Ecosystem resilience refers to the adaptive capacity of an ecosystem, the ability to recover from disturbances and to adapt to change. Eyzaguirre and Linares (2004) consider resilience to be a key feature of home garden agroecosystems. [JG]

Endogeneity is a term used by economists (especially in econometrics) to describe situations in which key variables are at least partially determined by other variables in the system. An ethnobotanical example is given by Reyes et al. (2005): “people with less plant knowledge may have decided to move farther from the market town, and people with particular unobserved abilities may be more likely to learn about plants and gravitate toward (or move away from) the market. Still another source of endogeneity could stem from classic measurement errors of the variables involved.” (page 654). She notes that “all the variables that serve as proxies for integration into the market are potentially endogenous because we cannot control for unobserved heterogeneity in subject endowments and preferences”. (page 653). [GJM]

Ethnomedical formulary are the prescriptions and methods of preparation and delivery used in ethnomedicine. These techniques are considered the “essence of tradition.” Preparation affects the chemicals that are released and the bioavailability, absorption, and effect of ethnobotanicals. Preparation with water, distillation, and evaporation all produce different affects as does oral ingestion and topical application. Knowledge about preparation is essential in order for laboratory scientists to be able to replicate the chemical composition of ethnopharmacological treatments. [KM]

Ethnomedical glossaries are native language glossaries that provide brief statements about the “key distinguishing characteristics” of various health conditions. These definitions can be generated by asking informants to explain how one knows that he or she is really suffering from illness x. [KM]