Ethnobotany –


(3 credits)

This course will focus on the connection between plants and culture. Topics will include plant physiology and usage, environmental adaptations, traditional botanical knowledge, methods in ethnobotanical study, domesticated plants and agricultural techniques.

Traditional Botanical Knowledge

  • Describe the main areas of ethnobotanical investigation.
  • Analyze how humans benefit from plant adaptations.
  • Describe the sources and dissemination of botanical knowledge.

Methods in Ethnobotany

  • Evaluate methods used in modern ethnobotanical research.
  • Describe methods used to gather paleoethnobotanical evidence.
  • Determine the ethical consequences of bioprospecting.

Ethnobotany and Subsistence Living

  • Explain strategies used by traditional cultures to manage wild plants for food, forage, and fuel.
  • Apply ethnoecology and traditional agricultural practices to conventional techniques.
  • Evaluate traditional agroforestry methods.
  • Identify plant species used in subsistence living.

Phytochemistry and Plant Use Management

  • Summarize the major plant compounds and their uses in subsistence activities.
  • Compare the benefits of medical ethnobotany and enthnopharmacology.
  • Identify plant species with medicinal value.
  • Assess the factors that influence traditional plant use and management.

Conservation and Ethnobotany

  • Examine biodiversity and biocultural conservation issues.
  • Design an ecological and economic sustainability strategy.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of land management approaches.

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