| Popis: |
The Pampa is a biome exclusive to Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state in southern Brazil and also found in Argentina and Uruguay. It is composed of a mosaic of ecosystems dominated by prairies in which savannah and forest environments are interspersed, sewn by the Gaucho culture. Its non-forest characteristics have led to strong neglect of the biome in terms of public conservation policies. For this reason, in addition to large gaps in scientific knowledge, only 0.4% of the Pampa is legally protected in conservation units. In this chapter, we present nine Pampa species with edible, aromatic, and medicinal properties, chosen for their potential to contribute to the conservation and sustained development of the biome. The selection considered ecological variables and the interest of local actors who are seeking sustainable development models for Pampa territories. It sought to understand the ecology and nutritional composition of these species through a review of the literature. The results include a description of the ecology and local uses of the species selected and their nutritional composition: butia (Butia odorata (Barb. Rodr.) Noblick), cerejeira-do-rio-grande, (Eugenia involucrata DC.), and guabiju (Myrcianthes pungens (O. Berg) D. Legrand). These fruits are locally consumed, and their nutritional composition is rich in fibers, vitamins, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. Consumption can be an important form of protecting biodiversity when it is organized in a way that protects sustainable uses and the interests of local communities. For the food biodiversity of the Pampa to be consolidated as a part of production chains of sociobiodiversity, it is necessary to improve knowledge about food plants from the biome and support the multiplicity of their uses through innovation processes. |
