Harnessing synergies between botany education research and ethnobotany to improve understanding of plant awareness

Abstract

Societal Impact Statement: Strengthening the relationships between humans and plants can restore people's experience of nature and ultimately counteract the widespread loss of biodiversity. In this opinion article, we argue that much potential for understanding and increasing human–plant relationships lies untapped, because of a lack of cross-fertilisation between two disciplines central to this endeavour: botany education research and ethnobotany. In particular, the knowledge systems, study sites, research methods and ways of learning addressed by the two disciplines lack integration. We provide concrete suggestions on how interdisciplinary cooperation between botany education researchers and ethnobotanists can strengthen understanding of plant awareness and human–plant interrelationships. Summary: Botany education research has developed the concept of plant awareness, while ethnobotany has explored dimensions of it already independently. Yet, cross-fertilisations between educational research and ethnobotany are rare. In this article, we explore the similarities and differences between the two disciplines and highlight cooperation potential to seize synergies for better understanding plant awareness. We find that the two disciplines are largely complementary, with much cooperation potential for innovating plant awareness research through (i) acknowledgement of indigenous and local knowledge systems, (ii) expansion of study sites and populations, (iii) adoption of research methods that are sensitive to culture and place, and (iv) recognition of the contribution of out-of-school learning. We argue that botany education researchers and ethnobotanists are the logical allies for joint research endeavours to understand plant awareness. Such cooperation bears strong potential to bring forward innovative results, which ultimately inform efforts to strengthen the relationships between humans and plants.