Cultures reflect a threatened biodiversity

Biological and cultural diversity go hand in hand. This should be taken into account when deciding how to use the Earth's resources, according to Wijnand Boonstra from the Department of Earth Sciences, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development.

Places with rich biodiversity often also have rich cultural diversity. This is according to Wijnand Boonstra, professor at the Department of Earth Sciences at Uppsala University.

– My research is about understanding cultural diversity in relation to how people use natural resources. You can see biodiversity as a toolbox. A high level of diversity, both biological and cultural, increases resilience - the ability to adapt to change, he says.

The alarming rate of biodiversity loss can be linked to the loss of cultural diversity - people's lifestyles are becoming more and more similar around the world.

– We eat more of the same things and not necessarily food produced in our neighbourhood, says Wijnand Boonstra.

As a result, diversified farms are being replaced by large-scale farming systems that rely on a few species. However, in hard-to-reach places, such as mountainous areas, or where there are strong local traditions that preserve commons, we still see farms with a wide variety of animals and crops.

– Places that have been forgotten by modernity, says Wijnand Boonstra.

Studies show that people who live near high biodiversity, on which they directly depend for their livelihoods, have a deeper understanding of nature. They have a richer vocabulary to recognise species and greater insight into animal behaviour.

– A rich and complex biodiversity is reflected in culture. When we can't experience biodiversity the way we used to, knowledge about nature suffers, says Wijnand Boonstra.

With cultural and biological homogenisation comes a view of nature only as a resource to be extracted, says Boonstra, and a struggle for exclusive ownership.

– Such struggles can be seen in the light of imperialism and colonialism, but are still ongoing. The current conflict in the South China Sea between China and its neighbours is one example. But we should also look at ourselves and how we use natural resources with our lifestyle.

To tackle biodiversity, we also need to address the crisis of growth and global inequality. The area of strength called Evolution and biodiversity in a changing world is as an important initiative, says Wijnand Boonstra.

– We have an obligation to stop the biodiversity crisis we are in and this requires knowledge from many disciplines working together. The area of strength enables an interdisciplinary perspective on sustainability and understanding of cultural diversity in relation to biodiversity, says Wijnand Boonstra.

Sigrid Asker