Building a Research Program on Wild Populations of Native Plants in Piauí, Northeast Brazil: Flora, People, and Institutions
The Rio Parnaíba is a major river in northeastern Brazil and its Delta is one of Brazil’s most important coastal protected areas. Previously scientifically neglected, the local university has focused biological research on the conservation, sustainable use and cataloguing of the Delta’s rich biodiversity. To create the necessary infrastructure, the Parnaíba campus, once part of the Federal University of Piauí, was transformed into the Federal University of the Parnaíba Delta, the HDELTA herbarium was created, and postgraduate courses were expanded. Most student scientists are from the region and the first generation in their families to reach university level. They supply new scientific expertise for nationally important strategies such as bioprospection and food conservation. Our research focuses on wild populations of regionally native species of great socio-economic importance : plants such as cashew (Anacardium occidentale). Our studies include floristic, genetic and ethnobotanical surveys, ecological analyses, and interactions with local communities, farmers, policymakers and research institutions. We aim to understand, at multiple scales, the social, cultural, and ecological factors that influence the use, conservation, and management of native plants in Northeast Brazil, to strengthen interconnections between flora, people, and local institutions.
