Following the Historical Method procedures, the project is based on the collection and analysis of diverse qualitative and quantitative data from a variety of historical sources. Overall, the research has a macro and a micro level of analysis (based on three case studies that will be developed in the next phase). During the first period of work, the team developed mainly a macro-level analysis, which means extensive research on the available archives and libraries looking for information about the seeds cultivated across the Iberian Peninsula.
The main focus of the research is the period between 1750 and 1950. However, some of the changes that took place during that time are linked to processes – namely the arrival and dissemination of new seeds since the Colombus (1492) and Vasco da Gama (1498) travels – that started before 1750. Thus, historical sources from the 16th and 17th centuries were also analyzed.
The research required both consulting the resources available online, as well as accessing the archives and libraries in different cities. However, due to the restrictions on the movement of people and the operation of public services in recent months, it was severely impaired to consult any historical documentation already identified as relevant to the project.
The main types of sources analyzed are listed below:
-Agriculture and botany’s treatises and manuals
- Botanists’ writings about scientific journeys
- Cookery, medical instructions, and pharmacology books
- Monasteries and hospital’s shop lists and account books
- Familiar archives connected with the farm management
- Granaries’ account books
- Surveys and reports carried out by the governments
-Journals, magazines, and other specialized periodicals
All these sources helped to examine the circulation, adaptation, and impact of the seeds and to identify changes in agriculture, food, landscape, and agrobiodiversity within the Iberian Peninsula.
The collected data allows us to make qualitative analyses and also to build the three databases referred to on the work plan, useful to support different kinds of analyses. The three databases are focused on the Historical information available on:
- Seeds Database: information on species and varieties of edible seeds grown in different locations across the Iberian Peninsula (required the effort of trying to match the common name of the seeds as they appear in the historical sources, the current names of them, and also their scientific names);
- People Database: scientists, farmers, politicians, etc. related to activities associated with the production, trade, and processing of vegetable food products;
- Organizations Database: different types of organizations that have been relevant to the production, trade, processing, and control of vegetable food products.
This work is still in progress. The construction of the databases has shown several challenges that have been faced by the team, especially the cases where the information is scarce or bring doubts about how to systematize the meanings referred to in the historical sources for the different periods under analysis. Connecting time and space, these databases will allow for a more detailed analysis of changes in seed dissemination in the Iberian Peninsula.
Collaborations began to be established with various partners from other universities, working on topics related to ReSEED in other scientific areas (such as archaeology and evolutionary biology). As foreseen in the work plan, the possibilities of transdisciplinary are explored to discuss some issues that emerge during the research under the ReSEED project.
A map showing the historical circulation of the seeds in the world has also been developed to facilitate the interpretation of the information gathered in this first phase.
While working on the sources and producing several papers, the team is constantly concerned by communication with different publics. All researchers are in charge of sharing data with the project´s communication officer to update social media (Facebook and Twitter project accounts) and the website (reseed.uc.pt) about the research journey.
The project created a virtual library - ReadSeed Library - to disseminate selected historical books that may interest current readers. The project has also created a research blog - Seeding Ideas - that is updated monthly, sharing ideas and discussions that arise from the research journey. Texts are signed by ReSEED researchers and external invited authors.
The scientific discussion of the preliminary results was hampered, giving the restrictions imposed by the global pandemic situation experienced in recent months. Several conferences have been canceled or postponed. However, even though working in different locations, the discussion within the team is part of the daily work routines.
