Comparación entre el conocimiento local y rasgos funcionales evaluados de especies leñosas nativas seleccionadas participativamente en el bosque protector Tambillo

Abstract

Despite their noticeable presence, people tend to overlook the fact that plants are living organisms, as they appear to be lifeless unlike other living beings. People may appreciate plants, yet still not pay attention to them in their daily lives. This lack of recognition and appreciation of plants has led to a growing issue in today's society known as "plant blindness." Additionally, this phenomenon can be seen in people's limited knowledge of plant morphological characteristics. Therefore, this study compared the local knowledge and evaluated functional traits of five participatively selected native woody species in the bosque protector Tambillo; Morella pubescens, Weinmannia fagaroides, Hedyosmum sp., Drimys granadensis, and Clusia sp were the chosen species. The evaluated functional traits included height, wood density, diameter at breast height, leaf area, and leaf thickness. Based on this information, a survey was conducted using the average values of these traits that were obtained on field measurements. The surveys were applied to members of the Cooperativa de Desarrollo Comunitario Jima Ltda. The results revealed that the cooperative members have a high level of knowledge regarding the functional traits of the studied species. Through the surveys, diverse perceptions of these species were obtained, with Clusia sp. and Morella pubescens being the most recognized, while Drimys granadensis was the least known.