Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2008

Publication Title

Environmental Conservation

Volume

35

Issue Number

4

First Page

281

Last Page

293

DOI

10.1017/S0376892908005146

Keywords

alien species, biocultural diversity, biological invasions, cultural diversity, diaspora, exotic species, indigenous, introduced species, invasive species, traditions, weeds

Disciplines

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Abstract

Study of the ecological and economic effects of invasive species has paralleled their progressively pervasive influence worldwide, yet their cultural impacts remain largely unexamined and therefore unrecognized. Unlike biological systems, where the ecological consequences of biological invasions are primarily negative, from an ethnoscientific standpoint, invasive species' impacts on cultural systems span a range of effects. Biological invasions affect cultural groups in myriad, often unpredictable and at times contradictory ways. This review groups case studies into a conceptual matrix suggesting three categorically different cultural impacts of invasive species. Culturally impoverishing invasive species precipitate the loss or replacement of culturally important native species and their associated cultural practices. Culturally enriching invasive species augment cultural traditions, through their inclusion in lexicons, narratives, foods, pharmacopoeias and other tangible and intangible ends. Culturally facilitating invasive species can provide continuity and reformulation of traditional ethnobiological practices. An understanding of the processes by which invasive biota become culturally enriching, facilitating, or impoverishing can contribute to articulating interdisciplinary programmes aimed at simultaneously conserving biological and cultural diversity.

Comments

This is the Accepted Manuscript of an article that appeared in Environmental Conservation, volume 35, issue 4, 2008. The Version of Record (VOR) may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0376892908005146 SJSU users: use the following link to login and access the article via SJSU databases

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