Communal Land Use in the Yungas of Jujuy and Salta Provinces (Argentina): Transhumance and Edible Plants in Valle Colorado
摘要
Andean communities in the Yungas ecoregion of northern Argentina migrate seasonally across different altitude zones. Their transhumant movements involve temporarily relocating their homes and are closely connected to social, productive, and ecological factors. We aimed to evaluate the land used by households in Valle Colorado, Jujuy Province, to identify land use patterns, interactions with other Indigenous communities, and the consumption of native plants. To do this, we organized workshops, surveys, participatory mapping, and route documentation. The maps were digitized, and we identified edible plants in each studied ecosystem. The transhumant groups cover 30,000 hectares, with an additional 4,000 hectares shared with families from Santa Ana. Overall, based on cultural identity, production practices, and local biodiversity knowledge, we identified 181,248 hectares of land managed by the Kolla communities of Salta and Jujuy. Among wild species with potential food uses, Andean fruit trees such as papaya (Vasconcellea quercifolia), uvilla (Berberis commutata), and chilto (Solanum betaceum) stand out. These findings contribute to the study of the domestication of Andean fruit species.