where traditional practices are less affected by modernization and tourism[2]. Furthermore, the socio-economic and agro-ecological benefits of homegardens, as demonstrated in the Jabithenan district of Ethiopia, are echoed in the Tujia community's practices[3]. Homegardens significantly improve cash income and offer better climate change adaptation compared to non-tree-based gardens, reinforcing the value of diverse, multifunctional homegardens. The study also resonates with research on medicinal plants in Arunachal Pradesh, where traditional knowledge plays a crucial role in rural healthcare[4]. The Tujia community's use of medicinal plants highlights the importance of preserving ethnobotanical knowledge for future phytochemical and pharmaceutical studies. In conclusion, the study by Yangtze University reveals the extensive diversity and multifunctionality of homegarden plants in the Laifeng Tujia ethnic community. The management of these plants, rooted in traditional knowledge, supports local agricultural biodiversity and sustainable development. Emphasizing the protection and transmission of this knowledge is vital for safeguarding the cultural and ecological heritage of the region.

EnvironmentSustainabilityPlant Science

References

Main Study

1) Ethnobotanical study on factors influencing plant composition and traditional knowledge in homegardens of Laifeng Tujia ethnic communities, the hinterland of the Wuling mountain area, central China.

Published 2nd December, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-024-00742-4

Related Studies

2) Changes in homegardens in relocation villages, a case study in the Baiku Yao area in Southern China.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-023-00578-4

3) Agro-ecosystem and socio-economic role of homegarden agroforestry in Jabithenan District, North-Western Ethiopia: implication for climate change adaptation.

https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-1801-3-154

4) An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in the Eastern Himalayan zone of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2010.11.053


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