Leonardo Alberto Ríos-Osorio

Typology of scientific reflections needed for sustainability science development

Sustainability science is at an early stage of development. Among many other obstacles, there are two prominent issues hindering its advance. There is both a lack of a set of principles for knowledge construction, and a need to implement research to solve real problems. This paper proposes a typology of scientific reflections for meeting these two challenges and contributing to sustainability science development. This typology is made up of four kinds of reflection: practical, instrumental-methodological, theoretical-conceptual, and onto-epistemological. Each kind of reflection is based on a different type of question and gives shape to its respective type of research.

Agroecology publications and coloniality of knowledge

Agroecology is a recent scientific field that has become increasingly active since 1990. It has moved away from conventional emphasis on crops and productivity and has embraced a systemic, multidisciplinary approach that focuses on agroecosystems or food systems and their sustainability. Here, we analyze original articles in agroecology that have been published in eight major global databases in order to establish where agroecology is taking place and what topics focus on agroecology. For this, a systematic review was conducted with original articles with the word “agroecological” in the title and published in English, Spanish, and/or Portuguese as inclusion criteria. One hundred thirty-one articles were found but we were able to access 116. Area of study, country of affiliation of the researchers, publication countries, and topic of the paper were analyzed. It was found that Brazil (18 articles out of 131), Cuba (8), and Nigeria (8) are the most studied countries; Brazil (19 in 116 articles), the USA (12), and Cuba (9) are the countries with more affiliated researchers; and the Netherlands (26 out of 131), Brazil (19), and Germany (12) are the countries that publish articles the most. Additionally, it was found that the most popular topics of research are behavior of crops and species in function of environmental conditions (15 out of 116), soils (12), and production in agroecological systems (13), while sustainability (3), agroecological transition (1), and biodiversity (1) are rare. Our findings show that research follows a colonial pattern where industrialized countries lead publishing, conduct research studies both in industrialized and non-industrialized countries, and do not publish in non-industrialized countries, while non-industrialized countries publish in industrialized and non-industrialized countries and do not conduct research studies in foreign regions. In addition, they show that food systems and sustainability are still not common subjects of study although they are main concerns in agroecology.

Social-ecological resilience and the quest for sustainability as object of science

The term ‘sustainability science’ has been employed to refer to a scientific trend, movement or program aimed at studying problems related to human–nature interactions. However, since it does not have its own set of principles for knowledge building and lack of a definition of a study object, sustainability science is not a science, at least in the usual sense of the word. A study object is the conceptual delimitation of the problems tackled by a science, and therefore, its search in the context of a science of sustainability requires exploring different notions of sustainability. This article presents different perspectives on the concept of sustainability and analyzes the viability to assume them as study object of sustainability science. Such exploration demands concepts based on a processual ontology that directs the researcher toward the dynamic, historic and temporal and social-ecological character of problems of unsustainability. The concept of social-ecological resilience seems to comply with such requirements.

Etnometodología para la comprensión y el manejo de la Enfermedad de Chagas en las poblaciones indígenas Wiwa asentadas en la vertiente suroriental de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

El objetivo de este trabajo fue establecer prevalencia de la Enfermedad de Chagas en las comunidades Wiwa de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta trascendiendo el modelo de investigacion biomedica sustentado en el paradigma positivista, e involucrando la dimension sociocultural y ambiental que caracteriza este fenomeno, desde la sostenibilidad como un nuevo paradigma de las ciencias. Se realizo un muestreo probabilistico de las 15 comunidades Wiwa asentadas en la zona de San Juan del Cesar, Departamento de la Guajira, se realizaron los procedimientos biomedicos definidos para investigaciones epidemiologicas, paralelamente se realizaron procedimientos culturales desde el saber tradicional de las comunidades Wiwa, garantizando la armonia de las comunidades ante la agresion biomedica de su espacio ambiental, social y cultural. Se obtuvo una prevalencia de 33.5%, concordante con las cifras de Enfermedad de Chagas encontradas en las otras vertientes de la sierra, reflejando condiciones similares que predisponen a la presencia de la enfermedad. Se establecio como esta enfermedad es inexistente en el sistema medico tradicional de los Wiwa, y solo el insecto vector es reconocido aunque no considerado como agente perturbador de la salud de las comunidades. A partir de la consideracion del vector como eje integrador de las dos culturas se describen las caracteristicas sociales, ambientales y culturales que definen la Enfermedad de Chagas en los Wiwa y de esta forma, la posibilidad de su comprension y manejo desde factores complementarios al modelo biomedico.

Methodological characteristics of sustainability science: a systematic review

Sustainability science has emerged as a research program and a scientific trend that directs all efforts to promote transition of societies toward sustainability. The style of research proposed to tackle unsustainability issues should be characterized by the application of a systems approach, as well as transdisciplinarity, participation, generation of social learning and a problem-solving perspective. However, whether such traits are being actually implemented has not been determined. Furthermore, a mature science is expected to have coherent research typologies, besides a scientific community and shared theoretical assumptions and methodological prescriptions; such types or research on sustainability science is still unknown. This systematic review aimed at analyzing research papers on sustainability carried out in 2013. Three aspects were studied: the scientific community, the theoretical assumptions on the concept of sustainability and the methodological design. Results suggest that the scientific community comes from disciplines different to sustainability, the researchers tend not to define the concept of sustainability and among those who do, and there is a lack of shared assumptions. The present analysis also showed that research on sustainability has not implemented the methodological characteristics mentioned and coherent method typologies were not found. These aspects hinder sustainability science evolution and maturity, given the difficulty to construct theories and consolidate a scientific community that develops coherent methods on such grounds.

Ciencia de la sostenibilidad, sus características metodológicas y alcances en procesos de toma de decisiones

The transition toward sustainability is the set of changes and decisions a group of people make in order to resolve problems of sustainability. To address these problems a scientific trend has emerged called sustainability science, which has been considered to be a science inspired by the use of knowledge and must have characteristics such as transdisciplinarity, participation, social learning, coproduction of knowledge, as well as consider multiple perspectives and scales of problems and the uncertainty inherent to them. However, scientific research plays a particularly important role in the decision making processes. The chances of success greatly increase when permits interaction and communication between researchers and decision makers, or other actor. This paper analyzes how the characteristics in question contribute to the promotion of changes toward sustainability.

Concepts associated with health from the perspective of sustainable development

El concepto de salud es una construccion social definida por los contextos historico-culturales de las sociedades. Actualmente, dicho contexto esta caracterizado por problemas como el cambio climatico, la crisis energetica, los desequilibrios norte-sur, y la pobreza, entre otros, que llevaron al surgimiento del desarrollo sostenible como una propuesta para afrontar estos defectos del modelo de desarrollo occidental. En ese sentido, es plausible suponer que en el marco de este escenario global con el surgimiento del desarrollo sostenible tambien este emergiendo una nueva concepcion de la salud. Por esa razon, en este trabajo nos propusimos identificar el concepto de salud, y los conceptos asociados a esta, que se encuentran en los documentos oficiales del desarrollo sostenible que han surgido en las diferentes cumbres mundiales. Aunque se pudo inferir que los conceptos de salud y desarrollo sostenible son equivalentes, en ninguno de estos documentos se encontro un concepto explicito de salud. Asi mismo, se observo que el concepto de salud esta asociado con el de satisfaccion de necesidades y cuidado de los ecosistemas, mientras que el de enfermedad esta asociado a los conceptos de pobreza y elevados niveles de consumo. Finalmente, se concluye que la salud es un objetivo intermedio del desarrollo sostenible y no un fin en si mismo.

Paradigms in the analysis of public health policies: limitations and challenges

Research on health policies is considered essential to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of public policies. Analyses of public health policies have various objectives, including helping to solve the problems for which the policy was originated. That objective faces two large obstacles: (1) the ambiguity and heterogeneity of the models applied for the analysis of public policies, conditions that hinder the selection of analytical methods and the assessment of the scope of the objective; and (2) the traditional methodological approaches that limit the capacity of analyses to help solve the problems detected. This paper reviews the epistemology of the predominant models of public health policy analysis in order to assess their scope and limitations. It concludes that the development of new conceptual approaches could improve the quality of research on public policies and their ability to favorably impact decisions.La investigacion en politicas de salud se considera esencial para asegurar la efectividad y eficiencia de las politicas publicas. Los analisis de politicas publicas de salud (APPS) obedecen a diferentes propositos; entre ellos, contribuir a resolver aquellos problemas que originaron la politica. Tal proposito enfrenta dos grandes obstaculos: 1) la polisemia y heterogeneidad de los modelos aplicados al analisis de politicas publicas, condiciones que dificultan la seleccion de los metodos de analisis y la valoracion de sus alcances; y 2) los enfoques metodologicos tradicionales que limitan la capacidad de los analisis para contribuir a resolver los problemas detectados. En este ensayo se revisan los fundamentos epistemologicos de los modelos predominantes en APPS con el fin de valorar sus alcances y limitaciones. Se concluye que el desarrollo de nuevas perspectivas conceptuales podria mejorar la calidad de la investigacion en politicas publicas y su capacidad para incidir favorablemente en las decisiones.La investigacion en politicas de salud se considera esencial para asegurar la efectividad y eficiencia de las politicas publicas. Los analisis de politicas publicas de salud (APPS) obedecen a diferentes propositos; entre ellos, contribuir a resolver aquellos problemas que originaron la politica. Tal proposito enfrenta dos grandes obstaculos: 1) la polisemia y heterogeneidad de los modelos aplicados al analisis de politicas publicas, condiciones que dificultan la seleccion de los metodos de analisis y la valoracion de sus alcances; y 2) los enfoques metodologicos tradicionales que limitan la capacidad de los analisis para contribuir a resolver los problemas detectados. En este ensayo se revisan los fundamentos epistemologicos de los modelos predominantes en APPS con el fin de valorar sus alcances y limitaciones. Se concluye que el desarrollo de nuevas perspectivas conceptuales podria mejorar la calidad de la investigacion en politicas publicas y su capacidad para incidir favorablemente en las decisiones.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Sustainability: Systematic Review 1990–2016

Abstract For any transition towards sustainability to be successful, it is necessary to understand the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) – related to sustainability – in different populations. A systematic review was conducted to identify and analyse KAP studies on sustainability that were reported in the scientific literature during the period of 1990–2016. Ten studies were found, of which half were conducted among populations in educational environments, i.e., teachers, students and graduates. The KAP results vary among the studies; however, there is a general tendency to investigate aspects related to ecosystems, natural resources, environmental protection and conservation. The present study concludes that it is necessary to conduct KAP studies that include categories that reflect on the wide range of meanings of sustainability and the attitudes and practices that would arise from such perspectives. This finding also reveals dimensions of sustainability usually omitted by KAP studies of sustainability.

Microorganisms in Soils of Bovine Production Systems in Tropical Lowlands and Tropical Highlands in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia

Studies on the physical and chemical effects of extensive grazing on soils have been performed in Colombia, but the effects of dairy cattle rearing on the biological properties of soils are not well known. The objective of this study was to evaluate microorganisms in 48 soils from livestock farms in the highland and lowland tropics in the Northern and Magdalena Medio subregions of the Department of Antioquia (Colombia). Principal component analysis demonstrated differences in the edaphic compositions of the soils, with increased percentages of root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the density of microorganisms in farms that have soils with moderate phosphorus and nitrogen contents, low potassium content, and a moderately acidic pH. Agglomerative cluster analysis showed two groups for the highland tropic soils and six groups for the lowland tropic soils based on their population densities and interactions with the studied parameters. These results represent a first attempt to describe the density of microorganisms and the effect of soil physicochemical parameters on colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in areas with determinant agroecological conditions, microbial functional diversity, and the presence of mycorrhizal fungi in livestock farm soils in Colombia.