Social-ecological Vulnerability Research Articles

Social-ecological system trajectories of peri-urban watersheds based on a spatial analysis of vulnerability components: A case study in Mexico City, 1999-2039.

Urban periphery watersheds play a crucial role in providing diverse ecosystem services, especially hydrological services (HES), for society at different temporal and spatial scales; moreover, local populations directly influence ecosystem functionality through their decisions and actions. The interactions between social and ecological factors create social-ecological systems (SESs), whose trajectories continuously change in response to internal factors such as land use cover change (LUCC) and external factors such as climate change (CC). This situation influences the vulnerability of SESs in terms of exposure, sensitivity and adaptation capacity. In this study, the social-ecological vulnerability (SEV) of the periphery of Mexico City was investigated based on the Collaborative Protocol for Ecosystem Services Assessment and Social-ecological Vulnerability Mapping (ECOSER) and a quantitative method approach. For this purpose, spatial analysis was performed using the ecological and social spatial data for LUCC tendencies calculated for 1999-2019 and projected for short-term CC scenarios and using LUCC calculated for 2039 in trend-based (TREND) and restrictive (REST) scenarios. The results reveal that increases in the SEV in 2039 will be related to important decreases in the HES; furthermore, the REST scenario suggests decreases in the SEV due to decreases in the HES, assuming that environmental public policy instruments will be preserved in this region. The present work aims to contribute to decision-making for HES preservation at local and regional scales and to help develop adaptation strategies under LUCC and CC scenarios.

Climate Change and Social-ecological Vulnerability in the Himalaya: A Study of the Kaligandaki Basin, Nepal

This research examines the implications and opportunities for climate change adaptation in the Kaligandaki Basin, Nepali Himalaya. The study adopts a holistic approach to explain human-environmental interrelationships. The Sustainable Livelihood Approach and the system approach of analyzing Change-Impact-Response are integrated to construct a dynamic framework that assesses household and sub-regional social-ecological vulnerability. Findings suggest that climate-sensitive social-ecological systems of the Himalayas are highly exposed to both climate change and non-climatic stressors. Households are trying to adapt to rapid change; however, their adaptation knowledge is not sufficiently translated into actions. Consequently, food and livelihood systems are insecure, and social ecosystems in the Basin are highly vulnerable to change.

Decolonising Fire Science by Reexamining Fire Management across Contested Landscapes: A Workshop Approach

In many landscapes worldwide, fire regimes and human–fire interactions were reorganised by colonialism and continue to be shaped by neo-colonial processes. The introduction of fire suppression policies and state-centric property-rights systems across conservation areas and the intentional erasure of Indigenous governance systems and knowledge have served to decouple Indigenous fire-dependent communities from culturally mediated fire regimes and fire-adapted landscapes. This has driven a decline in anthropogenic fires while simultaneously increasing wildfire risk where Indigenous people have been excluded, resulting in widespread social–ecological vulnerabilities. Much contemporary fire research also bears colonial legacies in its epistemological traditions, in the global geographical distribution of research institutions, and the accessibility of research outputs. We report on a two-day workshop titled ‘Fire Management Across Contested Landscapes’ convened concurrently in Nairobi, Kenya, and London, UK. The workshop formed part of a series of workshops on ‘Decolonising Fire Science’ held by the Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment and Society, UK. The workshop in Nairobi invited diverse Kenyan stakeholders to engage in participatory activities that facilitate knowledge sharing, aiming to establish an inclusive working fire network. Activities included rich pictures, world café discussions, participatory art, and the co-development of a declaration to guide fire management in Kenya. Meanwhile, in London, Leverhulme Wildfires researchers explored participatory research methodologies including rich pictures and participatory video, and developed a declaration to guide more equitable research. There were opportunities throughout the workshop for participants in Nairobi and London to engage in dialogue with one another, sharing their experiences and understandings of complex fire challenges in Kenya and globally.

Social-ecological vulnerability to environmental extremes and adaptation pathways in small-scale fisheries of the southern California Current

Coastal ecosystems and human communities are threatened worldwide by climate change, and shocks from social, market and political change. There is an urgent global need to promote resilient food production and livelihoods in the face of these shocks. Small-scale fisheries (SSF) in rural settings can be particularly vulnerable as they frequently lack the resources, rights and infrastructure to respond to shocks originating outside the focal systems. We examined ecological and social outcomes of environmental extremes in a SSF socio-ecological system (SES) by using long-term oceanographic (between 2010-2019) and ecological (2006-2018) data tracking change in a kelp forest ecosystem of Baja California, Mexico, and concurrent documentation of proactive and reactive actions of a fishing community organized in a cooperative. Results indicate a complex landscape of ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ among species and fisheries exposed to unprecedented environmental extremes, including marine heat waves and prolonged hypoxia, and a suite of adaptive actions by the local fishing cooperative, and others in the region, that have helped confront these rapid and drastic changes. Cooperatives have established voluntary marine reserves to promote recovery of affected populations and have invested in diversification of activities enabled by access rights, collective decision-making, and participatory science programs. Results indicate that local actions can support social and ecological resilience in the face of shocks, and that enabling locally-driven adaptation pathways is critical to resilience. This case study highlights the crucial importance of strengthening and supporting rights, governance, capacity, flexibility, learning, and agency for coastal communities to respond to change and sustain their livelihoods and ecosystems in the long run.

Intersecting social-ecological vulnerabilities to and lived experiences of sexually transmitted infections among Syrian refugee women in Lebanon: A qualitative study.

Conflict-affected women and girls living in protracted forced displacement settings are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Yet, little is known about the risk factors for and lived experiences of STIs in complex humanitarian settings, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, where STIs have long been understudied. This qualitative study adapts the social ecological model to characterize the multi-level risks for and lived experiences of STIs among Syrian refugee women resettled in an urban refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. Adopting a community-based sampling strategy, community health workers, who were refugee women from the camp, recruited and conducted in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 30 adult Syrian refugee women. Data were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological approach and thematically organized according to the levels of the social ecological model. We identified a confluence of individual, interpersonal, community-based, and societal vulnerabilities to STIs, including extreme poverty and insecurity, patriarchal gender norms, stigma, sexual exploitation and trafficking, poor healthcare accessibility, intimate partner violence, including marital rape, transactional sex, sexual harassment, social isolation, and internalized stigma. Participants described experiencing bothersome symptoms and sequelae of advanced and untreated STIs in the setting of limited access to health services and challenges with engaging their partners in STI treatment, largely due to STI stigma. These novel findings suggest dynamic, interrelated social and health disparities across all social ecological levels influencing refugee women's sexual health, including their risk of STIs. Comprehensive, multi-sectorial interventions, which transcend traditional public health methods and which adopt a sexual well-being approach, are urgently needed to address systemic and intrapersonal violence against refugee women, examine and mitigate the burden of STIs, and ensure sexual justice and health equity in this protracted forced displacement setting.

Social-ecological vulnerability and risk of China's marine capture fisheries to climate change.

Climate change is a new disrupter to global fisheries systems and their governance frameworks. It poses a pressing management challenge, particularly in China, which is renowned as the world's largest fishing country and seafood producer. As climate change continues to intensify in the region and climate awareness grows within the country's national policy, the need to understand China's fisheries' resilience to the escalating climate crisis becomes paramount. In this study, we conduct an interdisciplinary analysis to assess the vulnerability and risk of China's marine capture fisheries in response to climate change. This study employs a spatially explicit, indicator-based approach with a coupled social-ecological framework, focusing on 67 species and 11 coastal regions. By integrating diverse sets of climatic, ecological, economic, societal, and governance indicators and information, we elucidate the factors that could hinder climate adaptation, including a limited understanding of fish early life stages, uncertainty in seafood production, unequal allocation and accessibility of resources, and inadequate consideration of inclusive governance and adaptive management. Our results show that species, which have managed to survive the stress of overfishing, demonstrate a remarkable ability to adapt to climate change. However, collapsing stocks such as large yellow croaker face a high risk due to the synergistic effects of inherent biological traits and external management interventions. We emphasize the imperative to build institutional, scientific, and social capacity to support fisheries adaptation. The scientific insights provided by this study can inform fisheries management decisions and promote the operationalization of climate-resilient fisheries in China and other regions.

Social-ecological vulnerability to climate change and risk governance in coastal fishing communities of Bangladesh

Social-ecological vulnerability to climate change and risk governance in coastal fishing communities of Bangladesh

How to manage urban disturbances: Focused on social-ecological vulnerability to fine dust pollution

Since the pattern of fine dust pollution varies regionally, it is necessary to identify areas vulnerable to fine dust pollution based on local community and environmental infrastructure and then plan green infrastructure for these areas. The purpose of this study is to analyze the suitability area of green infrastructure systems to improve urban resilience with regards to fine dust pollution. Regarding the research methods, first, a search for previous studies is conducted to establish an evaluation index for the resilience to fine dust pollution. Second, data on the environmental and social factors of the case study site (Suwon, Republic of Korea) are collected and mapped based on the resilience evaluation indices established for fine dust pollution. Third, these indices are used to confirm that regional differences caused by landscape fragmentation exist with regards to resilience to fine dust pollution. This study yields two key outcomes. Firstly, the indicators associated with resilience against fine dust pollution are categorized into environmental and social factors. Environmental factors encompass the composition of pollutants (including concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3, CO, and SO2), proximity to roads, and environmental assets such as well-established roadside green spaces, parks, forests, and thriving vegetation. Meanwhile, social factors incorporate considerations of social welfare services and air pollutant emission facilities. These factors contribute to the comprehensive evaluation indices, encompassing exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity concerning fine dust pollution. Secondly, the spatial analysis of fine dust pollution within the case study area reveals that regions exhibiting robust social-ecological system adaptive capacities tend to demonstrate heightened resilience against fine dust pollution. Conversely, areas characterized by elevated exposure and sensitivity to this issue exhibit reduced resilience. Moreover, the investigation into landscape fragmentation highlights a strong correlation between resilience against fine dust pollution and the fragmentation of green spaces. This study deviates from previous research endeavors through its innovative approach of strategically planning green infrastructure in vulnerable zones, aligning with local characteristics. It further introduces distinct resilience evaluation indicators tailored to fine dust pollution and integrates considerations of the spatial distribution of social-ecological systems, thereby contributing to a nuanced understanding of this complex issue.

Exploring Water Quality as a Determinant of Small-Scale Fisheries Vulnerability

Water quality is a fundamental indicator of coastal ecosystem health. Maintaining appropriate levels of water quality is critical for the growth of aquatic species and the livelihoods of dependent small-scale fishery (SSF) communities. However, natural (e.g., cyclones, floods) and hu-man-induced (e.g., hydrological changes, varied fishing techniques) factors create cumulative stress on these systems, leading to environmental and socioeconomic challenges. This often manifests as food insecurity, occupational displacement, and biodiversity loss. Despite existing research on coastal sustainability and resilience, the intricate connection between water-quality variations and social–ecological vulnerabilities remains understudied. This paper addresses this gap, focusing on the interplay between water quality changes and the vulnerabilities faced by SSF communities. Using the Chilika Lagoon in India as a case study, this synthesis paper examines water-quality processes and their impact on community vulnerabilities over three decades. It analyses various coping and adaptive responses of the fisher communities and the potential of their actions for creating viable small-scale fisheries. Our findings suggest ways in which SSF communities can respond to these vulnerabilities and help foster knowledge for their transition to viability.

A Qualitative Assessment of Natural and Anthropogenic Drivers of Risk to Sustainable Livelihoods in the Indian Sundarban

In the Indian Sundarban, multiple attributes and interactions of natural hazards, exposure, and vulnerability pose severe threats to lives and livelihoods. Understanding the cause-and-effect relationships contributing to the risk of loss of sustainable livelihoods has become imperative but has not yet been holistically explored in a single study that provides a broader picture of all possible complex interactions. This study used the impact chain tool to holistically understand the risk that manifests as a result of interactions of hazards, exposure, and vulnerability. The secondary literature and authors’ observations helped us structure the first draft of the impact chain, which was further developed and validated through fourteen gender-disaggregated interviews with key informants and delta dwellers. This validation process identified the complex interconnections contributing to risk as experienced by experts and delta dwellers, which is seldom reflected through exclusively quantitative data. A quantitative analysis of the qualitative data strongly indicated that tropical cyclones, rainfall variability, and storms are the dominant hazards that affect social–ecological vulnerability manifested through mangrove degradation, land loss due to erosion, and embankment breaching. Social vulnerability is caused by processes and factors that are either directly or indirectly influenced by natural hazards and social–ecological factors. Processes such as increasing seasonal male migration, uncertain agricultural income, and a lack of hazard-resistant housing exacerbates social vulnerability. Embankment breaching, the salinization of land and water, land loss due to erosion, mangrove degradation, land conversion, and groundwater abstraction were identified as the fundamental threats that can lead to a loss of sustainable livelihoods of the people if left unaddressed.

Vulnerability and ecosystem-based adaptation in the farming communities of droughtprone Northwest Bangladesh

Agriculture is sensitive to climate change as it depends on temperature and rainfall patterns for crop production. Though Bangladesh's recent growth in its agriculture sector is remarkable, the farmer community living in the northwest region of Bangladesh faces drought every year that negatively affects agriculture, ecology, and society. However, studies focusing on farmer communities' vulnerability to drought and adaptation options through a social-ecological lens are limited. The present study used a framework that combines social-ecological vulnerability (i.e., exposure, sensitivity, and lack of resilience) and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) strategies and linked them with risk governance (i.e., organization, planning, and implementation) to understand social-ecological risk and adaptation. Data was collected through 50 in-depth interviews and six focus group discussions with the farmer communities of the Tanore sub-district of Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. We found that increased temperature, lack of water availability, change in rainfall pattern, and limited availability of drought-resilient crop seeds increased farmers’ vulnerability to drought. Farmers were shifting from traditional farming practices to more ecosystem-based, integrated farming practices that are less climate-sensitive. Combined agriculture, selecting drought-tolerant rice varieties, and shifting cropping patterns were some strategies that farmers adopted to address risks. However, the adaptation of these strategies was not well-governed. Farmers opined some strategies that could be initiated at the organization (e.g., local government support), planning (e.g., planning farming skill development), and implementation (e.g., restoring water bodies) levels to help the community to reduce risk. The study would aid in framing governance measures to reduce vulnerability and risk in agriculture-dominated social-ecological systems.

Social-ecological vulnerability of fishing communities to climate change: A U.S. West Coast case study.

Climate change is already impacting coastal communities, and ongoing and future shifts in fisheries species productivity from climate change have implications for the livelihoods and cultures of coastal communities. Harvested marine species in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem support U.S. West Coast communities economically, socially, and culturally. Ecological vulnerability assessments exist for individual species in the California Current but ecological and human vulnerability are linked and vulnerability is expected to vary by community. Here, we present automatable, reproducible methods for assessing the vulnerability of U.S. West Coast fishing dependent communities to climate change within a social-ecological vulnerability framework. We first assessed the ecological risk of marine resources, on which fishing communities rely, to 50 years of climate change projections. We then combined this with the adaptive capacity of fishing communities, based on social indicators, to assess the potential ability of communities to cope with future changes. Specific communities (particularly in Washington state) were determined to be at risk to climate change mainly due to economic reliance on at risk marine fisheries species, like salmon, hake, or sea urchins. But, due to higher social adaptive capacity, these communities were often not found to be the most vulnerable overall. Conversely, certain communities that were not the most at risk, ecologically and economically, ranked in the category of highly vulnerable communities due to low adaptive capacity based on social indicators (particularly in Southern California). Certain communities were both ecologically at risk due to catch composition and socially vulnerable (low adaptive capacity) leading to the highest tier of vulnerability. The integration of climatic, ecological, economic, and societal data reveals that factors underlying vulnerability are variable across fishing communities on the U.S West Coast, and suggests the need to develop a variety of well-aligned strategies to adapt to the ecological impacts of climate change.

Hotspots for social and ecological impacts from freshwater stress and storage loss

Humans and ecosystems are deeply connected to, and through, the hydrological cycle. However, impacts of hydrological change on social and ecological systems are infrequently evaluated together at the global scale. Here, we focus on the potential for social and ecological impacts from freshwater stress and storage loss. We find basins with existing freshwater stress are drying (losing storage) disproportionately, exacerbating the challenges facing the water stressed versus non-stressed basins of the world. We map the global gradient in social-ecological vulnerability to freshwater stress and storage loss and identify hotspot basins for prioritization (n = 168). These most-vulnerable basins encompass over 1.5 billion people, 17% of global food crop production, 13% of global gross domestic product, and hundreds of significant wetlands. There are thus substantial social and ecological benefits to reducing vulnerability in hotspot basins, which can be achieved through hydro-diplomacy, social adaptive capacity building, and integrated water resources management practices.

Social-Ecological Risk and Vulnerability to Flooding and Erosion along the Ohio Lake Erie Shoreline

The Laurentian Great Lakes system holds approximately 20% of the world’s available surface freshwater and represents an immense economic engine for the region. Lake Erie, one of the five North American Great Lakes is classified as highly stressed and deteriorating with significant flooding and erosion issues stemming from record-high water levels. This study adapts a well-established oceanic coastal vulnerability index to estimate impacts and risks of lake-level rise on the Ohio portion of Lake Erie coastal social-ecological system. The authors worked closely with coastal engineers, planners, and other practitioners associated with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and the Office of Coastal Management (OCM) to help adapt a scientifically-grounded framework for natural resource and policy decision making. Overall, place-based risk and vulnerability to flooding and erosion necessitates an integrated approach that combines socio-economic, built-environment, political boundaries, and bio-physical characteristics. While most of the integrated methodologies are focused on the oceanic coasts at the county scale, this research presents a model for Lake Erie-relevant variables at the higher-resolution census-tract unit of analysis and a coastal vulnerability index at 100-foot intervals along the coastline for four decades and each season. The result is both a foundation for Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management to identify scientifically-informed, place-based priority management areas for flooding and erosion, as well as a methodological roadmap to adapt the Coastal and Place Vulnerability Indices to the other Great Lakes’ states and provincial shorelines.

Fuzzy-based vulnerability assessment of coupled social-ecological systems to multiple environmental hazards and climate change

Climate change and combining related parameters of environmental hazards have left a considerable challenge in assessing social-ecological vulnerability. Here we integrated a fuzzy-based approach in the vulnerability assessment of mangrove social-ecological systems combining environmental parameters, socio-economic, and vegetative components from exposure dimensions, sensitivity and adaptive capacity along the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman for the first time. This study aims to provide critical information for habitat-scale management strategies and adaptation plans by assessing the vulnerability of mangrove social-ecological systems. This study provides a methodology framework that consists of five steps. Step 1: We combined the fuzzy weighted maps of seven environmental hazards, including tidal range, maximum wind speeds, drought magnitude, maximum temperatures, extreme storm surge, sea-level rise, significant wave height, and social vulnerability. This map combination determined that the computed exposure index is from 1.07 to 4.32 across the study areas, with an increasing trend from the coasts of the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. Step 2: We integrated the fuzzy weighted maps of four sensitivity variables, including area change, health change, seaward edge retreat, and production potential change. The findings show that the sensitivity index is from 1.40 to 2.64 across the study areas, increasing the trend from the Persian Gulf coast to the Gulf of Oman. Step 3: Besides, we combined the fuzzy weighted maps of three adaptive capacity variables, including the availability of migration areas, recruitment, and local communities' participation in restoration projects and education programs. The result showed that the index value across the study areas varies between 0.087 and 2.38, decreasing the trend from the Persian Gulf coast to the Gulf of Oman. Step 4: Implementing fuzzy hierarchical analysis process to determine the relative weight of variables corresponding to exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Step 5: The integration of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity and the vulnerability index maps in the study areas showed variation from 0.25 to 5.92, with the vulnerability of mangroves from the west coast of the Persian Gulf (Nayband) decreasing towards Khamir, then increasing to the eastern coasts of the Gulf of Oman (Jask and Gwadar). Overall, the results indicate the importance of the proposed approach to the vulnerability of mangroves at the habitat scale along a coastal area and across environmental gradients of climatic, maritime and socio-economic variables. This study validated the findings based on the ground truth measurements, and high-resolution satellite data incorporated the Consistency Rate (CR) in the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP). The overall accuracy of all classified remote sensing images and maps consistently exceeded 90%, and the CR of the 25 completed questionnaires was <0.1. Finally, this study indicates differences in vulnerability of various habitats, leading to focus conservation completion and rehabilitation and climate change adaptation planning to support the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-13 implementation.

Reindeer husbandry in peril?—How extractive industries exert multiple pressures on an Arctic pastoral ecosystem

Abstract Environmental changes and their consequences on biodiversity are known to have far‐reaching effects on the resilience of animal populations and associated livelihoods around the world. To counteract negative demographic and economic effects on pastoralism, knowledge about the historical and current status of the environment is essential. In this study, we show how extractive industries, especially large‐scale mining, induced a cascade of land conversions which are affecting animal populations and pastoralists’ adaptive responses in northern Sweden. We examine social–ecological vulnerability in Arctic reindeer husbandry by integrating herders’ knowledge, population statistics for semi‐domesticated reindeer Rangifer t. tarandus, public data on socio‐economic variables and geospatial tools. We determine that approximately 34% of Laevas reindeer herding community's grazing grounds are functionally unavailable to reindeer at present due to the accumulation of multiple competing land use pressures. Reindeer numbers currently only remain stable due to increased management efforts. Moreover, we identified current hotspots of high cumulative impact and mineral exploration as the spatially dominating land use factor in this area. Our approach and results provide new insights for scientifically robust cumulative impact assessments of anthropogenic stressors by creating a baseline of current developments via a combination of reindeer herder's knowledge with historical data of trends and extents of human activity over the last century.

Social-Ecological Vulnerability and Livelihood Improvement Strategies of Landslide Victims in Pattalikang Village, Gowa Regency in National Security Perspective

Landslides are caused by natural environmental factors and cultural, environmental factors, such as changes in land use and social conditions. In the event of a landslide disaster in Pattalikang Village, the community had to start over from scratch and improve their livelihoods. This study aims to analyze: (1) the social-ecological vulnerability of landslide in Pattalikang Village; (2) disaster mitigation efforts for the people of Pattalikang Village after landslides; and (3) Strategies for improving the livelihoods of the people of Pattalikang Village after landslides from a national security perspective. This study used a qualitative approach with descriptive-analytical methods. Respondents are from the Pattalikang Village community and representatives from the head of Pattalikang village, the Regional Disaster Management Agency, the Social Service, the Agricultural Service, the Public Works and Housing Agency, and Tagana Gowa Regency. The results showed that: (1) The socio-ecological vulnerability in Pattalikang Village was categorized as vulnerable based on the scoring and weighting of socio-ecological vulnerability factors; (2) Mitigation efforts carried out were planting vetiver in every landslide-prone point and training of disaster risk reduction for community; (3) The strategy used by the communities who are victims of landslides is consolidation and survival strategy as the strength point to rebuild the communities and improving livelihoods after disaster.

Assessing social-ecological vulnerability of coastal systems to fishing and tourism

Detecting areas with high social-ecological vulnerability (SEV) is essential to better inform management interventions for building resilience in coastal systems. The SEV framework, developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is a robust method to identify SEV of tropical coastal systems to climate change. Yet, the application of this framework to temperate regions and other drivers of change remains underexplored. This study operationalizes the SEV framework to assess the social-ecological implications of fishing and tourism in temperate coastal systems. We spatially represented the SEV of coastal systems and identified the social and ecological vulnerability dimensions underpinning this SEV. Our results demonstrate that different dimensions contribute differently to the SEV, suggesting the need for distinctive management intervention to reduce the vulnerability of coastal systems. Our findings also highlight that livelihood diversification and the protection of marine areas may be plausible strategies to build resilience in temperate coastal systems that face fishing and tourism pressures. With this study, we hope to encourage the application of the SEV framework to other drivers of change for building more resilient coastal systems.

Missing the outbreak for the germs

Leafy greens cause a growing proportion of foodborne illness outbreaks despite heavy investment in surveillance technologies designed to control pathogenic hazards in agriculture. To understand how the governing regime maintains authority despite continual lapses in control, I examine a deadly 2018 outbreak of Escherichia coli O157: H7 linked to romaine lettuce. By comparing the outbreak investigation and regulatory response to the questions not asked and actions not taken, I show how the regime’s methods of understanding the outbreak also organized its ignorance of dangers outside its carefully constructed field of vision. Applying agnotology theory, I argue that the industrial organization of leafy greens agriculture and the institutionalized non-knowledge of emergent social–ecological vulnerabilities coproduce one another, allowing the industrial food regime to avoid fundamental reforms that might enhance resilience. This case demonstrates that critical examination of organized non-knowledge in complex environmental governance systems can reveal limits to institutional learning and systemic reflexivity that impede sustainability transitions.

COOPERATIVE SUCCESSION: STRATEGIC MILITARY BASE REALIGNMENT IN OKINAWA

Since the Battle of Okinawa and the end of World War II, Okinawa Island, one of the five main islands of Japan, has been a critical strategic location for the United States Armed Forces. Approximately 70% of the U.S. military bases in Japan are located on Okinawa Island. The bases cover one-fifth of the total Island area and expose Okinawa to various social–ecological vulnerabilities. Being unconstrained by the military base border, the social-ecological impacts of this highly militarized reality could be observed across the Island, and contaminates and disturbs ecological systems crucial for local residents and wildlife. Within the context of the ongoing debate over the military realignment on Okinawa Island, this study responds to the aforementioned challenges by proposing a landscape-based alternative realignment strategy. In particular, with the upcoming 50th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan in 2022, this work outlines four strategies for establishing an ecological symbiosis between nature, the indigenous Okinawan, and the U.S. military bases, and strengthening self-sustainability on a militarized island landscape.