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. 2018 Nov 15;14(1):67.
doi: 10.1186/s13002-018-0267-y.

Species richness, cultural importance, and prioritization of wild spices for conservation in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin (West Africa)

Konoutan Médard Kafoutchoni  1   2   3 , Rodrigue Idohou  4   5 , Anthony Egeru  6 , Kolawolé Valère Salako  4 , Clément Agbangla  7 , Aristide Cossi Adomou  5   8 , Achille Ephrem Assogbadjo  4   5
Affiliations

Species richness, cultural importance, and prioritization of wild spices for conservation in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin (West Africa)

Konoutan Médard Kafoutchoni et al. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. .

Abstract

Background: Spices have always been used for their flavor-enhancement characteristics and for their medicinal properties. In Benin, scientific research on spices is scarce, despite their importance in the local population's daily needs. This study investigated the diversity of wild spices and documented the associated traditional knowledge that can be used for their valuation, domestication, and sustainable management in the Sudano-Guinean Zone of Benin.

Methods: Data were collected during field expeditions using semi-structured interviews in ten localities across the three phytodistricts of the zone. Species richness and Shannon's diversity index were estimated using species accumulation curves. Use report (UR), cultural importance, use value (UV) index, and informant consensus factor (Fic) were used to assess traditional knowledge on wild species, their local importance, and informants' agreement among sociolinguistic groups. Priority wild spices were finally identified using an approach combining eight criteria (native status, economic value, ethnobotanical value, global distribution, national distribution, in-situ and ex-situ conservation status, legislation, and threats assessment) in four prioritization methods (point scoring procedure, point scoring procedure with weighting, compound ranking system, and binomial ranking system).

Results: A total of 14 species, belonging to 12 genera and 9 families, were inventoried. The most prominent families were Zingiberaceae (21.43%), Annonaceae (21.43%), and Rutaceae (14.29%). More than 200 specific uses were reported, with the Tchabè people holding the greatest level of knowledge (70 uses; UR = 5.70 ± 0.33). The culturally most important spices differed among sociolinguistic groups. Most of the informants agree on the use of the species among (Fic = 0.72-0.98) and across the considered use categories (Fic = 0.88-0.99). The highest UV were registered for Aframomum alboviolaceum (UV = 0.93), Lippia multiflora (UV = 0.76), and Aframomum angustifolium (UV = 0.18). Overall, people perceived wild spices as declining due to agriculture, grazing, and drought. Five species, A. alboviolaceum, L. multiflora, Monodora tenuifolia, Xylopia aethiopica, and Z. zanthoxyloides, were the most prioritized for conservation.

Conclusions: This study provides information relevant for the implementation of conservation and domestication actions of wild spices in Benin. Priority species could be integrated into traditional agroforestry systems (e.g., home gardens). However, for this to be effective, further research should be undertaken on morphological and genetic diversity and propagation methods of priority wild spices.

Keywords: Accumulation curve; Biodiversity; Prioritization; Quantitative ethnobotany.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

No ethical approval was needed for this study. Prior to data collection, participants gave oral consent to participate in the study.

Consent for publication

The respondents were informed that their opinions were to be published in a scientific paper and gave their approval.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Map of the study area showing phytodistricts and surveyed villages
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Wild spices encountered in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin. a Bassila. b South-Borgou. c Zou phytodistricts
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Estimated species richness (a) and Shannon’s diversity (b) for the species based on incidence data
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Pictures of selected wild spices in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin. a Leaves and b fruit of Aframomum alboviolaceum. c Leaves, d flower, and e fruit of Aframomum angustifolium. f Leaves and flowers of Lippia multiflora. g Tree Monodora tenuifolia. h Flower of Thonningia sanguinea. i Leaves and unripe fruits of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides. j Leaves of Clausena anisata
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Pictures of selected wild spices in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin. a Flower of Uvaria chamae. b Leaves and c fruits of Securidaca longipedunculata
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Projection of the species and types of habitat in the correspondence analysis axes systems
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Radar plot of total CI value for each wild spice according to the phytodistrict
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Radar plot of the use categories components of CI with respect to the sociolinguistic groups
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Cultural importance index (CI) of the species by gender, with the CI component of each use category
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Number of specific use for each plant part of wild spice in the Sudano-Guinean Zone
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Local perception of the dynamic of wild spice populations by phytodistrict
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
Factors purported responsible of the decline of the wild spice populations in the Sudano-Guinean zone
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
Local perceptions of the nutritional value of the wild spices. a Phytodistrict. b Age category. c Gender. p = p value from Fisher’s exact text
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