Recently, the Book Ethnobiology and Development in Asia: The Belt and Road Initiative, with the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIB/CAS) as the first author unit, has been officially published by Springer, a world-renowned academic publishing house. The eBook version of the book was launched on February 13, 2026.
Against the backdrop of global challenges including climate change, biodiversity loss and shifts in the international environment, this book is the first to focus on the dynamic interactions between humans, biota and the ecological environment in Asian regions along the Belt and Road from an ethnobiological perspective. Drawing on 49 case studies from 12 Asian countries including China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, and Tajikistan, it vividly illustrates how local communities have taken proactive actions in biodiversity conservation and cultural inheritance, and explored practical paths for the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature in response to socio-economic changes. The book clearly states that despite the unprecedented ecological, economic and social transformations facing human society, local communities have not waited passively; instead, they have continuously improved their livelihoods and actively safeguarded the biodiversity and ecological environment on which they depend through local wisdom and actions.
(Image by KIB)
Comprising two volumes, the book offers a comprehensive analysis of the human-nature relationship in Asia. Volume 1, featuring 32 case studies, depicts the mutually beneficial and reciprocal relationship between humans and nature across the vast geographical expanse of Asia from ancient times to the present—this enduring bond exists in the steep Himalayas, vast deserts, arid grasslands, humid montane forests and dense tropical rainforests. Volume 2, which examines history, the present and the future, presents 10 case studies demonstrating how the contemporary flow of biological resources and culture has enabled and sustained the mutually beneficial human-nature relationship across trade networks known as the Silk Road, the Belt and Road, or even unnamed routes. It emphasizes that the exchange, integration and innovation of biodiversity and cultural diversity have always been a powerful driving force for the development of human society. In addition, Volume 2 showcases 7 representative case studies that reveal how rural and urban communities strike a balance between short-term interests and long-term development, providing valuable explorations for the win-win coexistence of humans and between humans and nature.
This book embodies the wisdom and collaboration of 155 researchers and practitioners from 18 countries. It stands as a significant achievement of China in advancing high-quality international cooperation in the field of ethnobiology under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, and also highlights the unique value of ethnobiological knowledge in promoting biodiversity conservation and in-depth global exchanges.
The compilation and publication of the book have received support from projects funded by the Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Bureau of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Yunnan Province Science and Technology Department.
Book Cover (Image by KIB)
Contact:
YANG Mei
General Office
Kunming Institute of Botany, CAS
email: yangmei@mail.kib.ac.cn
(Editor: YANG Mei)
