Ethnobotany and Biodiversity Conservation in South Africa
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 1410
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
South Africa is renowned for its exceptional plant diversity, showcasing a wealth of unique flora across its varied ecosystems. However, this rich biodiversity faces significant threats from habitat loss, climate change, and human activities. In modern times, ethnobotanical knowledge is increasingly contributing to biodiversity conservation efforts.
This Special Issue aims to explore the profound connections between indigenous communities and the plant life of South Africa. We invite scholars from anthropology, botany, ecology, and environmental science to submit their research and reviews. Key themes of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The role of indigenous knowledge in plant conservation, traditional uses of native species, and the impact of cultural practices on biodiversity preservation;
- The contribution of ethnobotany to documenting and conserving endangered species and ecosystems;
- The effects of climate change and land use changes on plant knowledge and practices;
- Challenges associated with integrating ethnobotanical knowledge into modern conservation initiatives.
We anticipate that this issue will deepen our comprehension regarding the cultural and ecological significance of South Africa’s plant diversity, contributing to the development of more inclusive and effective conservation strategies.
Prof. Dr. Johannes van Staden
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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
- plants biodiversity
- conservation
- South Africa
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