Abstract
There has been a proliferation of coupled social-ecological systems (SES) models created and published in recent years. However, the degree of coupling between natural and social systems varies widely across the different coupled models and is often a function of the disciplinary background of the team conducting the research. This manuscript examines models developed for and used by NOAA Fisheries in support of Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) in the United States. It provides resource managers and interdisciplinary scientists insights on the strengths and weaknesses of the most commonly used SES models: end-to-end models, conceptual models, bioeconomic models, management strategy evaluations (MSEs), fisher behavior models, integrated social vulnerability models, and regional economic impact models. These model types are not unique to the literature, but allow us to differentiate between one-way coupled models – where outputs from one model are inputs into a second model of another discipline with no feedback to the first model, and two-way coupled models – where there are linkages between the natural and social system models. For a model to provide useful strategic or tactical advice, it should only be coupled to the degree necessary to understand the important dynamics/responses of the system and to create management-relevant performance metrics or potential risks from an (in)action. However, one key finding is to not wait to integrate! This paper highlights the importance of “when” the coupling happens, as timing affects the ability to fully address management questions and multi-sectoral usage conflicts that consider the full SES for EBFM or ecosystem based management (EBM) more generally.
Highlights
The concept of social-ecological systems (SES) was applied and popularized by Berkes and Folke (1998) who argued that the solution to resource management problems was not in increasing the complexity or performance of environmental and economic models, but rather in recognizing the feedbacks that occur between the two disciplines
For a model to be useful for a specific management question or issue, it should be coupled to the degree necessary to understand the system and have management-relevant performance metrics that can be used to assess the degree of management success or potential risks from anaction
By varying ocean acidification conditions they are able to estimate the long-term maximum economic yield (MEY) in these fisheries as a result of having Economic Data Report (EDR) data available to parameterize the economic component of the model (Punt et al, 2014a,b)
Summary
The concept of social-ecological systems (SES) was applied and popularized by Berkes and Folke (1998) who argued that the solution to resource management problems was not in increasing the complexity or performance of environmental and economic models, but rather in recognizing the feedbacks that occur between the two disciplines. We define a social-ecological system similar to Anderies et al (2004) as: an ecological system of interdependent organisms or biological units interacting with a social system of interdependent humans deriving benefits from uses of the ecosystem as well as from the state of the ecosystem These SESs can be represented by quantitative or qualitative models, in all cases, models are an abstraction from reality, and the direction of abstraction has strong bearing on the questions which can be answered with the model. The exact manner in which the coupling between social and ecological systems is conceptualized has implications on the kind and variety of management questions that can be addressed by each coupled SES model This manuscript discusses a number of approaches to creating coupled SES models used in the United States and provides resource managers and interdisciplinary scientists a guide for choosing when, how, and why to couple SES models. By considering each model’s ability to answer management-relevant questions as well as its development costs, we aim to provide interdisciplinary scientists and resource managers with a better understanding of why coupled models are important, and what options are available for coupling depending on where in the development process they stand, the relevant research and management questions, and the time horizon in which answers are needed
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