Ethnobotanist Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an ethnobotanist. Feel free to use our ethnobotanist job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an ethnobotanist.
Who is an Ethnobotanist?
Ethnobotany, a branch of plant science that is more specialized than the rest, aims to unravel complex relationships between humans and plants. There are many uses that indigenous plants can be used for in different cultures. Plants are used for food, medicine, and shelter. They also serve as clothing, cosmetics, and religious rituals. Ethnobotany is gaining popularity due to conservation concerns as well as the increasing value of natural foods, medicines, and the public’s growing interest in it.
An ethnobotanist’s job is a mixture of the job of a traditional botanist and a cultural anthropologist. He or she dedicates their life to understanding the relationships between plants and cultures. It is easy to forget about the essential bond between humans, plants, and technology in our modern technological world. An ethnobotanist’s job is to study the history, meaning, and uses of plants in a particular culture. This helps to gain insight into the people and potentially discover new uses and properties of plants.
The most obvious connection between humans and plants is through the use of plants as food. However, this is not the only reason that the world of flora can fulfill. Plants have been used by humans since ancient times for medicinal, dyeing, fabric, and building material purposes. Some tribes still have plants that are used for their spiritual and practical purposes.
To learn more about the use of plants in their culture, an ethnobotanist might try to get initiation or acceptance from a tribe. It is not as easy as it appears, because tribal wisdom is often tightly guarded and protected. An ethnobotanist may need to build trust and interact with tribal elders before they are allowed to learn traditional plant use. In some cases, an ethnobotanist might choose to apprentice to a tribal chief shaman for many years to gain knowledge and lore.
Ethnobotany experts believe that one of the main goals of ethnobotany is to understand the symbolic and mythological significance of certain plants. Understanding the psychological relationships between a culture’s special plants and its culture can help us understand society. It’s not difficult to see the human-plant connection even in traditional mythology. The mandrake root and Paris, the golden apples, and even the frankincense that was given to Jesus upon his birth are all examples of the symbolic significance of plants to a culture.
Modern medicine is accepting alternative medicine such as herbology as it becomes clear how important plants are in medical treatment. Many consider Richard Evans Schultes to be the greatest ethnobotanist of the 20th century. He is responsible for cataloging thousands of plants.
When new modes of transportation made it possible to travel longer distances, anthropology was separated from botany in the 19th century. Many of the greatest botanical gardens were established in this century with plants from other countries. A skilled ethnobotanist could make a fortune collecting new plants from all over the globe. The term ethnobotanist was first used in 1895 when ethnobotanists began to combine their work with cultural anthropologists. By studying the cultures that used these plants for thousands of years, it was possible to gain insight into both the plants as well as the people.
Ethnobotanists work outdoors and observe how different cultures use their plants. To learn more about the uses of certain plants, field ethnobotanists often travel to exotic and isolated locations such as tropical forests. Scientists often conduct extensive research on the local people and native plants before embarking upon field expeditions. Ethoethnobotanists spend a lot of time with local people once they arrive on the ground. They learn about the spiritual and practical aspects of hundreds upon species of plants. They report in detail their findings and carefully collect samples of plants for analysis.
To determine if a plant can be useful for humanity, laboratory ethnobotanists examine the chemical and physical characteristics of various plants. To conduct precise experiments on plants, pollen, and tissues, experts combine ethnobotany with laboratory science. Ethnobotanical research may lead to the development of new pharmaceuticals or dietary supplements. Researchers at biotechnology firms, cosmetics factories, food science institutions, and other institutions often use ethnobotany’s principles.
Many ethnobotanists are educated in history, anthropology, sociology, medicine, and botany. To be able to effectively perform field and laboratory work, ethnobotanists must have a wide knowledge base. They often use anthropological principles to objectively assess a society’s use of indigenous plants and then apply their ecology knowledge for promoting botanical conservation, protection, and awareness to a wider audience.
Ethnobotanists are in high demand. They can be found both in the field and in the laboratory. Ethnobotanists have become prominent figures in conservation and are also experts in restoring forests and ecosystems. There is also a growing trend worldwide to use natural herbal remedies instead of modern, artificial medicines. Research and development of natural medicines and food products will continue to be influenced by the expertise of ethnobotanists.
Ethnobotanist Job Description
Below are the ethnobotanist job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an ethnobotanist job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of an ethnobotanist include the following:
- Recognizing new species of fauna and flora by studying their physical characteristics as well as their geographic location.
- Researching in the fields of ecology, genetics, and evolution, conservation biology.
- Measuring plants’ growth to determine the effects of different conditions on plant growth
- Conserving and maintaining the greenhouses or laboratories where samples are kept or studied
- Collecting specimens from plants, algae, and fungi. For study in laboratories or herbariums.
- Conducting and performing laboratory tests to determine the chemical composition of plants or their physiological response to environmental stimuli
- Diagnosing and recommending treatment options
- Preparing reports and presenting research findings at professional conferences
- Conducting experimental or field studies to test hypotheses about plant growth and development.
- Researching on the study of plants and their environment, relationships, traits, and other processes.
- Engaging in fieldwork processes like collecting and testing plant samples and making observations.
- Testing the effects of weather, pests, and other issues on different species of plants.
- Analyzing plant responses, and reporting on possible trends, benefits, or concerns.
- Encouraging desirable traits in plants by the process of breeding
- Assisting with disaster relief following floods, droughts, and other environmental issues.
- Working with other ethnobotanists, students, and team members to achieve project goals
- Managing research group members.
The following are other important tasks:
- Ethnobotanical Fieldwork
An ethnobotanist’s core job is fieldwork. Fieldwork involves traveling to remote locations around the globe to live with indigenous people, collecting plant specimens, and learning about plant lore. It is a challenging task because it requires language skills and cultural awareness to persuade people to share their knowledge. The ethnobotanist must do extensive research before he can begin fieldwork.
- Prevention of the Loss of Plant Knowledge
An ethnobotanist’s primary responsibility is to preserve plant knowledge. In many places around the globe, the valuable plant knowledge of indigenous peoples is in danger of becoming irretrievably lost. Many of these plants may contain pharmacologically effective compounds that could lead to new medicines. Ethnobotanists are required to catalog and publish the fieldwork they do and make it available to future generations of scientists.
- Teaching
While not all ethnobotanists work at academic institutions, many do. They often have teaching responsibilities while they aren’t on fieldwork. In most cases, their teaching responsibilities include teaching one or two classes and acting as an advisor for a few graduate students.
Qualifications
Ethnobotanists work in remote areas, so they must be able to handle extreme weather and primitive conditions. They need to build trust with the people they are observing. Ethnobotanists need to be able to endure long hours in the field collecting specimens and taking notes.
Education Requirements
The National Health Museum stated that ethnobotanists usually have a background in biology or botany, but may do supplemental graduate work in other disciplines, including anthropology, archeology, linguistics, history, and sociology. Many have a master’s degree or doctoral degree. Many schools offer both undergraduate and graduate programs in botany. However, a few programs in ethnobotany are also offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
A bachelor’s degree in botany offers coursework in plant structure, alga and fungi interactions, plant-insect interactions, and ecology. While most ethnobotany programs include similar coursework, students can also study the sociology of religion and field methods in ethnography. The graduate programs in botany offer a more detailed study of the same topics as undergraduate botany programs. Graduate students in ethnobotany focus on field research preparation and project development. Data analysis is also a major part of their studies.
This occupation requires a college degree in botany, biology, or ethnobotany. Ethnobotanists must be able and willing to work outdoors in all weather conditions, as well as able to communicate with people from different cultures.
Essential Skills
An ethnobotanist must be a professional and honest person, with a lot of patience and vast scientific and general knowledge.
Technically, his knowledge should cover all aspects of plant biology, genetics, and chemistry. He must be proficient in computer and statistical tools, and fluent in English since the university environment encourages international exchanges. The ethnobotanist gains the ability to write in specialized journals and can communicate his findings through publications.
Ethnobotanists must acquire knowledge and skills before going for fieldwork. Additional skills can be acquired in the management and making of herbarium collections.
The key to anatomical and taxonomic skills is collecting plant specimens. Making herbarium, however, is the easiest method for ethnobotanists to collect and document specimens.
How to Become an Ethnobotanist
There are many ways to become an ethnobotanist. Each requires a college education, and some require advanced degrees. It takes hard work and dedication to become an ethnobotanist, but it is well worth the effort once you have completed your education. An ethnobotanist can be trained in a variety of fields depending on their interests, such as pharmaceuticals or anthropology.
Ethnobotany studies the relationship between humans, plants, and animals. This field is large and often poorly defined. It includes topics like plants used in traditional healing by tribe peoples, history agriculture, superstitious beliefs regarding plants, dyes that can be used, textiles used, etc. Because of its size, ethnobotanists can take a variety of approaches to ethnobotany.
There are a few colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees in this field, but more schools offer graduate-level programs for ethnobotanists. If you are interested in a particular topic, such as the discovery and use of pharmaceuticals by native peoples or the use of plants by them, you can search the types of courses offered by different ethnobotany programs, as well the faculty research.
A student can also create a customized degree in ethnobotany through collaboration with college staff and faculty advisors. An individual can become an ethnobotanist by studying anthropology, sociology, and molecular biology. This tactic is available to interested students.
Students should think about internships in ethnobotany while they are studying. If you are interested in becoming an ethnobotanist, you can start your journey by working as a summer researcher with active ethnobotanists. This will allow you to help catalog botanical collections and learn about the lives of tribal people. This experience can also prove to be valuable if the student is looking for a job in the field. He/she might be able to turn a summer internship into an actual career or use the work experience to impress a potential employer.
Where to Work
- Research
Ethnobotanists are often involved in research. This is where most ethnobotany masters are employed. Both state and private scientific institutes hire researchers. You must have a passion for scientific investigation and laboratory work if you want to be a researcher.
- Natural reserve
For nature conservation, species experts are vital. Only those who are knowledgeable about the different plant species can help determine which ones are at risk. Ethnobotanists are vital in protecting species’ biodiversity as it is declining due to climate change.
- Educational field
A degree in ethnobotany can be used to teach in schools and a doctorate at university. You can also work as a museum guide.
- Food, agriculture, and horticulture
Agriculture and the food industry offer many employment opportunities. Biological knowledge is used in agriculture to improve food crops. Ethnobotanists work to improve the resilience of plants so that they can produce good yields without pesticides.
Ethnobotanist Salary Scale
The average salary that an Ethnobotanist earns in the United States is $64,000.