Culturally Defined Keystone Species 1

Abstract

The concept of “keystone species” has been widely used in biology and ecology to better understand certain biological dynamics at the ecosystem level of analysis. It illustrates the complexity of ecosystem interactions and the dependency of the entire web on certain species that are critical to its stability. While great effort has been put into studying those species that are central to the functioning of the natural ecosystem where they are embedded, not enough is known about the importance of certain plant and animal species for the cultural stability of human communities. Historically, some animal and plant species have been attributed tremendous spiritual or symbolic value by different cultures. Some of these species are so important that a cultural group may define them as critical elements in their relationship with and adaptation to the environment. In this paper we propose the concept of Culturally Defined Keystone Species (CKS) to designate those plant and animal species whose existence and symbolic value are essential to the stability of a culture over time. We use examples from research conducted among indigenous communities from the Amazon to illustrate the relevance of the CKS concept and propose criteria to define which species may be labeled as such. Important implications for environmental policy and social sciences are discussed and we propose further lines of research on CKS. The CKS concept has special relevance as a parameter of evaluation within the Cultural Impact Assessment framework since the United Nations Environmental Programme has emphasized the strong connection between ecological and cultural preservation in the context of indigenous communities.