Ethnobiology and Conservation

The Ethnobiology of Absurdities

2024-09-25T14:30:28+00:00

We are often overwhelmed by a sense of frustration when we observe that certain social issues, rather than progressing, seem to stagnate or even worsen–a rise in violence against women, racism, misogyny, and transphobia. These problems, far from disappearing, raise the question of whether we truly advance toward a higher state of civility or are trapped in an endless cycle of setbacks. The feeling that progress is illusory and fleeting leads us to reflect deeply on the state of science, particularly ethnobiology.

Argentine Ethnobiology: A Future in Peril

2024-09-25T19:45:48+00:00

Based on an online survey and a workshop with young ethnobiologists, we analyze the current state and future prospects of the discipline in Argentina. The research topic analysis, geographic distribution, and insights into participant motivations and challenges highlight concerns regarding professional development in the context of underfunding and science devaluation within the country. We propose strategies for strengthening the field, including increased networking and improved representation in university curricula.

Investigating cultural ecosystem services of the Caatinga on Flickr

2024-08-07T11:35:14+00:00

Public interest in nature can be promoted through social media by assessing the importance of a species to people and identifying new emblems of conservationist appeal. We aimed to assess the public interest in cultural ecosystem services in the Caatinga (seasonal dry forest). Ecosystem services were categorized based on approximately 1500 photographs posted on Flickr. These photographs were analyzed using manual and deep-learning (DL) approaches. The most observed categories for both approaches were “Enjoyment of the Landscape” (36.8%), “Appreciation of Nature – Animals’’ (25.6%), and “Social Activities” (19.3%). However, we found significant differences between manual and DL classifications owing to the difficulties in classifying categories using the DL model. The findings suggest a low cultural ecosystem service representation on the photo-sharing platform Flickr in the Caatinga region, even after removing 67% of the collected data. This may be attributed to the limited interest in Flickr among the Caatinga residents. Deep learning (DL) techniques hold potential for studying cultural ecosystem services, but their efficacy depends on the algorithm's capacity to discern human-nature interactions and various natural elements. Our observations indicate that increasing the scale of the training and test datasets and incorporating additional categories to account for Caatinga diversity may enhance the results.

Non-food uses of sharks in southern Bahia, Brazil

2024-09-25T19:45:45+00:00

Sharks are a highly threatened group, and the threats these animals face also affect the cultural ways artisanal fisher communities interact with them. Consequently, local knowledge arising from human interactions with these animals also becomes threatened, as well as the potential of fisheries management through ethnoconservation. In this sense, this study examines the dynamics of shark use by fishers in northeastern Brazil. In 2012, data was collected through semi-structured interviews about shark uses applied to 65 traditional fishers who use sharks differently. The ways fishers use these fish are changing mainly because fishers informed an overall reduction in shark catches. Thus, the analysis of their uses comprises a historical-anthropological record, as specific interactions are quickly disappearing. Therefore, the variety of utilitarian connections and changes in shark use patterns over time reveal both ecologic and cultural extinction threats of the traditional shark fisheries in this area. We suggest implementing anthropological and biological studies that aim to contribute to the maintenance of the livelihoods of populations that interact with sharks and seek to guarantee the sustainable exploitation of these animals.