Conhecimento, uso e manejo de pequi (Caryocar coriaceum Wittm.) na região do Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades (Piauí, Brasil)

• Ano de defesa: 2022
• Autor(a) principal: Oliveira, Rodrigo Silva de
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal da Paraíba; Brasil; Gerenciamento Ambiental; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente; UFPB
• Palavras-chave em Português: Pequi (Caryocar coriaceum Wittm.); Etnobotânica; Produto florestal não madeireiro; Extrativismo do pequi; Meio ambiente - Conservação; Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades (PI); Ethnobotany; Non-timber forest product; Pequi extractivism; Environment - Conservation; Etnobotánica; CNPQ::CIENCIAS BIOLOGICAS::ECOLOGIA
• Link de acesso: https://repositorio.ufpb.br/jspui/handle/123456789/31502

Caryocar coriaceum Wittm., whose fruit is popularly known as pequi, is a tree species native to northeastern Brazil and, due to its utilitarian potential, represents an important resource in this region, especially for rural communities that use it for subsistence and as a source of income. This study aimed to identify and characterize the knowledge, forms of use and management of C. coriaceum in rural areas in the region of the Sete Cidades National Park – PNSC (Piauí, Brazil), analyzing its ecology and local distribution, seeking to identify possible impacts caused by pequi extractivism, thus providing data for the development of strategies for the conservation of this species. For this purpose, ethnographic research techniques, including direct observation and semi-structured interviews, as well as exploratory research, aiming to analyze the local distribution of C. coriaceum, were used for data collection, in addition to a bibliographic survey on the biology, ecology and extractivism of this species. The interviews were carried out with 27 extractivists (12 men and 15 women). The questionnaire addressed information about the knowledge of the species, forms of use and management, period, areas and forms of collection, number of fruits extracted per tree and per collection, forms of transportation, storage, processing and commercialization of the resource. A total of 375 citations of use of the species were recorded, distributed in the following categories: food (84), construction (81), technology (62), medicinal (57), fodder (50), veterinary (21), fuel (15), magico-religious (4), and others (1). The first two had the highest VDU, thus being the most important ones. In the medicinal category, the use of pequi oil stood out, mentioned as a relevant product due to its commercialization, complementing the income of those who produce it. Considering the total number of citations for the categories of use, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in terms of knowledge of C. coriaceum between men and women, suggesting that men know more uses for the species. However, analyzing the distribution of knowledge between men and women, considering the number of use citations per category, a statistical difference was found only for construction and technology. The comparative analysis, using the VDI and VEI indexes, indicated a nonhomogeneity in the distribution of local knowledge of the species. Regarding management methods, in addition to collection (27), protection (8) was the most prominent, followed by tolerance (7), transplanting (3) and sowing (1). The extractivists collect the fruit annually (December – March) in two main areas (Água da Abelha and Morada Nova). They always carry out the collection after the fruit has fallen, collecting all the pequis that are under the trees. It is estimated a collection of 20,000 fruits per day. The resource is usually transported in bags (77.7%) and there is no specific place for storage. The production of pequi oil is common in the region and is performed by women. The fruit is marketed in natura and/or processed in the form of oil. The sale of this derivative is more profitable, despite the complexity of the production process. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that (1) rural residents in the PNSC region know several forms of use of C. coriaceum, whether for timber or non-timber purposes, supplementing family income, mainly with the sale of pequi oil; (2) there is an overexploitation of this resource in the collection areas, which, associated with inadequate extractivism, mainly by collectors from other places, as well as the intensive selection of the same collection area and the difficulties and lack of incentive to carry out the ex situ management of the species, can cause disturbances in the local populations of C. coriaceum; (3) considering these anthropogenic impacts, it is necessary to develop conservation strategies, suggesting a better planning of extractivism activities, monitoring them and guiding those involved to ensure the sustainable management of this species in the region.