Social-ecological Network Research Articles

Biodiversity Conservation in Human‐Dominated Landscapes: Toward Collaborative Management of Blue–Green Systems

ABSTRACTMaintaining ecological connectivity is crucial for biodiversity, yet effectively managing interconnected areas through actor collaboration is challenging. This study examines collaboration through social–ecological fit in interconnected aquatic “blue” and terrestrial “green” areas, encompassing natural and semi‐natural elements, in human‐dominated landscapes. Combining species distribution models and connectivity analyses focused on declining amphibians and survey data on actors’ area management and collaboration within interconnected areas, we create a spatially explicit social–ecological network that we analyze using network models. Results highlight diverse ecological dependencies shaping actor interactions. Strong collaboration is observed in interconnected blue‐rural‐green areas, whereas blue‐urban‐green areas lack collaboration, with minor rivers and urban‐green spaces at the network's core plagued by social–ecological misfit. Strengthening collaboration in these areas is essential to prevent further ecological network degradation. Incorporating a spatially explicit social–ecological perspective covering diverse blue and green areas guides targeted interventions and fosters effective conservation policy and practice.

Resilience patterns in the analysis of social-ecological networks of small-scale fishing in a subtropical estuarine system

Resilience patterns in the analysis of social-ecological networks of small-scale fishing in a subtropical estuarine system

Social-ecological heterogeneity drove contrasting tree cover restoration in South China Karst

South China Karst is the world’s largest continuous karst zone and is becoming the hotspot of greening earth. However, the greening sustainability remains uncertain due to challenges from carbonate geological constraints and oversights in recognizing synergies within social-ecological systems. Here, the sustainability and drivers of tree cover restoration were quantitatively investigated in South China Karst. The area with tree cover increasing was 652,457 km2, about 33.67% of the study area. There were differences in ecological elements between karst and non-karst areas, and rural population decrease in undeveloped areas could greatly promote tree cover restoration. Moreover, the correlation degree of social-ecological network in karst area was obviously lower than that in non-karst area, indicating higher heterogeneity of social-ecological system in karst area. This study highlights the social-ecological effects on tree cover restoration in karst area, and a shift in focus from the natural ecosystem to coupled social-ecological systems is crucial for sustainable forest management.

The dynamics of social-ecological interactions in the PAAP (fisheries access management area) Taluk Lasolo Region, North Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province: A comprehensive approach to sustainable renewal

Abstract This research aims to study the dynamics of social-ecological interactions in the Teluk Lasolo PAAP (Fisheries Access Management Area) in North Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. The study adopts a comprehensive approach to sustainable development, utilizing Social-Ecological Network Analysis (SENA). The Teluk Lasolo PAAP area is a complex environment with small-scale fisheries as a crucial component of the coastal ecosystem. Using the SENA method, this research analyzes the interactions between social and ecological dimensions in the context of fisheries management based on access rights. The study also considers economic aspects, governance, and resource utilization within the social-ecological network. The case study is conducted in the Teluk Lasolo area to understand the complex dynamics among various stakeholders, fishing communities, and the coastal ecosystem. The findings of this research will provide profound insights and knowledge about the factors influencing the sustainability of small-scale fisheries and offer recommendations for sustainable updates in fisheries resource management in the region. In conclusion, this research highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach involving social-ecological interactions in managing small-scale fisheries. The results of this study are expected to make a positive contribution to the development of sustainable fisheries management strategies in the Teluk Lasolo PAAP area and other coastal regions. Kata kunci : Kawasan PAAP Teluk Lasolo, Jejaring Sosial-Ekologi, Perikanan Skala Kecil, Pengelolaan Perikanan Berbasis Hak akses Perikanan.

Structure of higher-order interactions in social-ecological networks through Q-analysis of their neighbourhood and clique complex.

This paper studies higher-order interactions in social-ecological networks, which formally represent interactions within the social and ecological units of an ecosystem. Many real-world social ecosystems exhibit not only pairwise interactions but also higher-order interactions among their units. Therefore, the conventional graph-theoretic description of networks falls short of capturing these higher-order interactions due to the inherent limitations of the graph definition. In this work, a mathematical framework for capturing the higher-order interactions of a social-ecological system has been given by incorporating notions from combinatorial algebraic topology. In order to achieve this, two different simplicial complexes, the clique and the neighbourhood complex, have been constructed from a pairwise social-ecological network. As a case study, the Q-analysis and a structural study of the interactions in the rural agricultural system of southern Madagascar have been done at various structural levels denoted by q. The results obtained by calculating all the structural vectors for both simplicial complexes, along with exciting results about the participation of facets of the clique complex at different q-levels, have been discussed. This work also establishes significant theorems concerning the dimension of the neighbourhood complex and clique complex obtained from the parent pairwise network.

Eco-decisional well-being networks as a tool for community decision support.

Community decision making based on the sustainability of ecosystem services is an integrated process that involves multiple complex decisions and is greatly aided by an understanding of how those decisions are interrelated. The interrelatedness of decisions can be understood and even measured based on connections between actions and services and influence of services on domains of human well-being. These connections can be formed into a network structure so that quantifiable properties of networks can be applied to understanding decision impacts. We developed an eco-decisional network based on weighted social-ecological networks as a tool for integrated decision making based on ecosystem services and human well-being. Nodes are actions, services, or domains of human well-being and they are linked by weighted influence derived from community stakeholder input. Examination of the eco-decisional network, as well as comparison to pattern in the random networks, suggest there are important patterns of influence among different influence pathways from actions to community well-being, which describe community priorities and define unique roles through which chosen sets of actions can influence human well-being. The eco-decisional network is generalized across communities but can also be made community specific, which provides a tool for comparison between communities in decisional priorities (network properties), as well as comparisons between proposed actions within a community (network paths). The well-studied properties of networks, well-established network theory, as well as established network metrics make this approach promising for application to integrated decision making and for communicating possible outcomes to stakeholders. The result is a guidance tool for connecting propose actions to ecosystem services and human well-being.

The Link Between Social-Ecological Network Fit and Outcomes: A Rare Empirical Assessment of a Prominent Hypothesis

It is often claimed that the structure of networks influences outcomes in environmental governance. For example, network motifs of social-ecological fit have been linked to positive environmental outcomes, but empirical tests of this link are rare. Social-ecological network fit represents a situation in which actors involved in the governance and management of linked ecological elements coordinate. We empirically analyze how motifs of social-ecological network fit are associated with actors’ outcome assessments in ten cases of Swiss wetlands governance. We combine social networks among organizational actors, networks of interrelated ecosystem management activities, and actors’ assessments of outcomes. Results show that – contrary to the prominent theoretical claim – more fit is linked to worse outcomes. Drawing on the so-called risk hypothesis, we argue that our negative findings likely highlight a complicated causal process between actors’ assessments of outcomes and their adjustment to risks through coordination in networks.

Our Blue Planet: Connecting Humans and the Ocean

Dive into the incredible world of the ocean, a place full of wonder and beauty! The ocean is like a superhero, providing us with tasty seafood and other vital “services”. But trouble looms: climate change, plastic pollution, and intensive fishing endanger the ocean’s superpowers. Your help is needed to save the day! To keep the ocean healthy, we must understand how it works. Get ready to explore its mysteries through gigantic “webs” of interactions that reveal how we are connected to the ocean, how our actions impact the environment, and how the environment affects us. These webs are called social-ecological networks, and they are like maps that help us solve the ocean’s problems. Together, we can use social-ecological networks to secure a sustainable future for our blue planet. So, put on your diving mask, grab your snorkel, and let us make a splash for the ocean!

Coupling relationship among ecosystem services and its driving factors from the perspective of social-ecological networks

Coupling relationship among ecosystem services and its driving factors from the perspective of social-ecological networks

Self-governance mediates small-scale fishing strategies, vulnerability and adaptive response

Self-governance mediates small-scale fishing strategies, vulnerability and adaptive response

A social-ecological network approach to quantify the supply-demand-flow of grain ecosystem service

A social-ecological network approach to quantify the supply-demand-flow of grain ecosystem service

Fintech Helps the Bank of Changsha to Build An Ecological Banking Paradigm

The wind of science and technology has violently impacted the financial ecology and gradually overturned the traditional business model of commercial banks, so that banks have promoted fintech to a strategic height, in order to realize the multiplication of customer base, the doubling of benefits and the doubling of cost. In addition, the traditional lending financial model has been out of time, and what customers need is no longer breakpoint services. People's daily life and business behavior of enterprises have already been networked and systematized, which has become a node on the whole social ecological network, and financial services must be platform and ecological. In this context, The Bank of Changsha has made rapid countermeasures. On the basis of always focusing on the "three positioning" of urban commercial banks, it puts forward the development concept of building financial tech ecology, local living ecology, industrial investment ecology, industrial investment banking ecology and market investment ecology. Under the guidance of precise strategy and clear system, the construction path of ecological bank has become more clear, and the balanced growth of operating value, quality and scale has been realized, and the business structure has been continuously optimized. This paper analyzes the specific measures of the Bank of Changsha, and puts forward some suggestions for the construction of ecological bank, in order to have certain reference value for small and medium-sized banks to break through the difficulties.

Urbanization shifts freshwater service flows in the highly urbanized watersheds of Dongjiang River, China

Urbanization shifts freshwater service flows in the highly urbanized watersheds of Dongjiang River, China

Integrated network analysis on industrial symbiosis: Case study of Qinghai salt lake industrial park

Integrated network analysis on industrial symbiosis: Case study of Qinghai salt lake industrial park

Multi Connectivity Social-Ecological System of Spiny Lobster Fisheries (Case Study: Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

Spiny lobster fisheries production, provides a fairly high economic value compared to other fisheries commodities in Gunungkidul Regency. The high selling value of spiny lobsters is one of the main factors that encourage fishermen to carry out their fishing activities massively, so it can have a negative impact on the environment and spiny lobster stocks in the waters. This study aims to map the interaction and connectivity of the social-ecological system (SES) of lobster fisheries on the coast of Gunungkidul Regency. The analysis method utilized is Social-Ecological Network Analysis (SENA) with R stundio tools and Cytoscape version 3.9.1. Data were obtained from in-depth interviews using questionnaires with key informants based on purposive sampling techniques. The results of the analysis showed that there were 94 elements and 216 relationships in the basic network model of multi SES lobster fisheries. The key variables that most affect the lobster fishing network are fishing season, fishing activity, lobster stock, and fishermen's income. There needs to be synergy between the resources system (RS), resources unit (RU), resources actor (RA), and resources governance (RG) such as monitoring and evaluation from RG to other systems in order to create optimal and sustainable lobster fisheries management.

Linking seed networks and crop diversity contributions to people: A case study in small-scale farming systems in Sahelian Senegal

Linking seed networks and crop diversity contributions to people: A case study in small-scale farming systems in Sahelian Senegal

A multilevel social-ecological network approach for reconciling coastal saltmarsh conservation and development

In a large-scale region, governance for connectivity in an ecological system often conflicts with management boundaries, causing inefficiencies. Collaboration among management organizations in different areas can help overcome this problem. However, few studies quantified the collaborations' practical relationship with connectivity, considering that some potentially connected paths are easy to neglect by managers. In this paper, collaborations among government agencies in project application process were analyzed, and a multilevel social-ecological network analysis (SENA) approach was developed to identify the collaboration's effect on genetically connected coastal areas. The network framework and methods were shown in a case of coastal saltmarsh conservation and development in the Yellow River Delta, China. Collaboration patterns in conservation and development networks were analyzed and compared among local, subregional, and regional government agencies working in genetically connected coastal areas. Project information flow, reflecting communication frequency and decision-making chances among government agencies was quantified and correlated with ecological connectivity to inform governance effects. Results showed areas with the potential to realize social-ecological alignment, where collaborative networks were measured by network density (percentage of connected network edges). The current reveals that development has more significant potential than conservation at most levels to overcome the misalignment of the social-ecological system, also known as scale mismatch. Empirical evidence also showed a correlation between communication capacity in development networks and improved ecological conditions. The multilevel SENA advanced in this paper can be used for natural resource management when connectivity plays a major role.

Escaping social–ecological traps through ecological restoration and socioeconomic development in China's Loess Plateau

Abstract The social–ecological trap is an emerging concept that describes situations in which self‐reinforcing social and ecological feedbacks maintain or push a social–ecological system towards an undesirable state and threaten the sustainability of human societies. Understanding a system's feedback loops and identifying the leading factors of such traps is essential to develop effective management strategies to warn, avoid and escape traps. To better understand the dynamics of social–ecological traps, we developed a quantitative diagnostic framework that combines the social–ecological network approach and composite system state index. We demonstrated the effectiveness of the framework by examining the rural social–ecological evolution in China's Loess Plateau (LP) from 1949 to 2020, an area once faced with severe social–ecological challenges such as soil erosion, land degradation and poverty. Our analysis identified three stages of trap dynamics in LP: locked in the trap (1949–1981), reacting to the trap (1981–2003) and escaping the trap (2003–2020). In the first stage, LP was locked into an undesirable trajectory where reinforcing feedback occurs between rapid population growth, limited livelihood opportunities, excessive reliance on agriculture and severe soil erosion. Our results also found that the LP has made significant progress in escaping this social–ecological trap during the 21st century through ecological restoration practices and socioeconomic development. Similar social–ecological traps are also observed in many other regions of the world, particularly in developing countries. Our analysis recommends three pathways for addressing social–ecological traps in the LP: (1) promoting urbanization and livelihood diversity, (2) implementing site‐specific engineering measures (e.g. terraces and check dams in the LP) and (3) investing in ecological restoration programs. Escaping the trap is not the end of the story, but could be an early stage of another trap. Policymakers and managers should keep assessing and monitoring the policy practices and outcomes to avoid entering new trap situations. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Research methods for social-ecological traps through composite system state index and social-ecological network

Research methods for social-ecological traps through composite system state index and social-ecological network

Creating adaptive social-ecological fit: The role of regional actors in the governance of Sea-level rise adaptation in San Francisco bay

Creating adaptive social-ecological fit: The role of regional actors in the governance of Sea-level rise adaptation in San Francisco bay