This dissertation research project in ecological anthropology will support a Spanish speaking cultural anthropologist for extended research on the knowledge about and use of Sabal palm trees in the Maya area of Yucatan, Mexico. These palms have been used domestically for at least 1000 years. Using archival, ecological, and ethnographic methods the investigator will analyze the systematic knowledge and current practices of the people using palm trees, and compare that to practices of previous populations. The study will compare information from three communities. The study will provide empirical evidence of interest to all research fields dealing with human-nature interactions. It will contribute to the growing body of knowledge of tropical forest environments, and could potentially be useful to development planners of settlements in similar environments.
