Quantifying Food Species Produced by Ancient Clam Garden Technologies of the Salish Sea
Presentation Abstract
Adaptation to food systems impacted by climate change is one of the greatest challenge facing the world today. Indigenous peoples of North America have built a body of knowledge that is based on experience and awareness of the natural world around them. Since time immemorial, First Nations have shaped the environment to create and maintain highly productive food systems. One example of this knowledge is the ancient mariculture known as clam gardens, a purposely constructed rock-walled terrace that increases the habitat and productivity of traditional foods. This study aims to quantify the food species found within the rock wall structure of a clam garden compared to a non-walled beach to provide a baseline representation of the food species associated with a modified beach. This was done using low tide observational surveys to measure the abundance of edible invertebrates found within the intertidal portion of a clam garden rock wall and control site. Data analysis shows higher abundance of individual invertebrates found at the clam garden rock wall compared to the control non modified beach. The rock wall site show a significant difference in diversity of food species found compared to the control non-walled site. This research supports a growing understanding that Indigenous communities have been active managers of ecosystems and food systems for thousands of years, and highlights the positive relationship that can exist between increased ecosystem productivity and abundance of traditional foods.
Session Title
General species and food webs
Conference Track
Species and Food Webs
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Mariculture--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Food security--Climatic factors--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
First Nations Summit (Organization)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Quantifying Food Species Produced by Ancient Clam Garden Technologies of the Salish Sea
2016SSEC
Adaptation to food systems impacted by climate change is one of the greatest challenge facing the world today. Indigenous peoples of North America have built a body of knowledge that is based on experience and awareness of the natural world around them. Since time immemorial, First Nations have shaped the environment to create and maintain highly productive food systems. One example of this knowledge is the ancient mariculture known as clam gardens, a purposely constructed rock-walled terrace that increases the habitat and productivity of traditional foods. This study aims to quantify the food species found within the rock wall structure of a clam garden compared to a non-walled beach to provide a baseline representation of the food species associated with a modified beach. This was done using low tide observational surveys to measure the abundance of edible invertebrates found within the intertidal portion of a clam garden rock wall and control site. Data analysis shows higher abundance of individual invertebrates found at the clam garden rock wall compared to the control non modified beach. The rock wall site show a significant difference in diversity of food species found compared to the control non-walled site. This research supports a growing understanding that Indigenous communities have been active managers of ecosystems and food systems for thousands of years, and highlights the positive relationship that can exist between increased ecosystem productivity and abundance of traditional foods.
