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The importance of traditional ecological knowledge for palm-weevil cultivation in the venezuelan amazon

By
Juanita Choo; Egleé López Zent; Beryl Simpson (published in 2013-02-07 by llandaburo )
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Choo, J.; López Zent, E.; Simpson, B. (2009) The importance of traditional ecological knowledge for palm-weevil cultivation in the venezuelan amazon. Recuperado de:
http://www.academia.edu/186506/The_importance_of_Traditional_Ecological_Knowledge_for_palm-weevil_cultivation_in_the_Venezuelan_Amazon
Summary:
Entomophagy is widespread among indigenous people, promoting the gathering of traditional ecological knowledge of insect life histories and plant-insect interactions. In the Amazon, the cultivation of palm weevil larvae (Rhynchophorus palmarum and Rhinostomus barbirostris) for food provides an important supplement to the diets of many indigenous people. This study conducted with the Joti people from Venezuelan Amazonia examined their traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of palm (Oenocarpus bacaba) and weevil interactions and how they have applied their TEK to optimize returns on palm weevil cultivation. They manipulate palms to induce changes in the resourcepartitioning and competition that occurs naturally between weevil species, thereby increasing harvests of their preferred species of weevil. We found that the Jotis traditional ecological knowledge was congruent with scientific findings of weevil natural history and palm and weevil interactions. This analysis identifies potential research directions that may provide solutions to agricultural problems such as palm weevil infestations in palm plantations. We conclude that understanding and preserving traditional ecological knowledge and practices is important for organisms such as palm weevils that rarely have been studied in their natural forest settings.