RESUMO O objetivo do presente trabalho foi investigar aspectos etnoecológicos e etnobotânicos da carnaúba (Copernicia prunifera (Miller) H. E. Moore, Arecaceae) em uma comunidade extrativista do município de Ipanguaçu, estado do Rio Grande do Norte. Foram entrevistados moradores considerados informantes-chaves, utilizando a técnica da indução não específica, turnê guiada e observação direta para confirmar as informações obtidas. Segundo a maioria dos moradores do Assentamento Pedro Ezequiel de Araújo, o carnaubal da região é uma formação vegetal natural. Na investigação etnoecológica, 73% dos informantes relataram a ocorrência de "um tipo diferente de carnaúba", conhecida como "carnaúba branca", fenotipicamente distinta da "carnaúba comum" por apresentar estipe claro, frutos menores e ausência de espinhos no pecíolo, além de ser rara no local de estudo. Grande parte dos informantes observam os processos fenológicos da carnaúba, sendo condizentes ao afirmar que a espécie possui dispersão quiropterocórica. Na etnobotânica, o pó cerífero foi citado por todos como o produto mais importante extraído da carnaúba e a folha a parte mais usada, seguida dos frutos, caule e raiz. Foram relatadas ainda as divisões de trabalho na extração do pó da carnaúba. Os resultados desta pesquisa irão contribuir para difundir os conhecimentos etnobotânicos e etnoecológicos da carnaúba, subsidiando estratégias de manejo e conservação das populações naturais.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate aspects of ethnoecological and ethnobotanical of carnauba wax (Copernicia prunifera (Miller) H. E. Moore, Arecaceae) in an extractive community of municipality of Ipanguaçu, Rio Grande do Norte state. We interviewed key informants, using the technique of inducing nonspecific, guided tour and direct observation to confirm the data. According to most residents of Pedro Ezequiel Araújo community, the area of carnauba wax in the region is natural. In the research ethnoecological, 73% of informants reported the occurrence of "a different kind of carnauba", known as "white carnauba" phenotypically distinct from the "common carnauba wax" by presenting clear stipe, smaller fruits and absence of spines on the petiole, and is rare at the study site. Much of the informants observed phenological phases of carnauba wax, being consistent in stating that the species has fruits dispersed by bats. In ethnobotany, powder wax was cited by all as the most important product extracted from leaves of carnauba and the most used, followed by fruit, stem and root. Were still reported the division of work in the extraction of powder wax from the carnauba. The results of this research will contribute to knowledge of ethnobotanical and ethnoecological carnauba, supporting strategies for management and conservation of natural populations.

This study tested the ecological apparency hypothesis in the community of Barroquinha, in the municipality of Lagoa, Paraíba State, Brazil. We used the Use Value (UV) by testing the information obtained through three types of calculations: UVgeneral, UVcurrent, and UVpotential. The botanical sampling was conducted in two areas of the community (Preserved - A1; Degraded - A2), and interviews were carried out with 66 people, who signed a Free and Transparent Consent form, required by the Research Ethics Committee. The Spearman's correlation test was performed to relate phytosociological data to ethnobotanical data. We used the Pearson Correlation to test the correlation between genders and the Use Values (UVs). Fifteen useful species were recorded in A1 and 16 species in A2. Positive correlations were found in both areas between species and the phytosociological data: in A1 between UVcurrent with basal area and dominance (p < 0.05) and in A2 between UVgeneral and UVcurrent with all parameters (p < 0.05). Only the forage category showed a positive correlation in A1 between UVpotential and density and frequency (p < 0.05). In A2, the fuel category was correlated with UVcurrent and basal area and dominance (p < 0.05). There was positive correlation between UVgeneral/UVcurrent, UVgeneral/UVpotential, UVcurrent/UVpotential (p < 0.0001). Men and women considered the same species as the most important (p < 0.0001). According to the results of this study, we can conclude that ecological apparency best explains the relationship between use and availability of species used for timber.