José Tomás Ibarra | Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile (original) (raw)

Papers by José Tomás Ibarra

Research paper thumbnail of Social-ecological resilience: knowledge of agrobiodiversity by campesinos and migrants in the face of global changes

Journal of Environmental Management, 2024

There is concern that agrobiodiversity is being irreversibly eroded in the face of agricultural i... more There is concern that agrobiodiversity is being irreversibly eroded in the face of agricultural industrialization. While academic and policy debates stress loss of landraces, little attention has been paid to evaluating how agricultural knowledge systems endure in response to broader social-ecological changes (i.e., “system's resilience”). For being resilient, agricultural knowledge systems should incorporate new information (modern seed varieties) whilst maintaining its traditional components (landraces) and functions. However, the loss or continuing utilization of landraces may be influenced by several social-ecological filters, which are processes that selectively remove varieties according to their phenotype, local uses, or value. We examined the resilience of agricultural knowledge systems in the southern Andes. These systems include the knowledge of landraces and modern varieties by campesinos and lifestyle migrants. We further assessed the association of social-ecological filters with the knowledge of agrobiodiversity. Over four years (2018–2022), we used mixed-methods including semi-structured interviews with gardener experts and conducted knowledge exercises of seed varieties and surveys of gardeners (n = 132). We assessed the association of ‘knowledge score on varieties’ (general, landraces, and modern) with a priori-defined social-ecological filters. Gardeners with more proficient knowledge of landraces were more knowledgeable of modern varieties too. The general knowledge of agrobiodiversity and the knowledge of landraces, but not of modern varieties, was higher for campesinos than migrants. The main seed source of gardeners, the participation in seed exchanges, gardeners' origin, and gardeners' age were the social-ecological filters that influenced gardeners′ knowledge of agrobiodiversity. We highlight that social-ecological, small-scale farming systems, are being resilient when they have the capacity of incorporating new information (knowledge of modern varieties) whilst maintaining their identity (knowledge of landraces) without undergoing a major shift in their basic structures and functions in this Important Agricultural Heritage Site and Global Biodiversity Hotspot, and beyond.

Research paper thumbnail of Volverse árbol, reconstruir la memoria: redes bioculturales en los bosques de pewen (Araucaria araucana) del sur de los Andes

Revista Geografía Norte Grande, 2024

Las relaciones entre la gente y los árboles se construyen y reconstruyen continuamente en sistema... more Las relaciones entre la gente y los árboles se construyen y reconstruyen continuamente en sistemas socioecológicos situados. En los estudios sobre sistemas socioecológicos vinculados con árboles, comúnmente encontramos dos enfoques: el primero se centra en ‘entidades biológicas’, examinando la dinámica ecológica de las especies de árboles y la biodiversidad asociada. El segundo enfoque se centra en las personas, analizando la ‘agencia humana’ junto con las fuerzas políticas, históricas y contemporáneas que dan forma, estimulan o dañan a las relaciones humano-árbol. En este trabajo, exploramos críticamente los sistemas socioecológicos asociados al pewen (Araucaria araucana), uno de los árboles más icónicos y sagrados del sur de los Andes. Primero describimos algunos de nuestros hallazgos de investigación sobre el pewen para los dos primeros enfoques descritos anteriormente. Luego, desarrollamos una tercera perspectiva, que llamamos ‘relacional’, la cual destaca las relaciones bioculturales, superando las dicotomías ‘ecológica/ social’ y ‘entidad biológica/agencia humana’. Nuestro enfoque relacional permite indagar en cómo los actores (árboles y semillas, fauna silvestre y gente, entre otros) interactúan en redes bioculturales complejas y simpoiéticas, identificando a la memoria biocultural del sistema como un conjunto de relaciones dinámicas y cotidianas que se construyen y reconstruyen continuamente en sistemas abiertos y sujetos a impulsores de cambio históricos y contemporáneos.

Research paper thumbnail of Riparian forest patches are critical for forest affiliated birds in farmlands of temperate Chile

Biological Conservation, 2024

There is ongoing debate among conservationists regarding the value of small habitat patches to su... more There is ongoing debate among conservationists regarding the value of small habitat patches to sustain wild populations in farmlands. Our goal was to assess bird abundance in riparian forests differing in terms of size, configuration, landscape conditions and degradation level, to both inform the debate and to identify conservation strategies to maintain diverse agricultural landscapes. We conducted bird point-counts in 91 sites in 2016 across an agricultural valley in Chile. Using models that accounted for imperfect detection, we assessed variation in bird densities in riparian forests with different sizes and configuration, landscapes, and habitat characteristics. We found support in univariates models for our prediction that bird densities varied across riparian forest of various sizes and configuration for 10 of 16 bird species. However, when we added landscape and habitat characteristics to the model, we found that the densities of many of the birds were best explained by forest cover around their local (1 ha) and broader (50 ha) landscape combined with forests characteristics (e.g., invasive tree abundance). For example, Black-throated huet-huet and Chucao Tapaculo were positively associated with forest cover at the broader landscape (50 ha), but showed no response to number of patches, patch-size and Euclidean distance. Our results showed no evidence of negative fragmentation effect per se (i.e., after controlling for habitat area). While agricultural landscapes provide habitat for some species that use small forest patches, conservation strategies focusing on maintaining high level of forest cover and native vegetation are required to secure populations of forest affiliated species.

Research paper thumbnail of Transformación del patrimonio biocultural en el archipiélago de Chiloé: un Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial

RIVAR, 2024

La agricultura familiar campesina se caracteriza por su resiliencia a los cambios, aunque se encu... more La agricultura familiar campesina se caracteriza por su resiliencia a los cambios, aunque se encuentra expuesta a impulsores de transformación socioambiental. Al respecto, estudiamos los impulsores históricos y contemporáneos de cambio que han influenciado la pérdida del patrimonio biocultural en la península de Rilán, un espacio rural del archipiélago de Chiloé, al sur de Chile que es reconocido por la FAO como un Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial (SIPAM). Entre septiembre de 2020 y octubre de 2021, mediante revisión bibliográfica, fichas de caracterización predial y entrevistas semiestructuradas, se visitaron dieciocho predios destinados a la agricultura familiar y se establecieron conversaciones individuales con un historiador local y un extensionista rural del ámbito agropecuario. Los resultados evidencian que, en el archipiélago de Chiloé, la agricultura familiar continúa siendo una actividad fundamental tanto en aspectos identitarios como productivos, donde a pesar de las mutaciones en los modos de vida rural en las últimas décadas, aún persiste un amplio complejo de conocimientos, prácticas y creencias que han resistido rápidos procesos de modernización agrícola y múltiples transformaciones territoriales.

Research paper thumbnail of Morphological description of the white-throated treerunner (Pygarrhichas albogularis, King 1831) in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile

ANales del Instituo de la Patagonia, 2024

La ecorregión subantártica de Magallanes constituye una de las áreas silvestres más prístinas y a... more La ecorregión subantártica de Magallanes constituye una de las áreas silvestres más prístinas y alberga los ecosistemas boscosos más australes del mundo, que están protegidos por la Reserva de la Biosfera Cabo de Hornos (RBCH), Chile. En estos bosques, las aves son el grupo de vertebrados con mayor número de especies. Sin embargo, aspectos esenciales de la ecología y la morfología de varias especies de esta región todavía han sido poco investigados. Entre estas especies, se incluye el comesebo grande (Pygarrhichas albogularis, King 1831), considerado un "fósil viviente" por ser la única especie viva del género Pygarrhichas. Además, es un furnariido endémico de los bosques templados de Sudamérica. Utilizando la base de datos de 23 años del Programa de Investigación Ornitológica a Largo Plazo del Parque Omora (54 º 56'S, 67 º 38'W), que ha realizado capturas y anillamientos de aves de bosque, describimos la morfología, longevidad y presencia del comesebo grande en la RBCH. Entre los años 2000 y 2022 se anillaron 91 individuos, incluyendo 29 recapturas que nos permitieron determinar que esta especie puede vivir al menos cinco años. Las medidas morfométricas mostraron una correlación positiva entre las medidas de pico y la longitud del tarso con las longitudes de la cola y del ala. El peso varió en cada estación anual, pero no significativamente. La mayor presencia al interior del bosque antiguo sugiere una dependencia de esta especie con los grandes árboles. Este estudio amplía el conocimiento sobre la historia natural del comesebo grande, particularmente de sus poblaciones que habitan en los bosques más australes del mundo.

Research paper thumbnail of The global relevance of locally grounded ethnobiology

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2024

While ethnobiology is a discipline that focuses on the local, it has an outstanding, but not yet ... more While ethnobiology is a discipline that focuses on the local, it has an outstanding, but not yet fully realized potential to address global issues. Part of this unrealized potential is that universalistic approaches often do not fully recognize culturally grounded perspectives and there are multiple challenges with scaling up place-based research. However, scalability is paramount to ensure that the intimate and context-specific diversity of human-environmental relationships and understandings are recognized in global-scale planning and policy development. Here, we identify four pathways to enable the scalability of place-based ethnobiological research from the ground up: local-to-global dialogues, aggregation of published data, multi-sited studies, and geospatial analyses. We also discuss some major challenges and consideration to encourage continuous reflexivity in these endeavours and to ensure that scalability does not contribute to unnecessarily decontextualizing, co-opting, or overwriting the epistemologies of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. As ethnobiology navigates multiple scales of time and space and seeks to increase its breadth, this study shows that the use of deliberately global approaches, when carefully nested within rich field-based and ecological and ethnographically grounded data, can contribute to: (1) upscaling case-specific insights to unveil global patterns and dynamics in the biocultural contexts of Indigenous Peoples and local communities; (2) bringing ethnobiological knowledge into resolutions that can influence global environmental research and policy agendas; and (3) enriching ethnobiology's field-based ethos with a deliberate global analytical focus.

Research paper thumbnail of While clearing the forests: the social-ecological memory of trees in the Anthropocene

AMBIO, 2024

The Anthropocene concept raises awareness of human-induced planetary changes but is criticized fo... more The Anthropocene concept raises awareness of human-induced planetary changes but is criticized for being 'too global'. We examined the social-ecological memory that emerges from people-tree relationships in South American temperate territories, Chile. We integrated dendrochronology (analysis of tree rings of 35 memorial trees; 17 species) with dendrography (participant observation complemented with semi-structured and goalong interviews with 14 interviewees; six women, eight men). We found that assemblages of people-tree relationships reflect marked historical changes in the territory, associated with the historical clearing of forests, which may be imprinted in both tree growth rings and in the social meanings and practices associated with memorial trees. In devastated territories, practices of tree care emphasize interconnectedness, multispecies collaborations, and the blurring of boundaries between humans and otherthan-humans. We discuss some of the interdisciplinary and relational insights of our study, which may prove valuable for future research, political agendas, and educational programs in South America and beyond.

Research paper thumbnail of Indigenous and local knowledge on social-ecological changes is positively associated with livelihood resilience in a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System

Agricultural Systems, 2024

CONTEXT Rapid social-ecological changes such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource ... more CONTEXT

Rapid social-ecological changes such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource overexploitation are threatening food security, livelihoods, and local knowledge of small-scale farmers worldwide. There has been a call from scientists, farmers, and activists to identify and promote the mechanisms for sustaining resilient farming livelihoods. We hypothesize that small-scale farmers who are more knowledgeable about changes in their environment are more resilient to current social-ecological changes as they might be more prepared to respond to these disturbances.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective is to understand how Indigenous and local knowledge on social-ecological changes is associated with small-scale farmers' livelihood resilience in the Chiloé Archipelago, a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System and Global Biodiversity Hotspot in southern South America.

METHODS

We conducted 100 surveys with small-scale farmers whose main livelihood activity relied on agrosilvopastoral systems. By asking questions about noticed changes in the atmospheric, physical, biological, and human system, we built an Index of Knowledge on Social-Ecological Changes. We also built an Index of Livelihood Resilience based on households' information on indicators of five capital assets (i.e., financial, human, social, physical, and natural). Finally, by using general linear mixed models, we tested the association between the Index of Knowledge on Social-Ecological Changes, individual capital assets, and the Index of Livelihood Resilience.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

We found that the level of small-scale farmers' knowledge was similar across the different systems (atmospheric, physical, biological, and human). We observed a significant positive association between the Index of Knowledge on Social-Ecological Changes and the Index of Livelihood Resilience, as well as with the natural, social, and physical capital of small-scale farmers.

SIGNIFICANCE

By demonstrating the positive association between measures of Indigenous and local knowledge on social-ecological changes and indicators of livelihood resilience, our results suggest that people who are more knowledgeable about changes in their environment might be more prepared to respond to disturbances. While there might be other factors influencing livelihood resilience, our study highlights the importance of leveraging Indigenous and local knowledge, and their respective holders, when planning responses to current social-ecological crises.

Research paper thumbnail of Local studies provide a global perspective of the impacts of climate change on Indigenous Peoples and local communities

Sustainable Earth Reviews, 2024

Reyes-García et al. Sustainable Earth Reviews (2024) 7:1 knowledge systems can yield new insights... more Reyes-García et al. Sustainable Earth Reviews (2024) 7:1 knowledge systems can yield new insights which may help prioritize research and policy actions to address local needs and priorities. Science highlights →Place-based communities provide holistic, culturally-grounded, and multi-causal reports of change. →Place-based communities rely on local means to adapt to change, but implementing responses incurs costs. →Local reports of change reveal grounded needs and interests that could guide research and policy action. Policy and practice recommendations →Recognize Indigenous Peoples and local communities as legitimate custodians of climate change knowledge. →Uphold Indigenous Peoples' rights to participate in climate change decision-making. →Adjust research to ensure that funding, timing and data ownership align with local needs and interests.

Research paper thumbnail of Indigenous Peoples and local communities report ongoing and widespread climate change impacts on local social-ecological systems

Communications Earth & Environment, 2024

The effects of climate change depend on speci!c local circumstances, posing a challenge for world... more The effects of climate change depend on speci!c local circumstances, posing a challenge for worldwide research to comprehensively encompass the diverse impacts on various local social-ecological systems. Here we use a place-speci!c but cross-culturally comparable protocol to document climate change indicators and impacts as locally experienced and analyze their distribution. We collected !rst-hand data in 48 sites inhabited by Indigenous Peoples and local communities and covering all climate zones and nature-dependent liveli- hoods. We documented 1,661 site-agreed reports of change corresponding to 369 indicators. Reports of change vary according to climate zone and livelihood activity. We provide com- pelling evidence that climate change impacts on Indigenous Peoples and local communities are ongoing, tangible, widespread, and affect multiple elements of their social-ecological systems. Beyond potentially informing contextualized adaptation plans, our results show that local reports could help identify economic and non-economic loss and damage related to climate change impacts suffered by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Research paper thumbnail of "¿Cómo nos adaptamos a la variación climática en tiempos de cambios globales? Aproximaciones a un índice de vulnerabilidad socioecológica en el Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial Archipiélago de Chiloé"

Research paper thumbnail of “Listen to us”: small‐scale farmers’ understandings of social‐ecological changes and their drivers in Important Agricultural Heritage Systems

Regional Environmental Change, 2023

Current social-ecological changes affect territories and people’s livelihoods worldwide. Many of ... more Current social-ecological changes affect territories and people’s livelihoods worldwide. Many of these changes have detri- mental effects on small-scale agricultural systems, with concomitant negative consequences on global and local food security and sovereignty. The objectives of this study were to explore (i) local knowledge on social-ecological changes and (ii) the perceived drivers of those changes occurring in a mountainscape and an islandscape in two Important Agricultural Herit- age Systems of southern South America, both located within a Global Biodiversity Hotspot. This was done by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with local campesinos, whose livelihoods are based on the use and management of agrosilvopastoral systems. We found that local communities experience a wide range of globally and locally induced social- ecological changes acting in their territories. Campesinos mentioned 79 different observations of social-ecological changes and identified drivers for 77% of them. Changes in the atmospheric system, specifically regarding changes in precipitation, drought, and temperatures, were commonly observed by campesinos in both sites. Participants also observed complex inter- relations between these changes and the drivers influencing them, climatic drivers being the most important. Even though general changes in climatic patterns were identified as drivers of changes by campesinos, other situated changes derived from the site’s biophysical, social, and economic conditions were also important. Our results highlight the importance of considering local knowledge to understand social-ecological changes and to support the development and implementation of public policies that promote contextualized adaptation measures to global changes that affect local livelihoods.

Research paper thumbnail of Hacia una política nacional de circuitos cortos de comercialización e intermediación solidaria

Temas de la Agenda Pública, 2023

En este artículo presentamos los circuitos cortos de comercialización (CCC), con base en la econo... more En este artículo presentamos los circuitos cortos de comercialización (CCC), con base en la economía solidaria, para el desarrollo de una política pública que fortalezca a la agricultura familiar campesina (AFC).

El contenido se divide en cuatro secciones. En la primera, ofrecemos un marco conceptual sobre las crisis que afectan a los sistemas agroalimentarios, las respuestas para hacer frente a las crisis, junto con la importancia de la AFC y de los CCC. La segunda sección presenta una síntesis del proyecto Encuentros propositivos por la agricultura familiar campesina, el cual fue un proceso transdisciplinario que buscó comprender de manera horizontal los impactos de la pandemia y otras crisis sobre la AFC, e impulsar respuestas surgidas desde los territorios. La tercera sección contiene recomendaciones específicas para el diseño de una política pública en CCC. Finalmente, una cuarta sección plantea la conclusión de este trabajo.

Research paper thumbnail of Structural complexity is a better predictor than single habitat attributes of understory bird densities in Andean temperate forests

Ornithological Applications, 2023

The simplification of forest structural complexity, caused by anthropogenic land-use practices, i... more The simplification of forest structural complexity, caused by anthropogenic land-use practices, is one of the main threats to understory specialist birds. We examined the association of both single structural attributes and structural complexity, with the density of 4 understory bird species in the Global Biodiversity Hotspot "Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian Forests" of South America. Between 2011 and 2013, we surveyed habitat attributes and conducted bird point counts in 505 plots in Andean temperate ecosystems in Chile. In each habitat plot, we measured understory density, volume of coarse woody debris (CWD), number of snags, diameter at breast height (DBH) of trees, and leaf litter depth. With these attributes, we developed an index of stand structural complexity (ISC). On average, old-growth forests had higher values for understory density, CWD volume, DBH, and litter depth than secondary forests and open fields, and thus greater values of ISC. The density of understory birds was positively correlated with the ISC for the Rhinocryptidae Pteroptochos tarnii, Scelorchilus rubecula, and Scytalopus magellanicus. We also found a positive association between understory density and litter depth, with the density of the Furnariidae Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii. However, this latter species showed a negative association with the density of snags. Our results suggest the utility of using an index of structural complexity, rather than single or even additive habitat attributes, for determining the density of understory specialist birds. We recommend that management plans should promote the retention of habitat attributes that contribute to the structural complexity of temperate forests of South America and beyond.

Research paper thumbnail of Mountain social-ecological resilience requires transdisciplinarity with Indigenous and local worldviews

Trends in Ecology and Evolution , 2023

Addressing the shocks of global crises requires that scientists, policymakers, and Indigenous Peo... more Addressing the shocks of global crises requires that scientists, policymakers, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities work together to enable communities to withstand and adapt to disturbances. On the basis of our experiences in the Andes, we propose the ‘10-step cycle of transdisciplinarity’ for designing projects to build social-ecological resilience in mountains.

Research paper thumbnail of Linking people and riparian forests: a sociocultural and ecological approach to plan integrative restoration in farmlands

Restoration Ecology, 2023

Global initiatives to restore habitats aim to improve ecosystem health; however, restoration prog... more Global initiatives to restore habitats aim to improve ecosystem health; however, restoration programs are challenged with balancing human needs with ecological restoration objectives. To advise programs that aim to restore forest in farmlands and complement other analyses on ecologically-based reference sites, we (1) identified species with sociocultural importance, termed as "priority species"; (2) developed an integrative index to find habitats where priority species coincide with healthy ecological conditions (i.e. relatively high diversity, specific plant composition, etc.); and (3) evaluated whether sociodemographic profiles of landowners influenced their plant knowledge and ecological condition of habitats. Our approach was applied to riparian forests in farmlands of the Toltén watershed in southern Chile. We conducted structured interviews to gather information on traditional uses and management of trees in riparian habitats from 45 landowners. We developed an integrative index by combining sociocultural information from interviews with existing vegetation data. From the list of 65 trees provided by landowners, we selected five priority species based on their high saliency, multiple uses, and known management. Only 6 out of 98 sites had high integrative index scores, with the majority showing low values for sociocultural and ecological conditions. Except for a difference in ecological criteria and gender, the evaluation of landowners' knowledge level with sociodemographic profiles did not show significant relationships. These findings suggest that our integrative index can guide the design of restoration objectives, emphasizing on species that are important to local communities by providing information on the ecological conditions in which these plants co-occur.

Research paper thumbnail of Family farming systems: an index-based approach to the drivers of agroecological principles in the southern Andes

Ecological Indicators, 2023

Global social-ecological crises call for the identification and promotion of resilient agrifood s... more Global social-ecological crises call for the identification and promotion of resilient agrifood systems. Agroecology can help addressing these challenges by fostering high levels of diversity and climate resilience. The application of agroecological principles (i.e. social-ecological processes translated into practices with positive effects on the conservation, stability and resilience of agriculture), increases systems' response capacity and ability to adapt to crises. Agroecology has its roots in indigenous agriculture but social-ecological filters (i.e. human-nature factors that remove or reinforce agroecological practices) may be, at times, shifting away these systems from agroecological principles. The dynamism of territories has prompted the arrival of new actors to rural areas such as lifestyle migrants. In this study, we assess the extent to which agroecological principles are present in family farming in the southern Andes and identify factors that can act as "social-ecological filters" of management practices, affecting the level of agroecology in these systems. We applied questionnaires to 80 gardeners (40 campesinos and 40 migrants), asking about 35 management practices and their socio-demographic profiles. We developed an Index of Agroecological Principles (IAP) to estimate the presence/absence of management practices that contribute to seven agroecological principles (four biological and three sociocultural). Most principles showed a presence over 0.5 (50%). We found a positive relationship between biological and cultural principles (r = 0.56; p < 0.01). Biodiversity was the principle with the highest presence (0.72 ± 0.01). The value of the IAP was higher for indigenous and non-indigenous campesinos (4.5 ± 0.1; ß = 4.27) than for migrants (3.9 ± 0.12; ß = − 0.4). The origin of the gardener, the age of the homegarden and the size of the farm, were the most influential social-ecological filters that selectively remove or reinforce agroecological practices in homegardens. We discuss the potential of an Index of Agroecological Principles in homegarden management for strengthening agroecology and resilience to social-ecological changes in a Global Biodiversity Hotspot and beyond.

Research paper thumbnail of Commons of the south: ecologies of interdependence in local territories of Chile

Sustainability, 2023

In a context of global social–ecological crises, a growing number of researchers, policymakers, a... more In a context of global social–ecological crises, a growing number of researchers, policymakers, activists and politicians have given importance to the “commons”. This is mainly because the commons are associated with a logic of regulation and collective organization over the use and conservation of those goods considered essential for both human and ecosystem co-existence. This article seeks to draw attention to the commons from the standpoint of an ecology of interdependence and understand their modes of co-existence in the Global South. We analyze four case studies along with the tensions and junctures faced by the communities and the goods that sustain their continuity over time in southern Chile, a territory where extractivism and resource exploitation have increased over the last decades. The case studies use a combination of qualitative methodologies, including document analysis, literature review, ethnographies, participant observation, interviews and other means of participatory action research with community actors. Integrative analysis and discussion of the results reveal the fluidity and dynamism of the commons of southern Chile in contexts where there is pressure for their institutionalization and/or privatization, as well as various forms of resistance on the part of the territories for their protection and revitalization.

Research paper thumbnail of Biocultural homogenization in elementary education degree students from contrasting ecoregions of Chile

Ecology and Society, 2023

Biocultural homogenization is a wicked problem that implies the loss of biological and cultural d... more Biocultural homogenization is a wicked problem that implies the loss of biological and cultural diversity at different scales. It is promoted by globalized one-dimensional ways of thinking that ignore the biophysical and cultural singularities of the heterogeneous regions of the planet. In Chile, we find ecoregions as diverse as the arid Norte Grande, the semi-arid Mediterranean Metropolitan 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 biocultural homogenization processes evidenced by the prevalence of vertebrate animals and vascular plants, or introduced species, such as domestic animals, and cultivated plants for edible, ornamental, and medicinal purposes. Differences were associated with biocultural conservation processes such as the collection of native species of mushrooms, plants and animals for food use, or the knowledge of ritual celebrations typical of their localities. We propose that teaching study programs should aim to redirect biocultural homogenization processes toward biocultural conservation processes. That way teachers can play a key role in teaching future generations to learn and value both local and scientific knowledge about the diversity of co-inhabitants, habitats, and the life habits in each of their ecoregions.

Research paper thumbnail of Información científica clave para la gestión y conservación del ecosistema biocultural del Pewen en Chile y Argentina

Bosque, 2023

The forest of Araucaria araucana (pewen in Mapuche language), with its associated species of the ... more The forest of Araucaria araucana (pewen in Mapuche language), with its associated species of the genus Nothofagus, is uniquue from an evolutionary, biological and sociocultural point of view. Due to the interdependence and interrelation with the Mapuche-Pewenche people, it is considered a biocultural ecosystem. 􏰕his work is a comprehensive binational review of current scientific information applicable to its management and conservation. The scientific community contributed with significant advances in the knowledge of: a) the interrelationships within and significance of this biocultural ecosystem, b) the regional genetic diversity, c) the fire regimen, its main drivers, its role in forest dynamics, and the recovery capacity of biodiversity in the face of different burn severities, d) the ecological role of seed production and its unusual interactions with granivorous fauna and cavity nesters, e) the decline and death of the canopy, due to environmental stress and the emergence of new pewen pathogens, f) the consequences of the invasion of pines and exotic mammals that alter the biological interactions and the original ecological processes, and g) the effects of cattle ranching and overexploitation of firewood and pine nuts on ecological integrity and biodiversity. this knowledge is considered essential to strengthen policies and strategies for protection, conservation, and management of this ecosystem, which is endemic, rare, regionally threatened, and globally declared endangered. Considering the identified problems, it is imperative to achieve social empowerment of the Mapuche-Pehuenche people, intercultural respect, and enforcing public policies for the conservation and sustainable use of these forests.

Research paper thumbnail of Social-ecological resilience: knowledge of agrobiodiversity by campesinos and migrants in the face of global changes

Journal of Environmental Management, 2024

There is concern that agrobiodiversity is being irreversibly eroded in the face of agricultural i... more There is concern that agrobiodiversity is being irreversibly eroded in the face of agricultural industrialization. While academic and policy debates stress loss of landraces, little attention has been paid to evaluating how agricultural knowledge systems endure in response to broader social-ecological changes (i.e., “system's resilience”). For being resilient, agricultural knowledge systems should incorporate new information (modern seed varieties) whilst maintaining its traditional components (landraces) and functions. However, the loss or continuing utilization of landraces may be influenced by several social-ecological filters, which are processes that selectively remove varieties according to their phenotype, local uses, or value. We examined the resilience of agricultural knowledge systems in the southern Andes. These systems include the knowledge of landraces and modern varieties by campesinos and lifestyle migrants. We further assessed the association of social-ecological filters with the knowledge of agrobiodiversity. Over four years (2018–2022), we used mixed-methods including semi-structured interviews with gardener experts and conducted knowledge exercises of seed varieties and surveys of gardeners (n = 132). We assessed the association of ‘knowledge score on varieties’ (general, landraces, and modern) with a priori-defined social-ecological filters. Gardeners with more proficient knowledge of landraces were more knowledgeable of modern varieties too. The general knowledge of agrobiodiversity and the knowledge of landraces, but not of modern varieties, was higher for campesinos than migrants. The main seed source of gardeners, the participation in seed exchanges, gardeners' origin, and gardeners' age were the social-ecological filters that influenced gardeners′ knowledge of agrobiodiversity. We highlight that social-ecological, small-scale farming systems, are being resilient when they have the capacity of incorporating new information (knowledge of modern varieties) whilst maintaining their identity (knowledge of landraces) without undergoing a major shift in their basic structures and functions in this Important Agricultural Heritage Site and Global Biodiversity Hotspot, and beyond.

Research paper thumbnail of Volverse árbol, reconstruir la memoria: redes bioculturales en los bosques de pewen (Araucaria araucana) del sur de los Andes

Revista Geografía Norte Grande, 2024

Las relaciones entre la gente y los árboles se construyen y reconstruyen continuamente en sistema... more Las relaciones entre la gente y los árboles se construyen y reconstruyen continuamente en sistemas socioecológicos situados. En los estudios sobre sistemas socioecológicos vinculados con árboles, comúnmente encontramos dos enfoques: el primero se centra en ‘entidades biológicas’, examinando la dinámica ecológica de las especies de árboles y la biodiversidad asociada. El segundo enfoque se centra en las personas, analizando la ‘agencia humana’ junto con las fuerzas políticas, históricas y contemporáneas que dan forma, estimulan o dañan a las relaciones humano-árbol. En este trabajo, exploramos críticamente los sistemas socioecológicos asociados al pewen (Araucaria araucana), uno de los árboles más icónicos y sagrados del sur de los Andes. Primero describimos algunos de nuestros hallazgos de investigación sobre el pewen para los dos primeros enfoques descritos anteriormente. Luego, desarrollamos una tercera perspectiva, que llamamos ‘relacional’, la cual destaca las relaciones bioculturales, superando las dicotomías ‘ecológica/ social’ y ‘entidad biológica/agencia humana’. Nuestro enfoque relacional permite indagar en cómo los actores (árboles y semillas, fauna silvestre y gente, entre otros) interactúan en redes bioculturales complejas y simpoiéticas, identificando a la memoria biocultural del sistema como un conjunto de relaciones dinámicas y cotidianas que se construyen y reconstruyen continuamente en sistemas abiertos y sujetos a impulsores de cambio históricos y contemporáneos.

Research paper thumbnail of Riparian forest patches are critical for forest affiliated birds in farmlands of temperate Chile

Biological Conservation, 2024

There is ongoing debate among conservationists regarding the value of small habitat patches to su... more There is ongoing debate among conservationists regarding the value of small habitat patches to sustain wild populations in farmlands. Our goal was to assess bird abundance in riparian forests differing in terms of size, configuration, landscape conditions and degradation level, to both inform the debate and to identify conservation strategies to maintain diverse agricultural landscapes. We conducted bird point-counts in 91 sites in 2016 across an agricultural valley in Chile. Using models that accounted for imperfect detection, we assessed variation in bird densities in riparian forests with different sizes and configuration, landscapes, and habitat characteristics. We found support in univariates models for our prediction that bird densities varied across riparian forest of various sizes and configuration for 10 of 16 bird species. However, when we added landscape and habitat characteristics to the model, we found that the densities of many of the birds were best explained by forest cover around their local (1 ha) and broader (50 ha) landscape combined with forests characteristics (e.g., invasive tree abundance). For example, Black-throated huet-huet and Chucao Tapaculo were positively associated with forest cover at the broader landscape (50 ha), but showed no response to number of patches, patch-size and Euclidean distance. Our results showed no evidence of negative fragmentation effect per se (i.e., after controlling for habitat area). While agricultural landscapes provide habitat for some species that use small forest patches, conservation strategies focusing on maintaining high level of forest cover and native vegetation are required to secure populations of forest affiliated species.

Research paper thumbnail of Transformación del patrimonio biocultural en el archipiélago de Chiloé: un Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial

RIVAR, 2024

La agricultura familiar campesina se caracteriza por su resiliencia a los cambios, aunque se encu... more La agricultura familiar campesina se caracteriza por su resiliencia a los cambios, aunque se encuentra expuesta a impulsores de transformación socioambiental. Al respecto, estudiamos los impulsores históricos y contemporáneos de cambio que han influenciado la pérdida del patrimonio biocultural en la península de Rilán, un espacio rural del archipiélago de Chiloé, al sur de Chile que es reconocido por la FAO como un Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial (SIPAM). Entre septiembre de 2020 y octubre de 2021, mediante revisión bibliográfica, fichas de caracterización predial y entrevistas semiestructuradas, se visitaron dieciocho predios destinados a la agricultura familiar y se establecieron conversaciones individuales con un historiador local y un extensionista rural del ámbito agropecuario. Los resultados evidencian que, en el archipiélago de Chiloé, la agricultura familiar continúa siendo una actividad fundamental tanto en aspectos identitarios como productivos, donde a pesar de las mutaciones en los modos de vida rural en las últimas décadas, aún persiste un amplio complejo de conocimientos, prácticas y creencias que han resistido rápidos procesos de modernización agrícola y múltiples transformaciones territoriales.

Research paper thumbnail of Morphological description of the white-throated treerunner (Pygarrhichas albogularis, King 1831) in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile

ANales del Instituo de la Patagonia, 2024

La ecorregión subantártica de Magallanes constituye una de las áreas silvestres más prístinas y a... more La ecorregión subantártica de Magallanes constituye una de las áreas silvestres más prístinas y alberga los ecosistemas boscosos más australes del mundo, que están protegidos por la Reserva de la Biosfera Cabo de Hornos (RBCH), Chile. En estos bosques, las aves son el grupo de vertebrados con mayor número de especies. Sin embargo, aspectos esenciales de la ecología y la morfología de varias especies de esta región todavía han sido poco investigados. Entre estas especies, se incluye el comesebo grande (Pygarrhichas albogularis, King 1831), considerado un "fósil viviente" por ser la única especie viva del género Pygarrhichas. Además, es un furnariido endémico de los bosques templados de Sudamérica. Utilizando la base de datos de 23 años del Programa de Investigación Ornitológica a Largo Plazo del Parque Omora (54 º 56'S, 67 º 38'W), que ha realizado capturas y anillamientos de aves de bosque, describimos la morfología, longevidad y presencia del comesebo grande en la RBCH. Entre los años 2000 y 2022 se anillaron 91 individuos, incluyendo 29 recapturas que nos permitieron determinar que esta especie puede vivir al menos cinco años. Las medidas morfométricas mostraron una correlación positiva entre las medidas de pico y la longitud del tarso con las longitudes de la cola y del ala. El peso varió en cada estación anual, pero no significativamente. La mayor presencia al interior del bosque antiguo sugiere una dependencia de esta especie con los grandes árboles. Este estudio amplía el conocimiento sobre la historia natural del comesebo grande, particularmente de sus poblaciones que habitan en los bosques más australes del mundo.

Research paper thumbnail of The global relevance of locally grounded ethnobiology

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2024

While ethnobiology is a discipline that focuses on the local, it has an outstanding, but not yet ... more While ethnobiology is a discipline that focuses on the local, it has an outstanding, but not yet fully realized potential to address global issues. Part of this unrealized potential is that universalistic approaches often do not fully recognize culturally grounded perspectives and there are multiple challenges with scaling up place-based research. However, scalability is paramount to ensure that the intimate and context-specific diversity of human-environmental relationships and understandings are recognized in global-scale planning and policy development. Here, we identify four pathways to enable the scalability of place-based ethnobiological research from the ground up: local-to-global dialogues, aggregation of published data, multi-sited studies, and geospatial analyses. We also discuss some major challenges and consideration to encourage continuous reflexivity in these endeavours and to ensure that scalability does not contribute to unnecessarily decontextualizing, co-opting, or overwriting the epistemologies of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. As ethnobiology navigates multiple scales of time and space and seeks to increase its breadth, this study shows that the use of deliberately global approaches, when carefully nested within rich field-based and ecological and ethnographically grounded data, can contribute to: (1) upscaling case-specific insights to unveil global patterns and dynamics in the biocultural contexts of Indigenous Peoples and local communities; (2) bringing ethnobiological knowledge into resolutions that can influence global environmental research and policy agendas; and (3) enriching ethnobiology's field-based ethos with a deliberate global analytical focus.

Research paper thumbnail of While clearing the forests: the social-ecological memory of trees in the Anthropocene

AMBIO, 2024

The Anthropocene concept raises awareness of human-induced planetary changes but is criticized fo... more The Anthropocene concept raises awareness of human-induced planetary changes but is criticized for being 'too global'. We examined the social-ecological memory that emerges from people-tree relationships in South American temperate territories, Chile. We integrated dendrochronology (analysis of tree rings of 35 memorial trees; 17 species) with dendrography (participant observation complemented with semi-structured and goalong interviews with 14 interviewees; six women, eight men). We found that assemblages of people-tree relationships reflect marked historical changes in the territory, associated with the historical clearing of forests, which may be imprinted in both tree growth rings and in the social meanings and practices associated with memorial trees. In devastated territories, practices of tree care emphasize interconnectedness, multispecies collaborations, and the blurring of boundaries between humans and otherthan-humans. We discuss some of the interdisciplinary and relational insights of our study, which may prove valuable for future research, political agendas, and educational programs in South America and beyond.

Research paper thumbnail of Indigenous and local knowledge on social-ecological changes is positively associated with livelihood resilience in a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System

Agricultural Systems, 2024

CONTEXT Rapid social-ecological changes such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource ... more CONTEXT

Rapid social-ecological changes such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource overexploitation are threatening food security, livelihoods, and local knowledge of small-scale farmers worldwide. There has been a call from scientists, farmers, and activists to identify and promote the mechanisms for sustaining resilient farming livelihoods. We hypothesize that small-scale farmers who are more knowledgeable about changes in their environment are more resilient to current social-ecological changes as they might be more prepared to respond to these disturbances.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective is to understand how Indigenous and local knowledge on social-ecological changes is associated with small-scale farmers' livelihood resilience in the Chiloé Archipelago, a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System and Global Biodiversity Hotspot in southern South America.

METHODS

We conducted 100 surveys with small-scale farmers whose main livelihood activity relied on agrosilvopastoral systems. By asking questions about noticed changes in the atmospheric, physical, biological, and human system, we built an Index of Knowledge on Social-Ecological Changes. We also built an Index of Livelihood Resilience based on households' information on indicators of five capital assets (i.e., financial, human, social, physical, and natural). Finally, by using general linear mixed models, we tested the association between the Index of Knowledge on Social-Ecological Changes, individual capital assets, and the Index of Livelihood Resilience.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

We found that the level of small-scale farmers' knowledge was similar across the different systems (atmospheric, physical, biological, and human). We observed a significant positive association between the Index of Knowledge on Social-Ecological Changes and the Index of Livelihood Resilience, as well as with the natural, social, and physical capital of small-scale farmers.

SIGNIFICANCE

By demonstrating the positive association between measures of Indigenous and local knowledge on social-ecological changes and indicators of livelihood resilience, our results suggest that people who are more knowledgeable about changes in their environment might be more prepared to respond to disturbances. While there might be other factors influencing livelihood resilience, our study highlights the importance of leveraging Indigenous and local knowledge, and their respective holders, when planning responses to current social-ecological crises.

Research paper thumbnail of Local studies provide a global perspective of the impacts of climate change on Indigenous Peoples and local communities

Sustainable Earth Reviews, 2024

Reyes-García et al. Sustainable Earth Reviews (2024) 7:1 knowledge systems can yield new insights... more Reyes-García et al. Sustainable Earth Reviews (2024) 7:1 knowledge systems can yield new insights which may help prioritize research and policy actions to address local needs and priorities. Science highlights →Place-based communities provide holistic, culturally-grounded, and multi-causal reports of change. →Place-based communities rely on local means to adapt to change, but implementing responses incurs costs. →Local reports of change reveal grounded needs and interests that could guide research and policy action. Policy and practice recommendations →Recognize Indigenous Peoples and local communities as legitimate custodians of climate change knowledge. →Uphold Indigenous Peoples' rights to participate in climate change decision-making. →Adjust research to ensure that funding, timing and data ownership align with local needs and interests.

Research paper thumbnail of Indigenous Peoples and local communities report ongoing and widespread climate change impacts on local social-ecological systems

Communications Earth & Environment, 2024

The effects of climate change depend on speci!c local circumstances, posing a challenge for world... more The effects of climate change depend on speci!c local circumstances, posing a challenge for worldwide research to comprehensively encompass the diverse impacts on various local social-ecological systems. Here we use a place-speci!c but cross-culturally comparable protocol to document climate change indicators and impacts as locally experienced and analyze their distribution. We collected !rst-hand data in 48 sites inhabited by Indigenous Peoples and local communities and covering all climate zones and nature-dependent liveli- hoods. We documented 1,661 site-agreed reports of change corresponding to 369 indicators. Reports of change vary according to climate zone and livelihood activity. We provide com- pelling evidence that climate change impacts on Indigenous Peoples and local communities are ongoing, tangible, widespread, and affect multiple elements of their social-ecological systems. Beyond potentially informing contextualized adaptation plans, our results show that local reports could help identify economic and non-economic loss and damage related to climate change impacts suffered by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Research paper thumbnail of "¿Cómo nos adaptamos a la variación climática en tiempos de cambios globales? Aproximaciones a un índice de vulnerabilidad socioecológica en el Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial Archipiélago de Chiloé"

Research paper thumbnail of “Listen to us”: small‐scale farmers’ understandings of social‐ecological changes and their drivers in Important Agricultural Heritage Systems

Regional Environmental Change, 2023

Current social-ecological changes affect territories and people’s livelihoods worldwide. Many of ... more Current social-ecological changes affect territories and people’s livelihoods worldwide. Many of these changes have detri- mental effects on small-scale agricultural systems, with concomitant negative consequences on global and local food security and sovereignty. The objectives of this study were to explore (i) local knowledge on social-ecological changes and (ii) the perceived drivers of those changes occurring in a mountainscape and an islandscape in two Important Agricultural Herit- age Systems of southern South America, both located within a Global Biodiversity Hotspot. This was done by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with local campesinos, whose livelihoods are based on the use and management of agrosilvopastoral systems. We found that local communities experience a wide range of globally and locally induced social- ecological changes acting in their territories. Campesinos mentioned 79 different observations of social-ecological changes and identified drivers for 77% of them. Changes in the atmospheric system, specifically regarding changes in precipitation, drought, and temperatures, were commonly observed by campesinos in both sites. Participants also observed complex inter- relations between these changes and the drivers influencing them, climatic drivers being the most important. Even though general changes in climatic patterns were identified as drivers of changes by campesinos, other situated changes derived from the site’s biophysical, social, and economic conditions were also important. Our results highlight the importance of considering local knowledge to understand social-ecological changes and to support the development and implementation of public policies that promote contextualized adaptation measures to global changes that affect local livelihoods.

Research paper thumbnail of Hacia una política nacional de circuitos cortos de comercialización e intermediación solidaria

Temas de la Agenda Pública, 2023

En este artículo presentamos los circuitos cortos de comercialización (CCC), con base en la econo... more En este artículo presentamos los circuitos cortos de comercialización (CCC), con base en la economía solidaria, para el desarrollo de una política pública que fortalezca a la agricultura familiar campesina (AFC).

El contenido se divide en cuatro secciones. En la primera, ofrecemos un marco conceptual sobre las crisis que afectan a los sistemas agroalimentarios, las respuestas para hacer frente a las crisis, junto con la importancia de la AFC y de los CCC. La segunda sección presenta una síntesis del proyecto Encuentros propositivos por la agricultura familiar campesina, el cual fue un proceso transdisciplinario que buscó comprender de manera horizontal los impactos de la pandemia y otras crisis sobre la AFC, e impulsar respuestas surgidas desde los territorios. La tercera sección contiene recomendaciones específicas para el diseño de una política pública en CCC. Finalmente, una cuarta sección plantea la conclusión de este trabajo.

Research paper thumbnail of Structural complexity is a better predictor than single habitat attributes of understory bird densities in Andean temperate forests

Ornithological Applications, 2023

The simplification of forest structural complexity, caused by anthropogenic land-use practices, i... more The simplification of forest structural complexity, caused by anthropogenic land-use practices, is one of the main threats to understory specialist birds. We examined the association of both single structural attributes and structural complexity, with the density of 4 understory bird species in the Global Biodiversity Hotspot "Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian Forests" of South America. Between 2011 and 2013, we surveyed habitat attributes and conducted bird point counts in 505 plots in Andean temperate ecosystems in Chile. In each habitat plot, we measured understory density, volume of coarse woody debris (CWD), number of snags, diameter at breast height (DBH) of trees, and leaf litter depth. With these attributes, we developed an index of stand structural complexity (ISC). On average, old-growth forests had higher values for understory density, CWD volume, DBH, and litter depth than secondary forests and open fields, and thus greater values of ISC. The density of understory birds was positively correlated with the ISC for the Rhinocryptidae Pteroptochos tarnii, Scelorchilus rubecula, and Scytalopus magellanicus. We also found a positive association between understory density and litter depth, with the density of the Furnariidae Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii. However, this latter species showed a negative association with the density of snags. Our results suggest the utility of using an index of structural complexity, rather than single or even additive habitat attributes, for determining the density of understory specialist birds. We recommend that management plans should promote the retention of habitat attributes that contribute to the structural complexity of temperate forests of South America and beyond.

Research paper thumbnail of Mountain social-ecological resilience requires transdisciplinarity with Indigenous and local worldviews

Trends in Ecology and Evolution , 2023

Addressing the shocks of global crises requires that scientists, policymakers, and Indigenous Peo... more Addressing the shocks of global crises requires that scientists, policymakers, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities work together to enable communities to withstand and adapt to disturbances. On the basis of our experiences in the Andes, we propose the ‘10-step cycle of transdisciplinarity’ for designing projects to build social-ecological resilience in mountains.

Research paper thumbnail of Linking people and riparian forests: a sociocultural and ecological approach to plan integrative restoration in farmlands

Restoration Ecology, 2023

Global initiatives to restore habitats aim to improve ecosystem health; however, restoration prog... more Global initiatives to restore habitats aim to improve ecosystem health; however, restoration programs are challenged with balancing human needs with ecological restoration objectives. To advise programs that aim to restore forest in farmlands and complement other analyses on ecologically-based reference sites, we (1) identified species with sociocultural importance, termed as "priority species"; (2) developed an integrative index to find habitats where priority species coincide with healthy ecological conditions (i.e. relatively high diversity, specific plant composition, etc.); and (3) evaluated whether sociodemographic profiles of landowners influenced their plant knowledge and ecological condition of habitats. Our approach was applied to riparian forests in farmlands of the Toltén watershed in southern Chile. We conducted structured interviews to gather information on traditional uses and management of trees in riparian habitats from 45 landowners. We developed an integrative index by combining sociocultural information from interviews with existing vegetation data. From the list of 65 trees provided by landowners, we selected five priority species based on their high saliency, multiple uses, and known management. Only 6 out of 98 sites had high integrative index scores, with the majority showing low values for sociocultural and ecological conditions. Except for a difference in ecological criteria and gender, the evaluation of landowners' knowledge level with sociodemographic profiles did not show significant relationships. These findings suggest that our integrative index can guide the design of restoration objectives, emphasizing on species that are important to local communities by providing information on the ecological conditions in which these plants co-occur.

Research paper thumbnail of Family farming systems: an index-based approach to the drivers of agroecological principles in the southern Andes

Ecological Indicators, 2023

Global social-ecological crises call for the identification and promotion of resilient agrifood s... more Global social-ecological crises call for the identification and promotion of resilient agrifood systems. Agroecology can help addressing these challenges by fostering high levels of diversity and climate resilience. The application of agroecological principles (i.e. social-ecological processes translated into practices with positive effects on the conservation, stability and resilience of agriculture), increases systems' response capacity and ability to adapt to crises. Agroecology has its roots in indigenous agriculture but social-ecological filters (i.e. human-nature factors that remove or reinforce agroecological practices) may be, at times, shifting away these systems from agroecological principles. The dynamism of territories has prompted the arrival of new actors to rural areas such as lifestyle migrants. In this study, we assess the extent to which agroecological principles are present in family farming in the southern Andes and identify factors that can act as "social-ecological filters" of management practices, affecting the level of agroecology in these systems. We applied questionnaires to 80 gardeners (40 campesinos and 40 migrants), asking about 35 management practices and their socio-demographic profiles. We developed an Index of Agroecological Principles (IAP) to estimate the presence/absence of management practices that contribute to seven agroecological principles (four biological and three sociocultural). Most principles showed a presence over 0.5 (50%). We found a positive relationship between biological and cultural principles (r = 0.56; p < 0.01). Biodiversity was the principle with the highest presence (0.72 ± 0.01). The value of the IAP was higher for indigenous and non-indigenous campesinos (4.5 ± 0.1; ß = 4.27) than for migrants (3.9 ± 0.12; ß = − 0.4). The origin of the gardener, the age of the homegarden and the size of the farm, were the most influential social-ecological filters that selectively remove or reinforce agroecological practices in homegardens. We discuss the potential of an Index of Agroecological Principles in homegarden management for strengthening agroecology and resilience to social-ecological changes in a Global Biodiversity Hotspot and beyond.

Research paper thumbnail of Commons of the south: ecologies of interdependence in local territories of Chile

Sustainability, 2023

In a context of global social–ecological crises, a growing number of researchers, policymakers, a... more In a context of global social–ecological crises, a growing number of researchers, policymakers, activists and politicians have given importance to the “commons”. This is mainly because the commons are associated with a logic of regulation and collective organization over the use and conservation of those goods considered essential for both human and ecosystem co-existence. This article seeks to draw attention to the commons from the standpoint of an ecology of interdependence and understand their modes of co-existence in the Global South. We analyze four case studies along with the tensions and junctures faced by the communities and the goods that sustain their continuity over time in southern Chile, a territory where extractivism and resource exploitation have increased over the last decades. The case studies use a combination of qualitative methodologies, including document analysis, literature review, ethnographies, participant observation, interviews and other means of participatory action research with community actors. Integrative analysis and discussion of the results reveal the fluidity and dynamism of the commons of southern Chile in contexts where there is pressure for their institutionalization and/or privatization, as well as various forms of resistance on the part of the territories for their protection and revitalization.

Research paper thumbnail of Biocultural homogenization in elementary education degree students from contrasting ecoregions of Chile

Ecology and Society, 2023

Biocultural homogenization is a wicked problem that implies the loss of biological and cultural d... more Biocultural homogenization is a wicked problem that implies the loss of biological and cultural diversity at different scales. It is promoted by globalized one-dimensional ways of thinking that ignore the biophysical and cultural singularities of the heterogeneous regions of the planet. In Chile, we find ecoregions as diverse as the arid Norte Grande, the semi-arid Mediterranean Metropolitan 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 biocultural homogenization processes evidenced by the prevalence of vertebrate animals and vascular plants, or introduced species, such as domestic animals, and cultivated plants for edible, ornamental, and medicinal purposes. Differences were associated with biocultural conservation processes such as the collection of native species of mushrooms, plants and animals for food use, or the knowledge of ritual celebrations typical of their localities. We propose that teaching study programs should aim to redirect biocultural homogenization processes toward biocultural conservation processes. That way teachers can play a key role in teaching future generations to learn and value both local and scientific knowledge about the diversity of co-inhabitants, habitats, and the life habits in each of their ecoregions.

Research paper thumbnail of Información científica clave para la gestión y conservación del ecosistema biocultural del Pewen en Chile y Argentina

Bosque, 2023

The forest of Araucaria araucana (pewen in Mapuche language), with its associated species of the ... more The forest of Araucaria araucana (pewen in Mapuche language), with its associated species of the genus Nothofagus, is uniquue from an evolutionary, biological and sociocultural point of view. Due to the interdependence and interrelation with the Mapuche-Pewenche people, it is considered a biocultural ecosystem. 􏰕his work is a comprehensive binational review of current scientific information applicable to its management and conservation. The scientific community contributed with significant advances in the knowledge of: a) the interrelationships within and significance of this biocultural ecosystem, b) the regional genetic diversity, c) the fire regimen, its main drivers, its role in forest dynamics, and the recovery capacity of biodiversity in the face of different burn severities, d) the ecological role of seed production and its unusual interactions with granivorous fauna and cavity nesters, e) the decline and death of the canopy, due to environmental stress and the emergence of new pewen pathogens, f) the consequences of the invasion of pines and exotic mammals that alter the biological interactions and the original ecological processes, and g) the effects of cattle ranching and overexploitation of firewood and pine nuts on ecological integrity and biodiversity. this knowledge is considered essential to strengthen policies and strategies for protection, conservation, and management of this ecosystem, which is endemic, rare, regionally threatened, and globally declared endangered. Considering the identified problems, it is imperative to achieve social empowerment of the Mapuche-Pehuenche people, intercultural respect, and enforcing public policies for the conservation and sustainable use of these forests.

Research paper thumbnail of Homegardens in the southern Andes: cultivating agrobiodiversity, learning, and sovereignty from interculturality

Embodying biodiversity: sensory conservation as refuge and sovereignty, 2024

In the southern Andes, the homegardens of Mapuche and non-Mapuche campesinos coexist with those o... more In the southern Andes, the homegardens of Mapuche and non-Mapuche campesinos coexist with those of an increasing number of migrants. In this chapter, we explore the agrobiodiversity, sources of learning, management practices, and sovereignty in 100 homegardens (50 kept by campesinos and 50 by migrants) in the La Araucanía Region, southern Andes of Chile. Using a mixed-method approach, we found an extraordinary diversity of cultivated plants in these homegardens, including 284 species and 543 ethnovarieties. Plant diversity was greater in migrants’ homegardens. For campesinos, the main sources of learning were family relatives while migrants’ sources were more diverse, reflecting their greater mobility and access to information and technologies. For both groups, the main motivation for keeping a homegarden was the contribution of food for their families but, for campesinos, there was also an important economic contribution. While migrants are a source of agrobiodiversity and innovation, indigenous and non-indigenous campesinos are a source of local expert knowledge and traditional varieties. We proposed and implemented co-learning actions for integration among farmers to favor agrobiodiversity conservation and food sovereignty in intercultural contexts of southern South America.

Research paper thumbnail of La rueda de la memoria: árboles torcidos hacia la luz y la comunidad. The wheel of memory: twisted trees that move towards light and communitys :

Árboles torcidos. Twisted trees, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Agrobiodiversity in mountain territories: family farming and the challenges of social-environmental changes

Montology Palimpsest, 2022

Family farming plays a fundamental role in food production. However, it faces rapid processes of ... more Family farming plays a fundamental role in food production. However, it faces rapid processes of social-environmental change, such as the application of hegemonic agrarian modernization policies and restrictions on the circulation of traditional seeds. Institutional changes are also altering practices and social relations, while climate change is the main factor in biodiversity loss and increased human vulnerability and the threat to livelihoods. The negative effects of these processes are particularly alarming in mountain territories. These systems are considered “biocultural refuges” since they often contain high levels of agrobiodiversity, complex systems of knowledge, and unique agricultural practices with identity value for local communities and indigenous peoples. This chapter examines the role of mountain family farming as a biocultural refuge and discusses the challenges it faces in a context of social-environmental crises, describing cases of mountain agricultural systems in nine of the world’s main mountain territories and showing that they are fragile spaces and highly vulnerable to certain processes of social-environmental change. For this reason, we urge the identification and promotion of strategies to foster the adaptation and resilience of mountain family farming as a way of contributing to the food security and sovereignty of the communities that inhabit these territories.

Research paper thumbnail of Tejidos de relaciones: hacia una ecología de la simpoiesis para cultivar la memoria biocultural

Con/Vivir, arte y ecología en la educación, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Listening to elders: birds and forests as intergenerational links for nurturing biocultural memory in the southern Andes

Transnational children and youth: experiences of nature and place, culture and care across the Americas, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Montology: an integrative understanding of mountain foodscapes for strengthening food sovereignty in the Andes

The Elgar companion to geography, transdisciplinarity and sustainability, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Huertas familiares y comunitarias: cultivando soberanía alimentaria

Este libro recopila experiencias sobre huertas familiares y comunitarias que se cultivan desde el... more Este libro recopila experiencias sobre huertas familiares y comunitarias que se cultivan desde el árido desierto de Atacama hasta el lluvioso archipiélago de Chiloé, transitando por valles mediterráneos, ecosistemas urbanos y bosques montañosos de los Andes.

Los distintos capítulos que componen esta obra buscan (i) integrar visiones de distintas disciplinas y oficios asociados a las huertas familiares y comunitarias, (ii) inspirar el desarrollo de preguntas novedosas y necesarias, junto con el fortalecimiento de metodologías colaborativas de investigación de sistemas agrícolas de pequeña escala, (iii) cultivar el conocimiento, prácticas y creencias que permitan el florecimiento de huertas en los distintos territorios urbano-rurales del país, y (iv) articular los intereses, aspiraciones e inspiraciones de distintas personas y movimientos interesados en la soberanía alimentaria de base local/territorial y de pensamiento global.

Research paper thumbnail of Owls as ecological and conservation tools in the southern Andes

South American temperate forests are globally exceptional for their high concentration of endemic... more South American temperate forests are globally exceptional for their high concentration of endemic species. These forests are among the most endangered ecosystems on Earth because nearly 70% of them have been lost. Current knowledge of most Neotropical forest owls is limited. I studied how environmental and habitat conditions might influence the ecology of sympatric forest owls, and evaluated whether owls can be used as surrogates for temperate forest biodiversity. Specifically, I examined (i) factors associated with the detectability, (ii) occurrence rates and habitat-resource utilization across spatial scales, and (iii) surrogacy reliability of the habitat-specialist rufous-legged owl (Strix rufipes) and the habitat-generalist austral pygmy-owl (Glaucidium nana) in southern Chile. During 2011-2013, I conducted 1,145 owl surveys, 505 vegetation surveys and 505 avian point-transects across 101 sites comprising a range of conditions from degraded habitat to structurally complex old-growth forest stands. I recorded 292 detections of S. rufipes and 334 detections of G. nana. Detectability for both owls increased with greater moonlight and decreased with environmental noise, and greater wind speed decreased detectability for G. nana. Detection of both species was positively correlated with the detection of the other species. For S. rufipes, occurrence probability ranged from 0.05-1 across sites, and was positively associated with bamboo density and the variability in diameter at breast height of trees (multi-aged forests). For G. nana, occurrence ranged from 0.67-0.98, but no habitat characteristic was related to this species occurrence. Relative to G. nana, S. rufipes had lower total resource utilization, but achieved similar peak occurrence for resources related to stand-level forest complexity and forest homogeneity at the landscape scale. I found that only S. rufipes was a reliable surrogate for all avian biodiversity measures, including endemism and functional diversity. With increasing occurrence of habitat-specialist owls, the density of target specialized biodiversity (guilds and communities) increased non-linearly and peaked at the least degraded sites. This “specialist aggregation” was driven by forest-stand structural complexity. Forest management practices that maintain multi-aged stands with large trees and high bamboo cover will benefit both owl species, and likely will benefit vulnerable endemic species and specialized avian communities in temperate forests.

Research paper thumbnail of Human-wildlife conflicts: an overview of cases and lessons from the Andean region

Tropical conservation: perspectives on local and global priorities, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Avian surrogates in terrestrial ecosystems: theory and practice

Research paper thumbnail of Introducción a la etno-ornitología en los bosques subantárticos de Sudamérica

Research paper thumbnail of Introducción al visón norte-americano (Neovison vison): impacto de un carnívoro invasor sobre las aves de una de las zonas más "prístinas" del planeta

Research paper thumbnail of Introducción a las aves que promueven la conservación, el ecoturismo, la educación y la ética ambiental en el extremo austral de América

Research paper thumbnail of Introduction to ethno-ornithology in the sub-Antarctic forests of South America

Research paper thumbnail of Introduction to the American mink (Neovison vison): impact of an invasive carnivore on birds in one of the most “pristine” zones of the planet

Research paper thumbnail of Introduction to the birds of the southernmost tip of South America that promote conservation, ecotourism, education, and environmental ethics

Research paper thumbnail of Field environmental philosophy: integrating ecological sciences and ethics into biocultural education, research, and conservation

Research paper thumbnail of Hábitos de nidificación de las aves del bosque templado andino de Chile

Research paper thumbnail of Fauna Andina: historia natural y conservación

Research paper thumbnail of Biocultural conservation in Cape Horn: the Magellanic woodpecker as a charismatic species

Research paper thumbnail of Andean temperate forest owls: detectability, habitat relationships and reliability as biodiversity surrogates

South American temperate forests are globally exceptional for their high concentration of endemic... more South American temperate forests are globally exceptional for their high concentration of endemic species. These forests are among the most endangered ecosystems on Earth because nearly 70% of them have been lost. Current knowledge of most Neotropical forest owls is limited. I studied how environmental and habitat conditions might influence the ecology of sympatric forest owls, and evaluated whether owls can be used as surrogates for temperate forest biodiversity. Specifically, I examined (i) factors associated with the detectability, (ii) occurrence rates and habitat-resource utilization across spatial scales, and (iii) surrogacy reliability of the habitat-specialist rufous-legged owl (Strix rufipes) and the habitat-generalist austral pygmy-owl (Glaucidium nana) in southern Chile. During 2011-2013, I conducted 1,145 owl surveys, 505 vegetation surveys and 505 avian point-transects across 101 sites comprising a range of conditions from degraded habitat to structurally complex old-growth forest stands. I recorded 292 detections of S. rufipes and 334 detections of G. nana. Detectability for both owls increased with greater moonlight and decreased with environmental noise, and greater wind speed decreased detectability for G. nana. Detection of both species was positively correlated with the detection of the other species. For S. rufipes, occurrence probability ranged from 0.05-1 across sites, and was positively associated with bamboo density and the variability in diameter at breast height of trees (multi-aged forests). For G. nana, occurrence ranged from 0.67-0.98, but no habitat characteristic was related to this species occurrence. Relative to G. nana, S. rufipes had lower total resource utilization, but achieved similar peak occurrence for resources related to stand-level forest complexity and forest homogeneity at the landscape scale. I found that only S. rufipes was a reliable surrogate for all avian biodiversity measures, including endemism and functional diversity. With increasing occurrence of habitat-specialist owls, the density of target specialized biodiversity (guilds and communities) increased non-linearly and peaked at the least degraded sites. This “specialist aggregation” was driven by forest-stand structural complexity. Forest management practices that maintain multi-aged stands with large trees and high bamboo cover will benefit both owl species, and likely will benefit vulnerable endemic species and specialized avian communities in temperate forests.

Research paper thumbnail of The transition from local hunting to market meat dependency: ethnoecological and socio-cultural effects of a hunting prohibition in the Chinantla Alta community-based conservation area, Oaxaca, Mexico

Research paper thumbnail of El visón en Upushwaia: variaciones estacionales de la avifauna en ambientes de humedal y de su depredación por la especie exótica Mustela vison (Schreber) en isla Navarino, Reserva de Biosfera Cabo de Hornos, Chile

Research paper thumbnail of Transdisciplinary as a participatory approach to face the socialenvironmental crises of family farming

18th International Congress of Ethnobiology, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Indigenous and local knowledge is positively associated with livelihood resilience in a globally important agricultural islandscape of southern South America

18th International Congress of Ethnobiology, 2024

Small-scale farming is responsible for producing at least one-third of the world's food (Lowder e... more Small-scale farming is responsible for producing at least one-third of the world's food (Lowder et al., 2021; Ricciardi et al., 2018). However, food security, livelihoods, and local knowledge of small-scale farmers are threatened due to rapid social-ecological changes (e.g., climate change, deforestation,

Research paper thumbnail of Integrating biocultural functional traits as heritage Indicators in community-led wetland conservation of southern Chile

18th International Congress of Ethnobiology, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Redes socio-ecológicas en la agricultura: enfrentando la homogenización biocultural en el sur de Los Andes

II Conferencia Internacional Cabo de Hornos, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Un paisaje de nostalgia y belleza silvestre: sobre los procesos conservación biocultural de productos agroalimentarios en el sur de Chile

II Conferencia Internacional Cabo de Hornos, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Right or Good? A complexity approach for a Just food system

5th Global Food Security Conference, 2024

Feeding is a familiar and universal act with intricate meanings and practices that shape us at bi... more Feeding is a familiar and universal act with intricate meanings and practices that shape us at biological, social, and individual levels. Food is more than a basic human need. It is one of the strongest elements of collective identity within a community; it is a natural resource, a fundamental human right, and a commodity in the world market. Current debates on 'food' encompass various aspects, including its recognition as a common good, the collective right to food, and its systemic analysis.

Research paper thumbnail of ¿Cómo nos adaptamos a la variación climática en tiempos de cambios globales? Aproximaciones a un índice de vulnerabilidad socioecológica en el Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial Archipiélago de Chiloé

III Congreso Chileno de Agroecología, 2023

Desde hace varios años la agricultura campesina se enfrenta a cambios globales que ponen en riesg... more Desde hace varios años la agricultura campesina se enfrenta a cambios globales que ponen en riesgo su funcionamiento. Entre estos, podemos encontrar variaciones en el clima, como también otros procesos globales vinculados a dimensiones ecológicas, socioeconómicas, políticas, institucionales y culturales (Montaña, 2013). Un enfoque para comprender cómo la agricultura campesina se ve afectada y se adapta a estos cambios es el de Vulnerabilidad Sociecológica. El Grupo Intergubernamental de Expertos sobre el Cambio Climático (IPCC) ha propuesto un marco que se ha convertido en la principal referencia para el análisis de la vulnerabilidad (IPCC, 2021). Este integra la Exposición (E) de los sistemas a cambios, la sensibilidad ante estos (S), y la capacidad de adaptarse (CA). Las crisis socioecológicas globales requieren identificar y promover sistemas agroalimentarios sostenibles, donde la agroecología puede ayudar a abordar estos desafíos al promover altos niveles de diversidad y capacidad adaptativa frente a los cambios (Cortés et.al 2023). Este trabajo constituye una propuesta integral en construcción para la evaluación de la vulnerabilidad socioecológica de la agricultura campesina. El resultado de este índice es utilizado para responder las preguntas de dos investigaciones. En una, se examina la variabilidad espacial y los factores determinantes de la vulnerabilidad socioecológica de los predios campesinos visitados. Esto permitirá, conocer donde están situados los predios con mayor vulnerabilidad y cuales son sus características. En la otra, se indaga en cómo la aplicación de principios agroecológicos se relaciona con la vulnerabilidad socioecológica de los predios, para lo cual se usará el Índice de Principios Agroecológicos (IAP) propuesto por Cortés et.al 2023. Desde el año 2022 trabajamos en el Archipiélago de Chiloé (41°-43°S), situado en el sur del Océano Pacífico, Chile. Este territorio fue reconocido por la FAO como un SIPAM en 2011. La construcción del Índice de Vulnerabilidad Socioecológica (IVS) se realizó a través de la selección de subíndices centrados en componentes de la vulnerabilidad (E+S-CA). Estos, fueron seleccionados a partir de la literatura y adaptados al contexto local. Luego, se recopilaron datos sobre estos diferentes índices mediante encuestas, entrevistas y observaciones participantes en 100 predios campesinos del área de estudio y 100 sobrevuelos con drone en estos mismos. Comprender desde una perspectiva socioecológica integrada el Índice de Vulnerabilidad Socioecológica, así como la contribución de la agroecología y cada componente a esta condición, es vital para formular estrategias adecuadas de adaptación para el futuro de la agricultura campesina en los SIPAM.

Research paper thumbnail of Transformación del patrimonio biocultural en el archipiélago de Chiloé: un Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial

III Congreso Chileno de Agroecología, 2023

La agricultura familiar campesina (AFC) en Chile, se ha enfrentado a diversos impulsores de cambi... more La agricultura familiar campesina (AFC) en Chile, se ha enfrentado a diversos impulsores de cambio a lo largo de su historia. De acuerdo a Ibarra et al (2019), estos incluyen la homogeneización de la sociedad, la migración de zonas rurales a urbanas, la escasez de mano de obra, la falta de apoyo gubernamental y la escasez hídrica. Estos impulsores de cambio están afectando negativamente a la agricultura en el archipiélago de Chiloé, territorio reconocido por la FAO como un Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial (SIPAM). Tradicionalmente, los habitantes de Chiloé han dependido de la agricultura, la recolección de mariscos y la pesca para su subsistencia (Salières et al., 2005). Sin embargo, en los últimos tiempos, se han producido cambios significativos en la forma en que se entiende la ruralidad, y se ha buscado un desarrollo rural sostenible en medio de desafíos como la erosión del conocimiento local, la pérdida de agrobiodiversidad y la crisis climática. En este contexto, la agroecología ha surgido como una alternativa prometedora. Un estudio realizado entre septiembre de 2020 y octubre de 2021 en la península de Rilán, un espacio rural situado en Chiloé, empleó una metodología mixta, que incluyó revisión bibliográfica, fichas de caracterización predial y entrevistas (Cresswell, 2015). Los resultados muestran que la agricultura campesina sigue siendo esencial tanto en términos identitarios como productivos, donde pese a los cambios en los medios y modos de vida rural, aún persiste un robusto complejo de saberes agrícolas que han resistido importantes transformaciones a diferentes escalas. También se identificaron tendencias locales que afectan negativamente a la AFC, entre ellas, disminución de la superficie agrícola y las unidades campesinas, sumado a una población envejecida. Además, las nuevas generaciones muestran un creciente desinterés en la agricultura, lo que amenaza la persistencia del singular y globalmente reconocido sistema de producción agrícola del archipiélago de Chiloé. Finalmente, se constató que la llegada de la salmonicultura al territorio ha exacerbado este proceso de descampesinización y ha interrumpido la transmisión de los saberes locales ligados a la producción de alimentos a pequeña escala. Este proceso se ha ido acentuando con la ocurrencia de otras transformaciones territoriales contemporáneas (e.g. parcelación y crisis climática). En conclusión, este estudio resalta la importancia de la AFC en la península de Rilán la necesidad de un enfoque integral para preservar el patrimonio biocultural y el bienestar de las comunidades locales. La agroecología emerge como una alternativa clave en medio de los desafíos actuales, y es crucial abordar los factores que amenazan la continuidad de esta forma de vida y producción agrícola en la región.

Research paper thumbnail of Redes de Intercambio de Semillas y Resiliencia de la Agricultura Familiar Campesina en el Sur de Los Andes

III Congreso Chileno de Agroecología, 2023

Los agroecosistemas son vulnerables a los cambios globales y experimentan constantes procesos de ... more Los agroecosistemas son vulnerables a los cambios globales y experimentan constantes procesos de adaptación, transformación y aprendizaje. Comprender cómo las comunidades agrícolas afrontan estos cambios y aprenden de ellos es necesario para fortalecer la resiliencia de los sistemas que las sustentan. Las redes sociales presentes en los agroecosistemas juegan un papel clave en los procesos involucrados en la promoción de la resiliencia, movilizando la agrobiodiversidad y el conocimiento que sostiene a la práctica de la agricultura. Nuestro trabajo de investigación analizó propiedades estructurales de una red de intercambio de semillas en la cuenca del lago Mallolafquen, un territorio reconocido por su agrobiodiversidad en el sur de Chile. Dirigimos entrevistas a agricultores y co-construimos listas de intercambio regular de semillas, graficando el tránsito de la agrobiodiversidad en una muestra de 80 huertas a cargo de campesinos locales y nuevos agricultores que han migrado en edad adulta a este territorio. Mediante un enfoque relacional (cualitativo y cuantitativo), comparamos la conectividad y estructura en esta red a través de métricas como la centralidad. Esta exploración nos ha permitido examinar las propiedades estructurales de la red de intercambio observada asociadas a la conservación de la agrobiodiversidad y la resiliencia de los agroecosistemas.

Research paper thumbnail of Porotarium Austral: vinculando Ecología, Agricultura y Arte para Revitalizar Variedades Tradicionales de Porotos en Wallmapu

III Congreso Chileno de Agroecología, 2023

Los porotos (Phaseolus vulgaris, P. coccineus, P. lunatus) forman parte importante de la herencia... more Los porotos (Phaseolus vulgaris, P. coccineus, P. lunatus) forman parte importante de la herencia biocultural del sur de Sudamérica en Wallmapu. El proyecto Porotarium Austral surgió en 2021, liderado por un grupo multidisciplinario de mujeres, para revalorizar las variedades tradicionales de porotos y el oficio de la mujer campesina a través del vínculo entre ecología, arte y agricultura. Esto implica conservar la diversidad de semillas a través de su cultivo y la promoción de su consumo, y visibilizar el rol de la mujer en la protección de esta agrobiodiversidad. Iniciamos con un catastro territorial de porotos y curadoras de semillas, del cual se originó el Banco con más de 80 variedades. Posteriormente, propagamos 49 variedades in vivo durante el verano de 2022-2023 en 10 huertas familiares (Pucón, Padre Las Casas y Curarrehue) y 2 huertas control, siguiendo prácticas de manejo agroecológico. Estamos iniciando una segunda temporada 2023-2024 focalizada en 6 huertas en la Comuna de Pucón y 12 variedades, con el fin de generar conocimiento nuevo, protocolos de manejo, y semillas para su circulación y propagación. Realizamos descripciones de rasgos morfológicos de las plantas durante su crecimiento. Utilizamos estos datos con fines de investigación y apropiación comunitaria, analizando las relaciones entre medidas y caracteres discretos para describir cómo se agrupan las variedades. Determinamos que la forma y color de la vaina son rasgos de interés, mientras que otros como el color y patrón del poroto son variables y se distribuyen de forma homogénea en variedades de distintas características. Además, a partir de los registros estamos generando material de divulgación, incluyendo tanto fotografías y descripciones morfológicas de las variedades, como recomendaciones de manejo. En base a los desafíos que experimentamos (heladas, olas de calor, plagas) y junto a las huerteras, creamos un Protocolo de manejo y guarda de semillas y control de Banco, para evitar pérdidas de variedades locales de porotos y apoyar el manejo del banco. Además, estamos compartiendo las memorias y conocimientos asociados a porotos de las huerteras mediante cápsulas de radio y RRSS (@porotarium_austral). El proyecto contempla un Hito: la Huerta-Museo Porotarium Austral, una exposición viva donde expondremos una selección de las variedades más icónicas del proyecto (febrero 2024). Esta permitirá a los visitantes conocer y aprender directamente sobre la extraordinaria diversidad de porotos de este territorio, además de evidenciar la importancia de la agricultura familiar y la mujer campesina en la soberanía y diversidad alimentaria.

Research paper thumbnail of Un paisaje de nostalgia y belleza silvestre: sobre los procesos de patrimonialización de productos agroalimentarios en el sur de Chile

III Congreso Chileno de Agroecología, 2023

La presente investigación (aún en etapa de diseño) propone comprender los procesos de patrimonial... more La presente investigación (aún en etapa de diseño) propone comprender los procesos de patrimonialización de productos agroalimentarios en la zona sur de Chile, a través de las categorías de nostalgia y paisaje. Se busca teorizar sobre la nostalgia como noción que moviliza la creación del patrimonio (Berliner, 2012) y como proceso afectivo que permite problematizar los vínculos socioculturales y ecológicos con el paisaje en el contexto actual del Antropoceno, (Trischler 2017), como la época geológica caracterizada por el cambio climático, la extinción de especies, la pérdida de glaciares entre otros hechos. Para esto, el lugar de estudio serán espacios de cultivo, recolección y comercio de productos agroalimentarios en la zona sur de Chile. En particular, la investigación se interesa por productores y recolectores de berries de las ciudades de Temuco, Osorno y Valdivia. En términos metodológicos, esta investigación antropológica propone el uso de la etnografía multiespecie como método que permite caracterizar vínculos entre seres humanos y no humanos o agentes diversos que corresponden a plantas, comunidades de plantas de distintas especies, los seres humanos y el paisaje (Kirksey y Helmreich, 2010). La investigación propone una discusión sobre los impactos de la puesta en valor, protección y patrimonialización de productos agroalimentarios que se generan en paisajes localizados del sur de Chile. Algunas preguntas eje de la discusión son ¿Qué expresa la nostalgia en el contexto de protección de elementos del paisaje? ¿Es la nostalgia un afecto que nos devela relaciones actuales de protección, cuidado o pérdida con la naturaleza en el contexto del Antropoceno? Las diversas preguntas y ámbitos de análisis señalados, suscitan reflexiones sobre los vínculos humanos con el entorno y la respuesta sociocultural que está surgiendo en actuales procesos de cambio, transformación o pérdida.

Research paper thumbnail of Cambio Ambiental Global en Sistemas Importantes del Patrimonio Agrícola del Sur de Chile: Los Saberes Bioculturales como Herramienta para la Adaptación

III Congreso Chileno de Agroecología, 2023

La noción de Cambio Ambiental Global (CAG) (Montaña, 2013) corresponde a un enfoque relacional qu... more La noción de Cambio Ambiental Global (CAG) (Montaña, 2013) corresponde a un enfoque relacional que entiende que el Cambio Climático trasciende las dimensiones biofísicas, afectando los medios de subsistencia y bienestar de las comunidades campesinas e indígenas. No obstante, a lo largo de la historia, dichas comunidades han experimentado y respondido a los cambios ambientales sobre la base de sistemas intrincados y complejos de conocimientos denominados saberes bioculturales (Toledo y Barrera-Bassols, 2008). Estos son un insumo fundamental para los procesos de adaptación porque permiten esclarecer las formas en que campesinas y campesinos perciben y conceptualizan los recursos, paisajes y/o ecosistemas de los que depende su subsistencia. En este escenario, han emergido diversas prácticas agroecológicas que, siendo un reflejo de dichos saberes, permiten sustentar estrategias de adaptación en sistemas locales. Adger et al. (2000) señalan que la capacidad adaptativa se relaciona principalmente con la capacidad de generar ajustes en el sistema social en respuesta a estímulos climáticos o sus impactos, de manera que reduzcan los daños causados y que mejoren las oportunidades locales. En este contexto, la FAO otorga el reconocimiento de “Sistemas Importantes del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial” (SIPAM) en búsqueda de salvaguardar territorios cuyas comunidades viven en una relación intrínseca con sus agroecosistemas. En Chile, el archipiélago de Chiloé obtuvo esta categoría en 2011 y, posteriormente, el Ministerio de Agricultura impulsó una Red SIPAN (Sistemas Importantes del Patrimonio Agrícola Nacional). Estos territorios destacan por la presencia de prácticas agroecológicas asociadas a saberes bioculturales que han permitido la mantención de la agricultura a pesar de las presiones ejercidas por el CAG. Esta propuesta analiza la capacidad de adaptación de los territorios de la Red SIPAN del sur de Chile (Cordillera Pehuenche y Archipiélago de Chiloé), en base a una estrategia de estudio de caso. Buscamos responder ¿de qué manera los saberes bioculturales presentes en las prácticas agroecológicas permiten o dificultan la adaptación al cambio ambiental global? El objetivo es comprender cómo las prácticas agroecológicas basadas en saberes bioculturales son o pueden ser incorporados en la adaptación al CAG, explorando su contribución a estrategias de adaptación viables y eficientes en los SIPAN/M del sur de Chile. Como resultados preliminares se han identificado prácticas de adaptación sustentadas por saberes bioculturales y alineadas con los preceptos agroecológicos. Estas han sido clasificadas según impactos del CAG que enfrentan, intencionalidad (planificadas o espontáneas) y nivel de organización (individuales o colectivas). Se evalúa su potencial contribución a estrategias de adaptación de escala local.

Research paper thumbnail of Sotobosque de Bambú: ¿Son la Quila y Colihue Especies Bioculturales Clave en los Andes del Sur

III Congreso Chileno de Agroecología, 2023

Actualmente, la crisis climática, los acelerados procesos de privatización de la tierra, el legad... more Actualmente, la crisis climática, los acelerados procesos de privatización de la tierra, el legado de la colonización y el desarrollo de áreas protegidas con enfoque de preservación estricta, entre otros, han reducido cada vez más los espacios y prácticas de recolección de productos forestales no madereros. En los bosques templados andinos del sur de Chile, estos procesos podrían estar afectando los cuerpos de conocimiento, prácticas, creencias y afectos relacionados a múltiples especies de importancia biocultural del bosque templado. Las especies de bambú del género Chusquea (llamadas comúnmente quila y colihue) no solo destacarían por su papel ecológico, sino también por su importancia material y simbólica entre las comunidades mapuche y campesinas. Con el fin de comprender mejor la importancia biocultural del bambú, estudiamos el papel de quilas y colihues entre las comunidades biológicas y humanas que habitan la cuenca de Mallolafken, Región de La Araucanía. Sintetizamos investigación ecológica, realizamos observación participante y aplicamos entrevistas semi-estructuradas a 20 recolectores de bambú. Además, mediante una aproximación participativa basada en la comunidad, colaboramos con recolectores locales para sintetizar recomendaciones de prácticas de manejo sostenibles y desarrollar pautas para identificar y recolectar quilas y colihues de calidad para los distintos usos locales. Nuestros resultados preliminares indican que el bambú comprende un ensamble de especies bioculturalmente claves localmente. Además de su importancia para al menos 58 especies de fauna del bosque como refugio, sustrato reproductivo o para alimentación,, el bambú tiene una amplia variedad de usos humanos actuales relacionados con la construcción, forraje para ganado, alimentación, medicina, artesanía y dimensiones espirituales. Los tipos de uso distinguen la calidad del bambú de acuerdo al color, diámetro y abundancia de hojas. En cuanto a la gestión, los recolectores identificaron a (1) la proximidad al agua y (2) la semisombra como las condiciones ambientales más críticas para su desarrollo. Aunque pocos practican el manejo directo del bambú, aparte de utilizar el pastoreo animal para podar y controlar su crecimiento, algunos participantes reportaron sus acciones en la regeneración de plantas mediante siembra directa y trasplante de rizomas. Aunque todavía en curso, nuestro estudio se encuentra en un proceso de construcción de manual educativo para que la información relacionada con el valor biocultural de quilas y colihues del bosque templado quede disponible y sea apropiada por las comunidades.

Research paper thumbnail of Integrando los rasgos funcionales bioculturales como indicadores de la memoria en humedales de importancia internacional en el sur de Chile

XIII Congreso Chileno de Ornitología, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of La complejidad estructural del bosque: un predictor para la densidad de aves del sotobosque

XIII Congreso Chileno de Ornitología, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Aves de los bosques templados y subantárticos de Sudamérica: una aproximación jerárquica al conocimiento actual y a los desafíos futuros

XIII Congreso Chileno de Ornitología, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Redes de nidificación en el largo plazo: estructura, funcionalidad y respuestas a la pérdida de hábitat en los bosques templados andinos

XIII Congreso Chileno de Ornitología, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Respuesta de la diversidad taxonómica y funcional de la avifauna a la corta post-fuego

XIII Congreso Chileno de Ornitología , 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Coexistencia entre humanos y aves rapaces en el bosque templado andino

XIII Congreso Chileno de Ornitología , 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Andes del Sur de Chile: un laboratorio natural de montañas habitadas con volcanismo activo

I Simposio Chileno de Volcanología, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Una aproximación tradicional y multicultural a la ética ambiental en la educación escolar primaria y secundaria. Translation of “A traditional and multicultural approach to environmental ethics at primary and secondary school levels”

Original work by Eugene C. Hargrove in Environmental Ethics 30(3): 47-56 (2008). Traducción publi... more Original work by Eugene C. Hargrove in Environmental Ethics 30(3): 47-56 (2008). Traducción publicada en “Número especial de Integración de las Ciencias Ecológicas en la Conservación Biocultural en los Ecosistemas Templados Subantárticos de Sudamérica” (Rozzi, R., J.J. Armesto & R. Frodeman, Eds.), Environmental Ethics 30(3).

Research paper thumbnail of Las raíces históricas de nuestra crisis ecológica. Translation of “The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis”

Original work by Lynn White in Science 155: 1203-1207 (1968). Publicado en “Número especial de Ét... more Original work by Lynn White in Science 155: 1203-1207 (1968). Publicado en “Número especial de Ética Ambiental” (Rozzi, R. & P. Villarroel, Eds), Revista Ambiente y Desarrollo, Vol XXIII-I.

Research paper thumbnail of De ese arbol no hagas leña

Research paper thumbnail of El cultivo de huertas en tiempos de crisis Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3IVR3EdFND7J1nO4d6gLeF Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cesiep/   IGTV:  https://www.instagram.com/tv/CBl3ZwbnJ5A/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Audio Podcast, 2020

Audio Podcast

Research paper thumbnail of Por la alimentación, por todas y todos: la memoria biocultural como fundamento de la agroecología

Research paper thumbnail of Cultivando justicia socioambiental: la memoria biocultural como fundamento de la agroecología

Research paper thumbnail of Huertas familiares como refugios bioculturales: espacios femeninos para cuestionar los desbalances de poder y construir soberanía alimentaria

Research paper thumbnail of Huertas familiares del sur de los Andes: cultivando soberanía alimentaria

Research paper thumbnail of Sotobosque de bambú: hábitat esencial para la biodiversidad del bosque templado andino de Chile

Research paper thumbnail of La tala de bosques afecta a los nidos de las aves

Research paper thumbnail of Las aves del bosque chileno cooperan entre sí reciclando sus nidos

Research paper thumbnail of Bosque templado andino de La Araucanía, Chile

Research paper thumbnail of Árboles viejos y muertos en pie: un recurso vital para la fauna del bosque templado de Chile

Research paper thumbnail of La sustentabilidad como empoderamiento social

Hace más de medio siglo, Albert Einstein advertía que “no es posible resolver los problemas que h... more Hace más de medio siglo, Albert Einstein advertía que “no es posible resolver los problemas que hemos creado con la misma forma de pensamiento con la que los hemos engendrado”. Esto parece ser lo que ocurre en el escenario local actual, donde los conflictos ambientales y sociales que se solían explicar desde las ciencias ecológicas y sociales, de forma disociada, han cambiado y la realidad ha alcanzado insospechados niveles de complejidad.

Research paper thumbnail of Llamado a contribuciones para libro "Huertas familiares: biodiversidad, cultura, soberanía alimentaria"