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Cinderella fruits and cultural forest in Pacaya-Samiria, Peruvian Amazon
Author:
Nigel Smith, Rodolfo Vásquez, Walter Wust
Published by:
irinaranjo
Related topics:
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Document:
Published and/or Presented at:
Smith, N., Vásquez, R. and Wust, W. (2010). Cinderella fruits and cultural forest in Pacaya-Samiria, Peruvian Amazon. Amazonica. 2, 328-350.
Summary:
Tropical forests and associated disturbed habitats (successionary
communities created by tree falls, landslides, shifting river channels,
and clearing by people) are orders of magnitude richer in
species than temperate woodlands and consequently have provided
ample opportunities for plant domestication. Many crops
domesticated in tropical forests are not only important sources
of sustenance and income for locals but are also traded extensively
in global markets. This is particularly so for the Amazon
which has provided us with cacao, the source of chocolate and
rubber, both utilized in virtually every country, as well as Brazil
nut. Now açaí, a palm fruit native to Amazonia with high levels
of antioxidants, has burst on the world stage in a variety of
products ranging from fruit juice blends to ice cream and even
shampoo. Tropical forests, including the Amazon, contain wild
populations of many tropical crops, an important resource for
further crop improvement because they are a reservoir for many
valuable genes not found in the domesticated gene pool. Tropical
forests are also a cornucopia for new crops. Several hundred wild
and domesticated fruits are consumed in the Amazon, and those
that have reached national and international markets represent
only the tip of an iceberg. Here we focus on the importance of
wild and cultivated fruits in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve,
a vast wetland at the confluence of the Marañón and Ucayali Rivers
in the Peruvian Amazon.