How predictive is traditional ecological knowledge? the case of the lacandon maya fallow enrichment system
The ability to predict through causal understandingor statistical association is a key feature of scientific knowledge. However,the predictive power of traditionalecological knowledge in an observationalsetting is rarely critically evaluated. Weanalyze the results of an applied casestudy of indigeno...
| Authors: | ; |
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| Format: | Article |
| Status: | Published version |
| Publication date: | 2004 |
| Country: | México |
| Institution: | ECOSUR |
| Repository: | Redalyc-ECOSUR |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:redalyc.org:33909605 |
| Online Access: | https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=33909605 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Multidisciplinarias (Ciencias Sociales) Lacandon Restoration Epistemology Ochroma pyramidale Soil Organic Matter |
| Summary: | The ability to predict through causal understandingor statistical association is a key feature of scientific knowledge. However,the predictive power of traditionalecological knowledge in an observationalsetting is rarely critically evaluated. Weanalyze the results of an applied casestudy of indigenous fallow management inthe context of its predictive power. In orderto do this we applied three contrastingstatistical analyses; visual pattern matching,general linear modelling and graphicalmodels. Our results suggest that a degreeof abduction or a posteriori explanationis typically needed in the analysis ofthe observations of natural phenomenathat indigenous people make. Despite this,contextually useful predictive power maybe extracted from such informationthrough a combination of experience, deductionand probabilistic induction. Thepresent case study suggested that the traditionalecological knowledge of theLacandon people could provide usefulguidance for the restoration of ecosystemfunction. In particular, the results supportthe use of Ochroma pyramidale as a soilenriching agent. |
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