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Published on: August 26, 2021
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Endangered Salares: micro-disasters in Northern Chile
Cristóbal Bonelli1, Cristina Dorador2
1Anthropology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Tapuya : Latin American Science, Technology and Society
|March 7, 2022
Summary
Extractivism threatens ancient microbial ecosystems in Chile's saltpans, termed "micro-disasters." This research connects human and microbial deep-time to advocate for planet-centered action against extinction.
Area of Science:
- Transdisciplinary research integrating microbiology and anthropology.
- Focus on geo-biological evolutionary history and microbial ecology.
- Exploration of early Earth events and planetary oxygenation.
Background:
- Endangered saltpans (salares) in northern Chile face disruption from extractivism.
- Ancient microbial ecologies within salares are crucial for understanding Earth's history.
- Human existence is intrinsically linked to microorganismal life and deep-time.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce "micro-disaster" as a framework to analyze extractivism's impact on salares.
- Connect neoliberal extractivist history with geo-biological evolutionary history.
- Advocate for a planet-centered approach to environmental challenges and extinction.
Main Methods:
- Transdisciplinary collaboration between a micro-biologist and an anthropologist.
- Conceptual framework development using "micro-disaster" analysis.
- Integration of human and microbial deep-time perspectives.
Main Results:
- Extractivism disrupts salares and their ancient microbial ecologies.
- Humanity's deep entanglement with microbial deep-time is highlighted.
- "Micro-disasters" have profound implications for complex human societies.
Conclusions:
- Extinction concerns must be viewed within the context of deep-time ecologies.
- Rethinking humans as an "environmentally complex we" is essential.
- A planet-centered mode of collaboration, thought, feeling, and action is necessitated.
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