The Territory as a Victim: Geological Assessment to Analyzing the Impact of Colombia’s Armed Conflict on Geo-Bio Megadiversity at the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
This study delves into the intricate relationship between Colombia’s status as one of the world’s 17 Megadiverse countries and the socio-environmental challenges the country faces, with focus on the geological diversity of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM); the world’s highest coastal massif l...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Geological Society of London
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Earth Science, Systems and Society |
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| Online Access: | https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/10.3389/esss.2024.10112 |
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| author | Juan Fernando Zapata-Herrera Catalina González-Tejada Sergio A. Restrepo-Moreno María Isabel Marín-Cerón |
| author_facet | Juan Fernando Zapata-Herrera Catalina González-Tejada Sergio A. Restrepo-Moreno María Isabel Marín-Cerón |
| author_sort | Juan Fernando Zapata-Herrera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study delves into the intricate relationship between Colombia’s status as one of the world’s 17 Megadiverse countries and the socio-environmental challenges the country faces, with focus on the geological diversity of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM); the world’s highest coastal massif laying in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. Despite its natural splendors and magnificence, SNSM’s ecosystems have been significantly shaped by the enduring Colombian armed conflict (1964- latent today), leading to alarming environmental degradation that affects both geological and biological diversity, and hence the local communities inhabiting the territory. Employing modern geological methodologies such as Remote Sensing and Landscape Metrics, this research explores and quantifies the extent of degradation within the SNSM. The findings, spanning the pivotal years from 2000 to 2020, offer an innovative analysis of the Geo-Bio-Megadiverse ecosystems of the Sierra. This comprehensive examination reveals crucial insights to advancing informed environmental management, while supplying a groundwork for potential geoconservation strategies in this embattled territory; unequivocally acknowledged as a victim of a multifaceted and long-lasting socio-environmental conflict. The definition “territory as a victim” originated by local indigenous communities and is now incorporated in transitional justice systems such as the Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz (JEP, Colombia), condenses the profound violence experienced by the land, one that muted the spiritual guardians inhabiting its waters, trees, plants, soils, and stones. By spotlighting the intricate interplay between social struggles and environmental degradation as a central element of the ecosphere-techonosphere conflict in the Anthropocene, this study heightens awareness of the urgent issues confronting the SNSM, while advocating for targeted conservation initiatives to preserve its distinctive and invaluable natural heritage. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3c56787bcf27432fb6fe893e087b5d01 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2634-730X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Geological Society of London |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth Science, Systems and Society |
| spelling | doaj-art-3c56787bcf27432fb6fe893e087b5d012025-01-24T15:14:21ZengGeological Society of LondonEarth Science, Systems and Society2634-730X2024-12-014110.3389/esss.2024.10112The Territory as a Victim: Geological Assessment to Analyzing the Impact of Colombia’s Armed Conflict on Geo-Bio Megadiversity at the Sierra Nevada de Santa MartaJuan Fernando Zapata-Herrera0Catalina González-Tejada1Sergio A. Restrepo-Moreno2María Isabel Marín-Cerón31Escuela de Ciencias Aplicadas e Ingenierías, Maestría en Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad EAFIT, Medellín, Colombia2Geological Environment and Tectonics Research Group EAFIT University, Medellín, Colombia4Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Departamento de Geociencias y Medio Ambiente, Medellín, Colombia1Escuela de Ciencias Aplicadas e Ingenierías, Maestría en Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad EAFIT, Medellín, ColombiaThis study delves into the intricate relationship between Colombia’s status as one of the world’s 17 Megadiverse countries and the socio-environmental challenges the country faces, with focus on the geological diversity of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM); the world’s highest coastal massif laying in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. Despite its natural splendors and magnificence, SNSM’s ecosystems have been significantly shaped by the enduring Colombian armed conflict (1964- latent today), leading to alarming environmental degradation that affects both geological and biological diversity, and hence the local communities inhabiting the territory. Employing modern geological methodologies such as Remote Sensing and Landscape Metrics, this research explores and quantifies the extent of degradation within the SNSM. The findings, spanning the pivotal years from 2000 to 2020, offer an innovative analysis of the Geo-Bio-Megadiverse ecosystems of the Sierra. This comprehensive examination reveals crucial insights to advancing informed environmental management, while supplying a groundwork for potential geoconservation strategies in this embattled territory; unequivocally acknowledged as a victim of a multifaceted and long-lasting socio-environmental conflict. The definition “territory as a victim” originated by local indigenous communities and is now incorporated in transitional justice systems such as the Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz (JEP, Colombia), condenses the profound violence experienced by the land, one that muted the spiritual guardians inhabiting its waters, trees, plants, soils, and stones. By spotlighting the intricate interplay between social struggles and environmental degradation as a central element of the ecosphere-techonosphere conflict in the Anthropocene, this study heightens awareness of the urgent issues confronting the SNSM, while advocating for targeted conservation initiatives to preserve its distinctive and invaluable natural heritage.https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/10.3389/esss.2024.10112remote sensingdeforestationland use changeenvironmental degradationColombian indigenous peoplessocio-environmental conflict |
| spellingShingle | Juan Fernando Zapata-Herrera Catalina González-Tejada Sergio A. Restrepo-Moreno María Isabel Marín-Cerón The Territory as a Victim: Geological Assessment to Analyzing the Impact of Colombia’s Armed Conflict on Geo-Bio Megadiversity at the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Earth Science, Systems and Society remote sensing deforestation land use change environmental degradation Colombian indigenous peoples socio-environmental conflict |
| title | The Territory as a Victim: Geological Assessment to Analyzing the Impact of Colombia’s Armed Conflict on Geo-Bio Megadiversity at the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta |
| title_full | The Territory as a Victim: Geological Assessment to Analyzing the Impact of Colombia’s Armed Conflict on Geo-Bio Megadiversity at the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta |
| title_fullStr | The Territory as a Victim: Geological Assessment to Analyzing the Impact of Colombia’s Armed Conflict on Geo-Bio Megadiversity at the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Territory as a Victim: Geological Assessment to Analyzing the Impact of Colombia’s Armed Conflict on Geo-Bio Megadiversity at the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta |
| title_short | The Territory as a Victim: Geological Assessment to Analyzing the Impact of Colombia’s Armed Conflict on Geo-Bio Megadiversity at the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta |
| title_sort | territory as a victim geological assessment to analyzing the impact of colombia s armed conflict on geo bio megadiversity at the sierra nevada de santa marta |
| topic | remote sensing deforestation land use change environmental degradation Colombian indigenous peoples socio-environmental conflict |
| url | https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/10.3389/esss.2024.10112 |
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