Department of Biology

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Henrik Balslev

Ethnobotany and Ecosystem Services in a Tidal Forest in Thailand

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DOI

  • Prateep Panyadee, the Botanical Garden Organization
  • ,
  • Janjira Meunrew, the Botanical Garden Organization
  • ,
  • Henrik Balslev
  • Angkhana Inta, Chiang Mai University

Ecosystem services from ecosystems have been providing different kinds of goods to people living in and around them. Here, the ecosystem services of the tidal forest in Thailand were investigated using the ethnobotanical research method. A total of 101 informants living around a tidal forest in Rayong Province, Thailand was interviewed using the free-listing technique. Totally, 48 species and 992 uses were recorded. Among these, the highest use value species included Cratoxylum cochinchinense, Garcinia cowa, Melientha suavis, and Nelumbo nucifera. Half of the informants received income from selling plant products which varied from 75 to 4000 USD annually without a significant difference between male and female informants. We found a significant correlation between economic value and the number of use-reports. Most economic species are food plants except one which was weaving material. Gender equality is supported by the ecosystem services since the difference in knowledge and generated income were not observed. Significantly, our results support that economic value is one of the most important factors to promote the recognition of traditional uses of local plants or on the other hand, the service from the ecosystem. Therefore, to conserve the existence of traditional knowledge, efforts from various stakeholders, e.g., the communities and the local and central governments, are required.

Original languageEnglish
Article number6322
JournalSustainability
Volume14
Issue10
ISSN2071-1050
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2022

    Research areas

  • beach forest, micro-economic, non-timber product, provision services, tidal forest

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