Global Trade and Social-Ecological Dynamics of a Scarce Natural Resource: Caterpillar Fungus in the Himalayas

With global niche commodity markets on the rise, consumers are increasingly able to influence flows of money and resources into and out of distant supply regions. These flows can in turn affect land use decisions and regulations related to the newly valuable resource, with significant consequences for local social-ecological systems. The recent surge in demand for Himalayan “caterpillar fungus” (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) among Chinese consumers exemplifies this type of distant trade connection. Increased interest in caterpillar fungus’s medicinal use has driven up its price, thereby creating a substantial source of new income for rural communities where it grows, along with concerns over the vulnerability of these systems to overharvesting, conflicts over access, and secondary environmental impacts. We conducted a meta-analysis of nearly three centuries of publications related to the ecology, economy, and governance of caterpillar fungus harvesting and trade with China and beyond. In addition to quantifying spatial and temporal trends in its collection and sale, we examine how different histories of use and regulations across the four caterpillar-fungus-producing countries have mediated the social and environmental impacts of Himalayan communities’ new or intensified connections to distant markets. Our results underscore the importance of considering a deeper temporal perspective when analyzing contemporary teleconnections and couplings.