▁as ▁political ▁topics ▁in ▁his ▁publish ings . ▁He ▁focus es ▁on ▁the ▁ind igen ous ▁people ▁and ▁their ▁contributions , ▁knowledge ▁and ▁transmission ▁of ▁culture . ▁Like ▁most ▁anth rop olog ists , ▁Ellen ▁is ▁focused ▁on ▁giving ▁loc als ▁ag ency ▁and ▁highlight ing ▁areas ▁in ▁which ▁this ▁is ▁and ▁is ▁not ▁occurr ing . ▁Through ▁his ▁extensive ▁field ▁work ▁in ▁Ser am ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁N ua ulu ▁the ▁local ▁environmental ▁knowledge ▁of ▁a ▁culture ▁cannot ▁be ▁denied ▁and ▁is ▁highlight ed ▁in ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁works ▁as ▁param ount . ▁ ▁Cont ribution s ▁to ▁anth rop ology ▁Roy ▁Ellen ▁has ▁influenced ▁many ▁fields ▁of ▁anth rop ology ▁including ▁cultural ▁e col ogy ▁contrib uting ▁to ▁the ▁knowledge ▁base ▁of ▁eth no - bi ology , ▁and ▁environmental ▁anth rop ology ▁among ▁others . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁Ellen ' s ▁strength s ▁is ▁his ▁ability ▁to ▁connect ▁them es ▁and ▁theories ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁more ▁hol istic ▁dep iction ▁of ▁an ▁issue . ▁ ▁His ▁work ▁offers ▁a ▁unique ▁syn erg istic ▁perspective ▁on ▁human ▁cultural ▁evolution ▁and ▁our ▁relationship ▁to ▁the ▁environment . ▁ ▁He ▁bel ieves ▁they ▁co - exist ▁but ▁are ▁not ▁static ▁and ▁can ▁change ▁according ▁to ▁circumstances ▁over time . ▁ ▁His ▁find ings ▁have ▁informed ▁the ▁studies ▁of ▁subs istence ▁behav i ours , ▁the ▁social ▁impact ▁of ▁def or est ation , ▁inter - ▁island ▁trade ▁and ▁questions ▁the ▁relationship ▁between ▁nature ▁and ▁culture . ▁" For est ▁Know ledge , ▁Forest