Economic use and biodiversity changes of a traditional community in the Amazônia

Abstract

The aim of the research was to observe the transformations of traditional knowledge associated with the biodiversity of an Amazonian community. The case study was carried out in a traditional community, located in the municipality of Abaetetuba/PA. Peasants in the past used to extract rubber latex and grow sugar cane. Currently, they identify themselves as settlers, fishermen and extractivists. For the collection of information, the method of non-directive interview and participant observation was adopted. In a complementary way, a “family production unit” was used as representative of the study, which made it possible to observe how the peasants are relating to the market and maintaining the reserves of their biological heritage. The adopted lifestyle is characterized by a peasantry in commercial transition, with extraction of species of commercial value for the family's economic satisfaction, which consequently has been causing changes on the local biodiversity.