Loss Of Traditional Knowledge Research Articles

Biodiversity Conservation in Xishuangbanna, China: Diversity Analysis of Traditional Knowledge Related to Biodiversity and Conservation Progress and Achievement Evaluation

Biodiversity plays an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of the earth. The study of traditional knowledge related to biological resources is a hot issue in the field of international biodiversity conservation. Xishuangbanna is a key area of biodiversity and a cultural hotspot of international significance. According to the Technical Regulation for Classification, Investigation, and Inventory of Traditional Knowledge Relating to Biological Diversity issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, we investigated and catalogued the traditional knowledge related to biodiversity of the Jino people who have lived in Xishuangbanna for generations, and collected 490 entries of traditional knowledge related to biodiversity of the Jino people. Drawing on the traditional knowledge diversity index calculation method proposed by Wang Guoping, the overall traditional knowledge α-diversity index of the Jino people is 0.63, indicating that the richness of the traditional knowledge of the Jinuo people is relatively high. The traditional culture related to biodiversity, the traditional knowledge related to agricultural genetic resources, and the traditional technology related to the sustainable utilization of biological resources are relatively rich and diverse. The diversity index is 0.86, 0.82 and 0.79, respectively. In addition, Xishuangbanna has invested a lot of energy in biodiversity protection, including the establishment of nature reserves, botanical gardens, zoos, ecological tea gardens and other species reserves, and the promulgation of laws and policies related to biodiversity protection, and has achieved remarkable results in in situ protection and ex situ protection. On the basis of analyzing the progress and achievements of biodiversity conservation in Xishuangbanna, this study points out that Xishuangbanna faces challenges such as the loss of traditional knowledge, insufficient conservation efforts, and great changes in land use, and puts forward corresponding suggestions.

"Traditional Food Of Solo Strait As Immaterial Cultural Heritage: Protection, Preservation, And Promotion"

This study aims to examine the role of traditional Solo Straits food as an immaterial cultural heritage and investigate steps that can be taken to protect, preserve, and promote it. The research method used involved literature review, direct observation, interviews with cultural experts, and qualitative data analysis. The results that the traditional food of the Solo Strait has high cultural value as a symbol of tradition, togetherness, local wisdom, hospitality, and cultural identity. However, this traditional food faces threats in the form of changes in lifestyle, the influence of globalization, and the loss of traditional knowledge in food processing and serving. To protect, preserve, and promote the traditional food of the Solo Strait, steps are needed that involve legal recognition and protection, cultural education, preservation activities such as documentation and training, as well as support from the local community and related stakeholders. In addition, promotion strategies through social media, participation in culinary events, collaboration with tourism actors, and development of related products and services are also needed to introduce this traditional food as a culinary tourism attraction and support local economic development. This research provides a deeper understanding of the importance of traditional Solo Straits food as an immaterial cultural heritage and provides recommendations to local governments and local communities to protect, preserve, and promote this traditional food. It is hoped that by adopting the right policies and implementing strategies, the traditional food of the Solo Straits can be protected, preserved, and become a driver of sustainable local economic development.

The “City Healing” Development through Ethnobotany Urban Farming with a Sustainable Planet, People, and Profit Approach

Limited land, environmental contamination, the loss of agricultural culture, and the inability to use ethnobotany all contribute to the health problems city dwellers face. These problems cause air pollution, lack of a good diet, loss of traditional knowledge, and underutilization of natural therapeutic plants. Ethnobotany and urban farming can create healthier cities by maintaining biodiversity, socially enhancing community involvement, and economically offering local business opportunities and sustainable food security. This study aims to investigate the perception of urban communities regarding the relationship between the planet, people, and profit with ethnobotanical practices and urban farming in achieving the concept of “city healing”. This research uses the primary method of case and explanatory studies, purposive location determination of five major cities in Indonesia, with 150 respondents. The structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the model, while the partial least squares (PLS) was used to analyze survey data with interviews and observations. The results showed that people, the planet, and profit generally have excellent and significant effects on urban farming ethnobotany. Using ethnobotanical practices has a considerable and beneficial impact on urban health. Urban farming ethnobotany can promote city healing.

Ethnobotanical studies in Brazil: an analysis of the man-sustainable development relationship

Ethnobotany is inserted in a subarea of botany that lies in the interface between traditional/popular knowledge and conventional scientific knowledge. However, there are several interpretations on the subject. Thus, this study, of qualitative nature, seeked to track the conceptual trends of this area in Brazil, by conducting a bibliographical survey. We selected 12 studies published between 1998-2022, available in the databases Scielo, CAPES, and Google Scholar, in English and Portuguese, carried out by Brazilian researchers in the country and published in national and international journals. According to our survey, there is an expressive number of researchers and studies available on the subject, and that these help to improve the knowledge on ethnobotany, providing support for future studies on the area. According to the data obtained, we observed that 12 articles address the concepts of ethnobotany, traditional populations, use of therapeutic resources, as well as rescuing traditional knowledge of communities. It was also observed that the loss of traditional knowledge and anthropic actions are not discussed very often in these articles. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a critical eye on these actions, creating more discussions in the context of preservation and environmental conservation.

Ethnobotany and Conservation of Wild Edible Fruits in Sumatra: a Case Study in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Wild edible fruit (WEF) plant species are species that are not cultivated or domesticated but are available in their natural habitat and are an important food source for indigenous communities. In recent times, WEFs have been threatened by various factors – particularly over-exploitation, land-use changes, and biodiversity loss. The aim of the study, therefore,is to investigate the diversity and ethnobotany of WEF species used by indigenous people in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The study was conducted in five villages of Pesisir Selatan district,West Sumatra, Indonesia – namely, IV Koto Mudiek, Sungai Nyalo IV Koto Mudiek, Taratak Tempatih IV Koto Mudiek, IV Koto Hilie, and Taluk Tigo Sakato. The plant materials were collected from the study area, while local knowledge was gathered through semi-structured interviews involving 393 respondents that were selected using random sampling. A total of 75WEF plants from 30 botanical families were found in the study area. These plants were used for multiple purposes – including food, medicine, construction materials, agricultural tools,fuel wood, and fodder. Artocarpus integer, Baccaurea polyneura, Pometia pinnata, Baccaurea macrocarpa, Bellucia pentamera, Mangifera foetida, Durio oxleyanus, Mangifera odorata, and Baccaurea racemosa were the most popular species for local people in the study area. Loss of traditional knowledge among generations is a major threat to the availability and existence of these species. Indigenous and local knowledge is essential for the use, management, and conservation of WEF plants.

Bridging the commercial determinants of Indigenous health and the legacies of colonization: A critical analysis.

To date, there has been scarce effort to consider the intertwining of colonization and the commercial determinants of Indigenous health. This is a vital omission, and one that this paper proposes to address. We propose how four losses of tradition borne out of colonialism are intertwined with four respective commercial determinants of Indigenous health: 1) loss of traditional diets and the ultra-processed food industry; 2) loss of traditional ceremony and the tobacco industry; 3) loss of traditional knowledge and the infant formula industry; and 4) loss of traditional support networks and the alcohol industry. Building on Indigenous efforts to decolonize spaces and assert control over their own lives, we argue that analyzing the mechanisms through which industry activities intersect with colonial legacies will improve broader understandings of Indigenous health disparities.

Therapeutic roles of plants for 15 hypothesised causal bases of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is progressive and ultimately fatal, with current drugs failing to reverse and cure it. This study aimed to find plant species which may provide therapeutic bioactivities targeted to causal agents proposed to be driving AD. A novel toolkit methodology was employed, whereby clinical symptoms were translated into categories recognized in ethnomedicine. These categories were applied to find plant species with therapeutic effects, mined from ethnomedical surveys. Survey locations were mapped to assess how this data is at risk. Bioactivities were found of therapeutic relevance to 15 hypothesised causal bases for AD. 107 species with an ethnological report of memory improvement demonstrated therapeutic activity for all these 15 causal bases. The majority of the surveys were found to reside within biodiversity hotspots (centres of high biodiversity under threat), with loss of traditional knowledge the most common threat. Our findings suggest that the documented plants provide a large resource of AD therapeutic potential. In demonstrating bioactivities targeted to these causal bases, such plants may have the capacity to reduce or reverse AD, with promise as drug leads to target multiple AD hallmarks. However, there is a need to preserve ethnomedical knowledge, and the habitats on which this knowledge depends.Graphical

DETERMINING FACTORS OF THE HAZARD AND VULNERABILITY BY COASTAL EROSION IN COLOMBIA

The coastline throughout the world and Colombia shows a retreat trend, with significant impacts on local communities and ecosystems. To address this problem, it was proposed to include it in Disaster Risk Management, a process-based approach that starts from knowledge to take corrective and prospective measures, being the hazard and vulnerability analysis the main input, and the evaluation of its components relevant for the proposal of alternatives. For this study, the dominance of each of the components of the hazard assessment (occurrence, magnitude and susceptibility) and vulnerability (exposed elements, fragility and lack of resilience) proposed by Coca-Domínguez and Ricaurte-Villota (2019) was analyzed using principal component analysis. The results show that the determining factor of the erosion hazard in the Pacific and the Insular zone is occurrence, while in the Caribbean it is susceptibility, which may be conditioned by the generalized trend of retreat of the Colombian coastline, while in the Caribbean it is explained by the characteristics of the coast. Vulnerability in the Caribbean and the Insular zone is determined by the lack of resilience, and in the Pacific by fragility, explained by the loss of traditional knowledge and ecosystems, moreover of differences in development and occupation between the Caribbean and the Colombian Pacific.

On-farm conservation in Phaseolus lunatus L: an alternative for agricultural biodiversity

ABSTRACT On-farm conservation characterized by cultivation by smallholder farmers in agricultural and quilombola (formed by descendants of Afro-Brazilian slaves) communities is a tool for the maintenance of seeds and genetic diversity. Smallholder farmers who grow local varieties in diversity centers and communities contribute to supporting the capacity of agricultural and food systems to adapt to adverse conditions. Widely cultivated in the Northeast region of Brazil, lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L), despite having relative economic and social importance, is little exploited in terms of conservation aspects. Based on a process of participatory interview, this article documents the knowledge of smallholder farmers associated with local varieties of this species, as well as the practices and strategies used for on-farm conservation in three producing areas of northeastern Brazil. The results revealed that farmers have a low level of education; the main factor for the loss of traditional knowledge is the disinterest of younger people in agriculture. The study highlights the importance of integrating scientific knowledge with traditional knowledge to develop sustainable agroecosystems, in which on-farm conservation is an alternative to diversify agriculture, but which requires government and private support to stimulate and enhance agricultural activities and the interaction among smallholder farmers.

On thin ice – The Arctic commodity extraction frontier and environmental conflicts

This article contributes to the discussion on socio-environmental conflicts and extractive projects in the Arctic region. Fifty-three socio-environmental conflicts are analysed, using data from the Global Atlas of Environmental Justice. Based on descriptive statistics, regression and network analysis, the paper reveals that socio-environmental conflicts predominantly overlap with Indigenous peoples' territories, from which a transversal opposition takes place, including Indigenous, non-Indigenous and international actors alike. The main commodities involved in these conflicts are related to fossil fuels, metals, and transport infrastructure. Associated large-scale extractive activities are bringing negative socio-environmental impacts at the expense of Indigenous groups, fishermen, and pastoralists, with loss of traditional knowledge and practices being significantly higher in Indigenous territories of high bio-cultural values associated to the environment. Our findings suggest that repression against activists is significantly more likely to occur in absence of preventive mobilization, and in Arctic countries with low rule of law. The chances to achieve the cancellation of a conflictive extractive project are significantly higher if dependency on natural resource rents in a country is low.

Indigenous livelihood portfolio as a framework for an ecological post-COVID-19 society

The present economic system is geared towards increasing specialization and infinite growth. This orientation may have led to efficiency and new ways of increasing wealth but it has also led to unsustainable practices and, in some cases, loss of traditional knowledge. Many a systems thinker like the Limits to Growth’s Club of Rome have suggested ways to avoid the negative consequences of the current economic system but these entail radical changes that cannot be afforded by deeply-entrenched practices of the worldwide economy. In this paper, another alternative is proposed, which may not only be desirable to an envisioned ecological society but also may also be logical to the unsustainable society of today. Looking at rural indigenous livelihoods may show us how an ecological society should be like. Exemplifying collectivism, indigenous peoples continue to cultivate empathy while at the same time inculcating sense of responsibility. Before “multi-hyphenated” became fashionable, indigenous peoples were already engaged in different occupations that, in turn, result to a diversified livelihood portfolio similar to what banks today advise clients on their investments. However, the difference lies in the indigenous tradition of only having enough for what is needed and rarely hoarding to the point of exhausting resources. This paper proposes that the diverse indigenous livelihood portfolio can be a valuable economic framework for an ecological society. It does not limit growth, but it makes sure growth happens in a sustainable manner.

How <i>gezhemgen<i/>, the oak manna, has been forgotten in Dersim (Tunceli) in the Upper Euphrates basin: extractive capitalism and local knowledge

This study contributes to literature on effects of extractive capitalism on sedentary subsistence herding and loss of traditional knowledge, in this case about a wild edible, oak manna gezhemgen. I present local narratives explaining relationships between oak forests, climatic conditions and agricultural cycle in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Gezhemgen is a sign of a good harvest and signifies power of fertility (being also called the power of Hizir, a deity). Pastoralist practices are affected by intrastate war and appropriation of governance rights to grazing. There is a relationship between accessibility of pastures and vertical transmission of knowledge on flora of highlands to young generations. Narratives were gathered during ethnographic fieldwork between 2011-2017 in Pulumur, Ovacik, Nazimiye and Kalan districts of Dersim. The food gathering behaviors of local populations are also influenced by urbanization, military violence and expropriation of use rights on common grazing grounds. The article reveals multiple effects of transitions from customary systems of sedentary pastoralism to commercialized modes of agricultural production.

Traditional Knowledge and Usage of Edible Plants amongTemuan Community in Gunung Ledang Johor National Park, Malaysia

Edible plants are important for their nutrient values as part of human diet and as food resources that are essential in times of food shortage. Due to the lower utilization of edible plants, loss of traditional knowledge and food security issues have caused the urgent need to document and safeguard the edibles knowledge especially among indigenous people. The objectives of this study were to document edible plant species used by Temuans in Gunung Ledang Johor National Park and to determine the relative value of different edible plants usage, and cultural importance. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview and free listing technique that were applied to all 85 informants from Tanah Gembur village. Frequency Citation (FC), Utilization of Frequency(f), Cultural Importance Index (CI), and Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI) were used to evaluate the relative importance of the different edible plants. A total of 43 edible plant species belonging to 22 families and 33 genera were recorded in the study. Based on the result, Manihot esculenta Crantz scored the highest FC and CFSI while Carica papayahad the highest CI value. These crucial knowledges suggest a potential approach toward conserving the vast traditional knowledge from Temuan community.

The socio-cultural significance of mineral licks to the Maijuna of the Peruvian Amazon: implications for the sustainable management of hunting

BackgroundThe overhunting of wild species is a major threat to biodiversity in the Amazon; yet, managed, sustainable hunting is widely considered part of the solution to conserving wildlife populations. Hunting is both a culturally important activity for Indigenous people and provides an important food source. Mineral licks, a focal point of hunting in Amazonia, are naturally occurring areas in the forest where animals come to obtain essential minerals or clays that are thought to neutralize plant-based alkaloids. We sought to better understand the socio-cultural importance of mineral licks to the Maijuna Indigenous group to inform the sustainable management of this habitat and associated wildlife populations.MethodsSemi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participatory mapping were carried out with hunters to assess the significance of mineral licks and their associated animal resources as well as to determine how the relationship that the Maijuna have with mineral licks has changed over time.ResultsMineral licks are culturally significant and useful to the Maijuna in a variety of ways. Hunters target these areas year-round both during the day and night, and animals killed are consumed for subsistence and sold to generate income. The spatial use of mineral licks across the landscape is determined on the generational family level, with families maintaining exclusive use of selected mineral licks and excluding access by other hunters. The Maijuna also have traditional beliefs for why animals visit mineral licks, which is linked to the traditional Maijuna story of the creation of the first tapir. The relationship that the Maijuna have with mineral licks has changed considerably over time, which is observed through changes in hunting technologies and methods as well as the loss of traditional knowledge and beliefs.ConclusionsTraditional and current Maijuna hunting conventions, in which families maintain exclusive use of selected mineral licks, likely reduce the probability of overexploitation of animal populations. Community-based management plans for mineral licks in Maijuna lands and beyond must incorporate and account for the multiple cultural and economic needs of local communities while also striving toward ecological sustainability. Country-wide strategies to conserving forests and using them sustainably should aim to ensure land tenure for rural peoples and encourage management that incorporates traditional sustainable hunting conventions.

“We Hardly Have Any Moose Around Here Anymore”: Climate Change and the Barriers to Food Security in the Dehcho Region, Northwest Territories

Rural Indigenous communities across northern Canada are experiencing high rates of food insecurity as a result of complex constraints to accessing quality market foods and engaging in local food procurement. Climate change is impacting the ability of northern Indigenous communities to acquire, access, and utilize food that is culturally relevant and sustainable. This research examines the interconnected sociocultural, political, economic, and environmental challenges related to food security in the community of Fort Providence situated in the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories. The objective of this research was to consult with community members to understand the impacts of climate change on local food procurement and to explore the myriad challenges related to food security. We utilized Indigenous methodologies to guide all aspects of the research. Evidence was collected using semi-structured interviews with Dene and Métis Elders, knowledgeable land-users, and other community members. Our research demonstrates that changing hydrological systems and ecosystems, unpredictable weather patterns, the presence of non-local harvesters, the loss of traditional knowledge, and the high costs of living in a rural northern community impact local food security. The results of this research can inform policies that reflect the needs of residents, address the distinct barriers to procuring local food, and provide a basis for understanding the complexities of food security in the Dehcho and other subarctic regions.

Contribution of ethnobotanical results in the process of domestication of an agroforestry plant with morphological variability (Adamawa, Cameroon)

Background : Knowing how, when and why to use local knowledge, the human being is at the center of ethnobotanical studies. For multiple uses (food, carbon sequestration, etc.), many plants living in nature (forest, savannah, etc.) without protection are selected by humans and introduced by appropriate techniques into systems (fields, etc.) controlled daily by him. This process is called domestication and this type of plant, agroforestry plant. The species Syzygium guineense var. macrocarpum encountered in the agro-ecological zone of the Guinean savannahs highlands (Adamawa, Cameroon), is an agroforestry plant whose ethnobotanical studies reveal the presence of four sub-varieties complicated by the morphological variability of the leaves and fruits which slow down its domestication. The determination of significant morphological descriptors of these leaves and fruits appears to be a prerequisite for the domestication of this plant. This study is moving in this direction. Methods : The method used in three different localities is a split plot. The repetitions involved three leaves and three fruits from each of the eleven trees retained per sub-variety, ie three hundred and ninety-six respective units. Results and Discussion : Ultimately, the qualitative morphological descriptors of the leaves (whole margin, acute apex, etc.) and fruits (sweet taste, ovoid shape, etc.) were significant. Quantitative descriptors of tree accessibility especially accessibility to tree brightness (HTE); Fruiting (SAF, LAF, FWE and RLFSF) and vegetative development (DPE, SWI, PLE, LSH, NLN, NRN, SNL and RNL) were more significant in the Tello area. Conclusions : Molecular studies (genomic DNAs) are recommended to elucidate the origin of the variability observed within this plant. Keywords : Loss of traditional knowledge, Impact of climate change, Morphological descriptors, Agroforestry plants, sub-variety, Conservation, Syzygium guineense var . macrocarpum , Cameroon

Perubahan Pola Permukiman Orang Laut Suku Duano

This paper examines changes in Orang Laut settlements in two villages namely Tanjung Solok Village and Jambi Province Fisheries Village. Changes occurred from settlements on boats in the sea to settlements inside houses in the village. The research method used is an ethnographic research method whose characteristics are "researching informants - as subjects of research-in their daily environment". The researcher and the object under study interact intensely through in-depth observation of the object in accordance with the research objectives. In the two villages studied, the facts of the changes that have taken place over the past 30 years have been found, due to the incessant government programs to "settle" the Sea People to the mainland. Changes in the lives of the Orang Laut in the new and permanent villages have caused the loss of traditional knowledge of the Orang Laut in the maritime field. They changed from the Sea People who lived in a sea that was modest and full of wisdom to the sea and coastal ecosystems to become Sea People who lived on land with complex life, carried by the current of modernization and exploiting and destroying marine and coastal ecosystems.

Loss of traditional knowledge and innovation in the context of shrinking communities and depopulation

Loss of traditional knowledge and innovation in the context of shrinking communities and depopulation

Research Methods Leading to a Perception of Knowledge Loss—One Century of Plant Use Documentation Among the Chácobo in Bolivia

The loss of traditional knowledge, concomitant with changes in livelihoods, languages, and demographics of indigenous and local groups, is a global concern. However, documenting such loss poses serious methodological challenges. Comparing the results of contemporary studies with past research is often problematic due to methodological differences. Here, comparing studies that attempted to document the traditional ethnobotanical knowledge of the Chacobo of Bolivia, we tried to examine whether knowledge loss was really occurring across more than 100 years or was only researcher’s perception. The Chacobo are a Panoan-speaking tribe of about 1000 members, first visited by researchers in 1911, and subsequently in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Each study had different foci, but all recorded ethnobotanical data. The first more detailed anthropological report exists from the late 1960s, and ecological-ethnobotanical studies were conducted in the 1980s and 1990s. Based on available literature, in particular the botanical studies of Boom (1987) and Bergeron (1998), it seemed that Chacobo plant use now centers on income generation. Both Boom (1987) and Bergeron (1998) perceived that traditional plant use related to household artifacts and medicine, as well as traditional crop varieties had almost disappeared. Here, we hypothesized that plant knowledge documented and the perception of so-called knowledge loss observed in these depended completely on the background of the interviewers and the methods employed, and that in a sufficiently comprehensive ethnobotanical study, we would be able to document all species and uses mentioned in previous studies. We tested this hypothesis by conducting a complete ethnobotanical inventory of almost the entire adult Chacobo population, with interviews and plant collection conducted directly by Chacobo counterparts. The results verify our initial hypothesis and showed that the loss of knowledge perceived in previous studies simply was an artifact of the research methods employed. Traditional crop varieties are still widely grown, most Chacobo know, and can name, traditional artifacts, and many still know the names and uses of medicinal species. However, some knowledge, including the manufacture of artifacts and proficient identification of many medicinal plants, is limited to the older generation.

Use of Traditional Healing Practices in Two Ontario First Nations.

Colonization has negatively impacted Canada's Aboriginal people, with one of the consequences being loss of traditional knowledge, beliefs and practices, including traditional healing practices. In a study of two Ontario First Nations, the objectives of this research were to examine: (1) the extent of use of traditional healing practices, including traditional medicines and healers; (2) factors associated with their use and people's desire to use them; and (3) reasons for not using them among those who want to use them, but currently do not. Registered Band Members and volunteers from two First Nations communities (N = 613) participated in a well-being survey. About 15% of participants used both traditional medicines and healers, 15% used traditional medicines only, 3% used a traditional healer only, and 63% did not use either. Of those who did not use traditional healing practices, 51% reported that they would like to use them. Use was more common among men, older people, and those with more than high school education. Those who used traditional healing practices were found to have a stronger First Nations identity, better self-reported spiritual health, higher scores on historical loss and historical loss symptoms and higher levels of anxiety compared with people who did not use them. Common reasons for not using traditional practices were: not knowing enough about them, not knowing how to access or where to access them. These findings may be useful for promoting the use of traditional healing practices for the purpose of improving the health of First Nations people.