Advancing ethnobiology for the ecological transition and a more inclusive and just world: a comprehensive framework for the next 20 years

Abstract

This opinion piece, written by ethnobiologists from different parts of the world, emphasizes the importance of ethnobiology research in advancing contemporary biology, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and, especially, contributing to the ecological transition and more just and inclusive world. To achieve these goals, it is essential to develop research and collaborate with social groups that live in close relationship with nature in research activities, such as Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC), as well as Afro-descendants and other Marginalized, Minority or Minoritized Communities (AMMC). Ethnobiology can identify and provide locally appropriate solutions to local problems, enabling sustainable resource management at the landscape level. The text explores important aspects that need to be considered to guide the future of ethnobiology in the next 20 years, aiming to integrate and amplify previous discussions held in the discipline and identify points that demand ongoing attention. This paper highlights reflections from diverse researchers, emphasizing how ethnobiology can embrace different perspectives and employ rigorous analysis of complex phenomena toward effective policies and practices. This approach holds the potential to address the challenges the planet is currently facing in the coming decades.

The global relevance of locally grounded ethnobiology

“…In other words, ethnobiology thrives when the process of scaling up builds on, and is informed by, rich place-based research. There is evidence that the foundation of most—if not all—ethical and powerful ethnobiological studies start and end with meaningful cross-cultural discussions and local-to-global exchanges, which offer an enormous potential for giving global recognition and visibility to Indigenous and local knowledge holders [ 1 , 3 , 8 ].…”

“…This encompasses a range of ethical concerns such as data sovereignty, appropriately acknowledging knowledge sources and data access [ 7 ]. It also is grounded on the discipline’s obligation to produce the most robust data possible so that it can stand up in court-of-law or as the foundation for better policies for both people and nature [ 8 , 136 , 137 ].…”

“…Ethnobiology is a rapidly growing field gaining prominence in global discussions about the future of our planet [1][2][3] because it demonstrates the interconnectedness of our biosphere and offers solutions to global problems of social and environmental injustices [5][6][7][8]. However, one of ethnobiology's core strengths is that it is a locally grounded discipline-both in terms of data gathering and interpretation [9][10][11].…”

Dark local knowledge: the yet-to-be scientifically discovered and locally acknowledged aspects of local knowledge systems

“…As LEK is unequally represented in mainstream scientific discourse, as highlighted by Obura et al [ 24 ] for conservational sciences, we also need to make our field results more visible to put pressure on policymakers to support the sustainability of local communities [ 2 ]. To gain the most from our discipline, we need to reformulate the goals of ethnobiology: we should still document and analyse LEK, yet we need to make a conceptual jump.…”

Enhancing Editorial Standards and Introducing the New Checklist Section of the Ethnobiology and Conservation

“…These criteria include adherence to editorial guidelines, appropriate formatting, research relevance and impact, and scientific rigor. Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in ethnobiology, and check out the recent proposal documents (see Albuquerque et al 2023Albuquerque et al , 2024aAlbuquerque et al , 2024bMcAlvay et al 2021;Vandebroek et al 2023). These are essential for anyone looking to publish in this area, as they provide clear guidance to best practices for conducting and reporting on ethnobiology research.…”