DSpace Angular :: Browsing by Author "Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás"

Browsing by Author "Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 142

“A mi papá le gustaban y a mí también”: la memoria biocultural como fundamento de la práctica agroecológica
(2019) Monterrubio-Solís, Constanza; Barreau-Daly, Antonia; Urra, Romina; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás
El movimiento por la masificación de la agroecología está logrando abrir espacios sociales y políticos para transformar el sistema alimentario a nivel global de una manera sin precedente. La adopción del término por parte de empresas, gobiernos, círculos académicos y organismos de la sociedad civil lleva implícita una amplia gama de interpretaciones del concepto y prácticas agroecológicas. Para las y los campesinos que han practicado la agricultura familiar por generaciones, el término agroecología puede parecer una moda más entre quienes diseñan programas desde alguna distante oficina. La memoria biocultural encuentra una de sus más diversas manifestaciones en la agricultura y la alimentación. La memoria biocultural, transmitida de generación en generación, representa un acervo inmaterial y ecológico que ha permitido a la humanidad manejar un ensamble de más de 5000 especies de plantas y animales, conociendo sus respectivos cuidados dentro de sistemas más amplios, así como las preparaciones para convertirlos en una amplia gama alimentos. La memoria biocultural se manifiesta en múltiples e interrelacionadas formas de conocimientos y prácticas asociadas al clima, los suelos, los ciclos biológicos, y han sido la base de la domesticación de la agrobiodiversidad. A raíz de la homogenización del sistema agrícola global, la memoria biocultural ha sido severamente diezmada, de tal manera que la agrobiodiversidad y las prácticas asociadas a la misma se encuentran hoy en día contenidas en personas cuya labor es recordar y aplicar lo que sus predecesores les enseñaron, adaptándose a los procesos de cambio actuales. En este trabajo, encuestamos a 83 agricultores de la región de La Araucanía, Chile, con respecto a las semillas que cultivan, sus prácticas de agricultura y alimentarias. A pesar de que la mayoría de las personas encuestadas no utilizan el término “Agroecología”, sus narrativas, prácticas y la diversidad de especies que cultivan dan cuenta de que la agricultura familiar es en gran medida compatible con los principios de la agroecología. Desde la perspectiva sistémica, el cuidado del suelo, de los ciclos y de las redes de reciprocidad que se tejen en los territorios, la memoria bio-cultural es la base del acervo sobre la cual la agroecología de vincularse con el día a día de la agricultura familiar. De esta manera, si bien la Agroecología plantea una diversidad de propuestas tanto técnicas como culturales para la transformación del sistema agrícola global, el marco de la memoria bio-cultural puede enriquecer su propuesta proporcionándole raíces y significado a nivel territorial.
Abundance and habitat preferences of the southernmost population of mink: implications for managing a recent island invasion
(2009) Schüttler, Elke; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Gruber, Bernd; Rozzi, Ricardo; Jax, Kurt
Abundancias relativas y uso de hábitat por el chuncho (Glaucidium nanum) y el concón (Strix rufipes) en bosques primarios y antropizados de La Araucanía
(2008) Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Gálvez, Nicolás; Rojas, Isabel; Bonacic Salas, Cristian
El concón y el chuncho son dos búhos endémicos de Chile y Argentina. Las poblaciones de concón se encontrarían en declinación debido a la pérdida de bosques primarios. Contrariamente, el chuncho parece ser una especie tolerante a modificaciones de hábitat. Aquí, documentamos los registros de un estudio que tiene como objetivo determinar diferencias en abundancias relativas, uso de hábitat y morfometría (sólo de G.nanum en este caso), en bosques primarios y antropizados de la Región de la Araucanía. Seleccionamos ocho rodales (dos bajo presión de corta y pastoreo, dos de bosque secundario, dos primarios de mañío-tepa y dos primarios de araucaria). En cada uno cuantificamos variables estructurales e índices de perturbación, realizamos play-back nocturnos y recorridos diurnos, complementado con redes de captura. Del total de registros (chuncho, N=8; concón, N=15), la abundancia de ambas especies fue mayor en bosques primarios, tanto de araucaria (43,5%), como de mañío-tepa (34,8%), los que presentan mayor densidad de Chusquea spp. en el sotobosque (>1,28NC), DAP de árboles (>50,7cm), profundidad de hojarasca (>6,9cm), número de troncos caídos (>9 log/ha), y menores índices de perturbación (0,1-0,7). A pesar de que ambas especies están presentes en todos los tipos de hábitats estudiados, los bosques antiguos de mayor complejidad estructural, que se encuentran fundamentalmente en Áreas Silvestres Protegidas y sobre los 800 m.s.n.m, son los que sustentarían una mayor abundancia de estas rapaces nocturnas
Agricultura familiar campesina y cambio climático: observaciones y adaptaciones desde el sur de los Andes
(2021) Caviedes, Julián; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Calvet-Mir, Laura; Braga Junqueira, André
El cambio climático, fenómeno de carácter global, afecta todos los rincones y comunidades humanas y no-humanas a escala local. Uno de los medios de vida más afectados, de manera negativa por el cambio climático, es la agricultura familiar campesina (AFC). La AFC es principalmente practicada por comunidades locales (i.e., campesinos indígenas y noindígenas) alrededor del mundo. Estas comunidades, a su vez, son las más vulnerables a los efectos negativos de estos cambios ya que su actividad principal depende directamente de los sistemas agrícolas. Paradójicamente, los conocimientos y necesidades de las comunidades locales sobre el cambio climático son raramente consideradas en la política pública. Los campesinos y campesinas tienen sus propias formas de percibir e interpretar los cambios en sus entornos y, según eso, implementan medidas para adaptarse a éstos. Durante enero y febrero de 2021, se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas a 15 campesinos mapuche y no mapuche en tres localidades de la comuna de Pucón, sur de los Andes, Chile, para documentar la percepción de comunidades locales con respecto a cambios ocurridos en el ambiente y clasificar el origen de éstos. Además, se documentaron las medidas de adaptación que están implementado para afrontar estos cambios. Los participantes hicieron, en total, 222 menciones sobre cambios ambientales, de las cuales 117 se clasificaron en 39 observaciones distintas de impactos del cambio climático en sus territorios. Entre los cambios más reportados producidos por el cambio climático destacaron cambios en la temperatura media y cambios en las lluvias. Resultados similares han sido reportados por otras comunidades agrícolas en el mundo. Por ejemplo, en Uganda los agricultores percibieron una disminución en las precipitaciones y un aumento en las temperaturas que, a su vez, estaban reduciendo los rendimientos de sus cultivos. Con respecto a las medidas de adaptación, las más mencionadas tuvieron relación con cambios en la crianza de ganado, uso de fertilizantes naturales y cultivosextensivos de granos y cereales. Estas medidas de adaptación, realizadas para mantener la resiliencia de la AFC, comparten un patrón similar alrededor del mundo. Por ejemplo, un estudio concluyó que la disminución en el número de cabezas de ganado era la principal medida de adaptación al cambio climático adoptada por ganaderos a nivel global. Estos resultados enfatizan que el conocimiento y las percepciones de comunidades locales con respecto al cambio climático debiesen ser integradas en políticas públicas para contrarrestar los efectos negativos que el cambio climático está teniendo sobre la AFC.
Altered fire regimes modify lizard communities in globally endangered Araucaria forests of the southern Andes
(NATURE PORTFOLIO, 2021) Infante, Jose; Novoa, Fernando J.; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Melnick, Don J.; Griffin, Kevin L.; Bonacic, Cristian
Wildfire regimes are being altered in ecosystems worldwide. The density of reptiles responds to fires and changes to habitat structure. Some of the most vulnerable ecosystems to human-increased fire frequency are old-growth Araucaria araucana forests of the southern Andes. We investigated the effects of wildfires on the density and richness of a lizard community in these ecosystems, considering fire frequency and elapsed time since last fire. During the 2018/2019 southern summer season, we conducted 71 distance sampling transects to detect lizards in Araucaria forests of Chile in four fire "treatments": (1) unburned control, (2) long-term recovery, (3) short-term recovery, and (4) burned twice. We detected 713 lizards from 7 species. We found that the density and richness of lizards are impacted by wildfire frequency and time of recovery, mediated by the modification of habitat structure. The lizard community varied from a dominant arboreal species (L. pictus) in unburned and long-recovered stands, to a combination of ground-dwelling species (L. lemniscatus and L. araucaniensis) in areas affected by two fires. Araucaria forests provided key habitat features to forest reptiles after fires, but the persistence of these old-growth forests and associated biodiversity may be threatened given the increase in fire frequency.
American mink in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, southern Chile: a population and community approach to understand a recent island invasion
(2009) Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Schüttler, Elke; Altamirano Oyarzún, Tomás Alberto; Rozzi, Ricardo; Bonacic Salas, Cristian
Since 2001 exotic Mustela vison has been known to populate Navarino, an island located in the pristine Cape Horn Archipelago (54-55ºS). As an invasive predator, it could be affecting the biodiversity that evolved in absence of mammalian terrestrial predators. We report the abundance (using live-trapping and sign surveys) of mink and its seasonal impact (through bird sampling, diet analysis, and artificial nest predation) upon the wetland bird community. Mink signs were found in 79% of the surveys in all types of semi-aquatic habitats. Yet, relative population abundance (0.75 mink/km of coastline) was still below densities measured in other invaded or native areas. The habitat model accuracies indicated that mink were less specific in habitat use, probably due to the missing limitations normally imposed by predators or competitors. The selected models predicted that mink prefer to use shrubland instead of open habitat, coastal areas with heterogeneous shores instead of flat beaches, and interestingly, that mink avoid habitats strongly modified by beavers. Fifty-six bird species were registered with marked seasonal variations in richness and total number of birds. Near half (48%) of bird species were migratory, arriving to the area in summer. Seasonal differences in the diet of M. vison were observed (n=414 scats). Scat analysis showed fragments of birds in 36% of the samples collected during summer, but only 21% in winter scats. This agrees with the increase in the number of birds during their reproductive period. Species like Chloephaga picta and some passerine birds are at a greater risk of being predated by mink. Conversely, predation of mink on artificial nests was very low. Our results shows that mink have colonised the entire island and is opportunistically predating on birds. For the management of mink, we suggest the establishment of rocky coastal shores as priority sites deserving special conservation efforts.
An international student program in social-ecological systems: sustainable forest management and resilience thinking from local Andean-Patagonian forests to the world
(2018) Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Gálvez, Nicolás; Bascopé, Martín; Luna, Laura; Salazar, Gonzalo
The interconnected challenges of building resilience and generating sustainable forestry practices demand a holistic appreciation of social-ecological systems and requires us to step beyond disciplines to gain a broader understanding of the world. The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (QS Standard ranked #1st in Latin America) offers an academic program consisting of 5 modules where students and lecturers bring together different perspectives in order to generate sound research questions and propose innovative solutions to real-world problems in environmental, forestry, and socio-cultural issues. The main objective of the program is to promote a holistic and critical understanding of forest and culture interactions based on an interdisciplinary methodology with a strong practical-based work. An integrative set of modules fosters greater links between the natural and social sciences, in order to engage with the complex issues of biodiversity conservation, forest management, inter-ethnic relations, and policy-making for sustainable development. The program comprises the following courses: 1. Latin American Conservation; 2. Conservation of Forest Ecosystems and Wildlife; 3. Territory, Interculturality and Education for Sustainability; 4. Interdisciplinary Methods for Inquiring Social-Ecological Systems; and 5. Planning for Sustainability. This program can be adapted for either undergraduate or graduate students, and for a full term or an intensive summer school. It takes place at the southern campus of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (Sede regional de villarrica Campus) and its surroundings, a unique setting in southern Chile characterized by multiple land covers/uses (forests, volcanoes, lakes, rivers, human settlements and protected areas) and cultural backgrounds (indigenous peoples, non-indigenous peasants, immigrants, and long-term settlers). In this presentation we introduce the aims, content and the potential of this program for forestry students from around the world
Analysis of the echolocation calls and morphometry of a population of Myotis chiloensis (Waterhouse, 1838) from the southern Chilean temperate forest.
(2010) Ossa Gómez, Gonzalo; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Hernández Muñoz, Felipe Andrés; Gálvez Robinson, Nicolás Cristian; Laker, J. P.; Bonacic Salas, Cristián
Aphrastura spinicauda change their reproductive strategy with altitude in the Andean temperate forest of South America
(2015) Altamirano, Tomás A.; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Maza, Mariano de la; Navarrete, Sergio A.; Bonacic Salas, Cristian
Elevational gradients have been proposed as a driver of change in avian reproductive lifehistory strategies. The eventual shorter breeding season and higher predation risk at highaltitudes can produce a decline in fecundity, a reduction of clutch sizes, and an increase inparental care and survival. We studied whether the breeding strategy of the Aphrasturaspinicauda varies along an elevation gradient in the Andean temperate forests of Chile. Weinstalled 240 nest-boxes between 260 and 1,115 m a.s.l., and monitored the breedingactivity of 162 nests over two seasons (2010-2011, 2011-2012). As predicted, the breedingseason was 28% and 55% shorter in highland forests during the two seasons. Timing of egglaying (1 egg every second day) and incubation period (average 15 days) did not vary withaltitude. We found smaller clutch sizes (average 4.1 vs. 4.5), a fewer number of nestlingsper clutch (average 3.5 vs. 4.2), and longer nestling period (22.2 vs. 21.6 days) in highlandthan lowland forests. The breeding success declined with altitude, mainly due to predationby the Dromiciops gliroides which was 83% in highland and 35% in lowland forests. Ourfindings suggest that Aphrastura spinicauda change their reproductive strategy alongaltitudinal gradients to a slower one, likely as an adaptation to shorter breeding seasons.Yet, these changes do not appear to compensate for the increased predation rates at higherelevations, questioning the potential adaptive significance of this strategy
Applied Montology Using Critical Biogeography in the Andes
(2017) Sarmiento, J. Fausto O.; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Barreau, Antonia; Pizarro, J. Cristóbal; Rozzi, Ricardo; González, Juan A.; Frolich, Larry M.
Applying conservation social science to study the human dimensions of Neotropical bird conservation
(2020) Dayer, A. A.; Silva Rodriguez, E. A.; Albert, S.; Chapman, M.; Zukowski, B.; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Gifford, G.; Echeverri, A.; Martinez Salinas, A.; Sepulveda Luque, C.
Árboles viejos y muertos en pie: un recurso vital para la fauna del bosque templado de Chile
(2012) Altamirano Oyarzún, Tomás Alberto; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Martin, Kathy; Bonacic Salas, Cristián
Are ecosystem engineers keystone habitat providers for secondary cavity nesters in temperate forests of South America?
(2021) Cuatianquiz-Lima, Cecilia; Altamirano, Tomás A.; Novoa, Fernando; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás
Ecosystem engineers influence resource availability for other organisms, and thus they play important roles as drivers of community assembly. We investigated the relationship between nest occurrence of secondary cavity nesters (SCNs: Thorn-tailed rayadito, Chilean swallow, and Southern house wren) and their selection of cavities supplied by five ecosystem engineers (Magellanic woodpecker, Chilean flicker, Striped woodpecker, White-throated treerunner and rot fungi/insects) in a Global Biodiversity Hotspot, southern Chile. Further, we quantified the reproductive success of SCNs as a function of the characteristics of cavities (internal volume, entrance size and height) supplied by ecosystem engineers. We searched for nests during 10 breeding seasons and monitored each nest to determine cavity origin, nest fate and quantified cavity characteristics. We found 842 nests for our three SCNs. Most nests (>80%) of rayaditos and house wrens were placed in cavities supplied by Rot fungi/insects with relatively small volumes (1976 ± 121.7 and 1857 ± 185.6 cm3 , respectively) but with different entrance sizes and heights. Swallow nests were placed in high cavities (8.2 ± 0.42 m)with small-sized entrances (3.4 ± 0.11 cm), and chiefly supplied by White-throated treerunners (56%). Reproductive success of SCNs varied between 50-65%, but the cavity characteristics showed no influence on the reproductive success of any species. Rot fungi/insects play a major role as ecosystem engineers for SCNs, however some ecosystem engineers may be functionally similar. The conservation of populations of SCNs may require the development of different management actions for each key ecosystem engineer in temperate forest of South America.
Austral Opossum adjusts to life in second-growth forests by nesting outside cavities
(WILEY, 2020) Vazquez, M. Soledad; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Altamirano, Tomas A.
The Austral Opossum is one of the most unique vertebrates in Patagonian forests. It is not only endemic to this habitat; it also plays a key role acting as a seed disperser, nest predator, and is prey to species of conservation concern. However, specific information about its nesting behaviour is scattered and rudimentary at best. Here, we: (i) use personal observations along with published data to group information about nest site choice and (ii) investigate how flexible this behaviour is, examining the relative frequency of both cavity (natural and artificial) and non-cavity nests. We found that Opossums placed their nests inside cavities 50% of the time in old-growth forests but only 25% of the time inside cavities in second-growth forests. We suggest that our naturalist records, along with the previous published literature, might reflect a flexible response of the species to cavity availability. In forests suffering continuous degradation, such as Patagonian ecosystems, this flexible behaviour may increase the likelihood of population persistence in the future. This study leads to the following further questions: is Austral Opossum nesting behaviour phenotypic flexibility or plasticity? Are cavities a limiting resource for this species? Would it be more efficient for a conservation program to install nest boxes or to take actions to encourage the understory vegetation where they can nest?
Avian diversity above the clouds: comparing elevational patterns in north and south temperate mountains
(2018) Altamirano Oyarzún, Tomás Alberto; De Zwaan, Devin; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Martin, Kathy
Mountain ecosystems comprise 24% of the land-base of the Americas, and are critical components of the life-cycle for 35% of North American bird species. Globally, however, high elevation avian communities are poorly monitored, with taxonomic and functional diversity receiving little attention. In 2017, we initiated a temperate montane bird study, comparing: i) taxonomic and functional turnover across three habitats increasing in elevation: upper montane (>50% tree cover), subalpine (5-50% tree cover), and alpine (<5% tree cover), and ii) the breeding strategies of alpine birds in North and South America. We conducted 600 diurnal bird point counts in six North temperate (British Columbia, Canada; 54°N latitude) and 10 South temperate mountains (Chile; 39°S latitude). Species richness was comparable between sites (49-54 species), but decreased with elevation in Canada (upper montane: 31, alpine: 16) compared to remaining consistent across elevation in the Chilean Andes (~33 in each habitat). Species composition among mountains was highly variable in both hemispheres (Jaccard index < 0.5) indicating potential variation in drivers such as habitat structure. We found contrasting patterns in alpine breeding strategies, as open-cup nesters made up 88% (14/16 species) of the Canadian alpine community, while 100% of the 37 nests (6 species) found in the Chilean alpine were cavity nesters (rock crevices or ground excavations). Comparing high elevation temperate ecosystems in the Americas provides a strong framework to address avian breeding dynamics in stochastic environments, as well as understand the potential conservation value of mountain habitats as refugia for avian populations with environmental change
Avifauna en turberas del Cabo de Hornos: estacionalidad y singularidad del ensamble austral
(2008) Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Anderson,Christopher; Rozzi, Ricardo; Bonacic Salas, Cristian
Los humedales de turbera esfagnosa cubren una alta superficie en los ecosistemassubantárticos. Sin embargo, la temporalidad y utilización de estos ambientes por lasaves ha sido escasamente estudiado. Desarrollamos un estudio en la Reserva deBiosfera Cabo de Hornos para determinar la composición, estacionalidad y niveles desimilitud dentro y entre humedales con y sin turbera esfagnosa. Seleccionamos 10humedales (5 de turbera y 5 no turbera), y estacionalmente cuantificamos lacomposición específica, riqueza de especies y abundancias de aves. Registramos 56especies pertenecientes a 10 órdenes y 25 familias, donde un 64,3% de las especiesusaron las turberas. Existió una marcada estacionalidad, con menor riqueza yabundancia en el invierno, cuando los humedales se congelaron. Del total de especies,33,9% son residentes y 48,2% sólo pasaron primavera-verano en estos humedales.No existieron diferencias significativas entre los humedales con y sin turbera endiversidad. Sin embargo, y de acuerdo a los valores de similitud taxocenótica entrehumedales, la composición avifaunística de aquellos con turbera fue significativamentedistinta de aquellos sin turbera. Estos resultados indican que las turberas constituyenun hábitat singular para la alimentación, refugio y reproducción estival de algunasespecies y dado que la ley chilena clasifica a estos ecosistemas como mineral, esnecesario considerar que alberguen una avifauna singular en el archipiélagosubantártico que no se replica en otros tipos de humedales
Bajan la montaña, llaman la lluvia: las aves en la meteorología tradicional mapuche en el bosque templado andino
(2014) Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Barreau, Antonia
El conocimiento tradicional se asemeja al conocimiento científico occidental en que los dos se basan en la acumulación de observaciones y evaluaciones empíricas. Las culturas de montaña han logrado un conocimiento de la meteorología local en base a la reiterada observación del comportamiento de la fauna circundante. Este “conocimiento meteorológico tradicional” favorece el manejo adaptativo de los recursos naturales y la resiliencia de los sistemas socio-ecológicos frente a eventos de incertidumbre climática. Exploramos el rol de las aves como indicadoras de cambios en la meteorología mapuche de la zona andina del sur de Chile. Además, analizamos las prácticas de manejo de recursos que fueron gatilladas por las aves identificadas para este fin. Entre 2012-2013, hicimos etnografía, entrevistas informales, entrevistas semi-estructuradas y ejercicios de identificación de especies en dos comunidades de La Araucanía. Doce especies de aves (Üshüm) fueron identificadas por los informantes como indicadoras de cambios meteorológicos. De acuerdo a ellos, siete especies descienden de la cordillera cuando se avecinan malas condiciones (nieve, lluvia y/o tormenta). Las aves indicadoras permitieron a los agricultores reducir la incertidumbre asociada al manejo de recursos naturales, tales como la protección del ganado de tormentas, cosecha y enfardado de forraje, cosecha de manzanas para la fabricación de chicha, colecta de piñones y leña, junto con otras actividades sensibles a las condiciones del clima. Adicionalmente, encontramos una similitud entre las observaciones locales sobre el descenso de las aves desde la cordillera y el conocimiento científico sobre cambios estacionales en las abundancias de aves a través del gradiente altitudinal. La meteorología tradicional podría enriquecer programas educativos sobre aves, cultura local y manejo de recursos naturales. Estos métodos tradicionales se debieran integrar con técnicas modernas en políticas orientadas a suplir las demandas de predicción meteorológica en localidades y momentos específicos en un contexto de cambio climático.
Beyond species richness : an empirical test of top predators as surrogates for functional diversity and endemism
(2015) Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Martin, Kathy
Biocultural homogenization in elementary education degree students from contrasting ecoregions of Chile
(2023) Méndez, Manuela O.; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Rozzi, Ricardo; Marini, Guillermo
Biocultural homogenization is a wicked problem that implies the loss of biological and cultural diversity at differentscales. It is promoted by globalized one-dimensional ways of thinking that ignore the biophysical and cultural singularities of theheterogeneous regions of the planet. In Chile, we find ecoregions as diverse as the arid Norte Grande, the semi-arid MediterraneanMetropolitan region, and the temperate rainforests in the south. We studied the perceptions that elementary education degree students(EEDS) have regarding the flora and fauna (co-inhabitants), their environments (habitats), and their daily customs or activities (habits)in these three ecoregions. We distributed 72 questionnaires to students from 3 universities in 2021, asking them about co-inhabitants,habitats, and habits. We identified similarities and differences between the responses. Similarities were associated with bioculturalhomogenization processes evidenced by the prevalence of vertebrate animals and vascular plants, or introduced species, such as domesticanimals, and cultivated plants for edible, ornamental, and medicinal purposes. Differences were associated with biocultural conservationprocesses such as the collection of native species of mushrooms, plants and animals for food use, or the knowledge of ritual celebrationstypical of their localities. We propose that teaching study programs should aim to redirect biocultural homogenization processes towardbiocultural conservation processes. That way teachers can play a key role in teaching future generations to learn and value both localand scientific knowledge about the diversity of co-inhabitants, habitats, and the life habits in each of their ecoregions.
Biocultural memory and transitions in mountain food systems: the case of two indigenous communities from Chile and Mexico
(2018) Monterrubio-Solís, Constanza; Barreau, Antonia; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás
Food is not only nourishment. Food feeds knowledge, practices, and beliefs through generations, and thus it sustains biocultural memories. However, prevailing economic models homogenize biocultural food systems by replacing local diversity with fewer market products, often leading to nutrition-related chronic diseases. This research explores local biocultural memories around cooking spaces, wild food gathering and home gardens to reveal changes in foodways in families from Andean landscapes in Mapuche territory, Chile, and from Chiapas’ Highlands in Tzotzil territory, Mexico. We used food diary elicitation, participant observation, and informal and semi-structured interviews. In both cases, food items have changed, as has the way they are procured and prepared. Traditional foods are being replaced by foods associated with modernity and progress. Perceived drivers of change include shifts iŶ childreŶ’s food prefereŶces, lack of tiŵe for food procurement and temporary migration, and a decreasing production of grains and vegetables caused by reduced land tenure and soil depletion. Data show that the intake of locally procured ingredients is higher than intake of market-based products during the summer season, while consumption of market-based foods increases during seasonal scarcity. Rice and noodles have replaced traditional foods like locro, soplillo, and quinwa among Mapuche families, while noodles, industrial tortillas, and soda are replacing corn tortillas, quelites and pozol among Tzotzil families. Though distant, mountain food systems from Mexico and Chile face similar processes of biocultural homogenization with notorious increases in nutritionrelated chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Biocultural memory is a powerful link to recall food-related experiences and practices. This can be the basis for culturally appropriate and healthy eating habits, and to recover local diversity thus strengthening food systems and sovereignty.

Browsing by Author "Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás"

Results Per Page

Sort Options