Resumen: Dado que los impactos del cambio climático varían entre ecosistemas y sociedades, es difícil determinarlos con precisión. Basándonos en tres ejemplos de Sudamérica, exploramos algunas de las múltiples evidencias de que los diferentes sistemas de conocimiento y experiencias locales aportan al entendimiento del cambio climático y sus impactos. En el archipiélago de Chiloé (sur de Chile) analizamos las conexiones entre diferentes motores de cambio reportados por campesinas chilotas al explicar la sequía y sus impactos en la agricultura. A la multicausalidad, el pueblo indígena Tsimane’ (Amazonía boliviana) añade la apreciación de que el uso abusivo o irrespetuoso de la naturaleza es una causa subyacente del cambio climático. Finalmente, el estudio entre los ribeirinhos del curso medio del río Solimões, Amazonía brasileña, explora cómo las inundaciones y sequías extremas -atribuidas al cambio climático- afectan la salud y aumentan el riesgo de accidentes. Como las evidencias presentadas por los habitantes locales no están necesariamente documentadas en la literatura científica, los tres casos de estudio refuerzan la idea de que múltiples evidencias son necesarias para tener una comprensión holística del cambio climático.

Abstract: Climate change impacts on ecosystems and societies vary, for which they can not always be precisely determined. Drawing on three examples from South America, we explore some of the multiple evidences that different knowledge systems and local experiences can contribute to the understanding of climate change and its impacts. In the Chiloé Archipelago (southern Chile) we analyze the connections between different drivers of change reported by peasant women from Chiloé when explaining drought and its impacts on agriculture. To the multi-causality, the Tsimane’ indigenous people (Bolivian Amazon) add the appreciation that the abusive or disrespectful use of nature is an underlying cause of change. Finally, the study among the ribeirinhos of the Médio Río Solimões, Brazilian Amazon, explores how extreme floods and droughts - attributed to climate change - affect health and increase the risk of accidents. Given that the evidences presented are not fully reported in the scientific literature, the three case studies presented reinforce the idea that multiple pieces of evidence are needed for a holistic understanding of climate change.

ABSTRACT For at least 30 years researchers have called for a deeper reflection on the paths we desire for ethnobotanical research. Although the discipline of ethnobotany is growing, as measured by the number of publications in the area, there is still work to be done regarding the homogeneity of theoretical and methodological approaches and the implications of ethnobotanical research findings for society as a whole. In this article we present 10 questions/issues that we believe can guide the research and actions of ethnobotanists for the coming years.

BACKGROUND: The biological conservation in private lands largely depends upon landowners' willingness to keep populations of wild species on them, an issue highlighted by the Convention on Biological Diversity. In this study, we aim (i) to understand small landowners' behavioural intentions, or relative intensity to adopt a given behaviour, towards threatened wildlife and (ii) to assess the role of local ecological knowledge, awareness of protected area, and forest ownership on landowners' behavioural intentions towards threatened biodiversity. We interviewed peasants living around Los Queules National Reserve in Central Chile. RESULTS: Interview results showed that behavioural intentions towards threatened species were species-dependant. Results also showed that higher ecological knowledge and awareness of a protected area were associated with positive behavioural intentions towards wildlife. Peasants who owned land with larger forest cover reported positive behavioural intentions towards wildlife more frequently than peasants with less forest cover on their lands, although associations were not consistent across species. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that (i) opportunities for getting peasants to support species conservation depend on the particular species and vary across peasants and (ii) there is a relevant social heterogeneity among peasants in terms of behavioural intentions towards species. As both factors likely influence conservation outcomes, they should be considered in the design of biodiversity conservation efforts.