Mechanisms of ethnobiological classifications

摘要

The paper describes different categories in ethnobiological classification, such as linguistic, hierarchical, utilitarian, morphological, ecological, spiritual, behavioural and sensory perceptions. It is not intended to justify which is the best but to analyse the role of each of these in ethnobiological classification. Linguistic and related approaches highlight ethnobiological and taxonomic principles that are marginally influenced by people's needs. This linguistic category is restricted to individual cultures as people's languages differ and is also restricted within ecological/domain contexts, and therefore could not be universal, which parallels the view of several ethnobiologists. We propose that the mechanistic categories in ethnic classification involve cultural interest and ecological, morphological and sensory perceptions. Indigenous people's knowledge in classifying or grouping plants or animals, is very efficient and robust. These mechanistic categories also have sub-categories based on useon-use, domestic/wild, edible/ inedible, etc. It is believed that the mechanistic categories in ethnobiological classifications will have global relevance.