Applying Two-Eyed Seeing to Pair Indigenous Ecological Calendars and Community Science Data for Biodiversity Monitoring in Amazonia

Orlando Acevedo-Charry , Gloria Amparo Rivera Velasco, Walter Gabriel (Siorú) Estrada, Fernando Cediel, Zuania Colón-Piñeiro, Scott K. Robinson, Ana María Garrido Corredor, Miguel A. Acevedo

Pairing Indigenous and Western ecological knowledge can enhance our understanding of phenological patterns, but epistemological differences, power imbalances, and histories of exclusion often limit this integration. To address these challenges, we adopted the Two-Eyed Seeing conceptual framework, which emphasizes learning from the strengths of both knowledge systems through co-developing questions, sharing knowledge mobilization, and co-producing insights. Our biocultural conservation dialogues brought together local ethnographic leaders, Indigenous scholars, and Western researchers in ecology and anthropology in Amazonia. Within the Pamiwã Indigenous territory in the Colombian Amazon, we co-developed research questions about seasonal variation in bird diversity (species richness, composition, and the relative abundance of culturally important species), as well as the effects of climate change. We documented and mobilized knowledge from both systems: Indigenous knowledge collected by Elders and apprentices during an ethno-ornithology education program was condensed into a culturally embedded ecological calendar, while data from the Western-oriented eBird community science platform (mainly contributed by avitourists) provided a second line of evidence. We compared these datasets to assess similarities and differences. Our findings revealed both convergence and divergence. Patterns in species richness and the relative abundance of culturally important birds were broadly similar, while species composition showed more variation over the year. These differences reflect distinct approaches: Indigenous observers draw on culturally embedded experience, environmental change, and resource use, whereas avitourists focus on spotting more and rarer birds. Biocultural conservation thus requires integrative, adaptive methods. Our study shows that the Two-Eyed Seeing framework can guide the pairing of Indigenous and Western knowledge systems, providing a tool for long-term biodiversity monitoring that aligns global platforms like eBird with local priorities and helps safeguard biodiversity and cultural, ancestral, and spiritual values. Iterative ecological calendars, framed by Two-Eyed Seeing, offer adaptive strategies for communities to monitor biodiversity and manage their territories.