Diversity and use of wild edible fruits in the Bukit Rimbang-Bukit Baling Wildlife Reserve, Kampar, Riau, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Syamsuardi, Mukhtar E, Nurainas, Suwardi AB. 2022. Diversity and use of wild edible fruits in the Bukit Rimbang - Bukit Baling Wildlife Reserve, Kampar, Riau, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 5035-5042. The Bukit Rimbang-Bukit Baling Wildlife Reserve is a protected area with a diverse ecosystem and vegetation. The area provides many ecosystem services that are critical to life, particularly for humans. The aim of this study is to document wild edible fruits and their use by the community surrounding the Bukit Rimbang-Bukit Baling Wildlife Reserve. The study was carried out in eight villages of Kampar district, Riau province, namely Tanjung Belit, Tanjung Belit Selatan, Gema, Kota Lama, Muara Bio, Muara Selayah, IV Koto Setingkai, and Sungai Rambai. This study was based on field surveys, plant collection, and interviews with the local people. Interviews were performed with 334 respondents selected by using the random sampling technique. A total of 67 wild edible fruit plant species, consisting of 29 families, have been documented in the study area. Artocarpus integer, Mangifera odorata, Mangifera foetida, Nephelium maingayi, Durio oxleyanus, Syzygium polyanthum, Pometia pinnata, Baccaurea deflexa, Garcinia xanthochymus, and Bellucia pentamera were among the plants recognized and frequently harvested by respondents. Local communities use wild edible fruits as food, either eaten raw or processed into candy, snacks, or vegetables. About 54% of the respondents reported traditional knowledge linked to wild edible fruits is transferred from the parents/grandparents to the next generations in the study area. The expansion of agricultural lands and the decline in traditional knowledge are the main threats to the sustainability of wild edible fruits in the study area.