Because of deforestation, forest degradation and climate change; range, phenophase and morphology and even biochemicals of indigenous medicinal plants have been changed. And this alteration could be spatially varied. It leads resultant changes in livelihood and indigenous medicines of mountain communities. Does GIS helpful in analysing the change in ethnomedicine of mountain? Which specific tools are more helpful in ethnobotany and ethnomedicine?
I think that it would be a useful tool in predicting future changes in medicinal plant usage and how these would further impact on plant species distribution and availability in these areas. It is already being used in this way. As climate change will impact on plant usage and availability in the future, these effects may not be immediately apparent. So to determine current trends & changes, nothing beats field work - getting out and surveying the species and talking to the traditional healers to determine trends.
Good question, this will facilitate to create long term information about the issue under the current problems specially the climate change.
GIS could be very useful in determing the effect of climate change on the spatio-temporal expansion of these species, but for studying the morphology and phenology field survey will be a more effective method.
Talking to the traditional healers won't help to serve your purpose. Rather, collection, chemical analysis of the species and comparison with any available baseline data will probe into the issue more deeply. Long time study is also essential to come to a definite conclusion, especially as far as the change in their chemical and healing properties are concerned.
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