Changes in Underground Food Storage Traditions: Exploring Food Life-History and Food Security in Beringian Communities

该项目通过研究阿拉斯加三个土著社区的地下食物贮藏库来解决阿拉斯加土著的粮食安全问题。地下粮食储存和保存对许多阿拉斯加土著家庭的生存和粮食安全至关重要。然而，永久冻土解冻和地面沉降导致许多贮藏库坍塌或被洪水淹没。通过以社区为基础的参与性研究，PI团队将从民族志角度记录当前和过去对食品贮藏的使用，并确定新出现的食品储存和保存挑战。将使用环境科学方法评估现有贮藏物的状况和完整性。这个混合方法项目采用人种学方法和环境科学数据收集和分析。研究小组成员将在三个具有地下储存传统的阿拉斯加土著村庄进行参与性观察和口述历史访谈。在社区的帮助下，将对缓存进行识别和记录。将对选定贮藏地的状况进行监测，以检测沉降情况，并测量温度、湿度和永久冻土融化速度。生物和地球化学分析将使研究人员能够描述永久冻土的组成和水文特征。项目团队将与社区伙伴合作，解读项目成果，并编写宣传材料，如小册子、海报和课堂课程。研究结果还将通过会议报告和同行评议的文章传播。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project addresses Indigenous food security in Alaska through the study of subterranean food caches in three Alaska Native communities. Underground food storage and preservation are critical to subsistence and food security for many Alaska Native households. However, permafrost thaw and subsidence are causing many caches to collapse or flood. Employing community-based participatory research, the PI team will document current and past use of food caches ethnographically and identify emerging food storage and preservation challenges. The condition and integrity of existing caches will be assessed using environmental science methods. This mixed-methods project employs both ethnographic methods and environmental science data collection and analysis. Members of the research team will conduct participant observation and oral history interviews in three Alaska Native villages with traditions of underground storage. With community assistance, caches will be identified and documented. The condition of select caches will be monitored to detect subsidence and to measure temperature, humidity, and rate of permafrost thaw. Bio- and geochemical analyses will enable researchers to characterize permafrost composition and hydrology. The project team will work with community partners to interpret project findings and develop outreach materials such as booklets, posters, and classroom curricula. Results will also be disseminated via conference presentations and peer-reviewed articles.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.