Known and Newly Documented uses of Rainforest Plant Species in the Pastaza Region, Ecuador

Abstract

Knowing the uses of forest plant species is important for the conservation and sustainable use of forest ecosystem provisioning services. Based on an extensive literature survey, this paper reviews the uses of 540 rainforest species from the Pastaza region (Ecuador) and builds further the existing knowledge by field research that identified 39 new uses of local rainforest plants. Following a systematic categorization of the known and newly identified uses, it was found that the local plants are predominantly used as materials, medicines and foods (>80% of the sample), while the tree species dominate in various categories of local uses. The information given in this paper may help in building a local strategy for the sustainable use of plants and the conservation of endangered species, as well as in valuing the forest ecosystem provisioning services.