Ecology and Impacts of the Invasive Species, Lantana camara, in a Social-Ecological System in South India: Perspectives from Local Knowledge Bharath Sundaram & Siddhartha Krishnan & Ankila J. Hiremath & Gladwin Joseph Published online: 2 October 2012 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2012 Abstract We explored how the forest-dwelling Soliga com- munity of South India views and explains biological inva- sions, and how local knowledge can inform scientific knowledge on biological invasions. We used an interview schedule with open-ended questions to solicit Soliga opinion on Lantana camara (lantana) invasion. The Soliga cited three reasons for lantana spread: its prolific fruit output and wide seed dispersal, change in fire management, and historical extraction of grass and bamboo. The Soliga believe that lantana invasion has had negative effects on the ecosystem and their livelihoods. Tabling scientific knowledge with local knowledge has improved our understanding of lantana inva- sion. The role of existing lantana in colonizing neighboring areas, and the response of native tree communities to lantana were common to both local and scientific sources. However, the Soliga view provides a more nuanced perspective of the lantana-fire relationship (contextually based on lantana densi- ty) with fires suppressing lantana when lantana density was low. This is contrary to views held by foresters and biologists, that fires are uniformly detrimental and promote lantana. Our study shows that examining Soliga observations has improved understanding of the invasion process and presents avenues for future lantana management. Keywords Local knowledge . Adaptive management . Forest fires . Soliga . Invasive species . Lantana camara - South India Introduction The explicit inclusion of local knowledge within the ambit of ecological research on biological invasions could provide different perspectives on how forest-dwellers view and deal with biological invasions (e.g., Shackleton et al. 2007; Neogi et al. 1989). Most forest-dwelling people have historically been—and some continue to be—hunter-gatherers (Fortier 2009; Patin et al. 2009; Peluso et al. 1995; Bahuchet et al. 1991; Hart and Hart 1986;). Indigenous people use the natural areas where they live for hunting animals and for collecting non-timber forest products (NTFP), fuel-wood, and medicinal plants (McNeely 2004; Bird-David 1992; Guha and Gadgil 1989). Through these activities, which may be daily or peri- odic, indigenous people interact in varied and sustained ways with the landscapes where they reside. In addition to ecolog- ical knowledge creation and propagation in this ‘traditional’ fashion, what has been termed Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK; Berkes et al. 2000), people’ s knowledge base is likely to be influenced and enriched by the assimilation of information from other ‘local’ sources embedded within the larger society of which indigenous people are a part (e.g., forest managers, recent forest dwellers, NTFP traders, researchers). We use the terms TEK and local knowledge interchangeably in order to include knowledge that exists both traditionally as well as knowledge that has been recently assimilated. B. Sundaram : S. Krishnan : G. Joseph Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Sriramapura, Jakkur Post, Bangalore 560064, India A. J. Hiremath Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), 2nd Floor, 1, K Block Commercial Complex, Birbal Road, Jungpura Extension, New Delhi, 110014, India Present Address: B. Sundaram (*) Azim Premji University, 5th Floor, Pixel Block ‘A ’, PES College Campus, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560100, India e-mail: b.sundaram@apu.edu.in Hum Ecol (2012) 40:931–942 DOI 10.1007/s10745-012-9532-1