The Oases of the Sonoran Desert
ANA LUISA CASTILLO MALDONADO
Disciplines: Agriculture, Anthropology, Geography, History
Region: Cape Region, Oases
Chapter: La Paz
Sonoran Desert oases are socio-ecological systems long used by desert societies. They have played central role in the settlement of the arid regions of the world for at least four millennia. Many of these oases preserve a bio-cultural richness that has allowed the populations of the arid zones to create unique and expansive cultures. Currently about 40% of the world’s population lives in arid zones, which is expected to increase. Therefore, there is an urgency to understand the importance of oases for life in these regions. This project will investigate Sonoran Desert oases from a socio-ecological perspective, specifically how different cultures in the region have utilized oases from the colonial period to the present with special attention to the transformations that these landscape have undergone. This information will be obtained through bibliographic and documentary research, and field efforts. This knowledge will help us better understand the biocultural heritage and history of habitats at the core of mutiple Sonoran Desert cultures. Likewise, this research will provide useful perspectives for the transition towards sustainability and food security in this region.
