Abstract
We have analyzed how the collaborative development process of a decision-support system (DSS) model can effectively contribute to increasing the resilience of regional social-ecological systems. In particular, we have focused on the case study of the transboundary San Pedro Basin, in the Arizona- Sonora desert region. This is a semi-arid watershed where water is a scarce resource used to cover competing human and environmental needs. We have outlined the essential traits in the development of the decision- support process that contributed to an improvement of water-resources management capabilities while increasing the potential for consensual problem solving. Comments and feedback from the stakeholders benefiting from the DSS in the San Pedro Basin are presented and analyzed within the regional (United States-Mexico boundary), social, and institutional context. We have indicated how multidisciplinary collaboration between academia and stakeholders can be an effective step toward collaborative management. Such technology transfer and capacity building provides a common arena for testing water- management policies and evaluating future scenarios. Putting science at the service of a participatory decision-making process can provide adaptive capacity to accommodate future change (i.e., building resilience in the management system).
Highlights
Mankind has drastically redefined its relationship with the earth’s environment in the last 150 years
We have analyzed how the collaborative development process of a decision-support system (DSS) model can effectively contribute to increasing the resilience of regional social–ecological systems
We focus on the transboundary San Pedro Basin in the Arizona–Sonora as a case study
Summary
Mankind has drastically redefined its relationship with the earth’s environment in the last 150 years. The discovery and use of fossil fuels (albeit soon, perhaps on the decline) and related greenhouse-gas emissions mean that human development is affecting global climate dynamics and changing land–atmosphere interactions These developments have prompted increases in production systems, economic growth, and population growth, all life on our planet is confronted with the challenge of adapting to the resulting global environmental changes. As noted by Scoones (1999), there are three main characteristics of the “new ecology” movement: the acknowledgement of uncertainty, dynamics, and complexity; the exploration of nonlinear interactions across different-scale systems (and a more global approach to recognizing spatial patterns); and a historical memory of systems and their temporal dynamics The relevance of these concepts is well-illustrated by the challenges of water resources management in SESs and their associated dynamics. Building resilient systems involves learning, the flexibility to experiment and adopt new solutions, and the ability to respond broadly to challenges
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
