Settlement Patterns and Ecosystem Pressures in the Peruvian Rainforest: Understanding the Impacts of Indigenous Peoples on Biodiversity

To what extent do regional socioeconomic processes influence the level of ecosystem pressure being exerted by indigenous groups? In Manu National Park, one of the most important protected areas of the Peruvian rainforest, increments in the levels of environmental pressure have been associated with an increased disruption of the traditional livelihoods of the indigenous population, created mostly by the intensification of regional socioeconomic activities and changes in their settlement patterns. This short book examines the variation in the levels of ecological pressure created by indigenous groups, focusing on the socioeconomic drivers of indigenous environmental behavior in this critical natural habitat.