A new set of tools for Ethnobiologist in the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article will develop a series of ideas for ethnobiologists to consider in their professional field fromnow on. One of the things we have most learned about indigenous communities is the importance ofbeing committed to maintaining the networks of life and the protection of diversity. Considering thewarnings given by indigenous groups regarding past and future imbalances of Nature, what will happento ethnobiological work in the future, and is what we do really necessary? What lines of action, conflict,alliances and controversies lie ahead of us? The so-called new normality urges us to make changes inour discipline, and therefore we should be able to count on a new box of tools. In a metaphorical sense,I will call these tools a set of premises that should never be lacking in the future; we must be alertto the signs of change, the omens and the previous experiences of local communities. These pandemictimes have prioritized the voices of ?experts?, who impose hegemonic scientific systems as if they werethe only option. The critical role of indigenous peoples as guardians of the world?s lands and forestsshould be most recognized. Indigenous peoples are neither heard nor valued, even though they are someof the worst affected by this pandemic, being subject to large-scale ethnocide at this moment. Ourchallenge as ethnobiologists should be to build bridges and be agents of change, so that multiculturalityand interculturality can be made visible and promoted.Fil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentin

Firewood Resource Management in Different Landscapes in NW Patagonia

Ecosystems, their components, processes and functions are all subject to management by human populations, with the purpose of adapting the environments to make them more habitable and ensuring the availability and continuity of subsistence resources. Although a lot of work has been carried out on resources of alimentary or medicinal interest, little has been done on associating processes of domestication with firewood extraction, a practice considered to be destructive of the environment. In the arid steppe of NW Patagonia, inhabited and managed for different purposes for a long time by Mapuche-Tehuelche communities, the gathering of combustible plant species has up to the present time played a crucial role in cooking and heating, and work is required to achieve sustainability of this resource. In this study we evaluate whether environments with less landscape domestication are more intensively used for firewood gathering. Using an ethnobiological approach, information was obtained through participant observation, interviews and free listing. The data were examined using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Twenty-eight firewood species are gathered, both native (75%) and exotic (25%). The supply of firewood mainly depends on gathering from the domesticated (10 species), semi-domesticated (17 species) and low human intervention landscapes (17 species). In contrast to our hypothesis, average use intensity is similar in all these landscapes despite their different levels of domestication. That is, the different areas are taken advantage of in a complementary manner in order to satisfy the domestic demand for firewood. Neither do biogeographic origin or utilitarian versatility of collected plants vary significantly between the different landscape levels of domestication. Our results show that human landscape domestication for the provision of firewood seems to be a socio-cultural resilient practice, and shed new light on the role of culture in resource management. This approach may offer new tools for the development of firewood and cultural landscape management, and conservation planning.Fil: Morales, Daniela Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagóica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; ArgentinaFil: Molares, Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagóica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; ArgentinaFil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentin

Ethnobiology in rural areas and its contribution to the struggle to unravel patriarchal biases

El ecofeminismo ha cobrado importancia entre las lideresas campesinas aborígenes y no aborígenes de América Latina. Este enfoque plantea que la dominación extractivista que propone la lógica de mercado sobre la Naturaleza, es la misma que se imprime en los cuerpos de las mujeres desde hace siglos de colonización. Ambos, son territorios-cuerpos sujetos a relaciones de desigualdad y sometimiento. Los estudios rurales muestran que, bajo esa lógica neoliberal-patriarcal, solo se pondera el trabajo productivo que genera dinero realizado por hombres, dejando invisible el trabajo doméstico o el informal de las mujeres. Asimismo, permanece oculto su rol en la trasmisión de saberes y prácticas agropecuarias. En este artículo, deseo reflexionar sobre el papel de los trabajos etnobiológicos en visibilizar cuestiones de género. Propongo que la etnobiología ha tenido perspectivas compartidas con la aproximación ecofeminista. En sus evidencias empíricas y desarrollos teóricos ha desarmado supremacías propias de la lógica patriarcal, visibilizando el rol de las mujeres en la vida rural, especialmente cuando: 1- ha estudiado las distintas formas de conocimiento entre hombres y mujeres, 2- se ha centrado en el patrimonio material e inmaterial y los procesos de trasmisión cultural, 3- ha resaltado visiones locales de una Naturaleza no subordinada a la Cultura (por ende, al patriarcado), 4- ha visibilizado vínculos emocionales. Sin embargo, muchas veces los trabajos etnobiológicos no han sido suficientemente explícitos en desentrañar los sesgos patriarcales, por ende, se proponen seis ideas para desarticularlos, tanto de índole metodológico como conceptual. El carácter híbrido de la etnobiología provee de herramientas clave para dar cuenta del lugar multifacético de las mujeres en la conservación de la Naturaleza.Eco-feminism has gained importance among indigenous and non-indigenous women farmers' leaders in Latin America. They argue that the extractive domination proposed by the logic of the market over Nature is the same that has been imprinted on women's bodies for centuries of colonization. Both are territories-bodies subject to relations of inequality and submission. Rural studies show that under this neoliberal-patriarchal logic, only productive work that generates money is considered, carried out by men, leaving women's domestic or informal work invisible. Moreover, their role in the transmission of agricultural knowledge and practices remains hidden. In this article, I wish to reflect on the role of ethnobiological work in gender studies. I propose that ethnobiology has shared perspectives with the ecofeminist approach. Empirical evidence and theoretical developments of ethnobiology have disarmed supremacy proper to patriarchal logic, making visible the role of women in rural life, specially when: 1) has studied the different forms of knowledge between men and women, 2) has focused on the material and immaterial heritage and processes of cultural transmission, 3) has highlighted local visions of a Nature not subordinated to Culture (therefore, to patriarchy), 4) has made visible emotional links. However, in many times the ethnobiology has not been sufficiently explicit in unraveling the patriarchal biases, therefore, six ideas are proposed to disarticulate them, both of methodological as conceptual nature. The hybrid character of ethnobiology provides key tools to account for the multifaceted place of women in nature conservation.Fil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentin

Rural women in sustaining food sovereignty and patriarchal misunderstandings in ethnobiological studies in northern Patagonia

A partir de la re-examinación de mis trabajos publicados, hago un repaso de los resultados y sus discursivas (éticas y émicas) en el tratamiento del rol de las mujeres en la vida rural, distinguiendo aquellos abordajes acordes con la perspectiva de género, así como también mis equívocos patriarcales. Estos son los desentendimientos producidos por el sesgo patriarcal que impidieron visibilizar a las mujeres en forma completa. La revisión se basó en estudios realizados en comunidades rurales minifundistas del Norte de la Patagonia (Argentina), principalmente de origen Mapuche y/o Mapuche-Tehuelche y que han abordado distintos temas vinculados a la soberanía alimentaria. La fuerte construcción social existente acerca de las mujeres “cuidadoras” ha atravesado todos los trabajos, hecho que hace necesario repesar esa construcción de sentido y reflexionar junto con las mujeres rurales y las investigadoras e investigadores. La invisibilización de mujeres y hombres, la sobre-generalización y la simplificación de resultados son equívocos que pueden servir de enseñanza para tener una mirada de género más sensible en el futuro.From a qualitative ethnographic approach, I re-examined my published works. I have reviewed the results and their discursive (ethical and emic) in the treatment of the role of women in rural life, distinguishing those approaches that are consistent with the gender perspective, as well as my patriarchal misunderstandings. These misunderstandings are produced by the patriarchal bias that prevented women from being fully visible. The review was based on studies carried out in rural smallholder communities in Northern Patagonia (Argentina), mainly of Mapuche and/or MapucheTehuelche origin, which have addressed different aspects related to food sovereignty. The strong social construction that exists regarding women "caretakers" has permeated all f the work, making it necessary to review this construction of meaning and to reflect on it together with rural women and researchers. The invisibility of women and men, over-generalization and simplification of results are misconceptions that can serve as lessons for a more gender-sensitive view in the future.Fil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentin

Ethnoecology of Oxalis adenophylla Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: We studied the ethnoecological knowledge of medicinal Oxalis adenophylla in 3 rural villages of north Patagonia, Argentina. Aim of the study: To evaluate links between use frequency, ethnoecological knowledge, sociocultural variables and the conservation status of this plant. Materials and Method: Forty informants were interviewed in relation to their knowledge, use, perception and the ecology of O. adenophylla. Sociocultural variables were also documented, such as age, gender, size of family group living in the house, economic activities and ethnic self determination. The abundance and availability of these plants were estimated in two villages, by measuring the number of plants per area, their weight and the relation between time invested and biomass collected. We tested frequency of use and age with Spearman´s rank correlation coefficient. The relation between use frequency and gender, family group, economic activities, and ethnic self determination of the informants was tested with the Mann Whitney non parametric test. An index of ethnoecological knowledge was constructed and correlated with use frequency through Spearman´s rank correlation. To estimate conservation status we established a local risk index, taking both intrinsic and extrinsic parameters for this species into account. Results: Regionally, Oxalis adenophylla is a plant known for its medicinal, alimentary and ornamental properties, but it has been poorly studied from a pharmacological point of view. Locally, the leaves of the plant are harvested for the preparation of ?tortillas?, which are stored and consumed in the cold months of the year for the treatment of flu fevers (95 % of informants). Informants know the value of its root as a nutrient source and 35.8% reported its consumption. Use is sporadic and involves the harvesting of a mean of one root per year, which is eaten raw in-situ. Only 12% of informants mentioned the plant?s ornamental feature. The ethnoecological knowledge of O. adenophylla included references to specific environments where the plant grows, its phenology and morphological and organoleptic characteristics, appropriate times for harvesting, and animals that forage for this species. The informants with the greatest ethnoecological knowledge harvested leaves and roots most frequently. The frequency of use did not differ in relation to age or gender. In contrast, frequency of use was highest when the informant lived with several generations at home, maintained traditional animal husbandry practices and when they considered themselves as belonging to the Mapuche people. Informants perceived low abundance and availability of the plant in the environment, restricted by the great distances involved in obtaining them, seasonality, and in particular, difficulty in finding the roots. Informants believe that the plant is sensitive and that it should be harvested in such a way as to ensure no damage to the whole plant, allowing resprouting. Our ecological measurements agreed with this perception. The local risk index for the plant was medium. Conclusion: In Patagonian Argentina, Oxalis adenophylla is a multipurpose species widely used for its medicinal properties but less for its edible roots and ornamental features. In the rural communities where we worked, frequency of use seems to depend on individual ethnoecological knowledge, the practice of indigenous cosmology, living in households interacting with other generations and maintaining the activity of cattle raising. Locally, the main risk for the plant is the particular environment where it grows, characterized by slopes vulnerable to erosion. The human practice of local use could promote the conservation of this species through the understanding of its sensitivity to harvesting, and its insipient cultivation. This research shows the importance of obtaining a general overview of useful wild species used by local people.Fil: Ochoa, Juan José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Diversidad Cultural y Procesos de Cambio; ArgentinaFil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación En Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentin

Management of native and exotic plant species with edible fruits in a protected area of NW Patagonia

Management practices are very sensitive to socio-environmental change and the in uence of market society. This case study was carried out in the Cuyín Manzano rural community, situated in a protected area within the North Patagonian UNESCO biosphere reserve. We investigate the differential practices applied by the community with regard to management of native and introduced species with edible fruits using semi-structured and free interviews in 11 homes (80%). A Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) was also performed to validate the field results. The data was analyzed quali-quantitatively, in the latter case with Generalized Linear Models. A total richness of 27 species was found, of which 11 were native and 17 introduced. Native plants were mainly managed by gathering and tolerance, while exotic species were not only harvested, but also protected, sown and transplanted, and plants inherited from forebears were cared for. Management intensity varied according to origin, being greater for the introduced species. In addition, the species of greater cultural importance were also those which experienced a higher number of management practices, with possible processes of incipient domestication being particularly notable for two native plants. Exotic plants have a higher probability of being managed, and with greater intensity, than native ones, even though the latter have had a much longer history of use. Our results show patterns of diversification of edible fruit species through different management practices. For inhabitants, these practices represent significant situations of contact with nature, which enable traditions based on local knowledge to be maintainedFil: Chamorro, Melina Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentin

The southern river otter (Lontra provocax): Insights from the perspective of Andean Patagonian ethnozoology

Animals play a significant role in many cultures around the world. The southern river otter Lontra provocax (known locally as the “huillín”) is endemic to southern Argentina and Chile, and is currently in danger of extinction. Mapuche communities have always lived closely alongside their animal resources, generating unique bonds with them. The objective of this work is to obtain an overview of the importance given to this species in the literature of the region with regard to the nature-culture connection. A systematic bibliographical review was carried out using reference libraries and web browsers. From all the sources analysed, 110 were selected which held biocultural information. The main approach used was ecological; however, the ethnohistorical texts provided the richest information on the bond between this otter and humans. The Mapuche name “huillín” appears in all the publications analysed, showing its continuity over time. Of all the zootoponyms found, 87.5% were Chilean and 12.5% were Argentine. The Argentine case is found in Nahuel Huapi lake, and is worthy of note as its name could involve the huillín. The results of this work increase our knowledge of the biocultural heritage of our region, and enable us to reflect on the associated historical and political processes.Fil: Pozzi, Carla Martina. Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable. Administración de Parques Nacionales. Parque Nacional "Nahuel Huapi". Departamento Conservación y Educación Ambiental; ArgentinaFil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable. Administración de Parques Nacionales. Parque Nacional "Nahuel Huapi". Departamento Conservación y Educación Ambiental; Argentin

Current use of wild plants with edible underground storage organs in a rural population of Patagonia: between tradition and change

Edible plants with underground storage organs (USOs) are neglected resources. We studied the local ecological knowledge edible plants with (USOs) in rural populations of North-Patagonia in order to establish how people are utilizing these plants. Some aspect of corpus-praxis-cosmos complex associated to the local ecological knowledge was documented and discussed. In addition, variation in this ecological knowledge due to age, gender, family structure, ethnic self-determination was also evaluated. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 51 inhabitants in order to study the relationship betweenthe current use of plants with USOs and the age, sex, family group composition and ethnic self-identification of interviewees. In addition, the Cultural Importance Index for each species was calculated. Results: The current richness of known species in these populations is a total of 9 plants. Plants with USOs tend to be used more frequently as the age of the interviewee increases. Women and men showed no differences in the average richness of species cited. The interviewees who share their homes with other generations use these plants more frequently than those who live alone. Our results indicate that the interviewees who identified themselves as belonging to the Mapuche people use these plants more frequently. Conclusion: For the Mapuche people, wild plants have constituted material and symbolic resources of great importance in their historical subsistence. In addition, they are currently being redefined as elements which present a connection with ancestral practices, produce a strong relationship with the ?land?, and become markers which identify the ?natural? (historical) ways of their people; these are key elements in the current political processes of identity revaluation. This research is valuable to stimulate cultural revival and health promotion programs in the communities with their own local, cultural food.Fil: Ochoa, Juan José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones En Diversidad Cultural y Procesos de Cambio; ArgentinaFil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación En Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentin

The concept of hybridization and its contribution to urban ethnobiology

Both ethnozoological and ethnobotanical studies carried out in cities mention the complexity of these cases and the need for shortcuts to aid understanding of the different social, cultural, economic and ecological processes which interact. In this work we propose and discuss a possible shortcut that could be useful in studies related to urban ethnobiology, the use of the concept of process of hybridization. Particularly, we show in the case of the study of medicinal plant use in cities that the hybridization process can be detected and described in a more complete way if we take into account some sub processes such as: fusion or juxtaposition, re-localization, recombination, restructuring, special segregation, new developments in production, circulation and consumption and simultaneous coexistence of different symbolic universes. We propose that these seven processes could be used as a quali-quantitative check list in future urban ethnobiological studies in order to visualize, contextualize and characterize hybridization more profoundly.Fil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación En Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino. Universidade Federal Rural Pernambuco. Departamento de Biologia. Laboratorio de Etnobotanica Aplicada; Brasi

Zootherapy and rural livestock farmers in semiarid Patagonia: The transfer of animal aptitudes for health

This work investigates the therapeutic value of animals to rural farmers who live on the central plateau of Chubut, Argentina. Open and indepth interviews were carried out with 35 rural farmers from Sierra Rosada, Sierra Ventana, El Escorial and Telsen. A total of 16 biological species (12 wild and 4 domestic animals) were involved in treatment (34 registered up to the present) of different ailments, empacho being one of the main therapeutic targets. Of the domestic species, the hen (Gallus gallus domesticus) was the most versatile in its usefulness, and the choique (Darwin's Rhea) (Rhea pennata) was the most versatile wild animal. Farmers used 15 different parts of the animals, fat being the substance which was obtained from most species. These zootreatments imply the transfer of aptitudes (the acquisition of a certain attribute of a species through ingestion or contact with specific parts of the animal), which transforms the health and lives of the people. Our results shed light on the symbolic and symbiotic relationships woven into rural life, with their implications for the conservation and management of wild fauna.Fil: Castillo, Lucía Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas; ArgentinaFil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentin