Answer:

In recent years, social and natural scientists have gained interest in understanding reciprocal relations between human populations and the environment. Research methods have been developed for investigating the secrets of interations of human and environment. This paper describes the flora data collection methods used in a longitudinal research project “Reciprocal Relation Between Population and the Environment” and highlights how the research sites were selected, how the research plots were designed in each site and how the qualitative and quantitative data of flora found in each research plot were recorded. This paper also discusses how the flora data can be linked with sociodemographic data and how the data can be used to unfold the effect of human activities on flora diversity and/or the effect of flora on the life of the human population in the study area.

We can see tremendous interest of both natural as well as social scientists in the investigation of relationships between human populations and the environment (Subedi, 2000; Mathema, 2000). Each school of scientists works separately and develops the methodology for their purposes. As a result, ecologists give more attention to plants or animals or environment and less to human population (see Duwadi et al., 2002; Shrestha et al., 2002). Social scientists give more attention to human dimensions and work out and develop their methodologies (for example, Dahal, 2000; K.C., 1998). It is felt important to work together in collaborative research so that the secrets of the interrelationship between population and environment can be unfolded. To fill up the gap, we develop a longitudinal research project to study reciprocal relations between population and the environment. For this study we work together and develop methodology. In this paper, I attempt to highlight on (1) location of our research sites and plots, (2) design of research plots, and (3) data sets we collected. I also try to give appropriate examples of our methods.