An Anthropological Study of Environmental Exploitation in the Andes

安第斯山脉，以及喜马拉雅山脉和西藏，是人类生活在海拔近4000米的高原上的地区。这项研究旨在通过文化人类学揭示安第斯高原人类社区与环境的相互关系。我们也采用自然科学的方法。为了实现这一目标，我们计划一开始就将安第斯山脉与喜马拉雅山脉和西藏进行比较研究。然而，预算的限制和喜马拉雅地区公共和平的恶化阻碍了我们这样做，并导致我们对安第斯高地进行了密集的调查。到目前为止，我们对安第斯山脉中部进行了研究，但这次我们对安第斯山脉的南北进行了比较研究，以了解安第斯高地的特点。因此，我们发现了安第斯中部高地的一个特点及其利用方法。因此，自然科学家，如农学家、地理学家和遗传学家，在研究的后半段与文化人类学家协调行动。这种跨学科的合作使研究人员能够在安第斯山脉中部的环境、畜牧业和农业方面找到许多有趣的信息。根据这些调查结果，并通过频繁的联合研究会议，我们已准备提出书面报告。因此，决定今年由京都大学出版社出版这份题为《安第斯山脉的高地--环境、文化和生活》的报告。

The Andes, as well as the Himalayas and Tibet, is the area where human beings live in the highlands of nearly 4000 meters above sea level. This research intends to shed light on the interrelationship of the human community and environment in the Andean uplands via cultural anthropology. We also adopt natural scientific method. To achieve this goal, we planed to make a comparative study of the Andes with the Himalayas and Tibet at the beginning. However, limitation of budget and a deterioration of public peace in the Himalayas prevented our doing so, and caused us to make an intensive investigation into the Andean highlands. We had studied the central Andes hitherto, but this time we carried out comparative research on the northern and southern Andes in order to understand the characteristic quality of the Andean highlands. Consequently, we discovered a peculiarity of the central Andean highlands and its utilization method. Therefore, natural scientists, such as an agronomist, a geographer, and geneticists, act in concert with cultural anthropologists in the latter half of the research period. This interdisciplinary collaboration enabled researchers to find much interesting information on environment, livestock farming and agriculture in the central Andes. Based on these findings and through frequent joint study meetings, we have prepared for bringing out a written report. In consequence, it is decided that the report titled "The Highland in the Andes.-Environment, Culture, and Life" will be published from the Kyoto University Press this year.