Andrea Pieroni
Biographic Data
| ID | 630180 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Andrea Pieroni |
| GIVEN NAMES | Andrea |
| FAMILY NAME | Pieroni |
| SIGNATURE | PIERONI A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Gastronomic Sciences |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2302-6380 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 138 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 705 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 136 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 2 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1999 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 16 |
Back-and-forth moribund ethnobotany: Erosion and fragmentation of Local Ecological Knowledge among Afghan returnees in contemporary Afghanistan and perspectives for an ethnobiology of the refugees
Autumn edible mushrooms’ euphoria in Dzūkija, SE Lithuania: Lessons to learn for an ethnobiology of situated and resilient forest practices
Dzūkija is the most heavily forested region of Lithuania, and foragers and ethnographers alike describe it as the country’s epicentre of mushroom enthusiasm. We interviewed 34 foragers there in October 2025 (20 women, 14 men; mean age 56 years) to ask why gathering fungi in this region is lived as a collective euphoria rather than as an ordinary subsistence chore, and how that intensity connects to cross-border trade. On the region’s sandy, pine-…
From the margins to the core: Village and community scientists should increasingly shape the future of ethnobiology and ethnoecology
Ethnobiology was not only created as a field to understand the relationship between humans and their environments; it emerged from direct engagement with rural and Indigenous communities. Yet the great paradox is that, despite its field-based origins, the discipline continues to be reproduced within urban academic spaces that often exclude those who are assumed to be at the very heart of knowledge production. In this editorial, we do not simply p…
Plants, people and their shared heritage: A comparative medicinal and wild food ethnobotany of Albanians, Greeks and Aromanians living in the Gjirokaster area, southern Albania
Societal Impact Statement Traditional knowledge about wild plants connects people to nature and sustains both cultural identity and biodiversity. This study explores how cultural exchange among Albanians, Greeks and Aromanians in southern Albania shapes the use and naming of medicinal and food plants. By revealing how linguistic and social interactions influence local ecological knowledge, the research highlights the adaptability of human–plant r…
Engaging Indigenous Peoples and local communities in global policy development for the conservation and sustainable use of wild food plants
Wild Food Plants (WFPs) are edible species that grow without cultivation in forests, grasslands, field margins, and other natural and semi-natural spaces. They play a central role in the traditional food systems of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IP&LCs) and have significant nutritional and nutraceutical value. Despite the importance of Indigenous knowledge and local practices in the stewardship of WFPs, IP&LCs have largely been under-r…
When minority language persistence is not enough: The decline of foraging knowledge in German- and Ladin-speaking Alpine communities of Northern Italy
Local ecological knowledge is an essential element of the Alpine biocultural diversity and is often linked to minority languages. However, its continuity does not necessarily correspond to the persistence of these languages. This study investigates how knowledge of wild plants (and mushrooms) is transmitted and transformed among three minority-language communities in the Italian Alps: Cimbrian, Mòcheno, and Ladin speakers. Ethnobotanical data wer…
Searching for a ghost?! The vain ethnobotany of foraging in three coastal Mediterranean areas
This paper explores the erosion of foraging-related ethnobotanical knowledge in three coastal Mediterranean areas: Gozo Island (Malta), Kasos Island (Greece), and the Castagniccia region of Corsica Island (France). Based on recent ethnobotanical fieldwork between the summer of 2023 and the spring of 2025 in the three study areas, we document the few remaining wild vegetable uses in each region and contextualise the absence of robust LEK linked to…
Displacement threatens local knowledge: Plant foraging in a cross-cultural context in the Gomal area, NW Pakistan
In the context of human displacement, it is essential to study how local knowledge is reshaped, eroded, or transformed. This study sheds light on how wild plant reports are articulated after migration, retained, and kept; the research explores specifically the ethnobotanical knowledge linked to wild food plants of five ethnic communities, namely the Bettani, Ormur, Mehsud, and Miani populations living in the Gomal area of NW Pakistan, of which th…
Why and how often urban people buy food at farmers’ markets: Insights from Moldova
Purpose The main objective of this study is to understand the factors behind the shift in consumer behaviour in Moldova. In this country, buying food directly from farmers in farmers’ markets is declining in favour of supermarkets and online purchases. This trend is particularly noticeable amongst the younger generation. Supporting small producers and local farmers requires an understanding of consumers’ drivers, attitudes and changing intentions…
Commons are cared for: Coexistence between humans and wild birds on the island of Kihnu, Estonia
Local knowledge is an essential dimension of humanity's relationship with the environment. Investigating the interdependence between humans and wild birds holds value in fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with avian populations. Gathering bird eggs is a significant practice for Kihnu islanders in Estonia. There are very few studies of this age‐old, complex knowledge that assess the topic from the perspective of the local community. This…
A Hidden Bio-Cultural Erosion? Mountain Marginalization and the Resilience of Traditional Environmental Knowledge Among Pomaks in the Greek-Bulgarian Rhodopes
From Tradition to the Digital Age: The Evolution of Foraging in Slovenia
Wild plant foraging has experienced a resurgence in Slovenia, with foraging educators—namely individuals who organize workshops, courses, or similar activities about foraging—playing a crucial role in knowledge transfer and community building. This study explores how foraging knowledge is obtained, shared, and shaped by foraging educators. We conducted semi-structured interviews via Zoom with 31 Slovenian foraging educators between June and Augus…
Diachronic changes in local food heritage: The ethnobiology of wild foods in central Tuscany
Plural and commoning? Forecasting four scenarios for ethnobiology and ethnomedicine by 2035
Food resilience and adaptation on the move: The importance of fostering studies on the Romani local knowledge systems
Not "just necessity"? Two-x-eco-cultural dilemmas and the ethnobiological importance of the informal grannies' markets in Moldova
Informal food markets, particularly those managed by (elderly) women in post-communist Eastern Europe, represent a biocultural phenomenon of profound significance since globalisation and increasingly strict legal frameworks often threaten these reservoirs of biocultural food heritage. In the fall of 2022 and 2023, a preliminary field study was conducted by visiting the informal markets of six Moldovan centres: Chișinău, Orhei, Bălți, Călărași, Co…
The ecology of plant ingredients, food heritage, and adaptation among Syrian, Afghan, and Egyptian Coptic diasporas in Northwestern Italy
This research underscores the dynamic relationship between migration and food, highlighting how culinary practices serve as a site of both cultural preservation and adaptation in diaspora contexts
The shifting dynamics of plant and mushroom foraging in Kashmir
The commodification and mobility of food ingredients have altered local practices, particularly in preparing Dryopteris, Diplazium, Pteridium, and Morchella. Preserving biocultural heritage and promoting sustainable foraging practices can enhance economic growth, food security, and rural development by safeguarding plant knowledge and encouraging commercial cultivation
Foraging Educators as Vectors of Environmental Knowledge in Europe
Widely accessible education on edible wild plants is increasingly in demand as more people search for ways to explore wild culinary uses. Despite this growing trend of nature exploration, few scholars have investigated the contribution of this new mode of engagement to human–nature connection and pro-environmental attitudes. Therefore, this research aims to explore the societal role of such foraging educators. Through convenience and snowball sam…
Knowledge in motion: Temporal dynamics of wild food plant use in the Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian border region
Background Understanding how Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) evolves over time is crucial for fostering social and environmental responsibility. This study aims to develop a conceptual model of plant knowledge circulation, providing insights into the temporal dynamics of LEK in the Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian border region. It explores the key patterns and driving forces behind changes in the use of wild plants for food. Methods Field research …
Advancing ethnobiology for the ecological transition and a more inclusive and just world: A Comprehensive Framework for the Next 20 Years
This opinion piece, written by ethnobiologists from different parts of the world, emphasizes the importance of ethnobiology research in advancing contemporary biology, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and, especially, contributing to the ecological transition and more just and inclusive world. To achieve these goals, it is essential to develop research and collaborate with social groups that live in…
The nexus between ecology of foraging and food security: Cross-cultural perceptions of wild food plants in Kashmir Himalaya
The older age group has more knowledge about WFPs compared to the younger generation, who are not interested in learning about the utilization of WFPs. This lack of interest in information about WFPs among the younger generation can be attributed to their limited access to markets and availability of food plants in the study area. Traditional gathering of food plants has been reduced in younger generations during recent years; therefore, it is cr…
Foraging for the future: Traditional culinary uses of wild plants in the Western Himalayas-Kashmir Valley (India)
Background In the intricate tapestry of food security, wild food species stand as pillars, nourishing millions in low-income communities, and reflecting the resilience and adaptability of human societies. Their significance extends beyond mere sustenance, intertwining with cultural traditions and local knowledge systems, underscoring the importance of preserving biodiversity and traditional practices for sustainable livelihoods. Methods The prese…
Standard medical ethnobotany of Kohistan, North Pakistan
Background This study was exclusively focused on the documentation and cross-cultural evaluation of ethnomedicinal knowledge (EMK) within the diverse linguistic groups of Kohistan situated between the Himalayan and Hindukush Mountain ranges in the north Pakistan. Methods Data were gathered during the field survey (May 2022 to July 2023) through group conversations, semi-structured interviews, and on-site observation. Venn diagrams were employed t…
Isolated Mediterranean foraging: Wild greens in the matrifocal community of Olympos, Karpathos Island, Greece
Welcome to Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine
Ethnobiology is a multidisciplinary field of study that draws on approaches and methods from both the social and biological sciences. Ethnobiology aims at investigating culturally based biological and environmental knowledge, cultural perception and cognition of the natural world, and associated behaviours and practices. Ethnomedicine is concerned with the cultural interpretations of health, disease and illness and also addresses the health care …
The importance of a taste. A comparative study on wild food plant consumption in twenty-one local communities in Italy
A comparative food ethnobotanical study was carried out in twenty-one local communities in Italy, fourteen of which were located in Northern Italy, one in Central Italy, one in Sardinia, and four in Southern Italy. 549 informants were asked to name and describe food uses of wild botanicals they currently gather and consume. Data showed that gathering, processing and consuming wild food plants are still important activities in all the selected are…
Wild edible plants of Belarus: From Rostafiński's questionnaire of 1883 to the present
Background Belarus is an Eastern European country, which has been little studied ethnobotanically. The aim of the study was to compare largely unpublished 19th century sources with more contemporary data on the use of wild food plants. Methods The information on 19th century uses is based on twelve, mainly unpublished, responses to Józef Rostafiński's questionnaire from 1883, and the newly discovered materials of the ethnographer Michał Federowsk…
Cross-Cultural Ethnobiology in the Western Balkans: Medical Ethnobotany and Ethnozoology Among Albanians and Serbs in the Pešter Plateau, Sandžak, South-Western Serbia
One century later: The folk botanical knowledge of the last remaining Albanians of the upper Reka Valley, Mount Korab, Western Macedonia
Background Ethnobotanical surveys of the Western Balkans are important for the cross-cultural study of local plant knowledge and also for obtaining baseline data, which is crucial for fostering future rural development and eco-tourism initiatives in the region. The current ethnobotanical field study was conducted among the last remaining Albanians inhabiting the upper Reka Valley at the base of Mount Korab in the Mavrovo National Park of the Repu…
Medical ethnobotany of the Albanian Alps in Kosovo
BackgroundEthnobotanical studies are crucial in South-Eastern Europe for fostering local development and also for investigating the dynamics of Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) related to plants in one of the most crucial European hotspots for biocultural diversity. The current medico-ethnobotanical survey was conducted in rural alpine communities in Kosovo. The aims of the study were twofold: 1) to document the state of TEK of medicinal…
Circum-Mediterranean cultural heritage and medicinal plant uses in traditional animal healthcare: A field survey in eight selected areas within the Rubia project
During the years 2003-2005, a comparative ethnobotanical field survey was conducted on remedies used in traditional animal healthcare in eight Mediterranean areas. The study sites were selected within the EU-funded RUBIA project, and were as follows: the upper Kelmend Province of Albania; the Capannori area in Eastern Tuscany and the Bagnocavallo area of Romagna, Italy; Cercle de Ouezanne, Morocco; Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park…
Folk knowledge of wild food plants among the tribal communities of Thakht-e-Sulaiman Hills, North-West Pakistan
BACKGROUND: Indigenous communities of the Thakht-e-Sulamian hills reside in the North-West tribal belt of Pakistan, where disadvantaged socio-economic frames, lack of agricultural land and food insecurity represent crucial problems to their survival. Several studies in diverse areas worldwide have pointed out the importance of wild food plants (WFPs) for assuring food sovereignty and food security, and therefore the current study was aimed at doc…
Advancing ethnobiology for the ecological transition and a more inclusive and just world: A Comprehensive Framework for the Next 20 Years
This opinion piece, written by ethnobiologists from different parts of the world, emphasizes the importance of ethnobiology research in advancing contemporary biology, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and, especially, contributing to the ecological transition and more just and inclusive world. To achieve these goals, it is essential to develop research and collaborate with social groups that live in…
Resilience at the border: Traditional botanical knowledge among Macedonians and Albanians living in Gollobordo, Eastern Albania
Botanical studies with an ethnographic approach are crucial for understanding patterns of use of plants within given cultures. Importantly, such studies can also allow for analysis of the dynamics of change in these TEK patterns over the time. The results of this study may be important as baseline data set to be used in rural development programs in Gollobordo, aimed at fostering community-based strategies of management of natural resources
Local knowledge: Who cares
Think globally, act locally Local Knowledge Systems (LKS) consist of the knowledge, beliefs, traditions, practices, institutions, and worldviews developed and sustained by indigenous and local communities, and are believed to represent an adaptive strategy to the environment in which these communities live. The value of LKS has been contested by some scholars as being restricted to local issues [1], and local knowledge holders have alternative be…
Gathered wild food plants in the upper valley of the Serchio River (Garfagnana), Central Italy
Baby pangolins on my plate: Possible lessons to learn from the Covid-19 pandemic
The Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (JEET), throughout its 15 years of existence, has tried to provide a respected outlet for scientific knowledge concerning the inextricable links between human societies and nature, food, and health. Ethnobiology and ethnomedicine-centred research has moved at the (partially artificial and fictitious) interface between nature and culture and has investigated human consumption of wild foods and wild ani…
Alpine ethnobotany in Italy: Traditional knowledge of gastronomic and medicinal plants among the Occitans of the upper Varaita valley, Piedmont
A gastronomic and medical ethnobotanical study was conducted among the Occitan communities living in Blins/Bellino and Chianale, in the upper Val Varaita, in the Piedmontese Alps, North-Western Italy, and the traditional uses of 88 botanical taxa were recorded. Comparisons with and analysis of other ethnobotanical studies previously carried out in other Piemontese and surrounding areas, show that approximately one fourth of the botanical taxa quo…
Ta chòrta: Wild edible greens used in the Graecanic area in Calabria, Southern Italy
Knowledge transmission patterns at the border: Ethnobotany of Hutsuls living in the Carpathian Mountains of Bukovina (SW Ukraine and NE Romania)
Background Cross-border research is a novel and important tool for detecting variability of ecological knowledge. This is especially evident in regions recently divided and annexed to different political regimes. Therefore, we conducted a study among Hutsuls, a cultural and linguistic minority group living in Northern and Southern Bukovina (Ukraine and Romania, respectively). Indeed, in the 1940s, a border was created: Northern Bukovina was annex…
Botanical ethnoveterinary therapies in three districts of the Lesser Himalayas of Pakistan
Background Ethnoveterinary knowledge is highly significant for persistence of traditional community-based approaches to veterinary care. This is of particular importance in the context of developing and emerging countries, where animal health (that of livestock, especially) is crucial to local economies and food security. The current survey documents the traditional veterinary uses of medicinal plants in the Lesser Himalayas-Pakistan. Methods Dat…
Taming the pandemic? The importance of homemade plant-based foods and beverages as community responses to Covid-19
Household responses to COVID-19 in different corners of the world represent the primary health care that communities have relied on for preventing and mitigating symptoms. During a very complex and confusing time, in which public health services in multiple countries have been completely overwhelmed, and in some cases even collapsed, these first-line household responses have been quintessential for building physical, mental, and social resilience…
Isolated, but transnational: The glocal nature of Waldensian ethnobotany, Western Alps, NW Italy
BACKGROUND: An ethnobotanical field study on the traditional uses of wild plants for food as well as medicinal and veterinary plants was conducted in four Waldensian valleys (Chisone, Germanasca, Angrogna, and Pellice) in the Western Alps, Piedmont, NW Italy. Waldensians represent a religious Protestant Christian minority that originated in France and spread around 1,170 AD to the Italian side of Western Alps, where, although persecuted for centu…
We Are Italians: The Hybrid Ethnobotany of a Venetian Diaspora in Eastern Romania
Are Borders More Important than Geographical Distance? The Wild Food Ethnobotany of the Boykos and its Overlap with that of the Bukovinian Hutsuls in Western Ukraine
Few ethnobiological studies have thus far addressed the effect of diverse social, economic, and political variables that may influence the dynamics of folk plant knowledge. The aim of this work was to better understand the legacy of plant use in the post-Soviet context—particularly in Western Ukraine—by documenting the use of wild plants for food among Boykos living in Transcarpathia and comparing the findings with the results of a previous study…
A cross-cultural comparison of folk plant uses among Albanians, Bosniaks, Gorani and Turks living in south Kosovo
BACKGROUND: Kosovo represents a unique hotspot of biological and cultural diversity in Europe, which allows for interesting cross-cultural ethnobotanical studies. The aims of this study were twofold: 1) to document the state of traditional knowledge related to local (esp. wild) plant uses for food, medicine, and handicrafts in south Kosovo; and 2) to examine how communities of different ethnic groups in the region (Albanians, Bosniaks/Gorani, and…
Of the importance of a leaf: The ethnobotany of sarma in Turkey and the Balkans
BACKGROUND: Sarma - cooked leaves rolled around a filling made from rice and/or minced meat, possibly vegetables and seasoning plants - represents one of the most widespread feasting dishes of the Middle Eastern and South-Eastern European cuisines. Although cabbage and grape vine sarma is well-known worldwide, the use of alternative plant leaves remains largely unexplored. The aim of this research was to document all of the botanical taxa whose l…
Ethnobotany of the Balti community, Tormik valley, Karakorum range, Baltistan, Pakistan
BACKGROUND: Limited health facilities and malnutrition are major problems in the Karakorum Range of Northern Pakistan, often resulting in various human disorders. Since centuries, however, local communities in these areas have developed traditional methods for treating various ailments and local foods capes that can be significant for devising public health and nutritional policies. This study was intended to document the ethnobotanical knowledge…
Traditional food and herbal uses of wild plants in the ancient South-Slavic diaspora of Mundimitar/Montemitro (Southern Italy)
Background In Europe, only a limited number of cross-cultural comparative field studies or meta-analyses have been focused on the dynamics through which folk plant knowledge changes over space and time, while a few studies have contributed to the understanding of how plant uses change among newcomers. Nevertheless, ethnic minority groups and/or linguistic "isles" in Southern and Eastern Europe may provide wonderful arenas for understanding the va…
Gathered wild food plants in the upper valley of the Serchio River (Garfagnana), Central Italy
Medicinal plants and food medicines in the folk traditions of the upper Lucca Province, Italy
Studies on anti-complementary activity of extracts and isolated flavones from Ligustrum vulgare and Phillyrea latifolia leaves (Oleaceae)
Letters and Comments Reader Ponders Trade in Salep (Ground Orchid Bulbs)
On Biocultural Diversity. Linking Language, Knowledge, and the Environment
Ethnopharmacy of the ethnic Albanians (Arbëreshë) of northern Basilicata, Italy
Ethnopharmacology of liakra: Traditional weedy vegetables of the Arbëreshë of the Vulture area in southern Italy
Erbe e percezione del sapore tra gli arbereshe del Vulture in Lucania
Untersuchungen zum Heilpflanzenhandel in Deutschland. Ein Beitrag zum internationalen Artenschutz: Daniel F. Austin, Book Review Editor
Ritual botanicals against the evil-eye in Tuscany, Italy
A review of plants used in folk veterinary medicine in Italy as basis for a databank
Ethnopharmacognostic survey on the natural ingredients used in folk cosmetics, cosmeceuticals and remedies for healing skin diseases in the inland Marches, Central-Eastern Italy
Folk pharmaceutical knowledge in the territory of the Dolomiti Lucane, inland southern Italy
Ethnopharmacognostic survey on the natural ingredients used in folk cosmetics, cosmeceuticals and remedies for healing skin diseases in the inland Marches, Central-Eastern Italy*1
Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine. Old World and New World Traditions: Daniel F. Austin, Book Review Editor
Food for two seasons: Culinary uses of non-cultivated local vegetables and mushrooms in a south Italian village
The use of non-cultivated plants in a daily diet based on local cuisines is potentially of considerable interest to nutritional scientists, because of the plants' role as local products and their potential as sources of novel nutraceuticals. In many Mediterranean regions these traditions are at risk of disappearing, hence the urgent need to study such knowledge systems. Accordingly, an ethnobotanical survey was carried out among the 850 inhabitan…
Traditional phytotherapy and trans-cultural pharmacy among Turkish migrants living in Cologne, Germany
Traditional pharmacopoeias and medicines among Albanians and Italians in southern Italy: A comparison
Ritual Healing in Arb resh Albanian and Italian Communities of Lucania, Southern Italy
Cassandra Leah Quave, Andrea Pieroni, Ritual Healing in Arbëreshë Albanian and Italian Communities of Lucania, Southern Italy, Journal of Folklore Research, Vol. 42, No. 1 (Jan. - Apr., 2005), pp. 57-97
Welcome to Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine
Ethnobiology is a multidisciplinary field of study that draws on approaches and methods from both the social and biological sciences. Ethnobiology aims at investigating culturally based biological and environmental knowledge, cultural perception and cognition of the natural world, and associated behaviours and practices. Ethnomedicine is concerned with the cultural interpretations of health, disease and illness and also addresses the health care …
Ta chòrta: Wild edible greens used in the Graecanic area in Calabria, Southern Italy
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine – achievements and perspectives
Last summer we officially launched the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, published by BioMedCentral, with the aim of establishing a serious, peer-reviewed, open-access online journal that focuses on the multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary fields of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, drawing on approaches and methods from both the social and biological sciences. The strong start vindicates the widely held belief that …
Circum-Mediterranean cultural heritage and medicinal plant uses in traditional animal healthcare: A field survey in eight selected areas within the Rubia project
During the years 2003-2005, a comparative ethnobotanical field survey was conducted on remedies used in traditional animal healthcare in eight Mediterranean areas. The study sites were selected within the EU-funded RUBIA project, and were as follows: the upper Kelmend Province of Albania; the Capannori area in Eastern Tuscany and the Bagnocavallo area of Romagna, Italy; Cercle de Ouezanne, Morocco; Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park…
Traveling Cultures and Plants: The Ethnobiology and Ethnopharmacy of Migrations (Environmental Anthropology and Ethnobiology) (Environmental Anthropology and Ethnobiology)
The tremendous increase in migrations and diasporas of human groups in the last decades are not only bringing along challenging issues for society, especially related to the economic and political management of multiculturalism and culturally effective health care, but they are also creating dramatic changes in traditional knowledge, believes and practices (KBP) related to (medicinal) plant use. The contributors to this volume – all international…
Medicinal perceptions of vegetables traditionally consumed by South-Asian migrants living in Bradford, Northern England
Geography (104 works) · Biology (95 works) · Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies (82 works) · Ecology (76 works) · Ethnobotany (68 works) · Medicinal plants (58 works) · Sociology (52 works) · Medicine (45 works) · Traditional knowledge (44 works) · Traditional medicine (41 works)