The non-Indigenous, mestizo, ejido (communal agricultural land) Tecopatlán is located in the municipality of Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, in the influence zone of the Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserve (SMBR). The primary purpose of this research was to characterize traditional knowledge of medicinal plants held by residents of Tecopatlán in relationship to the land use patterns of the ejido. We

describes the Oka-Soiot household, which in Soiot cosmology is a mirror image of spirit households of the taiga (Chapter 1). What is domestic for humans is a game for spirits and vice versa. In Soiot perspective, the “domestic” is an outcome of negotiation within the environment, rather than an outcome of solely human actions. Regarding spirituality and cosmology, Chapter 2 describes the historical

Sedimentary charcoal analysis is increasingly used in archaeological and paleoecological research to examine human-environmental relationships at multiple scales. The recent availability of low-cost digital microscopes and imaging software has resulted in the rapid adoption of digital image analysis in charcoal studies. However, most published studies include only minimal accounts of software configurations

Small cetaceans are understudied compared to whales and pinnipeds even though they represent a high -ranking prey choice when available in the environment. Building upon previous faunal analyses at the Par-Tee site, Seaside, Oregon that investigated whaling, this analysis of dolphin and porpoise remains suggests that people were hunting small cetaceans between AD 100–800 on the Oregon coast, especially

Group hunting is a productive subsistence activity for many Indigenous peoples with adequate access to territorial and game resources. A’uwẽ (Xavante) group hunts can involve large numbers of individuals coordinating group hunting efforts over large areas. A’uwẽ group hunting and hunting with fire are sophisticated endeavors requiring years of preparation, ample discussion, and post-hunt analysis.

In recent years, increases in urbanization and industrialization have led to an increase in contaminated areas, which directly affect traditional, indigenous, and local communities who use natural resources for food and medicine. We present a discussion about the use of food resources from areas contaminated with heavy metals and focus on two case studies in southern Brazil. In the first case study

The need to affirm and revitalize cultural knowledge of native plant communities is impera-tive for Indigenous people. This ethnobotanical study documents Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) structured from an Indigenous paradigm by exploring the connection be-tween plants collected in two high-elevation basins and tribal members on the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR). We sought to qualitatively

Illegal hunting with dogs in rural South Africa converges around issues of conservation, resource use, and livelihood. Hunting with dogs has a long cultural history, tethered to tradition and subsistence. Today, it is tightly regulated but practiced outside the law. Academic literature and mainstream media alike paint a multidimensional picture of the phenomenon. Some sources portray disenfranchised

The envenomation caused by freshwater stingrays is one of the most frequent injuries related to aquatic animals in South America. Such injury is severe with skin necrosis as a probable result of the sting and subsequent intense pain. Here, we characterized the accidents caused by freshwater stingrays in Jurua Valley, Acre, Brazil, with reports of people who had suffered injuries. Data collection was

The authors worked from 2014–2016, with 67 Naukan and Chukchi participants in six villages on the subject of “mouse roots,” a category of edible plants, including tubers of five species, taken from caches of Microtus voles. Only eight out of 44 Chukchi and none of the Naukan respondents said that they still actively gather these foods. However, 43 out of 44 Chukchi and 21 out of 23 Naukan participants

Ethnoentomological research focuses on the wealth of knowledge about insects used by indigenous communities. Here, we examine the medicinal use of insects, with a particular focus on Rhynchophorus palmarum, also known as suri, by indigenous peoples in the Peruvian Amazon. Between January 2014 and November 2015, a semi-structured survey was conducted in six communities belonging to Kukama-kukamiria

This contribution aims to share some experiences and methodological considerations that arose during an ethnobotanical research project with an Afro-Brazilian religious community in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. By presenting ontological features of plants used in religious practices, and the ways relations are created within this religious cosmology, this work opens a discussion about the political

While this book has relevance to ethnobiology and ecological anthropology, it will also resonate with general anthropologists, including scholars of paleoanthropology. In Schilling’s introductory chapter, he suggests that during the Pleistocene Era, hominins lived sustainably because they sensed their existence was linked to the environment’s well-being. It seems reasonable to me that hominin populations

Ethnobiology relies on community partnerships and relationships between elders or other knowledge keepers and students. Our Society of Ethnobiology, like all academic organizations, has its own issues with discrimination and abuses of power. But more than other academic disciplines, contemporary ethnobiology is practiced with and strengthened by close, respectful working relationships. As such, we

Ethnomycology is the study of the bio-cultural aspects of human-fungal interactions. This article discusses the involvement of the bracket fungus Fomitopsis betulina within the material culture of traditional games. With a particular focus on the Nordic countries, the aim is to review and analyze the use of simple balls made of bracket fungi. We argue that the fungi ball can be considered the precursor

Shark catches have increased worldwide, threatening the survival of several species. This study describes historical trends concerning shark consumption and commercialization by artisanal fishers in northeastern Brazil. Semi-structured questionnaires were applied and respondents pointed out that sharks used to be locally regarded as low-quality fish in the past and rejected by fish consumers, with

Wild mushrooms are important to the nutritional health and economic subsistence of rural populations in Mexico, but inaccurate identification of mushrooms has led to reported cases of poisoning. The aim of this study is to establish genotoxic profiles of mushrooms of the putative Amanita rubescens complex and to link those profiles with morphological attributes that suggest a correct identification

I discuss the article “Relationships Between Indigenous American Peoples and Wolves 1: Wolves as Teachers and Guides” (Fogg et al. 2015) and the book “The First Domestication: How Wolves and Humans Coevolved” (Pierotti and Fogg 2017). The article proposed that published stories about interactions between indigenous American peoples and wolves (Canis lupus) provide insight into wolf-human relationships

Asclepias syriaca L. (common milkweed) is known to contain sufficient amounts of cardiac glycosides, which are known to be toxic to humans. Nonetheless, it is traditionally used for food by Native Americans, including the Myaamia people of Indiana and Oklahoma. In order to test the hypothesis that traditional horticultural and culinary practices prevent the Myaamia from ingesting toxic levels of cardiac

Canoes are deeply ingrained elements of the Caicara culture, not only for their historical and current practical uses, but also for their socio-cultural outcomes. Caicara people are the descendants of Europeans, Africans, and Indigenous peoples who inhabit parts of the Atlantic Forest in the southern and southeastern coast of Brazil. Despite this, canoe making has been declining in several Caicara

Fermentation preserves and transforms foods through autochthonous or introduced microorganisms. Fermentation is of special interest to ethnobiologists because it relies on place- and practice-based knowledge, local flora and microbial taxa, is sensitive to cultural and ecological conditions, and illuminates the interactions through which communities shape and are shaped by the world around them. In

Ethnographic investigations in the villages of the Tatev community in southern Armenia reveal the positive attitude of the local community toward “official” sources (e.g., printed books, administrative officials, and people of higher education) on herbal medicine and the belittling of their own traditional ethnobotanical knowledge. Although this may be a global phenomenon, we observe and discuss particular

In the Russian language, nouns are classified by gender and animacy, whereas in English, nouns are not. Using triad-sorts of names for biological and non-biological taxa, a comparison of results provided by native speakers of both languages reveals that cognitive categorizations of animate and inanimate nomenclatural forms differ significantly between speakers of Russian and American English. Speakers

This study was conducted in two villages of El Chico National Park (ECNP), Mexico, to document the uses of Litsea glaucescens (Mexican laurel) by the local population and to identify actors with knowledge about the species using quantitative ethnobotanical techniques. Fifty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain a free-list about the specific uses of the laurel, to analyze its importance

Conflicts between wildlife and humans are increasing worldwide, especially in areas where they coexist and share resources. To investigate attitudes and opinions of the human population towards human-Andean bear ( Tremarctos ornatus ) conflicts in two indigenous Aymara communities, Chunavi and Lambate, Bolivia, semi-structured interviews were directed to an adult member of families in the communities

world (pp. 81–83). The royal rooster has become a commodity and suffers at human hands. The actual costs of factory farmed chicken are hidden by keeping consumers unaware of the inhumane treatment of the chickens, the workers, the farmers who work as sharecroppers living below the poverty line, and the manure that pollutes land and water, leading to dead zones at sea (pp. 84–85). A central problem

Research in historical ethnobiology can provide information about little known and seemingly insignificant practices in the past. The utilization of insect products as a foodstuff is a rare custom in Europe and data on this practice are scarce. From Nordic countries, we have information about producing ant schnapps with the help of the red wood ant, Formica rufa L., which has been used both as a remedy

Fowler’s Biosocial Synchrony on Sumba is a subtle reminder for ethnobiologists/anthropologists to view indigenous beliefs and knowledge systems from the perspective of the respective communities. Are anthropologists also capable of adopting the perspectives of the non-living? Fowler answers her own question by employing what she calls a “manipulation of perspectives” to promote an understanding of

conservation. For example, Indigenous conceptualizations of plant domestication and diversification can potentiate multicultural conservation or participatory breeding efforts involving crop or crop wild relative diversity. Similarly vital to such efforts is the discussion of autobiology, or the “ethnobiology of us”, which comprises Chapter 4, in which readers are encouraged to explore the ethnobiological

Whether individuals hold static or dynamic worldviews underlies a number of contemporary controversies, including evolution/creationist debates, the reality of climate change, and application of treaty rights by Indigenous cultures. In this last case the debate is often framed in terms of whether or not Indigenous cultures are still using traditional methods when engaged in hunting, fishing, or harvesting

This paper draws from an ethnographic vignette of dynamite fishing in southeastern Tanzania. I consider the utility of participant observation as a method for examining ecologically destructive practices, especially in contexts where such activities are illegal or prohibited by conservation regulations. I raise self-reflexive critiques, internal to my home discipline of anthropology, and discuss the

provide a completely free publication venue for scholars: there is no cost to submit or publish an article, and all articles published are available free of charge through an open-access online platform and Creative Commons license. In a world where both reputable publishers and “predatory journals” (Beall’s List 2018; Bohannon 2013) seek often significant Article Processing Charges (APC) to enable

Humans have used and coexisted with cacti in arid regions of North and South America for thousands of years. Species of the family Cactaceae possess physiological adaptations to arid and semi-arid climates that have allowed them to be used as a resource throughout the year by traditional peoples. The objective of this review is to present information on the uses and management of species of Cactaceae

Ethnobiology has become increasingly concerned with applied and normative questions about biocultural diversity and the livelihoods of local communities. While this development has created new opportunities for connecting ethnobiological research with ecological and social sciences, it also raises questions about the role of cognitive perspectives in current ethnobiology. In fact, there are clear signs

The first chapter introduces the aims and methodological approach of the volume and presents crucial information on the site, its chronology, and its lengthy excavation history. The second chapter is dedicated to an overview and explanation of the two theoretical models that will be employed and integrated throughout the remainder of the text: behavioral ecology and resilience thinking. Behavioral

Folklore surrounding an abandoned cemetery located in Johnson County, Arkansas (a part of the Louisiana Purchase) suggested that it was used by early settlers. Historical records were combined with several dating techniques to determine the approximate time periods that Cedar Grove Cemetery was established and abandoned. Cores extracted from trees located adjacent to or on graves provided evidence

The author wants to "destigmatize" the concept of cultural diffusion and allow multiple specialists to discuss and consider the evidence for contact in a more creative way. Thus, Jett not only proposes the possibility of independent developments, but also hypothesizes that this diffusion is the result of contact between populations. I agree with Jett, both in the present and in the past, the transfer

Plants and plant names reflect this history. Bananas, for instance, are generally called by the East African name akondro (from Bantu kondo and variants), but also by the Malayo-Polynesian word fontsy, including a variant ontsy that comes from a south Sulawesi language (see p. 164 and the map on p. 158). Sometimes the latter names are used as modifiers of akondro, to name varieties. The term kida,

Domestication led to neoteny, tameness, and obedience, but broke the tight family life of the wolf. Modern dogs are bred to follow our orders—unlike wolves, they learn easily to follow pointing fingers— but live in amorphous groups, without the firm dominance of an alpha male and alpha female that one sees in wolf packs. Domestication has led more recently to elaboration of countless breeds of dogs

dating technology to sites in East Polynesia pointed toward considerably later settlement than many researchers had previously argued. Although Kirch initially was skeptical of these changes, he did come around to accepting the weight of the evidence. His straightforward discussion of this change, and the dating issues that still remain for Mangaia, truly represent what the internal correction mechanisms

Traditional foods of indigenous people are a potential untapped source for providing nutritious dietary options in the modern world. The rising popularity of indigenous foods such as amaranth in recent years suggests that these foods can become a popular part of a healthy diet in the United States. Traditional knowledge of indigenous people can form the basis for using wild food resources. This research

symbolic and sensory portals into the histories of peoples’ lives and of the community, spanning not only annual cycles of cultivation but also generations. This addresses her multi-layered research questions that ask how people at once cultivate crops, meaning, and memories within their agroforestry fields and also why traditional farming systems and ecological diversity have persisted in this place

Subsistence hunting is a key activity for indigenous Amazonian people. Traditional Tsimane’ bow hunting was strongly affected by the introduction of firearms over 30 years ago. Tsimane’ of Bolivia maintain traditional hunting techniques with bows and arrows, sometimes in conjunction with modern firearms. This study explores Tsimane' perceived costs and benefits of bow- versus gun-hunting. We consider

This article gives an account of the current status of ethnobiology in Ecuador. Our goal is a generalized diagnosis of Latin America’s ethnobiological research production, which portrays Ecuadorian ethnobiology as practically non-existent. We perform an updated search of online databases, using a range of keywords, to show that elements of an ethnobiological research program are indeed present in Ecuadorian

This research considers some of the uses and harvest protocols of one of the most important medicinal plants for Indigenous peoples throughout British Columbia, Vertarum viride (skookum root, green false hellebore, Indian poke, Indian hellebore). The medicinal qualities of V. viride are well respected given its equally powerful ability to paralyze and kill. Using botanical, ethnographic, ethnohistoric

The modern distribution of the western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) is discontinuous, with a historic but extirpated population in the Puget Sound region that was isolated from populations south along the Columbia River. To better understand this distribution, a review of the archaeological literature for the Puget Sound region was conducted to determine the prehistoric biogeography of the species

The southern Greek archaeological site of Franchthi Cave, with occupation dating from the Upper Paleolithic, remains the only site in southern Greece that both spans the shift from foraging to farming and has produced systematically recovered plant remains associated with this important transition in human prehistory. Previously reported archaeobotanical remains from the site derive exclusively from

Along the Peruvian north coast, many towns depend on fishing for subsistence. The adoption of technological innovations has facilitated the extraction of marine resources from the Pacific Ocean by Peruvian fishermen in recent years. However, some artisanal fishermen continue to rely on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to create sea vessels using botanical resources. This is the case of the fishing

The book begins with mythic beginnings, then moves to archaeology (with Mike Rousseau). A great deal of research is now available, showing long, steady development of technologically more complex cultures without dramatic changes. Salish speakers may have moved in from the coast about 5,000 years ago. There is then a very detailed account of the language. Secwépemctsín is one of the Interior Salish

Several scientific studies have reported that the sustainability of Traditional Knowledge (TK) is threatened by modernization. Plants of local pharmacopeias at the forefront of this phenomenon are those that are more discreet. Based on these observations, we focused on the case of a vernacular name attributed to a medicinal plant in Martinique: bwa kaka . It is reported in the literature as being highly

Agricultural diversification with neglected and underutilized species is a viable way to sustainably increase the productivity of agrosystems. Understanding the social, cultural, and ecological roles of these species is crucial for their promotion. White fonio (Digitaria exilis), a neglected cereal endemic to West African Sahelian countries, is recognized as a crop for the future due to its cultural

We evaluated current uses of wild mammals by indigenous and mestizo communities in Mexico by extracting data from 59 sources published or produced between 1987–2017, covering data from 240 localities and 3,905 questionnaires. We then calculated a Cultural Value Index (CVI) previously applied to plants to quantify resource use and assess the cultural significance of each mammal. A total of 82 species

This article focuses on anthropogenic fire as a form of disturbance that is having an unusually strong influence on landscapes in the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. One series of significant disturbance incidents was the Blue Ridge Complex, which was a dense cluster of wildfires that occurred during the fall of 2016. This article contains ethnographic information

collaboration between members of both societies. This MOU was approved by SoE and SOLAE and was signed on May 13, 2017 during the 40th Annual Meeting of the Society of Ethnobiology in Montreal, Canada. Following the elaboration of the SOLAE code, we began the process of implementing the code of ethics in collaboration with institutions and local people. As part of this initiative, and as a follow-up

What are the ethical challenges and opportunities for a household where one parent is Indigenous and the other not? This article uses events from one family history to explore how social and political contexts in both the country of Indigenous origin and the country of residence drive research ethics. It argues that research ethics for such parents should be framed within the ethics of transmitting

Verna: It wasn’t until I got home again that I realized how important the teachings were. I always had them with me, but I missed out on most of the teachings because I was sent away at a very young age to a residential school, and we were not allowed to speak our language; we weren’t allowed to practice any of our traditional ways of life. They were doing their best to change us. I thought I had lost

Recognition of the importance of biodiversity for global food security and the community food sustainability movement has helped increase awareness of seed rights. International treaties created to ensure the world’s access to seed biodiversity address access to seed banks for breeding purposes. Ethnobotanists are often required to deposit research plant specimens with government seed banks or herbariums

Ethical guidance for research involving Indigenous and traditional communities, cultural knowledge, and associated biological resources has evolved significantly over recent decades. Formal guidance for ethnobiological research has been thoughtfully articulated and codified in many helpful ways, including but by no means limited to the Code of Ethics of the International Society of Ethnobiology. We