Abstract
This chapter conveys findings from an integrated participatory soil-landscape survey in a mountain indigenous community of central Mexico using ethnopedologic and geopedologic approaches. It describes the soil-landscape knowledge that local people use for selecting suitable agro-ecological settings, applying land management practices, and implementing soil conservation measures. Relief and soil maps generated by both procedures, the indigenous and the technical, are compared, and the level of spatial correlation of the map units is assessed. Commonalities, differences, and synergies of both soil knowledge systems are highlighted. Participatory soil survey promotes the collaboration of local farmers and experts and the integration of knowledge systems the leads to better understanding of soil distribution patterns on the landscape and their use potentials.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Barrera-Bassols N (2003) Symbolism, knowledge and management of soil and land resources in indigenous communities: ethnopedology at global, regional and local scales. ITC dissertation series 102, 2 vols. International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), Enschede
Barrera-Bassols N, Zinck JA (2000) Ethnopedology in a worldwide perspective: an annotated bibliography. International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences, Enschede
Barrera-Bassols N, Zinck JA (2003) Ethnopedology: a worldwide view on the soil knowledge of local people. Geoderma 111:171–195
Barrera-Bassols N, Zinck JA (2004) Land moves and behaves: indigenous discourse on sustainable land management in Pichátaro, Pátzcuaro Basin, Mexico. Geogr Ann Ser A 85:266–276
Barrera-Bassols N, Zinck JA, Van Ranst E (2006a) Symbolism, knowledge and management of soil and land resources: ethnopedology at global, regional and local scales. Catena 65:118–137
Barrera-Bassols N, Zinck JA, Van Ranst E (2006b) Local soil classification and comparison of indigenous and technical maps in a Mesoamerican community using spatial analysis. Geoderma 135:140–162
Barrera-Bassols N, Zinck JA, Van Ranst E (2009) Participatory soil survey: experience in working with a Mesoamerican indigenous community. Soil Use Manage 25:43–56
Barrios E, Delve RJ et al (2006) Indicators of soil quality: a south–south development guide for linking local and technical knowledge. Geoderma 135:248–259
Berlin B, Breedlove DE et al (1974) Principles of Tzeltal plant classification. Academic, New York
Bernard HR (1994) Research methodology in anthropology: qualitative and quantitative approaches. Sage, Thousand Oaks
Brussard L, de Ruiter PC et al (2007) Soil biodiversity for agricultural sustainability. Agr Ecosyst Environ 121:233–244
Conway GR (1985) Agroecosystems analysis. Agric Adm 20:31–55
Cools E, De Pauw E et al (2003) Towards an integration of conventional land evaluation methods and farmers’ soil suitability assessment: a case study in northwestern Syria. Agr Ecosyst Environ 95:327–342
Descola P (2012) Más allá de naturaleza y cultura. Amorrortu Editores, Buenos Aires
FAO (1998) Topsoil characterization for sustainable land management. Land and Water Development Division. Soil Resources, Management and Conservation Service. FAO, Rome
Farrington J (1996) Socio-economic methods in natural resources research, Natural resources perspectives 9. Overseas Development Institute, London
Furbee L (1989) A folk expert system: soils classification in the Colca Valley, Peru. Anthropol Q 62:83–102
Gobin A, Campling P et al (1998) Integrated toposequence analysis at the confluence zone of the River Ebonyi headwater catchment (southeastern Nigeria). Catena 32:173–192
Gobin A, Campling P et al (2000) Quantifying soil morphology in tropical environments: methods and application in soil morphology. Soil Sci Soc Am 64:1423–1433
Gobin A, Campling P et al (2001) Integrated land resources analysis with an application to Ikem (south-eastern Nigeria). Landsc Urban Plan 53:95–109
Hillyer AEM, McDonagh JF et al (2006) Land-use and legumes in northern Namibia – the value of a local classification system. Agr Ecosyst Environ 117:251–265
ITC (2002) ILWIS user’s manual (version 3.11). ITC, Enschede
Jackson LE, Pascual U et al (2007) Utilizing and conserving agrobiodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Agr Ecosyst Environ 121:196–210
Karlen DL, Mausbach MJ et al (1997) Soil quality: a concept, definition, and framework for evaluation. Soil Sci Soc Am J 61:4–10
Lal R (1998) Soil quality and agricultural sustainability. In: Lal R (ed) Soil quality and agricultural sustainability. Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, pp 3–13
Norton JB, Pawluk RR et al (1998) Observation and experience linking science and indigenous knowledge at Zuni, New Mexico. J Arid Environ 39:331–340
Oudwater N, Martin A (2003) Methods and issues in exploring local knowledge of soils. Geoderma 111:387–402
Payton RW, Barr JJF et al (2003) Contrasting approaches to integrating indigenous knowledge about soils and scientific soil survey in East Africa and Bangladesh. Geoderma 111(3–4):355–386
Pretty J, Guijt T et al (1995) Regenerating agriculture: the agroecology of low-external input and community-based development. In: Kirkby J, O’Keefe P, Timberlake I (eds) The earthscan reader in sustainable development. Earthscan Publications, London, pp 125–145
Romig DE, Garlynd MJ et al (1995) How farmers assess soil health and quality. J Soil Water Conserv 50(3):229–236
Sanchez PA, Couto W et al (1982) The fertility capability classification system: interpretation, applicability and modification. Geoderma 27:283–309
Sandor JA, Furbee L (1996) Indigenous knowledge and classification of soils in the Andes of southern Peru. Soil Sci Soc Am J 60:1502–1512
Shah PB (1993) Local classification of agricultural land in the Jhiku Khola watershed. In: Tamang D, Gill GJ, Thapa GB (eds) Indigenous management of natural resources. Ministry of Agriculture/Winrock International, Kathmandu, pp 159–163
Sillitoe P (1996) A place against time. Land and environment in the Papua New Guinea highlands. Harwood Academic Publishers, Amsterdam
Soil Survey Staff (1999) Keys to soil taxonomy, 8th edn. USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Washington, DC
Toledo VM (2002) Ethnoecology: a conceptual framework for the study of indigenous knowledge on nature. In: Stepp JR, Wyndham FS, Zarger R (eds) Ethnobiology and biocultural diversity. International Society of Ethnobiology, University of Georgia Press, Athens, pp 511–522
Toledo VM, Barrera-Bassols N (2008) La memoria biocultural. La importancia ecológica de las sabidurías tradicionales. Icaria, Barcelona
Toledo VM, Barrera-Bassols N (2009) A etnoecologia: uma ciência pós-normal que estuda as sabedorias tradicionais. Desenvolvimento Meio Ambiente 20:31–45
Viveiros de Castro E (2010) Metafísicas caníbales. Líneas de Antropología estructural. Katz Editores, Buenos Aires
Yin RK (1994) Case study research. Design and methods. SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Barrera-Bassols, N. (2016). Linking Ethnopedology and Geopedology: A Synergistic Approach to Soil Mapping. Case Study in an Indigenous Community of Central Mexico. In: Zinck, J.A., Metternicht, G., Bocco, G., Del Valle, H.F. (eds) Geopedology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19159-1_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19159-1_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-19158-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-19159-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)