Ethnobotany: A Methods Manual

By Gary J. Martin

Book 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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1844070840
• ISBN13: 9781844070848
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 268 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Excellent!!

Excellent book, great bridge in the gap in the relevant literature. If you are a budding botanist, it is a must read, very comprehensive and a must-have in order to gather information and follow the scientific method

An excellent text for an ethnobotany field methods course.

This book is one of the very few that is perfect for teaching a college level ethnobotany field methods class. It covers the how-tos of data collection, hypothesis testing, plant identification and collection for both general purposes and for phytochemical analysis. The book also includes sections on anthropological, ecological, economic, linguistic, conservation, and community development skills and knowledge necessary to going into the field to do ethnobotanical research.Class curriculum can be easily organized around the information provided in Martin's book. The only drawback to this book is the fact that it sold out very quickly in its first edition and the first reprint, both in 1995, so at the moment its back ordered waiting on the next reprinting.