TY - JOUR
T1 - Traditional ecological knowledge and community resilience to environmental extremes: A case study in Doñana, SW Spain
AU - Gómez-Baggethun, Erik
AU - Reyes-García, Victoria
AU - Olsson, Per
AU - Montes, Carlos
PY - 2012/8/1
Y1 - 2012/8/1
N2 - Research in the last decade has emphasised the potential contribution of traditional ecological knowledge to cope with challenges from global environmental change. This research examines the role of traditional ecological knowledge and shared systems of beliefs in building long-term social-ecological resilience to environmental extremes. Data were collected from 13 villages of the Doñana region, southwestern Spain, through interviews, focus groups, and systematic reviews of historical archives. First, we assess adaptive practices to cope with environmental change. Then, we use historical records of religious ceremonies (1577-1956) to reconstruct collective responses to environmental extremes. Our results (1) show how environmental extremes could induce social and economic crises through declines in ecosystem services and (2) identify practices to cope with recurrent disturbance and institutional devices developed in response to environmental extremes. We conclude that traditional ecological knowledge and shared systems of beliefs can facilitate collective responses to crises and contribute to the maintenance of long-term resilience of social-ecological systems. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
AB - Research in the last decade has emphasised the potential contribution of traditional ecological knowledge to cope with challenges from global environmental change. This research examines the role of traditional ecological knowledge and shared systems of beliefs in building long-term social-ecological resilience to environmental extremes. Data were collected from 13 villages of the Doñana region, southwestern Spain, through interviews, focus groups, and systematic reviews of historical archives. First, we assess adaptive practices to cope with environmental change. Then, we use historical records of religious ceremonies (1577-1956) to reconstruct collective responses to environmental extremes. Our results (1) show how environmental extremes could induce social and economic crises through declines in ecosystem services and (2) identify practices to cope with recurrent disturbance and institutional devices developed in response to environmental extremes. We conclude that traditional ecological knowledge and shared systems of beliefs can facilitate collective responses to crises and contribute to the maintenance of long-term resilience of social-ecological systems. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
KW - Adaptation
KW - Disturbance
KW - Doñana
KW - Resilience
KW - Spain
KW - Traditional knowledge
U2 - 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2012.02.005
DO - 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2012.02.005
M3 - Article
VL - 22
SP - 640
EP - 650
JO - Global Environmental Change
JF - Global Environmental Change
SN - 0959-3780
IS - 3
ER -