XVI International Botanical Congess

The range of local ethno-ecological knowledge in 3 Amerindian communities in Guyana is being researched as part of a larger project exploring the functional ecology of anthropogenic forests. Participatory rural appraisal methods are being combined with ethno-botanical and botanical surveys of forest resources. The research focuses on knowledge of ecologically significant processes (phenology, pollination, seed dispersal and predation) and on the effects of human activities. Preliminary results indicate that while there is a core of ethno-ecological knowledge, with uneven distribution between different socio-cultural groups with considerable disparities between informants on some issues. The implications of uneven distribution and disparities in knowledge are discussed with respect to its usefulness as a source of ecological information.