Abstract

GUZMAN-MENDOZA, Rafael; CALZONTZI-MARIN, Josefina; SALAS-ARAIZA, Manuel Darío  and  MARTINEZ-YANEZ, Rosario. Insects biological richnness: analysis of their multidimensional importance. Acta Zool. Mex [online]. 2016, vol.32, n.3, pp.370-379. ISSN 2448-8445.

The insects have been an important element not merely by their role in the terrestrial ecosystems, but likewise by their influence on human societies. Since the origins of human kind these organisms have been part of food, health, culture and agroecosystems where they have been not only competitors but also forecasters and carriers of ecosystem services. Due to great interest in the ecological restauration and models of sustainable development, such as the Agroecology, the insects are positioned as an excellent starting point for making development proposals that are consistent with the necessities of the modern society. The virtues that make insects an important knowledge system are discussed here. This scheme goes from natural and productive themes until social and cultural aspects that necessarily required transdisciplinary approaches in order to address this complexity, and they must be an important part for rural development from agroecology prespective.

Keywords : etnobiology; entomophagy; agroecology; transdisciplinarity.