Diversity of Mushroom Species Identified and Consumed at Arantepacua P’urhépecha Community
The most valuated species for its consumption in Arantepacua community here described agrees with most of the studies conducted in rural and indigenous communities both in Michoacán State (Caballero and Mapes 1985; Zamora et al. 2007; Sánchez 2007 and Servín 2016), and with other States in México. In general, the edible Amanita spp. are the most wanted and searched species in temperate forests of México (Quiñonéz-Martínez et al. 2005); however, in Oaxaca, Veracruz and Tabasco States, the most valuated specie is Schizophyllum commune (Ruan-Soto et al. 2004). The coincidences or differences regarding the preferences of each ethnical group towards edible fungi species must be strongly guided by the ecological characteristics of the natural areas that surrounds each community; similar climatic and vegetation characteristics harbors similar fungal community. This might help to explain the coincidences on Amanita spp. preferences on the Mexican indigenous groups settled in temperate forests, which harbor the same of closely related fungal species. However, each ethnical group must have experienced specific interactions with their surrounding ecological variables with undermines edible fungal preferences, but this kind of study remains as a pendent task.
Previous ethnomycological studies in Michoacán state and P’urhépecha communities differs, among other subjects, on data gathering approaches and area covered, but each one has allowed to build a better description of the social, cultural, and economic role of mushrooms in this ethnic group. On this regard, the number of fungal edible species found in this work is greater than the 10 edible species previously documented for both a P’urhépecha community settled in the Lake Pátzcuaro basin (Caballero and Mapes 1985), and at Tancítaro municipality (Zamora et al. 2007). Also, this same number of edible species are commercialized at local markets in Zitácuaro (Gómez-Reyes et al. 2005). Even higher numbers are registered for the Comachuén P’urhépecha (Servín 2016) and Capácuaro (Gómez-Reyes 2015) communities, with 15 and 23 edible fungal species, respectively.
In Morelia city, the capital of the State, Gómez-Peralta et al (2007) registered at least 15 species of edible wild in four markets and nine in “tianguis” (traditional street markets), whose vendors come from rural areas, some of which are P’urhépecha regions of the State. In a wider survey conducted over 21 communities in the Lake Pátzcuaro basin, Mapes et al (1981) registered 43 species of edible fungi. Tacking together, the comparison of the present work with previously reported data indicates through a four-decade period since first P’urhépecha ethnomycological register (Mapes et al. 1981; Díaz-Barriga 1992), the Arantepacua P’urhépecha community maintain a rich traditional knowledge about the fungi that grows in their forests, despite the acculturation processes suffered by most of the country's ethnic groups (Sheffler 1999).
Regarding the number of identified and consumed edible species of fungi, evidence here presented shows that rural areas of Michoacán State, and particularly the P’urhépecha communities, have preserved similar ethnomycological knowledge of other rural and indigenous areas of México surveyed in last twenty years. As example, Reyes-López et al (2007) found the consumption of eight edible species by the settlers from the Teziutlán municipality at Puebla; while Pérez-Moreno et al (2010) found that 156 species are consumed and traded in 14 markets at the Izta-Popo National Park and its surroundings.
Ethnomycological Knowledge Novelties
An interesting result here obtained regarding the mushroom nomenclature used by the indigenous settlers of the Arantepacua community, is that the P’urhépecha names assigned to the parts of an agarical fruitbody are different to those registered in other studies of the same ethnicity (Mapes et al. 1981; Díaz-Barriga 1992), even for those from the neighboring P’urhépecha community of Comachuén (Servín 2016). The reasons for such nomenclature differences are unknown and beyond the scope of this study, but might reflects changes in the indigenous language, including the loss of words or its modifications. This possibility might be considered for comparison with previous ethnomycological studies in same ethnicity conducted more than twenty years ago. Geographical and cultural barriers might be explored for differences with more recent studies on this regard.
Another remarkable finding here documented is that the settlers of Arantepacua community identify and name the fungal vegetative mycelium mats associated to fruitbodies, being the first time this kind of structure of the mushroom is documented for any P’urhépecha community, or even for other ethnical group in México. Also, the association of Amanita spp. basidiocarp emergence with pine tree roots suggest that settlers have a notion on ectomycorrhizal symbiosis, commonly established between species within the Amanita genus and Pinus spp. or other conifers (Hess and Pringle 2014). The ectomycorrhizal symbiosis between different tree and fungal species is a key association for the forest ecosystems function and resilience to perturbation (Courty et al. 2010). The whole ethnomycological knowledge Arantepacua settlers, specifically vegetative mycelium identification and probably a notion of mycorrhizal symbiosis, might be considered cultural ecosystem services (CES), as their contribute to the cognitive development and reflection of the community (Motiejūnaitė et al. 2019). By other side, it deserves to be clarified if both vegetative mycelium and mycorrhiza notion by Arantepacua settlers has implications for their perception of fungi relevance in the forest maintenance.
Socioeconomic Differences On The Use Of Wild Mushrooms Among P’urhépecha Communities
The amount of wild edible fruitbodies gather by Arantepacua settlers registered in the present study are like the amount previously documented for the communities of Jesús del Monte and San Miguel del Monte, Michoacán (Gómez-Peralta and Angón 2004), with 14 to 16 species. However, the inhabitants of Arantepacua recollect edible wild mushrooms only for self-consumption, while other neighbor P’urhépecha communities like Paracho de Verduzco, Pátzcuaro, Tzintzuntzan and Cherán, also do it for sale (Torres-Gómez M, personal observation). It has been documented that edible fungi are an important extra economic income in the rainy season for many people of rural and indigenous communities (Torres-Gómez et al. 2022).
The mushroom gathering is conducted mainly by men in the studied community, which carry out field trips specifically aimed to find and recollect the most valuated species, but coincidentally gathering is also practiced, when settlers cross the forest area on the way to work or conducted other tasks. Inhabitants identify mushrooms mainly by shape, color, and growth pattern. Grandparents (≥ 60 years), who correspond to 15% of the community, are the main transmitters of mycological knowledge to new generations trough oral mean. The women are responsible of preparing and cooking the collected mushrooms, being texture and fruitbody shape relevant factors that determines how they are cooked. The social role of men as the fungi gatherers is common among the P’urhépecha communities of the Plateau and the Patzcuaro’s Lake basin (Mapes et al. 1981), partially since they might gather fungi when walk among and between surrounding forests to their workplace outside community. By contrast, in the Michoacán communities of Jesús del Monte and San Miguel del Monte the main collectors of mushrooms are women and girls, who contribute to the household economy through their sale by “door to door” method (Gómez-Peralta and Angón 2004). This last social strategy agrees other ethnic groups and rural communities in the country, where women has the gatherer (Garibay et al. 2012).
There is no evidence of hallucinogenic mushrooms consumption by Arantepacua inhabitants, despite knowing about them. The settlers Celestino Cunete and Severiano Jiménez, 52 and 51 years old, respectively, indicate that their grandparents commented on the consequences of not differentiating between “good” and “bad” mushrooms, “because there are some when eaten can make you sing, tell stories and drool."
The social, cultural, and economic factors that determines if a rural or indigenous community trade or not the wild edible fungi gathered around their natural areas has not been assessed, but there is a relevant anthropological issue to be addressed in future studies.
Nutritional And Nutraceutical Value Of The Wild Mushroom Species Consumed By P’urhépecha
Some of such species, like R. flava, contains significative amounts of Lysine and other essential amino acids (León-Guzmán et al. 1997), being are a valuable supplement in the human diet. Such nutritional characteristics places make these mushrooms excellent food for its use in low-calorie diets. Beyond its nutritional qualities, mushroom species here reported contains several bioactive metabolites that contributes to maintain good health by preventing both infectious and degenerative diseases, because of this mushroom has been considered as good functional food (Reis et al. 2017). As example, carbohydrate content of L. perlatum and other species of the same genera here described is high in glucans which show bioactive properties such as immune-modulating, antitumor, and hepato-protective effects (Roncero-Ramos and Delgado-Andrade, 2017). Also, the diversity of compounds present in the basidiocarp of here documented species or species of the same genera provides a good source of antioxidants that helps to prevent chronic- degenerative diseases (Vieira-Gomes et al. 2019). Thus, the conservation of forest and its wild mushrooms, its relevant for continuous providing of healthy food for P’urhépecha.