Ethnobotany and Plant Diversity: Conservation and Sustainable Use
A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Diversity".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 267
Special Issue Editor
Interests: ethnobotany; plant diversity; plant taxonomy; conservation status; plant cytogenetics; palynology; plant anatomy; phytogeography; plant tissue culture; phytochemistry
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue focuses on the integration of ethnobotanical knowledge and plant diversity research to promote the conservation and sustainable utilization of plant resources. Ethnobotany serves as a vital bridge between cultural heritage and biodiversity science, documenting how human societies—particularly indigenous and local communities—use and manage plants for food, medicine, rituals, construction, and other aspects of daily life. Such traditional knowledge not only reflects deep ecological understanding but also provides valuable guidance for modern conservation and sustainable development strategies. The rapid loss of biodiversity, coupled with cultural erosion and environmental change, poses serious challenges to the preservation of both plant resources and traditional knowledge systems. Exploring the interactions between people and plants offers critical insights into sustainable management practices and biocultural conservation. This Special Issue therefore invites original research, reviews, and case studies that explore the roles of ethnobotany in understanding, conserving, and sustainably utilizing plant diversity at the local, regional, and global levels.
Topics of interest include plant diversity assessment and documentation, traditional plant use and management, the conservation of rare and endemic species, biocultural approaches to sustainability, and the integration of ethnobotanical data with modern technologies such as GIS, molecular analysis, and ecological modeling. By synthesizing perspectives from ethnobotany, ecology, and conservation biology, this Special Issue aims to strengthen the scientific foundation for biodiversity conservation and encourage the responsible, sustainable use of plant resources. The ultimate goal is to enhance ecological resilience, preserve cultural identity, and ensure that both biological and cultural diversity are maintained for the benefit of present and future generations.
Dr. Surapon Saensouk
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- ethnobotany
- plant diversity
- plant taxonomy
- conservation status
- sustainable use
- plant cytogenetics
- palynology
- plant anatomy
- phytogeography
- plant tissue culture
- phytochemistry
- genetic diversity and molecular study
- morphological and molecular taxonomy
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