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How valuable could traditional ecological knowledge education be for a resource-limited future?: An emergy evaluation in two Mexican villages

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  • Falkowski, Tomasz B.
  • Martinez-Bautista, Isaias
  • Diemont, Stewart A.W.

Abstract

Emergy is an important evaluative tool to understand the sustainability of ecological systems. This methodology normalizes natural and economic inputs to permit a more holistic evaluation of systems. Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is commonly not included in analyses of traditionally-designed ecosystems, or past evaluation has tended toward a qualitative valuation of TEK. Our research evaluated the emergy in the creation, maintenance, and transfer of TEK at the individual and community levels, as well as the biophysical and cultural resources that support this knowledge system. These evaluations took place within the Lacandon Maya village of Lacanja Chansayab, Mexico and with Zapotec farmers of Lalopa, Mexico. Respondents stressed the importance of inter-generational ties, the local forest, and community in their education. We found that TEK-based labor transformities (1.23E07sej/J in Lacanja Chansayab, Mexico and 6.54E06sej/J in Lalopa, Mexico) are similar to past qualitative estimates. TEK labor will result in minimal impact to the environment (i.e., environmental loading ratio) relative to Western education, which has comparable transformities, due to reliance on renewable local ecosystem inputs rather than fossil fuels and physical infrastructure. This research highlights the importance for sustainability of both preserving knowledge transfer systems resulting in TEK and in developing hands-on educational systems that rely upon the natural world as the primary classroom.

Suggested Citation

  • Falkowski, Tomasz B. & Martinez-Bautista, Isaias & Diemont, Stewart A.W., 2015. "How valuable could traditional ecological knowledge education be for a resource-limited future?: An emergy evaluation in two Mexican villages," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 300(C), pages 40-49.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:300:y:2015:i:c:p:40-49
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.12.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Abel, Thomas, 2010. "Human transformities in a global hierarchy: Emergy and scale in the production of people and culture," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 221(17), pages 2112-2117.
    2. Alfaro-Arguello, Rigoberto & Diemont, Stewart A.W. & Ferguson, Bruce G. & Martin, Jay F. & Nahed-Toral, José & David Álvarez-Solís, J. & Ruíz, René Pinto, 2010. "Steps toward sustainable ranching: An emergy evaluation of conventional and holistic management in Chiapas, Mexico," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 103(9), pages 639-646, November.
    3. Flores, Miguel & Bradshaw, Benjamin & Hoque, Nazrul, 2013. "Regional differences in life expectancy at birth in Mexican municipalities, 1990-2000," MPRA Paper 55212, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Louis Verchot & Meine Noordwijk & Serigne Kandji & Tom Tomich & Chin Ong & Alain Albrecht & Jens Mackensen & Cynthia Bantilan & K. Anupama & Cheryl Palm, 2007. "Climate change: linking adaptation and mitigation through agroforestry," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 12(5), pages 901-918, June.
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    1. Wei Liu & Jinyan Zhan & Zhihui Li & Siqi Jia & Fan Zhang & Yifan Li, 2018. "Eco-Efficiency Evaluation of Regional Circular Economy: A Case Study in Zengcheng, Guangzhou," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-16, February.
    2. Lupinacci, Daniel M. & Bonilla, Silvia H., 2018. "Exploring approaches and dimensions of human transformity through an educational case," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 368(C), pages 336-343.
    3. Tomasz B. Falkowski & Adolfo Chankin & Stewart A. W. Diemont & Robert W. Pedian, 2019. "More than just corn and calories: a comprehensive assessment of the yield and nutritional content of a traditional Lacandon Maya milpa," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(2), pages 389-404, April.
    4. Berrios, Fernando & Campbell, Daniel E. & Ortiz, Marco, 2017. "Emergy evaluation of benthic ecosystems influenced by upwelling in northern Chile: Contributions of the ecosystems to the regional economy," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 359(C), pages 146-164.

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