Abstract
Economic Stratification Differentiates Home Gardens in the Maya Village of Pomuch,
Mexico. In this paper, we analyze if economic stratification of peasant families in a Maya village
in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico influences species composition and structure of home
gardens. Our general hypothesis was that composition and structure reflect a higher dependence
on home garden produce of relatively poorer families as compared to more prosperous families.
We registered the cultivated trees and herbs in samples of twelve home gardens of poorer and
wealthier families that had similar assets in the 1980s, and classified them by principal use and
geographic origin. Total species richness of cultivated herbs was highest in home gardens of the
more prosperous families, whereas total species richness of trees was highest in home gardens of
the poorer families. Average species richness of trees and herbs and species composition was
similar in both economic strata. Poorer families cultivated relatively more trees for uses other than
fruit than richer families. The average and total number of native tree species and density of trees
with diameter at breast height of less than 10 cmwas significantly higher in poorer families’ home
gardens than in those of wealthier families. We conclude that economic stratification leads to
different production strategies in home gardens. Richer families are comparatively more
interested in obtaining fruit occasionally and emphasize diversity of herbaceous ornamentals.
Poorer families emphasize different uses, favor the native flora, and increase tree density. Thereby
they contribute more to biodiversity conservation than wealthier families
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 264-275 |
Journal | Economic Botany |
Volume | 66 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Keywords
- species richness
- homegardens
- biodiversity
- diversity
- yucatan
- valley