DOCSLIB.ORG

Ethnobotany Education, Opportunities, and Needs in the U.S

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ethnobotany Education, Opportunities, and Needs in the U.S View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by ScholarSpace at University of Hawai'i at Manoa Ethnobotany Education, Opportunities, and Needs in the U.S. Bradley C. Bennett Abstract There is more interest in ethnobotany today, than at any lack of a theoretical orientation. I also offer suggestions time in the discipline’s history. Ethnobotany, however, for addressing these problems. suffers from many deficiencies, especially the lack of re- search support, educational opportunities, and a theoreti- Graduate Education cal basis. Ethnobotanists should expand the definition of ethnobotany to include all plant-people interactions, not Most prospective graduate students face a daunting task just those of traditional societies. They also must integrate ―condensing the list of potential graduate schools down to a manageable number. The aspiring ethnobotanist has more effectively with colleagues in related disciplines and a much simpler charge. There are only a handful of active promote ethnobotany’s relevance to Introductory Botany ethnobotany programs in the United States (McClatchey and other courses. Ethnobotany and ethnobiology are et al. 1999). While it is an easy assignment to identify and natural links to conservation biology, resource manage- evaluate these programs, prospective students face in- ment, and environmental education. An undergraduate tense competition for admittance, since the applicant pool ethnobotany track could provide ideal training for medi- is far larger than the total number of openings each year. cine. To be competitive, prospective students need to pre- The process discourages many graduating seniors and pare better for graduate school. They should have a firm even the most highly qualified students often find no grad- foundation in the botanical and anthropological sciences, uate opportunities in their chosen field. as a minimum. If ethnobotany is to become a mature dis- cipline, it must develop a theoretical framework while not From the perspective of ethnobotany faculty, it is both an abandoning its descriptive history. Expanding ethnobot- exciting and frustrating era. While many of our universi- any’s scope to include all plant and human interactions ty colleagues hustle to recruit a student or two, ethno- greatly increases the funding, research, and job opportu- botanists in academia have the difficult job of selecting nities for the discipline. More importantly, there is no com- among the many highly qualified students who often rank pelling intellectual argument for restricting ethnobotany’s reach to traditional cultures. The Problems Correspondence Bradley C. Bennett, Department of Biological Sciences, A little more than a century since it adopted its present Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199 USA. name, there is more interest in ethnobotany than at any- [email protected] time in its history. Yet, ethnobotany suffers from many de- ficiencies, especially a paucity of funding and education- al opportunities. During the Building Bridges II Education Workshop (1 June 2001), students, faculty, and others ex- pressed these and other concerns. Here, I address the status of education, funding, and employment in the field Ethnobotany Research & Applications 3:113-121 (2005) of ethnobotany and another threat to the discipline --- the http://hdl.handle.net/10125/161 114 Ethnobotany Research & Applications among the top applicants. The downside is that we must rejected Miller’s patent, which he had dubbed “Da Vine” turn down many qualified students, an unpleasant but (Anonymous 1999). Ayahuasca, a ubiquitous element common chore. Another vexation for ethnobotany faculty in most cultures from northwestern Amazonia (Bennett is the large number of applicants who lack either qualifica- 1992a,b; Bennett and Alarcón 1994), was widely known tions or realistic expectations. Jacques Cousteau inspired prior to the patent application (Anonymous 1999). For that thousands to consider careers in oceanography. A gen- reason alone, it did not warrant a patent. Repercussions eration later, the Indiana Jones series ignited interest in of the patent attempt, nonetheless, were serious. In 1996, archaeology. Medicine Man and Tales of a Shaman’s Ap- Acción Ecológica, an Ecuadorian NGO, thwarted ratifica- prentice kindled a similar surge in ethnobotany’s popular- tion of a bilateral IPR agreement between Ecuador and ity. But just as Indy and Jacques revealed little of the true the U.S. due, in part, to the ayahuasca fiasco (Wateringen nature of their disciplines, increased media exposure sel- 1997). Fear of future patent efforts have made it much dom portrays the real character of ethnobotany. more difficult for legitimate researchers to collect and ex- port plant material. In stark contrast to the ersatz excitement portrayed in popular literature, the words of Claude Levi-Strauss are Most ethnobotanists also share some of the blame. Many as applicable to ethnobotany as they are to his discipline, of us argued for increased ethnobotanical funding so that “Adventure has no place in the anthropologist’s profes- we could discover the hidden marvels of the rainforests. sion; it is merely one of those unavoidable drawbacks, Of course, these marvels really weren’t “undiscovered” which detract from the effective work through the inciden- but rather they represent the composite knowledge that tal loss of weeks or months.” Occasionally, the popular rainforest dwellers accumulated over the millennia. The media succeeds. In his book, Earthly Goods: Medicine ethnobotanical leads would generate new drugs, which Hunting in the Rainforest, Christopher Joyce (1994) suc- would foster support for forest conservation or so we ar- cinctly and accurately describes the discipline. “The eth- gued. The success of ethnobotany in discovering new nobotanist spends half his time amid the sacred, trying to drugs, however, has proven to be limited. With the ex- separate mumbo jumbo from ancient if primitive genius, ception of a few new leads (e.g., prostratin an antiviral and the other half amid the profane, looking down the bar- compound from the Samoan plant Homolanthus nutans, rel of a microscope and deciphering the code of taxa, al- Cox 2000), there has been little to show for a decade of kaloids, symbiotes, and the ephemera of ecology.” bioprospecting. In part, the lack of success has been due to misdirected efforts. Yet, despite the few successes, the There is nothing inherently wrong with popularization. hype and paranoia remains. Cultures and forests continue Greater public awareness fosters greater support for the to disappear, while academicians and politicians squabble discipline and attracts student interest. The problem is that over the ownership of biological resources. One author many prospective students develop a quixotic idea about notes, “... traditionally, bioprospecting in developing coun- the nature of ethnobotany. During fieldwork, the romance tries has been the preserve of field researchers in univer- of Dancing with Wolves quickly is supplanted by the reality sities and botanical gardens. … These small-scale activi- of Foxtrotting with Fever and Quickstepping with Quinine. ties added little value to the biodiversity resource and in Ethnobotanical fieldwork can be exhilarating, but it also is any case, are now likely to be discouraged by national characterized by physical discomfort and punctuated by legislation implementing the CBD [Convention on Biologi- drudgery. Christiane Ehringhaus, a former student, accu- cal Diversity]” Anonymous (2001). It is like a cherished li- rately articulated the nature of research. After returning brary that is afire. Instead of extinguishing the flames, we from a five-month expedition with the Kaxinawá in Brazil, argue about who are the legitimate firefighters. she described the experience as being “always lonely but never alone.” Funding Research Opportunities A common complaint from students is the lack of research funding for ethnobotanical research, but students are not Since the early 1990s, conducting ethnobotanical re- the only ones to suffer from the paucity of support. Be- search in developing countries has become increasing- cause of its interdisciplinary nature, ethnobotany does not ly difficult. This is due, in large part, to paranoia about readily fit funding categories of national agencies or pri- traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights. To vate foundations. The National Science Foundation funds be sure, there have been horrific cases, such as the at- botanical research mostly through the Directorate for Bi- tempt to patent ayahuasca. In 1986, the United States ological Sciences. The Directorate’s Division of Environ- Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) issued Plant Patent mental Biology (DEB) “supports fundamental research No. 5,751 to Loren Miller for a purported unique variety of on the origins, functions, relationships, interactions, and the hallucinogenic vine ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi). evolutionary history of populations, species, communities, The patent generated vociferous and acrimonious pro- and ecosystems. Scientific emphases include biodiver- tests from the Coordinating Body of Indigenous Organi- sity, molecular genetic and genomic evolution, mesoscale zations of the Amazon and other groups. In 1999, PTO ecology, conservation biology, global change, and resto- http://hdl.handle.net/10125/161 B. Bennett - Ethnobotany Education, Opportunities, and Needs in the U.S. 115 ration ecology.” Anthropology,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Design a Database of Italian Vascular Alimurgic Flora (Alimurgita): Preliminary Results
    plants Article Design a Database of Italian Vascular Alimurgic Flora (AlimurgITA): Preliminary Results Bruno Paura 1,*, Piera Di Marzio 2 , Giovanni Salerno 3, Elisabetta Brugiapaglia 1 and Annarita Bufano 1 1 Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; [email protected] (E.B.); [email protected] (A.B.) 2 Department of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, 86090 Pesche, Italy; [email protected] 3 Graduate Department of Environmental Biology, University “La Sapienza”, 00100 Roma, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Despite the large number of data published in Italy on WEPs, there is no database providing a complete knowledge framework. Hence the need to design a database of the Italian alimurgic flora: AlimurgITA. Only strictly alimurgic taxa were chosen, excluding casual alien and cultivated ones. The collected data come from an archive of 358 texts (books and scientific articles) from 1918 to date, chosen with appropriate criteria. For each taxon, the part of the plant used, the method of use, the chorotype, the biological form and the regional distribution in Italy were considered. The 1103 taxa of edible flora already entered in the database equal 13.09% of Italian flora. The most widespread family is that of the Asteraceae (20.22%); the most widely used taxa are Cichorium intybus and Borago officinalis. The not homogeneous regional distribution of WEPs (maximum in the south and minimum in the north) has been interpreted. Texts published reached its peak during the 2001–2010 decade. A database for Italian WEPs is important to have a synthesis and to represent the richness and Citation: Paura, B.; Di Marzio, P.; complexity of this knowledge, also in light of its potential for cultural enhancement, as well as its Salerno, G.; Brugiapaglia, E.; Bufano, applications for the agri-food system.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnobotany List 121
    bookfever.com list 121 ETHNOBOTANY We are pleased to present our first list dedicated to books in the general area of Ethnobotany. The study of useful plants is an ancient discipline, but the term ethnobotany to indicate a sepa- rate and distinct branch of the natural sciences did not come into use until 1895. It is, by defini- tion, interdisciplinary, drawing from botany, medicine, anthropology, religion, religion, history, pharmacology, phytochemistry and conservation and the books we offer reflect this wide range of disciplines. Although simply listed alphabetically by author, there are many books related to the use of plants in Africa, Hawaii and the Pacific, Asia and the Americas, and others describing the use of psychoactive plants in ancient religions and modern times. Brief terms: Please call or email to hold. Prices include media mail shipping in the USA. Other countries incremental cost. Payment may be by credit card, Paypal or check. Institutions may request an invoice. 1. Adler, Leonore Loeb and B. Runi Mukherji, editors. SPIRIT VERSUS SCALPEL: Traditional Healing and Modern Psychotherapy. Westport, CT & London: Bergin & Garvey, (1995) First printing. "Unique presentation of traditional and modern healing and mental health practices." Fore- words by Albert Pepitone and Uwe P. Gielen, introduction by the editors. Contains 15 papers, including J. Beatty "Cultural Perceptions of Life & Death"; D.A.Louw & E. Pretorius "The Traditional Healer in a Multicultural Society: The South African Experience"; E. Golomb "Oracles in Ladakh: A Personal Experience"; N.R. Mrinal, et al: "Traditional Healing in India"; S.S. de Silva & W.J. Epps "A Study of Curative Options Available in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka"; A.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnobotany of Natural Products - D
    PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOGNOSY – Ethnobotany of Natural Products - D. D. Soejarto, C. Gyllenhaal, M. C. Riley and H. Zhang ETHNOBOTANY OF NATURAL PRODUCTS D. D. Soejarto, C. Gyllenhaal, M. C. Riley and H. Zhang Program for Collaborative Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, 833 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60612, U.S.A. Keywords: Ethnobotany, natural products, medicinal plants, plant-derived drugs, economically useful plants, ethnobotanical field collection method, bioprospecting, intellectual property rights, benefit-sharing Contents 1. Introduction 2. History of Ethnobotany 2.1. Western Sources (Written Tradition) 2.2. Non-Western Sources (Written Tradition) 2.3. Oral Tradition 3. Age of Discovery 4. Modern Ethnobotany 4.1. Early Ethnobotanical Studies – Intersection with Cultural Anthropology 4.2. Expanded Fieldwork 4.3. Role of Anthropology 4.4. Ethnobotany and the Discovery of New Medicines 4.5. The Continuing Search: Contemporary Ethnobotanical Field Methods 4.5.1. Field Interviews 4.5.2. Prior Informed Consent 4.5.3. Documentation 4.5.4. Data Elements in Medicinal Plant Interview 4.5.5. Academic Research and Bioprospecting 4.5.6. Grass Roots Community Oriented Research 5. Contributions of Ethnobotany to Modern Medicine 5.1. Drug Discovery since the CBD 5.2. Urban Ethnobotany and Modern Medicine 6. Challenges Facing Ethnobotany-Guided Natural Product Drug Discovery 6.1. Commercial Valuation of Economic and Medicinal Plants 6.2. IntellectualUNESCO Property Rights and Trad –itional EOLSS Botanical Knowledge Systems 6.3 Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing 6.4. Research andSAMPLE Funding for Ethnobotany CHAPTERS 6.5.
    [Show full text]
  • Carleton Campus Ethnobotany in the Carleton College Cowling Arboretum
    Carleton Campus Ethnobotany in the Carleton College Cowling Arboretum The following descriptions represent the culmination of our efforts to dig deep into the dense web of human connections sur- rounding the Cowling Arboretum. The Arboretum was first estab- lished in the 1920s under President Cowling and with the help of groundskeeper D. Blake Stewart (“Stewsie”) and botany professor Dr. Harvey Stork, and since then has taken a long and winding road to its current form. Throughout its history it has served as a diverse resource for students, faculty, and the local community; it is much more than an ecological restoration, as many will attest to. Stork’s original vision for a tree museum has evolved to em- For more information, access the Carleton Arbore- brace three key Arboretum goals: Conservation, Education, and tum’s website at apps.carleton.edu/campus/arb. Recreation. The Arb has become a vital part of Carleton with its diverse student body dedicated to fields of study ranging from biol- ogy to archeology to music, and personal pursuits ranging from cross-country skiing to holistic medicine to sculpture. It is only fitting that these 800 acres of land should become layered with such a rich range of memories, creative uses, discoveries, artistic endeavors, and understandings, and that the Arb should become so integrated into the life and culture of Carleton. Through a series of on-campus interviews, we have begun to catalogue the myriad connections students and faculty have made to specific plants within the Arboretum, some obvious and some surprising. Our findings contribute to an appreciation of the Arb as a whole, as well as to each individual species in this list.
    [Show full text]
  • Vascular Plants and a Brief History of the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands
    United States Department of Agriculture Vascular Plants and a Brief Forest Service Rocky Mountain History of the Kiowa and Rita Research Station General Technical Report Blanca National Grasslands RMRS-GTR-233 December 2009 Donald L. Hazlett, Michael H. Schiebout, and Paulette L. Ford Hazlett, Donald L.; Schiebout, Michael H.; and Ford, Paulette L. 2009. Vascular plants and a brief history of the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS- GTR-233. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 44 p. Abstract Administered by the USDA Forest Service, the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands occupy 230,000 acres of public land extending from northeastern New Mexico into the panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas. A mosaic of topographic features including canyons, plateaus, rolling grasslands and outcrops supports a diverse flora. Eight hundred twenty six (826) species of vascular plant species representing 81 plant families are known to occur on or near these public lands. This report includes a history of the area; ethnobotanical information; an introductory overview of the area including its climate, geology, vegetation, habitats, fauna, and ecological history; and a plant survey and information about the rare, poisonous, and exotic species from the area. A vascular plant checklist of 816 vascular plant taxa in the appendix includes scientific and common names, habitat types, and general distribution data for each species. This list is based on extensive plant collections and available herbarium collections. Authors Donald L. Hazlett is an ethnobotanist, Director of New World Plants and People consulting, and a research associate at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver, CO.
    [Show full text]
  • Guideposts in Ethnobotany
    T. Ethnobiol. 6(1):27-43 Summer 1986 GUIDEPOSTS IN ETHNOBOTANY VORSILA L. BOHRER Southwest Ethnobotanical Enterprises 220 New Mexico Drive Portales, NM 88130 ABSTRACT.-A review of the history of a natural system of maize classification is provided. Detours in the archaeological analysis of maize abound. Tests suggest the extrapolation of cob row number from kernel angles lacks predictive value. Flotation analysis is forging ahead. Current trends in regional studies might be better integrated with anthropological model construction or destruction. Charcoal identification merits improvement through use of metallurgical microscopes coupled with more rigorous use of plant anatomy. Analysis of leaf epidermal fragments in coprolites broadens the range of information recovered. The biotic factor, including the anthropogenic one, needs to be considered as seriously as climate and soil in the formation of prehistoric and modem plant assemblages. Ethnobotanical interpretation of prehistoric plant remains benefits by insights into the kaleidescopic patterns formed by modem and historic interrelationships between plants and man. It is never too late for contemporary studies. Museums rather than colleges or universities continue to provide workspace for ethnobotanists. Sugges­ tions are given in regard to academic education in ethnobotany and exemplary books and reports in the field. INTRODUCTION GUIDEPOSTS IN ETHNOBOTANY Ethnobotany is flying high in the 1980s. The first issue of the [oumal of Ethnobiology was published in 1981; the first general session on ethnobotany at the annual meetings of the Society of American Archaeology was in 1983; and in May, 1985, after settling into my seat on Southwest Airlines Flight 192, I was pleased to notice that the cover story of their flight magazine featured the contemporary ethnobotanical work of Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Hops Humulus Lupulus L
    HERB PROFILE Hops Humulus lupulus L. Family: Cannabaceae INTRODUCTION as noted from observations of young women who reportedly often ops is a perennial vine growing vertically to 33 feet experienced early menstrual periods after harvesting the strobiles with dark green, heart-shaped leaves.l,2,3 The male and in hops fields. lB H female flowers grow on separate vines.l.3 Hops are the Traditionally hops were used for nervousness, insomnia, excit­ dried yellowish-green, cone-like female flowers or fruits (tech­ ability, ulcers, indigestion, and restlessness associated with tension nically referred to as strobiles).l.4 Originally native to Europe, headache.l3 Additional folk medicine uses include pain relief, Asia, and North America,5 several varieties of hops are now culti­ improved appetite, and as a tonic.9 A tea made of hops was vated in Germany, the United States, the British Isles, the Czech ingested for inflammation of the bladder.? Native American Republic, South America, and Australia.4,6 Although still wild tribes used hops for insomnia and pain.5,8 Hops are employed in in Europe and North America, commercial hops come exclu­ Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine for restlessness and in traditional sively from cultivated plants.1,7 The leaves, shoots, female flowers C hinese medicine for insomnia, stomach upset and cramping, (hops), and oil are the parts of the plant used commercially. 8 and lack of appetite.5 Clinical studies in China report promise for the treatment of tuberculosis, leprosy, acute bacterial dysen­ HISTORY AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnobotanical Studies in Western Gironès (Catalonia, Iberian Peninsula) Airy Gras1,2,3, Ginesta Serrasolses1, Joan Vallès1,3,4 and Teresa Garnatje2*
    Gras et al. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2019) 15:19 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-019-0295-2 RESEARCH Open Access Traditional knowledge in semi-rural close to industrial areas: ethnobotanical studies in western Gironès (Catalonia, Iberian Peninsula) Airy Gras1,2,3, Ginesta Serrasolses1, Joan Vallès1,3,4 and Teresa Garnatje2* Abstract Background: The western Gironès is a district located in NE Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula). This area comprising 186.55 km2 and 10,659 inhabitants is composed of 5 municipalities encompassing 29 villages, located in the hydrographic basins of the Ter and Llémena rivers. Methods: Following the methodology based on the semi-structured interviews, we carried out 40 interviews with 57 informants, 31 were women and the remaining 26 were men, with an average age of 78.6 years. Results: In the present study, data from 316 taxa (301 angiosperms, 8 gymnosperms, and 7 pteridophytes) belonging to 89 botanical families were collected. The interviewed informants referred 3776 UR of 298 taxa, 1933 (51.19%) of them corresponding to the food category, 949 (25.13%) to the medicinal ones, and 894 (23.68%) to other uses. In addition, 581 vernacular names for 306 species, subspecies, and varieties have also been collected. Conclusions: These results reveal the validity of traditional knowledge in the studied area, which can be seriously threatened by the loss of its rural condition and its proximity to industrialized areas. Keywords: Ethnobotany, Ethnoflora, Gironès, Medicinal uses, Plant uses, Traditional knowledge Introduction For this reason, the research that was initially focused The Catalan-speaking territories constitute a cultural on non-industrialized areas [16–22] has now been ex- unity that has attracted the interest of researchers from panded in industrialized areas due to their rapid loss of various disciplines.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnobotany Lesson
    An Ethnobotany Lesson: Plants and Trees used for Medicinal Purposes by Tribes of the Wabenaki Confederation As found on preserves owned by Royal River Conservation Trust, The Cumberland Chebeague Land Trust, and the Towns of Yarmouth and North Yarmouth Polly Haight Frawley, Maine Master Naturalist Class 2018-2019 Introduction: The Abenaki, Malecite (Maliseet), Micmac (Mi’kmaq), Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Tribes combined form the Wabenaki Confederacy. Their ancestral homelands are Newfoundland, Canada to the Merrimack River Valley in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The Indigenous Peoples appreciated and respected the interconnectedness of all living things and used trees and plants for medicinal purposes. Many can be found on the trails managed by the Royal River Conservation Trust, the Land Trust, and the Towns of Yarmouth and North Yarmouth. The following is a list of some ethnobotanical trees and plants used by the tribes and trails on which they can be found; it is not a comprehensive list of specimens or trails. Disclaimer: Many of the sources relied upon in this document utilized information from the 17th and 18th centuries and in many cases details are incomplete. As a result readers should not try these remedies based upon the information provided. While tribe members continue to use some of these remedies they have an expertise in doing so. Definitions: Decoction: boiled to a concentrated essence Infusion: steeped in water Poultice: soft, moist mass of material Format: This document is formatted so it may be cut into 4 x 6 cards (use card stock for longer use) and be more readily useable in the field.
    [Show full text]
  • Terpene and Terpenoid Emissions and Secondary Organic Aerosol Production
    Michigan Technological University Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open Reports 2013 TERPENE AND TERPENOID EMISSIONS AND SECONDARY ORGANIC AEROSOL PRODUCTION Rosa M. Flores Michigan Technological University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/etds Part of the Atmospheric Sciences Commons, and the Environmental Engineering Commons Copyright 2013 Rosa M. Flores Recommended Citation Flores, Rosa M., "TERPENE AND TERPENOID EMISSIONS AND SECONDARY ORGANIC AEROSOL PRODUCTION", Dissertation, Michigan Technological University, 2013. https://doi.org/10.37099/mtu.dc.etds/818 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/etds Part of the Atmospheric Sciences Commons, and the Environmental Engineering Commons TERPENE AND TERPENOID EMISSIONS AND SECONDARY ORGANIC AEROSOL PRODUCTION By Rosa M. Flores A DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In Environmental Engineering MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY 2013 © Rosa M. Flores This dissertation has been approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Environmental Engineering. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Dissertation Advisor: Paul V. Doskey Committee Member : Chandrashekhar P. Joshi Committee Member : Claudio Mazzoleni Committee Member : Lynn Mazzoleni Committee Member : Judith Perlinger Department Chair: David Hand To dad
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnobotany / Etnobotánica
    Botanical Sciences 99(2): 321-341 2021 Received: October 6, 2020, Accepted: December 16, de 2020 DOI: 10.17129/botsci.2672Ivanova et al. / BotanicalOn Sciences line first: 99(2):February 321-341. 15, 2021 2021 Ethnobotany / Etnobotánica SINGING THE NATURE - ETHNOBOTANICAL KNOWLEDGE IN BULGARIAN FOLK SONGS CANTO CON LA NATURALEZA: CONOCIMIENTO ETNOBOTÁNICO EN CANCIONES POPULARES BÚLGARAS 1 2 1 1 TEODORA IVANOVA *, VALENTINA GANEVA-RAICHEVA , YULIA BOSSEVA , AND DESSISLAVA DIMITROVA 1 Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., Sofia, Bulgaria. 2 Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., Sofia, Bulgaria. *Author for correspondence: [email protected] Abstract Background: Bulgarian poetic folklore reflects an agrarian culture deeply connected with land and nature. However, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) transmitted through Bulgarian folklore is scarcely assessed. Questions: What are the dimensions of the TEK related to plant diversity (native and introduced) that appear in Bulgarian folk songs and what is their potential as transmitters of ТЕК? Data description: The lyrics of 10,113 Bulgarian folk songs were excerpted from major academic collections and a set of unpublished songs. Study site and dates: Current study covers songs that have been documented since mid-19th century onwards in the present and former Bulgar- ian territories and in areas that have been inhabited by ethnic Bulgarians abroad. Methods: Common plant names and descriptions of plants and landscapes were used to detect botanical affiliations of the denoted plants. We focused on frequencies of plant representations and their functions associated with cultural, agricultural and food-processing practices.
    [Show full text]
  • Population Genetics of Manihot Esculenta
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Archive Ouverte en Sciences de l'Information et de la Communication This is a postprint version of a paper published in Journal of Biogeography (2011) 38:1033-1043; doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02474.x and available on the publisher’s website. EVOLUTIONARY BIOGEOGRAPHY OF MANIHOT (EUPHORBIACEAE), A RAPIDLY RADIATING NEOTROPICAL GENUS RESTRICTED TO DRY ENVIRONMENTS Anne Duputié 1, 2, Jan Salick 3, Doyle McKey 1 Aim The aims of this study were to reconstruct the phylogeny of Manihot, a Neotropical genus restricted to seasonally dry areas, to yield insight into its biogeographic history and to identify the closest wild relatives of a widely grown, yet poorly known, crop: cassava (Manihot esculenta). Location Dry and seasonally dry regions of Meso- and South America. Methods We collected 101 samples of Manihot, representing 52 species, mostly from herbaria, and two outgroups (Jatropha gossypiifolia and Cnidoscolus urens). More than half of the currently accepted Manihot species were included in our study; our sampling covered the whole native range of the genus, and most of its phenotypic and ecological variation. We reconstructed phylogenetic relationships among Manihot species using sequences for two nuclear genes and a noncoding chloroplast region. We then reconstructed the history of traits related to growth form, dispersal ecology, and regeneration ability. Results Manihot species from Mesoamerica form a grade basal to South American species. The latter species show a strong biogeographic clustering: species from the cerrado form well-defined clades, species from the caatinga of northeastern Brazil form another, and so do species restricted to forest gaps along the rim of the Amazon basin.
    [Show full text]