Choromytilus chorus virtually vanished from most Peruvian archaeological sites about 1000 BC. This species’ disappearance is significant because Choromytilus chorus is one of the most recognizable mollusks in the archaeological remains of coastal Peru because of its large size and rich purple color. In this study we investigate the choro mussel, which was a highly valued food source, a raw material for fishhooks and other fishing gear, and a special ritual item in prehistoric times. We look at inconsistencies in reports of its range, habitat, and ecology to explore reasons for the major shift southward of the species' northern limits at the end of the Initial Period (1000 BC), a significant cultural boundary. We identify biological, ecological, and cultural factors that acted together to bring about the sudden extinction of the choro mussel along much of the Peruvian coast. Paramount among these are human overexploitation and periodic environmental changes related to the El Niño phenomenon.

This ethnobotanical study, conducted in rural settler and Guarani populations sharing similar environments within the Yabotí Biosphere Reserve's area of influence in Misiones, Argentina, analyzes and compares local firewood utilization practices and the landscape associated with these practices. We surveyed the general characteristics of the managed landscapes, categorized the observed environments according to management intensity, identified firewood collection environments, and measured the distance of these environments from the peridomestic space. Furthermore, we compared the strategies employed for firewood selection and the acquisition methods. Using ethnobotanical techniques and statistical analysis, we identified relationships between ecological and sociocultural variables and groupings of firewood species with their ecological attributes. The results show that both groups shape the landscape through productive activities, primarily agriculture, and manage resources differently based on their cultural characteristics, socioeconomic profile, and energy needs. Differences were found in collection strategies and environments. Settlers cut green, native, and exotic species into more distant locations, while the Guaranies collect fallen, dry, native species near their homes. Settlers use mechanical tools to extract large-sized species, while the Guaranies employ manual tools for cutting and gathering. Resource and environment management are guided by cultural requirements and specific decisions to control resource availability. The study highlights the importance of understanding traditional practices for the sustainable management of woody resources.

The tropical forests, shrublands, and savannas of the South American Dry Chaco are fire-prone ecosystems. Humans have occupied this region for thousands of years, raising the question of how they coped with this recurrent problem. On this point, Indigenous oral traditions are known to encode a broad range of local ecological knowledge and to be capable of preserving this knowledge for centuries. Although the traditions of the Chaco's earliest human occupants are unknown, the story corpora of recent Chaco hunter-gatherer populations have been well documented by anthropologists. Accordingly, we searched these corpora for catastrophic wildfire narratives, which we then coded for the presence of specific types of information relevant to coping with conflagration. We predicted that these stories would contain information about conditions that cause or increase the likelihood of conflagration, fire behavior and effects, human survival strategies, and plant and animal recovery. We parsed this information into 11 distinct content themes: Ambient Conditions, Cause, Direction/Speed, Duration/Frequency, Intensity, Severity, Spread, Coping Strategies, Cues, Animals, and Plants. Results indicate that wildfire stories occur cross-culturally in the Dry Chaco, and reliably encode useful information about past local fire regimes. In so doing, these narratives provide a heretofore untapped source of longitudinal fire ecology data, and attest to the importance of including Indigenous observations in global scientific inquiry.

This article examines the dietary patterns of herders in central-western Argentina, known as puesteros (local herders). We investigate how changes in land use, urbanization, and hunting restrictions have affected traditional puestero herding practices and the contributions of wild and domesticated animals to their diets. The study focuses on two research questions: (1) Has the growth of urban economies and transportation infrastructure in central-western Argentina during the past several decades influenced puestero domesticate and wild animal meat consumption? (2) Does the consumption of large domesticates (e.g., beef from cattle) today decrease when the distance to cities increases and connectivity with markets decreases? We examine the differences in faunal assemblages between high-elevation summer puestos and low-elevation permanent puestos. We expected that puesteros in more remote areas would rely more on wild animals as a food source. However, the results showed that wild faunas were more common in permanent puestos compared to comparatively remote, summer puestos. This can be explained by the different activities carried out in each puesto and the animal biodiversity of each ecoregion. The study also highlights the impact of land use changes and conservation policies on puesteros. New employment opportunities, rural–urban migration, and changes in land ownership have influenced ranching and pastoralism practices as well. We emphasize the need to understand the puestero lifestyle in a broader framework that considers economic, social, and political processes and the importance of zooarchaeology in this study, which provides a valuable tool for documenting and preserving aspects of puestero culture.

This paper explores the intricate relationship between humans and plants from the perspective of Salish concepts, shedding light on the tradition of attributing human-desired qualities to the botanical world. Although plants possess traits that appeal to human desires, it is essential to recognize their inherent distinction from humans. Through historical utilization by Salish communities, a spiritual reciprocal bond has been established, necessitating the adherence to human-like protocols to maintain a symbiotic relationship. However, this exploration advocates against romanticizing this relationship, as it has the potential to foster internal stereotyping while leading to external discrepancies in philosophical pursuits. By carefully examining Salish practices from past to present, an emphasis is placed on the significance of comprehending and respecting the uniqueness of plant life. Through this analysis, the primary goal is to enhance our understanding of the profound connection between humans and plants while embracing the authenticity and complexity of this relationship. Appreciating the true nature of the bond can offer valuable insights into sustainable coexistence with the botanical world and contribute to fostering a more balanced and respectful relationship between humans and the natural environment.

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) can be a valuable source of information about species’ biology and their conservation, especially for threatened and poorly known species, such as the Brazilian three-banded armadillo ( Tolypeutes tricinctus). Here, we gathered information about the natural history and human–fauna relationships of T. tricinctus based on the LEK of residents from a rural community in northeast Brazil, where a population of T. tricinctus has been recently discovered. To understand LEK, we used participatory transect walks, semi-structured interviews, and a member-checking workshop. T. tricinctus was considered a locally abundant and widespread species, primarily nocturnal, highly popular, and not among the most hunted species. Our findings have important implications for the understanding of T. tricinctus biology and conservation. First, they show that, although T. tricinctus is highly threatened by hunting, there are still localities where it is not among the most hunted species, where it may still be common. Second, as T. tricinctus is a locally common and popular species, research and participatory science projects may be feasible in the area. Moreover, to increase sampling effectiveness, research projects can consider aspects of T. tricinctus biology identified in this study. In conclusion, our findings reinforce the importance of ethnobiology assessments to improve knowledge about species’ biology and inform local research and conservation efforts.

This ethnobotanical study highlights the significant knowledge of the Maya Yucatecan healers about medicinal plants used to treat skin diseases and the importance of studying the ancient knowledge inherited from generation to generation. Historically, the Maya people have relied on the use of medicinal plants to treat various ailments, including skin diseases. The study focuses on identifying the plants that have been traditionally employed for these purposes. By comparing historical sources with contemporary ethnobotanical data gathered from the field, this research uncovers the evolving patterns of plant usage over time. It also underscores the significance of considering sociopolitical circumstances in understanding changes in local knowledge. The data indicated that Rutaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, and Asteraceae were the most represented families. The ethnohistoric record also showed gaps linked to the local knowledge developed by the Mayans over time. The principal component analysis technique applied to our ethnobotanical data simplifies the complexity of information on the use of medicinal flora to treat skin conditions, resulting in a new predictive model for pooling herbal knowledge. Correlations indicated that more than 50% of the listed species are used to treat fungal infections. This historical perspective enriches our understanding of the dynamic relationship between the Maya people and their use of medicinal plants for skin-related ailments.

This article examines historical and contemporary evidence for the importance of cycads as sources of psychoactive experiences for ritual and recreational purposes. Methods used include critical analysis and comparison of published and gray literature as well as ethnographic accounts gathered by the author in Mexico and South Africa. The consumption of cycad parts (pollen, coralloid root, and caudex) to derive an intentional psychoactive effect as a drug may implicate the neurotoxic amino acid BMAA, while fermentation and distillation of cycad starch result in intoxication from alcohol. Cycad ingestion is related to medicinal uses, magico-religious practice, and sexual stimulation as an aphrodisiac. Interconnections between these functions, the ceremonial importance of cycads, and conservation implications are discussed. Conclusions include the need to better understand effects on users and on cycad populations, and the potential pitfalls and opportunities psychoactive uses present for community-based conservation.

This paper seeks to advance the joyful environmental ethic of Robin Wall Kimmerer. According to Kimmerer's environmental ethic of gratitude and reciprocity, each person has a responsibility to share their unique gifts with the world in return for the gifts they have received from nature. Drawing on Karen Barad, this paper contends that nonhumans are active, open-ended, and relational singularities that also provide ontological gifts by coconstituting the very being of humans and the world. Since sharing one's gifts to make good gifts for a nonhuman requires knowing oneself and the nonhuman, this paper argues that open-ended curiosity is an onto-epistemic, environmental virtue because it enables humans to understand nonhumans as open-ended and relational singularities. Epistemically, a person must be open to transforming their beliefs and questions in relation to nonhumans. Ontologically, a person must be open to transforming their bodies, practices, and world in relation to nonhumans. To develop this account of open-ended curiosity, this paper engages the work of Vinciane Despret.