Maffi reviews the background for the research of biocultural diversity that has arisen over the past decade, reviewing the history and philosophical and ethical support that lays the ground for this relatively new term and subject. Through a survey of key literature on biocultural diversity, the author describes how the increasing recognition of the value of ecological knowledge and practices of indigenous people and the simultaneous connection between linguistic, cultural and biological diversity has led to an increased interest of biocultural diversity. In particular, she highlights several literary works that have helped promote the interest in conserving biocultural diversity and have attracted the attention of conservation organizations and other international agencies. She concludes with a discussion of the future prospects of the field of biocultural diversity, calling for greater contributions to the measurement and assessment of biocultural diversity to come from linguistics, and that the field needs an opportunity to better define its theoretical and philosophical assumptions, its research questions, its methodologies, and its overall goals.

Prepared by EvaLotta Nordqvist, student of Ethnobotany, Uppsala University, 2007