PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 8: Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Tuesday, August 9, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Factors influencing the plant management strategies among the human populations: A case of study in the Tehuacan Cuicatlan valley.

González Insuasti, Martha Sofía^{*,1, 2}, Caballero Nieto, Javier¹, ¹ Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, Mexico D.F., Mexico² Universidad de Nariño, Pasto, Nariño, Colombia

ABSTRACT- Gathering and agricultural activities are reconigzed as the principal forms of plant management. However, researchs carried out on mesoamerican gropus, shows an intermediate gradient of management practices. They are aimed to increase disponibility plant resources availability and obtain better quality products. These practices may be both selective and non selective practices. Based on the case of the use of wild food plants in Santa Maria Tecomavaca, Oaxaca, Mexico, this work investigates the effects of biological, cultural and spatial variables in the intensity of incipient management forms such as:tolerance, protection, promotion and ex situ cultivation. Using non linear generalized models we found a strong relationships between biological, cultural and spatial variables and intensity and diversity of incipient management forms. In comunal lands, the species with bigger cultural importance and long life cycle are management in a more intensive form without considering the distance and the productivity. In the private lands, the species are managemed with se same intensity without considering the plant productivity, life cycles and cultural importance. On the decisions of intensity and diversity management forms, Cultural importance and biological characteristics were the most important factors for making decisions for intensityfying plant management by local farmers.

Key words: Management, Strategies, Gradient, Intensity