1. 1.
Intel ectual p at i v e

3. 80th prOC88888 and produca or klIowIecIge syetems often eapIor8d Ethnobiology We
linawIecIge In EIhnobIoIoQy Ct88Ied. acquJred. tranaformed and nnemltted. We -conaIdef how
cadifIcatfon _ '* about lcnowIedga it8eIf. VarIabIae mknowledga are inYaetigatad incIudIng
iIItetUtIon ween ac:II!Ince.and tradIticInal knowIlIdge are a major fDcuá of EIhnobioIcgy
.,
Uedklin heallh. and nutritlorl beyond the appIIed rl8ldl!. demonetrale compIax mteractíOn:S among peoplo plan
lI'Id enwonment. In partlC1.llm medicinal planta 8/'8 an active anIiI 01 research In Ethnobology Al NSF. Director Rita Colwel dltY Iopmenf
or rr~ W88 apurred by her mveatigatlons of oholera and he comp/ellntaraclions among ertVIfOOmental SO<:iaI. blolog and
moIecu,* factofa. Th¡_ IS rlch IlI8lm Ior Ethnóblclogy, lield tIlat IS centrally pOSllloned tQ addreaa th ni r Mt lO RetIean:h
10piCs in EthnobIolOCW lncIude tradltional knowledge and h, nulntron, medJcínal plan the mfluence ot huma -enYll'onment lnteractlOC'l
on heallh. and zoopharmacognoay- medicinal planl use by anlmals olller Ihan humana.
Ecology evOlutlOn, and ByIItematics ara Irachtlonal coneema In biology and al N F however lhe)' seldom accounl for human
dimensIOna except for negatl'lB Impacts on "natura" r "artificial eelectlon" Elhnoblology on Ihe other hand di' Iy 1 corporal 8 human
intaractlonS In all Iheir Iaborate complexrty Into these tradrtlonallielda. We can only illuetrale thesa productIVa nqUll19s hola How do
human uae and management of blod1V8rsily affect ecoIoglCéIl processes and pattllms? How hava human Inleracbon Wlfh tlllCa-from
gathering to do icalJOn-influenced BY lution and ayslematics. and what trends Ot diff8lences ate Ihera w llhln and among !&la? In th
Utionary procesa. how are natural and "artificial" seleclion similar and dlffe. ni? Whll muen 01 biolog bar Ir IBCOQnlZ8S th rol 01
hwnana beyond their ¡nRuenee Qn dlBturbance aOO extinct1on, ethnoblOlogists are overwhelmed by lile ahv lO! ractions among people
biota. ~ thelr enllironmants. Certainly, II i8 pes! lime lO talte our lessons from POSltiV examples 01 human medJated boollel'Slty e eatJon
and management.
Smaller·scale human, biola, and enVllonmenlal IOteracllona often play out al hlgher levels 01 communili s, Iand8Capes and global
!renda Ethnoblology traces !hall& etfecls nd examines thelr causes Planl comm nities such as Iropical ratnloresl5-often assumed to be
primary, 'pnsline even "1IIrgln"-are now recognlzed as belOg slgniflcantly InRuenced by human management L ndscape lTansformalions
are dependent on diSfributlon8 01 culture, blQta. and envlronmenls resulttng in surprising paltems· blQdl ersily is corrEllalad wuh human
cultural diversíty. Thc complex links belween human cultures and blodlVet811y are 01 great concern 10 Ethnoblology wrth brollder Impacla on
bolh biodl'lersity conservabon and cultural survlVal.
Related lo many 01 these intellectual questl0ns In Eihnoblology 18 B(ocomplexlty. What 15 Ihu relallonship belWt!en human dlm n
0 1 Biocomplexity and Elhnobiology? Traditional knowl dge systems al the result 01 Intcractions among soc~l . biollc. and nVlronm n
components 01 an ecosystem. and these knowledge systems provlda feedback mechanis s belween bicla and human ommuni1r
Human interactlons with biotic and envlronmenlaJ ayslems can altar processea In diversa ways. lime sea/es can be a1tered or dlScordant
oBcillation amplitudes n be modlfred. and transformalions can be found in persistence. racovery. and pradiclability. Al! o Ihase
modifications can promote nonlinear responses. Social. cultural. and politlcal systems should be Included In dynamlc ecosystem analyses.
but Ilftle 18 understood about the conlrols Ihat drive these systems

4. ethods for Ethnobiolo
........~---~-
Early "!he developmenl r EthnoblorOgy des nplton alld oIlection We{e Ihe promm nI melhods 01 r68earch (e.g, lmnaeus study f lhe
Lapps A lhouBh thl radll on con Inue loday wilh mvenlones af useful plants around !he wotld modem melhodology m Ethnoblology 1 5
prol leratlOg W1 t ypoth Bis lestlng nd quanlilatlvt m hOds dominaung 1M field. A definttive aspect of Ethnoblology 18 it5 mulhchsclpllnary
ure. Han e l1e m Ihod usad m Elhnoblology research for galhenng and analyzmg data are nol unlque to Ihe diSCipline, but ralh r are
ntegrated rom bi logical ~o al. and lingwstlc scleness.
Sdence and tradltlonal knowleclge IS bndged by Elhnobiology W are 10 a pri'lileged poslllon 10 d elop lheones basad on the views
01 local or ind,genous e~perts. Tho pe pie are pnmary observor 01 Biooomple~i y at the level 01 local landscapes communitlea and
populaboos, nd ar nI mately qu:unled wlth chemlcaJ and gen"'lie variatinn In Ible 8/'Id medIcinal biola. ese Indlgenous Insighls, whlch
can trmulate Importanl leaps in Iheo/}' arto basad on many pects of day to-day lile. Examples IOclude new Iheones on typElS 01 ocean curre"ts
around slancm basad on lndigenous Io;nowledgc 01 master rl&herfolk knowledge of aclive IngrodJenls 01 plants and arllmBls or 01 lhe dislrrbull
behaVI r and lit hlstones (JI birds insects, lish mammal ,and reptiles, or ep'sod,c dlslurbance events Thls knowledge has developed Ihrough
gathenng sgr culture. hunltng Ot IIsnlMg Oller time scales, whlcn are seldom matched by I rmally tfalne Ileld iol 9i81& and rtalnly nO! by
recent ge rat1t!O al laboratory seientlsts. WhSI ethnobiologlsIs after, wlth rhell' ablhly ta work ct ss-culturally is indigenous Instghl on
compJex queslions.
Hypotheses', Erhnoblology emanare lro diverse paradigms. cognition, ellolulio'1, ecology. anthropology, hlstOry, and polrtleal el nce are
onlya few Etnnoblology r seall.h tesIs nypothe~es about inlerrelal10nships among humans. biota. and the,r natu I cnvlronmenl by gatl1erlng
d 5lOrtptrv and/of expelimental daln These hypotheses may then be expressed a . rnalhemallcal model .
DeacllpUve methociotogles have prolilerated lor Intervlewm9, COIlp.Cltng, and Imaglng. wide ~ariety 01 tructured lo non truoturod
tntervi ws and partlClpalory researeh may be used t galher tnfOrmallon Ircm parncipants. Many kmds 01 materials (moleoular blochemical,
orgarnsmal cultural, archaeological. ~I(. ) mav be collee , preserved and stu ied 10 gather dala lor Elhnobiology resear . Sound recordmg and
imaglng mothod playa slgntftcanl role In Elhn biology leseareh. Large-scal analyses of landseapes using remole sensing and olher spallal
techntqu~ expand Ih range 01 dll8cnplton.
Experimental technlques In EthnobJology are no less diverse than paradigms, hy theses, or des riptIVe methods. prIOri exp rimenlal
design lor Slruclurpd s8mpling ay inelude desonplion and measurement Hypc¡thesea f efficlency can be lested through reenaetmenls and
r plicas of subslSI 'l1ce and lood processing led"'lques. In vitro and in VIVO expenment can lest the efficac y of medlcinaJs. Mark/recapture
petlments and structured sampling can estlmale papulafl ns. Multlscal sampling can delect scaJe-dependent panern Common garden
experiments and reclprocal Iransplal1ls r;an te st genelic and enw onment al infl ences. E~ peri mental hybridizallOn ar selectlon can lesl
domes!lcahon Iheones Controlled ex erlmtml al lreafments can t I th~ ellect 01 h erbi~ory. fire, dlsturbance, soila, and other processes,
E~perim n tal rechn iques in madf"rn Ethnabiology are diversa and lhe value al experimental ion In Ethnobiology mCTeases cont1nu'lIy
fIlCIthada. pauetn anal,...
lII1d rndwnaIiGaI modele
c:oIIecting ancI pIffoImIng anl/yllea canlntegnde Wo!malIon
relaUOI!IIihtpaamong peopIB biota, and global
lImóng EthnobioIogy prognun8 G global ~ ...... and ~

5. Fundin Ethnobiolo
Currently undll1g for Elhnobiology comes from govemmenlal agen e such NSF.
undaliona nongovemmentel organ IIon9 and corpol1lt 006 are Iso potential DUlCO H t b thes own
mlS8lOn and 1 of objectives ethnob ol~rsl musl mp asile peol& 01 IhM rk hal appeal 0 Ihe fundlng 90U ce
ntegl1lbon of componenl5 Unless lha eld 01 Elhn bIOlogy recognlzed as draclpline n Itsalf It el o opmenl WI I b
I k f appropna e dlng
International Research and Collaboration
Ethnoblo alms lo undersland the c mpler t latlonshlps establ hed betwe n human OCI tios nnd their enVlronm nlB. 11 lB rocogn,zed
thal most 101 glcal and cult ,.al dlv ily-wilh d compl•• inleracllve procasses between humana and the enVlrOnmen!-ls found tn
assoCI3!
Ihe !roplcs and in Ih developing wortd. Accordlngly. muc of El hnob.ology has dev lopad intematlonally In Coun! fl88 8uch as IndIa 8rBZJI.
e it.o, and C hina, where Iheol li al and ethodologlcal developm..nls parallel tholle 01 U.S. and European Elhnobl logy M. a r 5ull.
Ethn bi logy ould greatly ben hl ¡rom academlc exchange and collaboratlve researeh among . . elhno b lol~ ts Inlcrnati n I thnoblologisls
d tr dltional peoplos. Intcrnational eollaboratlon shou d be a ITTlpol'lant C<:lmpon nI f Elhnoblology esear prolcct support d by NSF and
o!her funding agencies.
adin lO ros ion f both biologlcal reso rces an associa! d !radillonal k,nowledge II 18 cntclal to sIImulal
y sI ud les. Int rcultural ilnd in!ernational mpar tive approaches are nccessary to bp.!ler understand lhe dynarmc evolullOfl f
.nvor menl rel IIonshlps Bayon Intelleetual ami !heorellcal rescareh per pectlves. Buen sludles may cantnb e lo the formula Ion 01
nd praclices for feasible cOl1servation and sustainable development.
fn order 10 facilita! IOlernalIonal cooperalion In Ihe fleld of thnoblology the f lIowlng faelurs have lo be e: nsider p rallY prOI&<:
muo I support capaclly building and exchange among academics, lud nI . and local exptlrts. Lo al on munil16s !Id n tional insti!u!lons must
participate In dehning re earcl1 seope purposes, an activities, i arder lo ensur Ihat rest>.arch r lIs w'" b meal1ingful lO all partles
Researchers and institullons musl eomply wilh relevant internationaJ nd nallanal legislalion. as well 'loe I cancerns. Speclal altenlJon Ghould
be given lO developing just agreements on:
• mean lor bP.n Jil shanng;
• the usa 01 matcnals. derived p roducts, dal a, and knowledge collecled excl sively for auns pr6vloLllily aulnonzed by tno
ommunitylassoclBllon ;
• eonscientious communlcation of ,,11 researen and " ults I thtl eomm unltles wllh whÍl;h resear h is l.oncluc1ed. unless requestP.d ol helWise
by a communil y.
These e nside' allo ,inherent 11'1 international collaboralion. lead us l o conslder "Ihical quesllon In Ethl10 lology. Although Ihe aflon I
Seience Found tion does nal specifieally r quest such consideraltoM , elhlcs are so fundament I to Ethnobiology j at the Ethnobiulogy orki 9
GruUp ;5 damant aboul thelf inelusion (se insertj.
I! . 1.-. .
.... 1,.­ '.~
,
~ ~,
~ .~I
)
-- f.-­

6. Broader Impacts of Ethnobiology
For Interntfonal collabordon. appliCatlOr 1& cnticaJ Wlm Importllrlt elhical and
pofltical impIIcatIona. AppliCatton directly affecla lha ease (or dlfficulty Wlth whidl
mtemational I~ proc:eeds '" cIeveIop!ng countnes with 1ha bulk 01 In worid'
biologicaJ and eultl.lraJ dhlel1líty In Ihl -world counlries, ooIlaborat ng scenll Ihelf
lnatlMiOn and countty representativea favor attenlion lo problemocenlel'9d reaearch Ihal
addreaes local or natlOnal priorillBtl
A focus on problem centered apphed resaaroh does nol mean thal Ihe
developmenl of II'IteUectual and theoretical approaches to 8iocomplexrty are Ignorad
O Ihe contnuy ~oIogista now haYe a well developed body of theoretrcal
approac:hes appropnBle 10r modal,"; quantltatlve analys¡s, and expeflmentatlon
We rejecl sny didl lomy betwee apphed and lheoretlCal Elhnoblology re&ea
NOI only oes ptn'eIy Iheorelical research have unlnlen ed applied spin-offa.
bul applied problem are the ulllmate mod I agaln$t which scientists n test
and refine theoretrcal appro.chea and conceptual frameworks.
Ther 1& worldwlde Interest and
nthusiasm am ng 1.101 rSlty sludenl in
r lev80 r!JSll4rch Ihat addre ses apphed
problema ilh a robust Iheorehcat framework,
lliis offers grest educatlOnaJ snd capacil)'
building opportumllos. Wllh Ihe NSF emphaslB
on educarlon and graater Impacta of rescareh
applied Elhnoblology-of relevan lo !ltudenls
and Ihe public-Is val)' appeahng. Elhnobl logy
is In a positl n lo Jin researeh w lth Ih mOfe
practi lIy orisnled publico
We suggesl thero are major opportunltles
lar bndglng Bpphed and theorelical pects 01
Ethnobiology research, and we encourage NSF
and other funde la d v lop a broad. creative
approach lo IOlelleclual ImperallV s, p rticularly
in Ethnoblology

7. Education
d
• ,,,a a. '" ' )1 t ching t 31nln9 an I le mlng;
• 1" lu inr. 01 rtd rr proS mled gr " p<'
• l'1'1pl o JElm(:I' 1 .Juc ü ien ,1i ,frastTudllr ~ ;
' di semlnation f results to policy-mskers. InduSI y, r10dla and 11(3 general public
, benc flls to thf. communlly and i,.,peralives for " oei -Iy
B'3caU!le "Ulniln valu 'an aclJon. are ,lIl1ral te. p' &'¡,Oll 1 uf d gradalion 01 n tur 1, .. ources, ethm,l I/JI ~ lisis have a key r , ~pon Ib'''!¡
<lS duc l' or on ..1I 1 I~,
l:v