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Member Symposium

Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Early Career

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Bridging Research and Communities: Advancing Entomology Through Collaborative Science

Developing scientific equity for biodiversity research: A thematic analysis of ecological change impacts on ranchers in Baja California Sur, Mexico

Wednesday, November 12, 2025
11:00 AM - 11:20 AM Pacific
Location: Oregon Convention Center, E145, OCC
Oral Presentation
The Baja California Peninsula is home to extraordinary arthropod diversity, and the remote ranching communities that live amidst this richness hold deep-rooted ecological knowledge that can offer novel insights into biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics. These communities often lack access to scientific monitoring tools or ecological data that could bolster ranch planning and help understand the impacts and extent of localized environmental changes. This project uses thematic analysis of rancher interviews in central Baja California Sur, combined with DNA metabarcoding of scorpion regurgitate, Malaise traps, and soil eDNA, to co-develop a participatory biodiversity monitoring framework. Ranchers reported declines in pollinators, shifting insect behavior, and increasing pest outbreaks in connection with prolonged droughts, intensified hurricanes, and erratic seasonal patterns. These observations reflect the unique perspective from their long-term ecological engagement. Guided by these community concerns, sampling across an elevational transect we used DNA metabarcoding to uncover some of the fine-scale ecological attributes discussed amongst the ranching community. The integration of molecular ecology with rancher perspectives produced actionable biodiversity data while reinforcing local knowledge systems and resilience strategies. This collaborative approach not only advances entomological research in understudied arid regions but also demonstrates how community-science partnerships can inform conservation and climate adaptation in biologically and culturally significant landscapes.