Linguistic, Cultural, and Biological Diversity: Patterns, Processes, and Prospects

Authors

  • Md Absar Uddin International Islamic University Chittagong, Bangladesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53103/cjess.v5i5.406

Keywords:

Biocultural Diversity, Linguistic Diversity, Biological Diversity, Language Endangerment, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Biodiversity Hotspots, Cultural Keystone Species

Abstract

Linguistic, cultural and biological diversity often co-occur and frequently decline under similar pressures. This review synthesizes recent evidence on the patterns, processes and prospects of this intertwined diversity. The paper outlines historical roots of the field and summarize contemporary research that maps spatial overlap between biodiversity hotspots and language richness, examines scale effects and links language vitality with traditional ecological knowledge. The review clarifies philosophical and ethical foundations, emphasizing justice, rights, epistemic pluralism and stewardship. It then surveys methods for measuring trends including linguistic vitality indices, practice-based indicators and biocultural dashboards co-designed with communities. Policy connections are highlighted through evolving international frameworks that call for inclusive governance, secure tenure, mother-tongue education and locally led monitoring. Practical pathways include recognition of indigenous and community land and sea rights, partnership models for protected and conserved areas, community-based monitoring using multiple knowledge systems and support for culturally grounded livelihoods. The findings demonstrate the need for plural and functional metrics, direct and sustained finance to local institutions, safeguards for data sovereignty and implementation that links global targets to place-based action that can sustain diversity in nature, languages and cultures.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Amano, T., Sandel, B., Eager, H., Bulteau, E., Svenning, J.-C., Dalsgaard, B., Rahbek, C., Davies, R. G., & Sutherland, W. J. (2014). Global distribution and drivers of language extinction risk. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 281(1793), 20141574. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.1574

Beattie, M., Fa, J. E., Leiper, I., Fernández-Llamazares, Á., Zander, K. K., & Garnett, S. T. (2023). Even after armed conflict, the environmental quality of Indigenous Peoples’ lands in biodiversity hotspots surpasses that of non-Indigenous lands. Biological Conservation, 286, 110288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110288

Brittain, S., Alatorre, A., Bullough, L.-A., & Newing, H. (2025). Enabling conditions for conservation on Indigenous and community lands. Conservation Biology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70055

Carroll, S. R., Garba, I., Figueroa-Rodríguez, O. L., Holbrook, J., Lovett, R., Materechera, S., Parsons, M., Raseroka, K., Rodriguez-Lonebear, D., Rowe, R., & Hudson, M. (2020). The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance. Data Science Journal, 19, 43. https://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2020-043

CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity). (2022). Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. https://www.cbd.int/gbf/

Danielsen, F., Burgess, N. D., Jensen, P. M., & Pirhofer-Walzl, K. (2010). Environmental monitoring: The scale and speed of implementing community-based monitoring. Journal of Applied Ecology 47(6), 1166-1168.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01874.x

Darwin C. (1859). On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. London: Murray

Darwin C. (1871). The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. 2 vols. London: Murray

Fa, J. E., Watson, J. E. M., Leiper, I., Potapov, P., Evans, T. D., Burgess, N. D., Molnár, Z., Fernández-Llamazares, Á., Duncan, T., Wang, S., Austin, B. J., Jonas, H. D., Robinson, C. J., Malmer, P., & Garnett, S. T. (2020). Importance of Indigenous Peoples’ lands for the conservation of Intact Forest Landscapes. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 18(3), 135–140. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2148

Fernández-Llamazares, Á., & Cabeza, M. (2018). Rediscovering the potential of Indigenous storytelling for conservation practice. Conservation Letters, 11(3), e12398. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12398

Molnár, Z., & Babai, D. (2021). Inviting ecologists to delve deeper into traditional ecological knowledge. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 36(8), 679–690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2021.04.006)

Garnett, S. T., Burgess, N. D., Fa, J. E., Fernández-Llamazares, Á., Molnár, Z., Robinson, C. J., Watson, J. E. M., Zander, K. K., Austin, B., Brondizio, E. S., Collier, N. F., Duncan, T., Ellis, E., Geyle, H., Jackson, M. V., Jonas, H. D., Malmer, P., McGowan, B., Sivongxay, A., & Leiper, I. (2018). A spatial overview of the global importance of Indigenous lands for conservation. Nature Sustainability, 1(7), 369–374. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-018-0100-6

Gavin, M. C., McCarter, J., Mead, A., Berkes, F., Stepp, J. R., Peterson, D., & Tang, R. (2015). Defining biocultural approaches to conservation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 30(3), 140–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2014.12.005

Gorenflo, L. J., Romaine, S., Mittermeier, R. A., & Walker-Painemilla, K. (2012). Co-occurrence of linguistic and biological diversity in biodiversity hotspots and high-biodiversity wilderness areas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(21), 8032–8037. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1117511109

Hale, K., Krauss, M., Watahomigie, L., Yamamoto, A., Craig, C., Jeanne, L., & England, N. (1992). Endangered languages. Language, 68(1), 1–42.

Harmon, D., & Loh, J. (2010). The Index of Linguistic Diversity: A new quantitative measure of trends in the status of the world’s languages. Language Documentation & Conservation, 4, 97–151. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/4474

Harmon, D. (2002) In Light of Our Differences: How Diversity in Nature and Culture Makes Us Human. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC.

Hill, J. H., Mistry, P. J., & Campbell, L. (Eds.). (1998). The life of language: Papers in linguistics in honor of William Bright. Mouton de Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110811155

IPBES. (2019). Global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3831674

Krauss, M. (1992). The world’s languages in crisis. Language, 68(1), 4–10.

Maffi, L. (2005). Linguistic, Cultural, and Biological Diversity. Annual Review of Anthropology, 34, 599–617. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.anthro.34.081804.120437

Manne, L. L. (2003). Nothing has yet lasted forever: current and threatened levels of biological and cultural diversity. Evolutionary Ecology Research, 5, 517–527.

Mühlhäusler, P. (1996). Linguistic ecology: Language Change and Linguistic Imperialism in the Pacific Region. London, UK: Routledge.

Cámara-Leret, R., & Bascompte, J. (2021). Language extinction triggers the loss of unique medicinal knowledge. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(24), e2103683118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2103683118))

Nichols, J. (1992). Linguistic Diversity in Space and Time. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Singleton, B. E., Gillette, M. B., Burman, A., & Green, C. (2021). Toward productive complicity: Applying ‘traditional ecological knowledge’ in environmental science. The Anthropocene Review, 10(2), 393–414. https://doi.org/10.1177/20530196211057026

Sapir, E. (1912) Language and Environment. American Anthropologist, 14, 226-242. https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1912.14.2.02a00020

Stephens, T. (2023). The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. International Legal Materials, 62(5), 868–887. https://doi.org/10.1017/ilm.2023.16

Sterling, E. J., Pascua, P., Sigouin, A., Gazit, N., Mandle, L., Betley, E., ... & Filardi, C. (2017). Biocultural approaches to well-being and sustainability indicators across scales. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1, 1798–1806. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0349-6

Tauli-Corpuz, V., Alcorn, J., Molnar, A., Healy, C., & Barrow, E. (2020). Cornered by PAs: Adopting rights-based approaches to enable cost-effective conservation and climate action. World Development, 130, 104923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.104923

Tengö, M., Brondizio, E.S., Elmqvist, T. (2014). Connecting Diverse Knowledge Systems for Enhanced Ecosystem Governance: The Multiple Evidence Base Approach. AMBIO 43, 579–591. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-014-0501-3

Terralingua. (n.d.). Biocultural Diversity Toolkit (IBCD and related tools). https://terralingua.org/learning-center/biocultural-diversity-toolkit-terralingua/

Moseley, C. (Ed.). (2010). Atlas of the world’s languages in danger (3rd ed.; Memory of peoples). UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000187026

UNESCO Ad Hoc Expert Group on Endangered Languages. (2003). Language vitality and endangerment (Document submitted to the International Expert Meeting on UNESCO Programme: Safeguarding of Endangered Languages, Paris, 10–12 March 2003). UNESCO. https://ich.unesco.org/doc/src/00120-EN.pdf

UNESCO. (2024). International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032): Terms of reference and internal rules (CI/2023/IDILToR/102 Rev.2). https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000388194

Whorf, B. L. (1940). Science and linguistics. Technology Review, 42, 229-231.

Downloads

Published

2025-09-08

How to Cite

Uddin, M. A. (2025). Linguistic, Cultural, and Biological Diversity: Patterns, Processes, and Prospects. Canadian Journal of Educational and Social Studies, 5(5), 190–210. https://doi.org/10.53103/cjess.v5i5.406

Issue

Section

Articles