Amazonia Biodiversity Estimation
using
Remote Sensing
and
Indigenous Taxonomy
INDIGENOUS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY TAXONOMY, KNWLEDGE AND KNOW-HOW
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the Convention on Biodiversity requires the application of the knowledge of local communities
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higher taxon richness and species indicators are useful surrogates for biodiversity
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scientiific taxonomy covers more species than indigenous taxonomy, but it all the same covers only ten per cent of existing species
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according to the 'ecosystem approach" biodiversity assessment require also identification and assessment of ecosystem and habitats
Maynard Smith has suggested that ecological systems can be approached in one of two ways, either by a detailed mathematical description of specific systems, or by a general and abstract description that aims to capture the essential properties of the system [21]. Local communities posses a deep and extensive knowledge of the structure and processes of the landscape ecosystems that certainly allows at least the second approach of ecosystem description.
Some Biodiversity Assessment methodologies, make use of para-taxonomist (e.g. INBio, Costa Rica ) and the SBSSTA encourages their training and employment. Their contribute to solve the so called taxonomic impediment is invaluable. At the same time we consider very important (and fundamental to the present project) the views expressed in the report o f the 2nd meeting of the SBSTTA :
"The question itself has to be rephrased. The challenge is not to find the ways to integrate, in modern management practices, knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities. Rather, it is to define, in collaboration with indigenous and local communities, which modern tools may be of help to them, and how these tools might be used, to strengthen and develop their own strategy for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, fully respecting their intellectual and cultural integrity and their own vision of development." [4].
Most databases and species list provide together with the scientific name also the common name (see for example Species2000 [22]), INPA has published several monographs containing the common names of Amazonia plant species [23]. The Universidade Federal do Paraná as published a list of common names of insects [24] and the Universidade Federal do Acre as published a list of common names of plants [25].
The species and higher taxon known to the Amazonia local communities and used to estimate biodiversity will be categorized according to their economic function (food, pests, etc) , ecological function (keystone species, etc), the interaction with other species , habitat class, territory size, etc.. They will also be localized on the food web and in the tree of life (philogeny). This data, appropriately coded, will also be introduced in the GIS raster maps so that when a particular taxa is present in a given location a lot of other information can be inferred