The Experts below are selected from a list of 360 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Arnold Van Huis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Cultural Significance of lepidoptera in sub saharan africa
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2019Co-Authors: Arnold Van HuisAbstract:The taxon Lepidoptera is one of the most widespread and recognisable insect orders with 160,000 species worldwide and with more than 20,000 species in Africa. Lepidoptera have a complete metamorphosis and the adults (butterflies and moths) are quite different from the larvae (caterpillars). The purpose of the study was to make an overview of how butterflies/moths and caterpillars are utilised, perceived and experienced in daily life across sub-Saharan Africa. Ethno-entomological information on Lepidoptera in sub-Saharan Africa was collected by (1) interviews with more than 300 people from about 120 ethnic groups in 27 countries in the region; and (2) library studies in Africa, London, Paris and Leiden. Often the interviewees indicated that people from his or her family or ethnic group did not know that caterpillars turn into butterflies and moths (metamorphosis). When known, metamorphosis may be used as a symbol for transformation, such as in female puberty or in literature regarding societal change. Vernacular names of the butterfly/moth in the Muslim world relate to religion or religious leaders. The names of the caterpillars often refer to the host plant or to their characteristics or appearance. Close to 100 caterpillar species are consumed as food. Wild silkworm species, such as Borocera spp. in Madagascar and Anaphe species in the rest of Africa, provide expensive textiles. Bagworms (Psychidae) are sometimes used as medicine. Ancestors may be associated with certain dark nocturnal moths, but these are also considered to be responsible for armyworms plagues. The appearance of butterflies/moths can be associated with seasons or serve as predictor of events. There are many proverbs, songs and stories related to butterflies and moths. Lepidoptera are also an inspiration in art expressions. In dance, the movements of caterpillars are used as examples, while certain cocoons are used as rattles. Lepidoptera are found very appealing because of the striking appearance of the adults, their dramatic metamorphosis and the provision of silk and nutritious food. Besides, they are an inspiration in art and literature.
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Cultural Significance of termites in sub saharan africa
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2017Co-Authors: Arnold Van HuisAbstract:The number of termite species in the world is more than 2500, and Africa with more than 1000 species has the richest intercontinental diversity. The family Termitidae contains builders of great mounds up to 5 m high. Colonies are composed of casts: a queen, a king, soldiers and workers. Some species of termite cultivate specialised fungi to digest cellulose. Termites constitute 10% of all animal biomass in the tropics. The purpose of the study was to make an overview of how termites are utilized, perceived and experienced in daily life across sub-Saharan Africa. Ethno-entomological information on termites (Isoptera) in sub-Saharan Africa was collected by: (1) interviews with more than 300 people from about 120 ethnic groups from 27 countries in the region; (2) library studies in Africa, London, Paris and Leiden. Vernacular names relate to mounds, insects as food, the swarming, and the behaviour of termites. Swarming reproductive, soldiers and queens are collected as food. There are many different ways to harvest them. Termites can also be used as feed for poultry or as bait to catch birds and fish. The mushrooms that grow each year from the fungus gardens on the termite mounds are eaten. The soldiers, the fungus gardens and the soil of termite mounds are used for multiple medicinal purposes. Mounds and soil of termites have numerous functions: for geochemical prospecting, making bricks, plastering houses, making pots, and for storage. Termite soil is often used as fertilizer. The act of eating soil (geophagy) among women, especially those that are pregnant, is practised all over Africa. The mounds can serve as burying places and are often associated with the spiritual world, especially containing the spirits of ancestors. Termites also play a role as oracle, in superstitious beliefs, in art and literature. The following characteristics make termites so appealing: the dominance in the landscape, the social organization, the destructive power, and the provision of food. The study shows that termites play a major role in peoples’ lives, in physical as well as spiritual aspects.
Roberto Garibay-orijel - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The Cultural Significance of wild mushrooms in San Mateo Huexoyucan, Tlaxcala, Mexico
Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 2014Co-Authors: Luis Enrique Alonso-aguilar, Arturo Estrada-torres, Adriana Montoya, Alejandro Kong, Roberto Garibay-orijelAbstract:We performed an ethnomycological study in a community in Tlaxcala, Central Mexico to identify the most important species of wild mushrooms growing in an oak forest, their Significance criteria, and to validate the Cultural Significance Index (CSI). Thirty-three mestizo individuals were randomly selected in San Mateo Huexoyucan and were asked seven questions based on criteria established by the CSI. Among the 49 mushroom species collected in the oak forest and open areas, 20 species were mentioned most often and were analyzed in more detail. Ordination and grouping techniques were used to determine the relationship between the Cultural Significance of the mushroom species, according to a perceived abundance index, frequency of use index, taste score appreciation index, multifunctional food index, knowledge transmission index, and health index. The mushrooms with highest CSI values were Agaricus campestris, Ramaria spp., Amanita aff. basii, Russula spp., Ustilago maydis, and Boletus variipes. These species were characterized by their good taste and were considered very nutritional. The species with the lowest Cultural Significance included Russula mexicana, Lycoperdon perlatum, and Strobylomyces strobilaceus. The ordination and grouping analyses identified four groups of mushrooms by their Significance to the people of Huexoyucan. The most important variables that explained the grouping were the taste score appreciation index, health index, the knowledge transmission index, and the frequency of use index. A. aff. basii and A. campestris were the most significant wild mushrooms to the people of San Mateo. The diversity of the Russula species and the variety of Amanita and Ramaria species used by these people was outstanding. Environments outside the forest also produced useful resources. The CSI used in Oaxaca was useful for determining the Cultural Significance of mushrooms in SMH, Tlaxcala. This list of mushrooms can be used in conservation proposals for the Quercus forests in the area.
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Understanding Cultural Significance, the edible mushrooms case
Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 2007Co-Authors: Roberto Garibay-orijel, Javier Caballero, Arturo Estrada-torres, Joaquín CifuentesAbstract:Cultural Significance is a keystone in quantitative ethnobiology, which offers the possibility to make inferences about traditional nomenclature systems, use, appropriation and valuing of natural resources. In the present work, using as model the traditional mycological knowledge of Zapotecs from Oaxaca, Mexico, we analyze the Cultural Significance of wild edible resources. In 2003 we applied 95 questionnaires to a random sample of informants. With this data we integrated the Edible Mushroom Cultural Significance Index. This index included eight variables: frequency of mention, perceived abundance, use frequency, taste, multifunctional food use, knowledge transmission, health and economy. Data were analyzed in an inductive perspective using ordination and grouping techniques to reveal the behavior of species in a Cultural multivariate dimension. In each variable the species had different conducts. Cantharellus cibarius s.l. was the species with most frequency of mention. Pleurotus sp. had the highest perceived abundance. C. cibarius s.l. was the most frequently consumed species. Gomphus clavatus was the most palatable species and also ranked highest in the multifunctional food index. Cortinarius secc.Malacii sp. had the highest traditional importance. Only Tricholoma magnivelare was identified as a health enhancer. It also had the most economic importance. According to the compound index, C. cibarius s.l., the Amanita caesarea complex, Ramaria spp. and Neolentinus lepideus were the mushrooms with highest Cultural Significance. Multivariate analysis showed that interviewees identify three main groups of mushrooms: species with high traditional values, frequent consumption and known by the majority; species that are less known, infrequently consumed and without salient characteristics; and species with low traditional values, with high economic value and health enhancers. The compound index divided the Cultural Significance into several Cultural domains and showed the causes that underlie this phenomenon. This approach can be used in cross-Cultural studies because it brings a list with the relative position of species among a Cultural Significance gradient. This list is suitable for comparisons and also it is flexible because Cultural variables can be included or removed to adjust it to the nature of the different cultures or resources under study.
Arturo Estrada-torres - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The Cultural Significance of wild mushrooms in San Mateo Huexoyucan, Tlaxcala, Mexico
Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 2014Co-Authors: Luis Enrique Alonso-aguilar, Arturo Estrada-torres, Adriana Montoya, Alejandro Kong, Roberto Garibay-orijelAbstract:We performed an ethnomycological study in a community in Tlaxcala, Central Mexico to identify the most important species of wild mushrooms growing in an oak forest, their Significance criteria, and to validate the Cultural Significance Index (CSI). Thirty-three mestizo individuals were randomly selected in San Mateo Huexoyucan and were asked seven questions based on criteria established by the CSI. Among the 49 mushroom species collected in the oak forest and open areas, 20 species were mentioned most often and were analyzed in more detail. Ordination and grouping techniques were used to determine the relationship between the Cultural Significance of the mushroom species, according to a perceived abundance index, frequency of use index, taste score appreciation index, multifunctional food index, knowledge transmission index, and health index. The mushrooms with highest CSI values were Agaricus campestris, Ramaria spp., Amanita aff. basii, Russula spp., Ustilago maydis, and Boletus variipes. These species were characterized by their good taste and were considered very nutritional. The species with the lowest Cultural Significance included Russula mexicana, Lycoperdon perlatum, and Strobylomyces strobilaceus. The ordination and grouping analyses identified four groups of mushrooms by their Significance to the people of Huexoyucan. The most important variables that explained the grouping were the taste score appreciation index, health index, the knowledge transmission index, and the frequency of use index. A. aff. basii and A. campestris were the most significant wild mushrooms to the people of San Mateo. The diversity of the Russula species and the variety of Amanita and Ramaria species used by these people was outstanding. Environments outside the forest also produced useful resources. The CSI used in Oaxaca was useful for determining the Cultural Significance of mushrooms in SMH, Tlaxcala. This list of mushrooms can be used in conservation proposals for the Quercus forests in the area.
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Gender differences and regionalization of the Cultural Significance of wild mushrooms around La Malinche Volcano, Tlaxcala, Mexico
Mycologia, 2012Co-Authors: Adriana Montoya, Arturo Estrada-torres, Alejandro Kong, E.a. Torres-garcía, J. CaballeroAbstract:The purpose of this study was to determine the Cultural Significance of wild mushrooms in 10 communities on the slopes of La Malinche volcano, Tlaxcala. The frequency and order of mention of each mushroom species in interviews of 200 individuals were used as indicators of the relative Cultural Significance of each species. A X2 analysis was used to compare the frequency of mention of each species between males and females, and a Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the difference in the total number of fungi mentioned by either gender. Traditional names for mushroom species were documented and frequency of mention assessed through multivariate statistics. The fungi with highest frequency of mention were Amanita basii, Lyophyllum decastes, Boletus pinophilus, Gomphus floccosus and Cantharellus cibarius complex. We found significant differences in the frequency of mention of different fungi by males and females but no significant difference was found for the total number of fungi mentioned by either gend...
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Understanding Cultural Significance, the edible mushrooms case
Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 2007Co-Authors: Roberto Garibay-orijel, Javier Caballero, Arturo Estrada-torres, Joaquín CifuentesAbstract:Cultural Significance is a keystone in quantitative ethnobiology, which offers the possibility to make inferences about traditional nomenclature systems, use, appropriation and valuing of natural resources. In the present work, using as model the traditional mycological knowledge of Zapotecs from Oaxaca, Mexico, we analyze the Cultural Significance of wild edible resources. In 2003 we applied 95 questionnaires to a random sample of informants. With this data we integrated the Edible Mushroom Cultural Significance Index. This index included eight variables: frequency of mention, perceived abundance, use frequency, taste, multifunctional food use, knowledge transmission, health and economy. Data were analyzed in an inductive perspective using ordination and grouping techniques to reveal the behavior of species in a Cultural multivariate dimension. In each variable the species had different conducts. Cantharellus cibarius s.l. was the species with most frequency of mention. Pleurotus sp. had the highest perceived abundance. C. cibarius s.l. was the most frequently consumed species. Gomphus clavatus was the most palatable species and also ranked highest in the multifunctional food index. Cortinarius secc.Malacii sp. had the highest traditional importance. Only Tricholoma magnivelare was identified as a health enhancer. It also had the most economic importance. According to the compound index, C. cibarius s.l., the Amanita caesarea complex, Ramaria spp. and Neolentinus lepideus were the mushrooms with highest Cultural Significance. Multivariate analysis showed that interviewees identify three main groups of mushrooms: species with high traditional values, frequent consumption and known by the majority; species that are less known, infrequently consumed and without salient characteristics; and species with low traditional values, with high economic value and health enhancers. The compound index divided the Cultural Significance into several Cultural domains and showed the causes that underlie this phenomenon. This approach can be used in cross-Cultural studies because it brings a list with the relative position of species among a Cultural Significance gradient. This list is suitable for comparisons and also it is flexible because Cultural variables can be included or removed to adjust it to the nature of the different cultures or resources under study.
Martin Senftleben - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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towards a new copyrighttrademark interface why and how signs with Cultural Significance should be kept outside trademark law
Social Science Research Network, 2021Co-Authors: Martin SenftlebenAbstract:To this day, trademark law and practice have not managed to eliminate a serious imbalance within the intellectual property system: while the functionality doctrine in trademark law can be employed to prevent overlaps between patent and trademark protection and achieve a far-reaching separation of industrial design and trademark protection, a comparably strong mechanism for policing the border between copyright and trademark protection has not evolved yet. As in the case of corresponding features of the patent and industrial design systems, however, indefinitely renewable trademark rights involve the risk of an artificial extension of the limited term of copyright protection and the impoverishment of the public domain of Cultural expressions. Moreover, trademark protection may lead to free-riding on the reputation and positive image of Cultural symbols, the blurring of a sign’s genuine Cultural meaning through the attachment of commercial connotations, and the impairment of an open communication process in the Cultural domain. Against this background, the following discussion of the need to recalibrate the copyright/trademark interface will first shed light on the societal importance of preserving the genuine meaning of artworks. On this basis, the current practice of accepting simultaneous and subsequent trademark protection will be criticized before arguing for the introduction of more robust grounds for refusal that allow the categorical exclusion of signs with Cultural Significance from trademark protection.
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towards a new copyright trademark interface why and how signs with Cultural Significance should be kept outside trademark law
2018Co-Authors: Martin SenftlebenAbstract:To this day, trademark law and practice have not managed to eliminate a serious imbalance within the intellectual property system: while the functionality doctrine in trademark law can be employed to prevent overlaps between patent and trademark protection and achieve a far-reaching separation of industrial design and trademark protection, a comparably strong mechanism for policing the border between copyright and trademark protection has not evolved yet. As in the case of corresponding features of the patent and industrial design systems, however, indefinitely renewable trademark rights involve the risk of an artificial extension of the limited term of copyright protection and the impoverishment of the public domain of Cultural expressions. Moreover, trademark protection may lead to free-riding on the reputation and positive image of Cultural symbols, the blurring of a sign’s genuine Cultural meaning through the attachment of commercial connotations, and the impairment of an open communication process in the Cultural domain. Against this background, the following discussion of the need to recalibrate the copyright/trademark interface will first shed light on the societal importance of preserving the genuine meaning of artworks. On this basis, the current practice of accepting simultaneous and subsequent trademark protection will be criticized before arguing for the introduction of more robust grounds for refusal that allow the categorical exclusion of signs with Cultural Significance from trademark protection.
Adriana Montoya - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The Cultural Significance of wild mushrooms in San Mateo Huexoyucan, Tlaxcala, Mexico
Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 2014Co-Authors: Luis Enrique Alonso-aguilar, Arturo Estrada-torres, Adriana Montoya, Alejandro Kong, Roberto Garibay-orijelAbstract:We performed an ethnomycological study in a community in Tlaxcala, Central Mexico to identify the most important species of wild mushrooms growing in an oak forest, their Significance criteria, and to validate the Cultural Significance Index (CSI). Thirty-three mestizo individuals were randomly selected in San Mateo Huexoyucan and were asked seven questions based on criteria established by the CSI. Among the 49 mushroom species collected in the oak forest and open areas, 20 species were mentioned most often and were analyzed in more detail. Ordination and grouping techniques were used to determine the relationship between the Cultural Significance of the mushroom species, according to a perceived abundance index, frequency of use index, taste score appreciation index, multifunctional food index, knowledge transmission index, and health index. The mushrooms with highest CSI values were Agaricus campestris, Ramaria spp., Amanita aff. basii, Russula spp., Ustilago maydis, and Boletus variipes. These species were characterized by their good taste and were considered very nutritional. The species with the lowest Cultural Significance included Russula mexicana, Lycoperdon perlatum, and Strobylomyces strobilaceus. The ordination and grouping analyses identified four groups of mushrooms by their Significance to the people of Huexoyucan. The most important variables that explained the grouping were the taste score appreciation index, health index, the knowledge transmission index, and the frequency of use index. A. aff. basii and A. campestris were the most significant wild mushrooms to the people of San Mateo. The diversity of the Russula species and the variety of Amanita and Ramaria species used by these people was outstanding. Environments outside the forest also produced useful resources. The CSI used in Oaxaca was useful for determining the Cultural Significance of mushrooms in SMH, Tlaxcala. This list of mushrooms can be used in conservation proposals for the Quercus forests in the area.
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Gender differences and regionalization of the Cultural Significance of wild mushrooms around La Malinche Volcano, Tlaxcala, Mexico
Mycologia, 2012Co-Authors: Adriana Montoya, Arturo Estrada-torres, Alejandro Kong, E.a. Torres-garcía, J. CaballeroAbstract:The purpose of this study was to determine the Cultural Significance of wild mushrooms in 10 communities on the slopes of La Malinche volcano, Tlaxcala. The frequency and order of mention of each mushroom species in interviews of 200 individuals were used as indicators of the relative Cultural Significance of each species. A X2 analysis was used to compare the frequency of mention of each species between males and females, and a Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the difference in the total number of fungi mentioned by either gender. Traditional names for mushroom species were documented and frequency of mention assessed through multivariate statistics. The fungi with highest frequency of mention were Amanita basii, Lyophyllum decastes, Boletus pinophilus, Gomphus floccosus and Cantharellus cibarius complex. We found significant differences in the frequency of mention of different fungi by males and females but no significant difference was found for the total number of fungi mentioned by either gend...
