Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Pastoral Decision-Making: Sustaining Mobile Livestock Systems in Turkey

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is a cornerstone of sustainable pastoralism, guiding mobile livestock communities in resource management, climate adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. However, rapid socio-economic transformations and restrictive environmental policies threaten its transmission and application. This study examines the role of TEK in sustaining mobile pastoralist systems in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, focusing on decision-making processes related to migration, pasture management, climate forecasting, and policy impacts. Using ethnographic fieldwork, structured interviews, and participatory observations with 20 mobile pastoralists, the research highlights the intricate ways in which TEK informs flock mobility and ecological stewardship. Findings reveal that pastoralists prioritize pasture conditions (75%), weather patterns (55%), and water availability (15%) when selecting grazing sites. TEK-based weather forecasting methods, including observations of animal behavior (20%), cloud formations (60%), and star density (65%), demonstrate the depth of environmental knowledge embedded in pastoralist traditions. However, land privatization, conservation policies, and declining intergenerational knowledge transfer pose significant challenges to TEK preservation. The study underscores the crucial need to integrate TEK into contemporary rangeland governance and conservation frameworks, emphasizing the role of co-management approaches in enhancing sustainability, climate resilience, and the long-term viability of mobile pastoral systems.