Local ecological knowledge and resilience of ethnomedical systems in a changing world ? South American perspectives

ZANK, SOFIA; FERREIRA JÚNIOR, WASHINGTON SOARES; HANAZAKI, NATALIA; KUJAWASKA, MONIKA; LADIO, A. H.; MATINS SANTOS, LUCILENE; DIAS BLANCO, G.; BORBA DO NASCIMENTO, ANDRE

Environmental Sciences and Policy

Elsevier

Año: 2022 vol. 135 p. 117 - 127

1462'9011

We are experiencing an era of great and rapid changes that directly affect biocultural systems. Ethnomedicalsystems are complex social-ecological structures and processes affected by drivers that may lead to changes in thetrajectories of these systems, or even to collapse, according to their resilience and adaptation capacity. Weexamine ethnomedical systems in the context of social-ecological resilience, discussing how these systems areadapting and responding to current challenges, threats and risks. Seven case studies from Indigenous Peoples andLocal Communities living close to forest ecosystems in South America (Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay) providean overview and offer strategies for research and public policies related to biocultural diversity and health. Wediscuss some nuances of ethnomedical systems resilience, such as the importance of utilitarian redundancy, theeffects of biomedicine and technologies on traditional practices, including the hybridization process; the effectsof contaminated environments in the use of plants; the influence of COVID-19 on traditional practices andpeoples? creative responses to the pandemic; and the influence of Brazilian health care policies for IndigenousPeoples. Based on these case studies at different spatial scales (individual, local community, metacommunity,and macrosystem levels), we discuss the adaptation, transformation, and resilience of ethnomedical systems, aswell as the role of local ecological knowledge in this process. We highlight new perspectives for research, actionsand public policies that can favor the quality of life and health of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.