Semiarid ethnoagroforestry management: Tajos in the Sierra Gorda, Guanajuato, Mexico
Abstract Background The semi-arid environments harbor nearly 40% of biodiversity, and half of indigenous cultures of Mexico. Thousands of communities settled in these areas depend on agriculture and using wild biodiversity for their subsistence. Water, soil, and biodiversity management strategies ar...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13002-017-0162-y |
| _version_ | 1819147502894448640 |
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| author | Vincent M. Hoogesteger van Dijk Alejandro Casas Ana Isabel Moreno-Calles |
| author_facet | Vincent M. Hoogesteger van Dijk Alejandro Casas Ana Isabel Moreno-Calles |
| author_sort | Vincent M. Hoogesteger van Dijk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The semi-arid environments harbor nearly 40% of biodiversity, and half of indigenous cultures of Mexico. Thousands of communities settled in these areas depend on agriculture and using wild biodiversity for their subsistence. Water, soil, and biodiversity management strategies are therefore crucial for people’s life. The tajos, from Sierra Gorda, are important, poorly studied, biocultural systems established in narrow, arid alluvial valleys. The systems are constructed with stone-walls for capturing sediments, gradually creating fertile soils in terraces suitable for agriculture in places where it would not be possible. We analyzed biocultural, ecological, economic and technological relevance of the artificial oasis-like tajos, hypothesizing their high capacity for maintaining agricultural and wild biodiversity while providing resources to people. Methods We conducted our research in three sections of the Mezquital-Xichú River, in three communities of Guanajuato, Mexico. Agroforestry management practices were documented through semi-structured and in-depth qualitative interviews. Vegetation composition of local forests and that maintained in tajos was sampled and compared. Results Tajos harbor high agrobiodiversity, including native varieties of maize and beans, seven secondary crops, 47 native and 25 introduced perennial plant species. Perennial plants cover on average 26.8% of the total surface of plots. Tajos provide nearly 70% of the products required by households’ subsistence and are part of their cultural identity. Conclusions Tajos are heritage of TEK and land management forms of pre-Columbian Mexican and Mediterranean agricultural techniques, adapting and integrating modern agricultural practices. Tajos are valuable biocultural systems adapted to local semiarid conditions and sources of technology for similar areas of the World. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T13:30:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a08133277c8a4fe494c7b4f4a6811671 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1746-4269 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T13:30:51Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-a08133277c8a4fe494c7b4f4a68116712022-12-21T18:24:11ZengBMCJournal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine1746-42692017-06-0113111110.1186/s13002-017-0162-ySemiarid ethnoagroforestry management: Tajos in the Sierra Gorda, Guanajuato, MexicoVincent M. Hoogesteger van Dijk0Alejandro Casas1Ana Isabel Moreno-Calles2Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)Abstract Background The semi-arid environments harbor nearly 40% of biodiversity, and half of indigenous cultures of Mexico. Thousands of communities settled in these areas depend on agriculture and using wild biodiversity for their subsistence. Water, soil, and biodiversity management strategies are therefore crucial for people’s life. The tajos, from Sierra Gorda, are important, poorly studied, biocultural systems established in narrow, arid alluvial valleys. The systems are constructed with stone-walls for capturing sediments, gradually creating fertile soils in terraces suitable for agriculture in places where it would not be possible. We analyzed biocultural, ecological, economic and technological relevance of the artificial oasis-like tajos, hypothesizing their high capacity for maintaining agricultural and wild biodiversity while providing resources to people. Methods We conducted our research in three sections of the Mezquital-Xichú River, in three communities of Guanajuato, Mexico. Agroforestry management practices were documented through semi-structured and in-depth qualitative interviews. Vegetation composition of local forests and that maintained in tajos was sampled and compared. Results Tajos harbor high agrobiodiversity, including native varieties of maize and beans, seven secondary crops, 47 native and 25 introduced perennial plant species. Perennial plants cover on average 26.8% of the total surface of plots. Tajos provide nearly 70% of the products required by households’ subsistence and are part of their cultural identity. Conclusions Tajos are heritage of TEK and land management forms of pre-Columbian Mexican and Mediterranean agricultural techniques, adapting and integrating modern agricultural practices. Tajos are valuable biocultural systems adapted to local semiarid conditions and sources of technology for similar areas of the World.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13002-017-0162-yAgrobiodiversityArid zonesBiocultural heritageMesoamericaTEK |
| spellingShingle | Vincent M. Hoogesteger van Dijk Alejandro Casas Ana Isabel Moreno-Calles Semiarid ethnoagroforestry management: Tajos in the Sierra Gorda, Guanajuato, Mexico Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine Agrobiodiversity Arid zones Biocultural heritage Mesoamerica TEK |
| title | Semiarid ethnoagroforestry management: Tajos in the Sierra Gorda, Guanajuato, Mexico |
| title_full | Semiarid ethnoagroforestry management: Tajos in the Sierra Gorda, Guanajuato, Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Semiarid ethnoagroforestry management: Tajos in the Sierra Gorda, Guanajuato, Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Semiarid ethnoagroforestry management: Tajos in the Sierra Gorda, Guanajuato, Mexico |
| title_short | Semiarid ethnoagroforestry management: Tajos in the Sierra Gorda, Guanajuato, Mexico |
| title_sort | semiarid ethnoagroforestry management tajos in the sierra gorda guanajuato mexico |
| topic | Agrobiodiversity Arid zones Biocultural heritage Mesoamerica TEK |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13002-017-0162-y |
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