The aim of this research was to estimate the perception or knowledge about the phenomenon of climate change in the Purepecha's indigenous population in the Municipality of Chilchota, Michoacan, Mexico. The latter, taking into account some adaptation mechanisms that the stakeholders may have, based on their current culture, traditions and knowledge. Different surveys were applied as a tool to obtain information. A total of 298 surveys were carried out and distributed in four communities of the municipality: Zopoco (49), Tanaquillo (50), Carapan (59), Ichan (37) and the municipal head Chilchota (103). Multivariate techniques were applied on the surveys to reduce the data structure into groups of variables. Results show that the indigenous population of the Chilchota municipality perceives local changes in the climate attributed to several anthropogenic actions developed in recent years (logging, trash burning, pollution, etc.). They do not associate such changes with the phenomenon of climate change. Agricultural planting schedules in the region have been adjusted as an adaptive measure to the perceived changes. These climate changes are consistent with the average annual temperature and precipitation behavior for the 1968-2007 periods. For this period the temperature showed an increase of 0.5 degrees C, meanwhile precipitation was reduced to 150 mm per year.
González Martínez, SL; Silva García, JT; Avila Meléndez, LA; Moncayo-Estrada, R; Cruz Cárdenas, G; Ceja Torres, LF
THE PHENOMENON OF CLIMATIC CHANGE IN THE PERCEPTION OF THE PUREPED INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CHILCHOTA, MICHOACAN, MEXICO
Revista Internacional De Contaminacion Ambiental