Plant awareness disparity: A case for renaming plant blindness

Parsley, Kathryn M.

doi:10.1002/ppp3.10153

Cited by 119 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…These reservations have led some researchers and educators to seek an alternative name for the phenomenon. A recent example is the proposal by Parsley (2020) that "plant awareness disparity" (PAD) better expresses the phenomenon and avoids any ableist overtones. Online discussion of this paper has revealed polarised opinions, and it seems likely that it will take some time and argument before PAD becomes the generally agreed term.…”

Section: Ijshe 231mentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant blindness and sustainability

Thomas

Ougham

Sanders³

2021

IJSHE

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Purpose The present paper aims to examine the concept of “plant blindness” in the context of current sustainability debates. “Plant blindness” was the term introduced in 1999 by the botanists and educators James H Wandersee and Elisabeth E Schussler to describe what they saw as a pervasive insensitivity to the green environment and a general neglect of plants on the part of biology education. Design/methodology/approach The fundamental importance of plants for life on Earth and the socio-educational challenges of redacted awareness of this importance are considered. Also, the diverse physiological, psychological, philosophical, cultural and geopolitical origins and consequences of indifference to plants in relation to aspects of sustainability agendas are examined with special reference to education. Findings An examination of the outcomes of a range of research and practical initiatives reveals how multidisciplinary approaches to education and public engagement have the potential to address the challenge of “plant blindness”. The need for these opportunities to be reflected in curriculums is not widely appreciated, and the socio-economic forces of resistance to confronting plant neglect continue to be formidable. Originality/value Plant blindness is a relatively new field of research, and the full breadth of its implications are only gradually becoming apparent. If the present paper contributes to positioning plants as an essential element in sustainability education and practice, it will have met its objective.

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Section: Ijshe 231mentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant blindness and sustainability

Thomas

Ougham

Sanders³

2021

IJSHE

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“…Plant awareness disparity is defined as the “inability to see or notice the plants in one's environment and therefore the inability to recognize the importance of plants in the biosphere and in human affairs” (Parsley, 2020; Wandersee & Schussler, 1999). In the general population, as well as within a student group, it translates in a lesser interest in plant studies, compared to animal studies (Wandersee & Schussler, 1999).…”

Section: Discussion and Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

QuoVidi: An open‐source web application for the organization of large‐scale biological treasure hunts

Lobet

Descamps

Leveau

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Many tropical savannas and dry forests have suffered high rates of conversion, both historically (e.g., Latin American dry forests; DRYFLOR, 2016) and more recently (e.g., the savannas of the Brazilian cerrado), but despite this have suffered relative neglect by science and conservation. Indeed, in a parallel with the phenomenon of “plant awareness disparity” (Parsley, 2020; previously “plant blindness”), which has been the theme of a special issue of Plants, People, Planet (Sanders, 2019), tropical dry biomes are also apparently invisible to many audiences, or at least under‐appreciated, especially compared with tropical rain forest. Such “biome awareness disparity” can be a source of threat to tropical dry biomes: for example, it has been pointed out that tropical savannas should not be a global priority for reforestation because this ignores their unique biodiversity and the fact that they are not, in fact, forests at all (Veldman et al., 2019).…”

Section: Expanding Long‐term Monitoring Plots To Tropical Dry Biomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plants, people and long‐term ecological monitoring in the tropics

Pennington

Baker

2021

Plants People Planet

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This special issue focuses on long‐term ecological monitoring in the tropics, with a particular focus, appropriate to Plants, People, Planet, on what it can offer both to local people and decision makers in tropical countries. Two of the contributed papers emphasise the role that long‐term, permanent monitoring plots can play in bringing together researchers, policymakers and communities, based on examples from Peru and Colombia (Baker et al., Norden et al.). The articles also highlight new plot‐based methods for monitoring the neglected tropical dry biomes of savannas and dry forests (The SEOSAW Partnership; Moonlight et al.) and new methods for field‐based monitoring of habitat degradation (Ahrends et al.) and the distribution of large trees (Harris et al.). Overall, the issue demonstrates that sustainable management of tropical environments requires long‐term, ground‐based monitoring that engages with the communities and institutions that manage these landscapes.

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Plant awareness disparity: A case for renaming plant blindness

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Cited by 119 publications

References 24 publications

Plant blindness and sustainability

Plant blindness and sustainability

QuoVidi: An open‐source web application for the organization of large‐scale biological treasure hunts

Plants, people and long‐term ecological monitoring in the tropics

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