The traditional ecological knowledge conundrum

Tibor Hartel; Joern Fischer; Girma Shumi; William Apollinaire

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2022.12.004

The traditional ecological knowledge conundrum

Trends Ecol Evol. 2023 Mar;38(3):211-214. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.12.004. Epub 2023 Jan 18.

Authors

Tibor Hartel¹, Joern Fischer², Girma Shumi³, William Apollinaire⁴

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Department of Environmental Sciences, Str. Fantanele 30, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
² Social-Ecological Systems Institute, Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University Lueneburg, 21335 Lueneburg, Germany. Electronic address: joern.fischer@leuphana.de.
³ Social-Ecological Systems Institute, Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University Lueneburg, 21335 Lueneburg, Germany.
⁴ Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda; Albertine Rift Conservation Society, Kigali, Rwanda.

PMID: 36669935
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.12.004

Abstract

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is gaining prominence among ecologists because it can help inform ecosystem management. Yet, sometimes TEK is maintained not because of positive values about the environment, but because of poverty and a lack of options. We discuss this conundrum and present hypotheses for future research.

Keywords: agency; entitlements approach; indigenous ecological knowledge; local ecological knowledge; poverty; traditional ecological knowledge.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Conservation of Natural Resources
Ecology*
Ecosystem*
Forecasting
Knowledge