Ethnobotanist brian boom of the new york botanical garden used some pioneering plant census techniques to test that hypothesis. Conservation value of the north american boreal forest from an ethnobotanical perspective. Ethnobotany has its roots in botany, the study of plants. The importance of ethnobotany in environmental conservation. Ethnobotany, science, history, social studies objective. A study of the variation in traditional knowledge in and. Ethnobotanical study of traditional medicinal plants used by. An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants commercialized in the. Once authors papers have been accepted for publication, then the accepted paper will be freely available to everyone through cloud journals online platform. The widely employed and simplest definition explains it as the study of the knowledge and use of plants in primitive societies in the past and present. It is an interdisciplinary subject which can also include elements of anthropology, human geography, biological conservation, pharmacology and nutrition. Case studies will be presented to examine the various categories of plant use, the importance of traditional knowledge to western culture, and the role of plant conservation and cultural sustainability.
Ethnobotany and its role in drug development heinrich 2000. Students will become familiar with different native american and pioneer uses of various plants. Ethnobotany is regarded as the study of relationship between plants and humans. Plants and people an introduction to ethnobotany open. Theories and major hypotheses in ethnobotany volweb. What is ethnobotany and why does it matter ethno as in ethnic refers to people, culture, a cultures collective body of beliefs, aesthetic, language, knowledge, and practice botany is the study of plantsfrom the tiniest fern or blade of grass to the tallest or oldest tree. A special emphasis is placed on ethnoveterinary medicine, because of its importance in the nagarkoodal area. This study involved different fields such as environmental history, cultural and political ecology, anthropology. Introduction to ethnobotany online biology courses. Ethnobotany is the study of the interaction between plants and people, with a particular emphasis on traditional tribal cultures.
Ethnobotany research and applications university of hawaii. Botany includes all the wild plants and the domesticated species. The declaration is a statement of the responsibilities of ethnobotany, ethnobiology, and ethnoecology to be a force for sustainability in human relationships with the living world ethnobotany summit 1997. Elrick, administrative assistant, 3016874166 office hours. Lecture 15 alexey shipunov minot state university february 18th, 2011 shipunov msu biol 310. An ethnobotanist thus strives to document the local customs involving the practical uses of local flora for many aspects of life, such as plants as medicines, foods, intoxicants and clothing. The culture of ethnobotany this presentation introduces the concept that plants are all around us. This subset of ethnobotany is referred to as medical ethnobotany. People have engaged in a relationship with medicinal, edible, and otherwise useful native plants. The study of the interaction between plants and humans is ethnobotany.
Ethnobotany is the study of the relationships that exist between indigenous cultures and local flora. Theory and methods integrative assessment and planning methods for sustainable agroforestry in humid and semiarid regions. Ethnobotanical definition of ethnobotanical by medical. Biol 319, introduction to ethnobotany, explores the fundamental relationships that exist between plants and indigenoustraditional cultures from around the world. Ethnobotany is the study of the interrelationship between people and plants, historically and crossculturally, particularly the role of plants in human culture and practices, how humans have used and modified plants, and how they represent them in their systems of knowledge. Plants provide food, medicine, shelter, dyes, fibers, oils, resins, gums, soaps, waxes, latex, tannins, and even contribute to the air we breathe. In fact, medicine and botany have always had close ties. Rudimentary drugs derived from plants used in folk medicines have been found to be beneficial in the treatment of many illnesses, both physical and mental. In view of the many fastdeveloping specific subdivisions of this interdisciplinary field, it seems necessary to adopt a wider definition. It is an interdisciplinary subject which can also include elements of anthropology, human geography, biological. From ethno, the study of people, and botany, the study of plants.
Richard evans schultes, often referred to as the father of. We focus on ethnobotanical knowledge because ethnobotany is a popular field within ethnobiology, and we expected to find more articles in this topic than in. Ethnobotanist definition of ethnobotanist by medical. John william hershberger, in 1895 during a lecture in philadelphia to describe his research, which he described as the study of plants produced by primitive and indigenous peoples.
Because plants are the basis of all material cultures, preservation of ethnobotanical knowledge, like the preservation of language, is a requisite for the safekeeping of cultures. When planning how to incorporate ethnobotany into a restoration site, it would be very wise to collaborate with local native groups. We applied the classic methods of ethnobotany 2829 30 31. Ethnobotany deals with the direct relationship of plants with man. Ethnobotany syllabus fall 2007 page 1 of 8 introduction to ethnobotany biol 128 frostburg state university fall semester 2007 4 credits professor sunshine l. The course presents the history of indigenoustraditional plant use in relation to cultural development, as well as how modern scientific approaches to the ethnobotanical investigation are revealing new and exciting applications for. Many of todays drugs have been derived from plant sources. Tools and methods for data collection in ethnobotanical studies of. To enhance ethnobotanical research on homegardens and encourage a discussion of. Conducting and communicating ethnobotanical research. Theory and methods integrative assessment and planning methods for sustainable. Furthermore, it situates the current research in the literature on ethnobotany.
Ethnobotanicalbased selection of plants has gained in popularity as a means to identify which plants of the estimated 250,000500,000 existing species contain relevant compounds for exploitation. In recent years, the discipline of ethnobotany has become increasingly associated with the search for new medicines and other products from plants. Ethnobotany journal of ethnobotany international journal. A new guinea example borut telllan1 department ofanthropology research school of pacifu studies australian national university winter 1988 a6stract,medicinalplants are known allover the world, they are indispensable as ingredients of many important modem drugs and are sources for the imitation. Abstract the botanical collections of early explorers and the later ethnobotany have played important roles in the development of new drugs for. Ethnobotany, systematic study of the botanical knowledge of a social group and its use of locally available plants in foods, medicines, clothing, or religious rituals. Ethnobotany is the study of a regions plants and their practical uses through the traditional knowledge of a local culture and people. Ethnobotany basella alba is an underutilized plant with great potential olgorite, 2006.
The ethnobotany of chaya cnidoscolus aconitifolius ssp. Ethnobotany is quintessentially interdisciplinary, involving knowledge and use of plants and their ecology in the context of their cultural, social and economic significance. Pdf on jan 1, 2006, andres gerique and others published an introduction to ethnoecology and ethnobotany. Ethnobotany research and applications a journal of plants, people and applied. Ethnobotany ethnobotany as an interdisciplinary science is, therefore, in a position to contribute to development of the wealth of traditional knowledge of the indigenous people concerning their natural systems and environment, their knowledge on utilization and maintenance of plant resources on a longterm basis without damaging or destroying their. The term ethnobotany was first used by harshberger in 1895, to the study of plants used by primitive and aboriginal people.
Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine home page. Basella alba is a very popular vegetable in many coastal communities of southern nigeria and is one of the chief sources of the major ingredients in the northern and northeastern foods. The ethnobotany of prehistoric cultures is discovered through. Home qualifications and courses 72193 plants and people an introduction to ethnobotany. This book is the basic introduction to the field, showing how botany, anthropology, ecology, economics and linguistics are all employed in the techniques and methods involved. The term ethnobotany was first used by the american botanist dr.
Conducting and communicating ethnobotanical research draft 28. Introduction to ethnobotany online biology courses arts. Such partnerships could work to the benefit of all parties involved. A manual of ethnobotany proceedings of the training course and workshop on ethnobotany, held at lucknow, 1015 march, 1986 editor s. Ethnobotany and ecology of plants for reproductive health unesco mab young scientists research award 2008, gertrude l. Ethnobotany is critical to the growing importance of developing new crops and products such as drugs from traditional plants. Pdf an introduction to ethnoecology and ethnobotany. Their sacred, healing, and hallucinogenic powers by r. Ethnobotany by balick and cox c 1996 by scientific american library.
Historical perspectives of ethnobotany sciencedirect. Mengistu, haile kiros tadesse, milete mahari, yemane welday. Bennett encyclopedia of life support systemseolss local plant knowledge. They are our food, medicines, clothing, housing, and a thousand other things in our lives. In the past, ethnobotany has emphasized on the relationships and interactions between plants and people in traditional tribal or nonwestern cultures. Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous native plants. Hypothesisdriven research, medicinal plant selection, optimal defense theory, utilitarian. In view of the many fastdeveloping specific subdivisions of this interdisciplinary field, it. Conducting and communicating ethnobotanical research 9 ethics in ethnobotanical research. Ethnobotany is the study of the interrelationship between people and plants, historically and crossculturally, particularly the role of plants in human culture and.
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