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Folk classification as evidence of transformed landscapes and adaptative strategies: a case study in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil

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  • Taline Cristina da Silva
  • Maria Franco Trindade Medeiros
  • Nivaldo Peroni
  • Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque

Abstract

How do people classify the living world? Solid theoretical and methodological foundations advocate for utilitarian or intellectual strategies. Some authors argue that people tend to classify natural resources that are necessary for their survival. However, in the case of landscapes, we do not know the true criteria that people use to classify their space. We present strong evidence that people name landscapes according to utilitarian (economic) criteria. We also seek to identify which factors and variables explain people’s knowledge about landscapes and how this knowledge can generate information about landscape modifications. This study was conducted in the Brazilian National Forest of Araripe (FLONA Araripe), NE Brazil, with local people who live near this forest. A total of 304 nomenclatural types of landscapes were recounted, and these landscapes were mainly associated with indicators of current or past use. The variables that best explained the knowledge about landscapes were useful species known and the number of categories of use, showing that utilitarian features are strongly associated with local forest classification. Our findings suggest an adaptive strategy in which people name the landscape based on past and current uses, either as a whole or with respect to particular features of certain areas. In addition, we interpret this finding as a mnemonic strategy for optimising the use of the landscape.

Suggested Citation

  • Taline Cristina da Silva & Maria Franco Trindade Medeiros & Nivaldo Peroni & Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque, 2017. "Folk classification as evidence of transformed landscapes and adaptative strategies: a case study in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(5), pages 521-532, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:clarxx:v:42:y:2017:i:5:p:521-532
    DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2016.1258047
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    Cited by:

    1. da Costa Lima Pires, Pâmela & da Silva César, Aldara & Cardoso, Alexandre Nunes & Favaro, Simone Palma & Conejero, Marco Antonio, 2023. "Strategies to improve the competitiveness of an agroindustrial system for a macauba based oil production in Minas Gerais State, Brazil," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    2. Mirela Natália Santos & Jhonatan Rafael Zárate-Salazar & Reginaldo Carvalho & Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque, 2020. "Intraspecific variation, knowledge and local management of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in the semiarid region of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 2881-2903, April.

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