Use and conservation of medicinal plants obtained from agroecosytems and ecosystems by the Mochó and Kakchikel ethnic groups of southeastern Chiapas, México

Abstract

Even though the ethnic groups Mochó and Kakchikel of the Sierra Mariscal, Chiapas, Mexico, have formal medical services, they still preserve and use medicinal plants. This research had the aim to identify their conservation practices, by using ethnographic and ethnobotanical methods with direct interviews, participatory observation and a questionnaire; furthermore, a Jaccard´s similarity index for plant species was estimated. Both groups (97% each) use medicinal plants for various reasons and obtain them mainly from their agroecosystems. Within the Kakchikel territory, 53% are native plants, 43% introduced, while 4% does not have a report; within the Mochó territory 56% are native plants and 44% introduced ones. The similarity index showed 0.33 of shared taxonomic species within both territories (33 out of 131 of total). The Kakchikel use more conservation practices than the Mochó ethnic group, to have their medicinal plants ready available, mainly from their agroecosystems.