Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Ethnobotany
Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Ethnobotany
Session Type:
Oral
Session Date and Time:
Thursday, 21 May, 2026 - 09:00 to 10:40
Presentations
Abstract
09:00
Presentation Format:
Oral (in-person)
Tobaccos were major smoking ingredients for Native Americans in precolonial times that were employed for ceremonial, spiritual, medicinal and recreational purposes. Of the 15 species of Nicotiana growing in Northern America today, 9 are native. Three species migrated northward and eastward with human assistance. Eight of the species have been identified as being of ethnobotanical importance as since the 1900s (Moerman 1999) while ambiguous “tobaccos” were reported earlier. Based on field notes, herbarium collections and ethnobotanical specimens collected by Edward Palmer (1829–1911), the taxonomic documentation of ethnobotanically important species has been extended back to the mid-19th century. In addition, Palmer's specimens were the basis for the taxonomic descriptions of three of “newly discovered” species. He documented the substitution of native species by the commercial N. tabacum during this period. This example illustrates the importance of voucher specimens and archival sources in historical ethnobotanical studies.
09:20
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
The municipalities of Preševo (Albanian: Preshevë), Bujanovac (Bujanocë), and Medveđa (Medvegjë) in southern Serbia, bordering Kosovo and North Macedonia, show considerable biological and cultural diversity. The present study documents traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and compares plant-use practices between Albanian and Serbian communities. TEK were collected using semi-structured interviews with 203 informants (126 Albanians and 77 Serbs). A total of 135 plant taxa were documented: 59 used by both communities, 41 unique to Albanians, and 35 to Serbs. The most frequently cited species were Urtica dioica, Hypericum perforatum, Plantago major, Matricaria chamomilla, and Tilia cordata, which play central roles in healthcare for anti-inflammatory, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and general health purposes. While some medicinal plant uses overlap, differences in species selection, preparation, and plant uses reflect specific cultural and historical backgrounds. This study highlights the rich TEK of southeastern Europe and the importance of preserving it for healthcare and cultural sustainability.
09:40
Presentation Format:
Oral (in-person)
For at least the past two millennia, indigenous people spanning the Andes to Mexico have developed traditions of matting the phloem fibers of certain trees through beating to make textiles (i.e., barkcloth). As posited (but untested) by ethnographer Victor von Hagen, literate Mesoamerican cultures, like the Aztecs and Mayans, soon coopted barkcloth for writing to yield amate, a paper analog. Prior to Spanish colonization, both barkcloth and amate were made at scale, but in the five centuries since, both have become severely endangered and are now practiced in single villages lacking mutual contact. Furthermore, although both traditions have evolved in response to cultural, environmental, and economic forces, few updates have been published in the last two decades. Here, we present 1) updates on current practice of amate and barkcloth manufacture; 2) use of contemporary cultural exchange to test von Hagen’s hypothesis; and 3) strategies for their holistic biocultural conservation.
10:00
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
Although traditional knowledge holders are often highly skilled in identifying numerous biological organisms, Indigenous means of identification are rarely studied (Berlin et al. 1974; Jernigan 2006; Sõukand & Kalle 2010). To reduce this gap, I analyze interactions between Abui plant knowledge holders, their apprentices, and the plants themselves recorded on forest walks on Alor Island, Indonesia. I employ a cognitive framework comprising three components: detection (recognizing individual organisms’ boundaries), matching (linking organisms to mental representations), and labeling (recalling taxon names). I find that in this community, similar to others in Eastern Indonesia (cf. Ellen 2023), plant identification proceeds in an iterative, collaborative, multi-sensory manner. Furthermore, Abui knowledge holders generally assume that detection and matching are “obvious”; they emphasize teaching of plant names, and ecological and use information, over explicit instruction of physical characteristics. This research indicates that Indigenous identification methods themselves may be a form of endangered knowledge requiring attention.
10:20
Presentation Format:
Oral (in-person)
Ergot is known by many names, Claviceps purpurea (Latin) is the most common smut, found parasitizing grain crops of rye and wheat. Lesser known species of Claviceps parasitize other grains, including Claviceps zizaniae (wild rice smut) grows on the host plants Zizania palustris and Zizania aquatica. All species of ergot produce a colorful sclerotia that grow in place of the grain it parasitizes, and can easily get into the food harvest and production systems. These fungi produce powerful vasoconstriction, indusing loss of sensation and blood flow to extremities (known as St. Anthony's Fire or Ergotism), and can result in necrosis and tissue death. Amazingly, the chemistry (ergot alkaloids) of this smut has become managed into pharmaceutical medicines harnessing the powers of vasoconstriction to treat migraines (Cafergot) and child birth hemoraging (Ergometrine). Chemical analysis of Michigan samples of smut from wild rice populations were analyzed for ergot alkaloid contents.
Presentations
| Abstract | |
|---|---|
| 09:00 |
Presentation Format:
Oral (in-person)
Tobaccos were major smoking ingredients for Native Americans in precolonial times that were employed for ceremonial, spiritual, medicinal and recreational purposes. Of the 15 species of Nicotiana growing in Northern America today, 9 are native. Three species migrated northward and eastward with human assistance. Eight of the species have been identified as being of ethnobotanical importance as since the 1900s (Moerman 1999) while ambiguous “tobaccos” were reported earlier. Based on field notes, herbarium collections and ethnobotanical specimens collected by Edward Palmer (1829–1911), the taxonomic documentation of ethnobotanically important species has been extended back to the mid-19th century. In addition, Palmer's specimens were the basis for the taxonomic descriptions of three of “newly discovered” species. He documented the substitution of native species by the commercial N. tabacum during this period. This example illustrates the importance of voucher specimens and archival sources in historical ethnobotanical studies. |
| 09:20 |
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
The municipalities of Preševo (Albanian: Preshevë), Bujanovac (Bujanocë), and Medveđa (Medvegjë) in southern Serbia, bordering Kosovo and North Macedonia, show considerable biological and cultural diversity. The present study documents traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and compares plant-use practices between Albanian and Serbian communities. TEK were collected using semi-structured interviews with 203 informants (126 Albanians and 77 Serbs). A total of 135 plant taxa were documented: 59 used by both communities, 41 unique to Albanians, and 35 to Serbs. The most frequently cited species were Urtica dioica, Hypericum perforatum, Plantago major, Matricaria chamomilla, and Tilia cordata, which play central roles in healthcare for anti-inflammatory, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and general health purposes. While some medicinal plant uses overlap, differences in species selection, preparation, and plant uses reflect specific cultural and historical backgrounds. This study highlights the rich TEK of southeastern Europe and the importance of preserving it for healthcare and cultural sustainability. |
| 09:40 |
Presentation Format:
Oral (in-person)
For at least the past two millennia, indigenous people spanning the Andes to Mexico have developed traditions of matting the phloem fibers of certain trees through beating to make textiles (i.e., barkcloth). As posited (but untested) by ethnographer Victor von Hagen, literate Mesoamerican cultures, like the Aztecs and Mayans, soon coopted barkcloth for writing to yield amate, a paper analog. Prior to Spanish colonization, both barkcloth and amate were made at scale, but in the five centuries since, both have become severely endangered and are now practiced in single villages lacking mutual contact. Furthermore, although both traditions have evolved in response to cultural, environmental, and economic forces, few updates have been published in the last two decades. Here, we present 1) updates on current practice of amate and barkcloth manufacture; 2) use of contemporary cultural exchange to test von Hagen’s hypothesis; and 3) strategies for their holistic biocultural conservation. |
| 10:00 |
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
Although traditional knowledge holders are often highly skilled in identifying numerous biological organisms, Indigenous means of identification are rarely studied (Berlin et al. 1974; Jernigan 2006; Sõukand & Kalle 2010). To reduce this gap, I analyze interactions between Abui plant knowledge holders, their apprentices, and the plants themselves recorded on forest walks on Alor Island, Indonesia. I employ a cognitive framework comprising three components: detection (recognizing individual organisms’ boundaries), matching (linking organisms to mental representations), and labeling (recalling taxon names). I find that in this community, similar to others in Eastern Indonesia (cf. Ellen 2023), plant identification proceeds in an iterative, collaborative, multi-sensory manner. Furthermore, Abui knowledge holders generally assume that detection and matching are “obvious”; they emphasize teaching of plant names, and ecological and use information, over explicit instruction of physical characteristics. This research indicates that Indigenous identification methods themselves may be a form of endangered knowledge requiring attention. |
| 10:20 |
Presentation Format:
Oral (in-person)
Ergot is known by many names, Claviceps purpurea (Latin) is the most common smut, found parasitizing grain crops of rye and wheat. Lesser known species of Claviceps parasitize other grains, including Claviceps zizaniae (wild rice smut) grows on the host plants Zizania palustris and Zizania aquatica. All species of ergot produce a colorful sclerotia that grow in place of the grain it parasitizes, and can easily get into the food harvest and production systems. These fungi produce powerful vasoconstriction, indusing loss of sensation and blood flow to extremities (known as St. Anthony's Fire or Ergotism), and can result in necrosis and tissue death. Amazingly, the chemistry (ergot alkaloids) of this smut has become managed into pharmaceutical medicines harnessing the powers of vasoconstriction to treat migraines (Cafergot) and child birth hemoraging (Ergometrine). Chemical analysis of Michigan samples of smut from wild rice populations were analyzed for ergot alkaloid contents. |