Biocultural key species: an assembly of biotic resources with biocultural importance

Abstract Background The cultural importance assigned to biodiversity is a complex subject, its study has been developed from ethnobotany and ethnomicology, mainly. A new proposal to address cultural importance is from the biocultural key species. Therefore, integrating information on the knowledge and use of various biological groups, the species with the greatest cultural relevance were selected. Methods An index (BKSI: Biocultural Key Species Index) was integrated, which assesses the relevance based on general attributes associated with fauna, flora and funga. The study was carried out in the Náhuatl community called El Barco, Lolotla; in the Huastec Hidalguense region. Field work was carried out for two years (2018–2019) with 24 field trips. Percentage ethnographic method combined with snowball (10% of the population) were applied; and as the ethnographic tool multiple free listings (n = 50) were used. Results In total of 335 species associated to 537 traditional names in Spanish and indigenous language (Náhuatl) are reported, that belongs to different biological groups (fungi and plants; fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals). The biocultural relevance degree was categorized respect to the obtained value in the index (BKSI); a representative set of each biological group was selected, being those with the highest biocultural relevance. Conclusions It is proposed that these species constitute a useful tool in the application of programs that promote the conservation of diversity from a biocultural approach; they may even promote the proper use of resources or biological restoration.