Ethnobotany: A Methods Manual

by Gary J. Martin

Overview

Ethnobotany, the study of the classification, use and management of plants by people, draws on a range of disciplines, including natural and social sciences, to show how conservation of plants and of local knowledge about them can be achieved. Ethnobotany is critical to the growing importance of developing new crops and products such as drugs from traditional plants.

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. It explains data collection and hypothesis testing and provides practical ideas on fieldwork ethics and the application of results to conservation and community development. Case studies illustrate the explanations, demonstrating the importance of collaboration in achieving results.

Published with WWF, UNESCO and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781844070848
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	01/01/2004
Series:	People and Plants International Conservation
Edition description:	1
Pages:	292
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Gary Martin is Director of the Global Diversity Foundation and a Research Fellow and Lecturer in the Anthropology Department at the University of Kent at Canterbury.

Table of Contents

The 'People and Plants' Initiative * Internal Panel of Advisers * Foreword by Professor G. T. Prance * Preface * Introduction * Data Collection and Hypothesis Testing * Botany * Ethnopharmacology and Related Fields * Anthropology * Ecology * Economics * Linguistics * Ethnobotany, Conservation and Community Development * References * Further Reading * Index