Social-ecological Systems Research Articles

Looking back to shape the future: Trajectories and resilience of social–ecological systems in the Global South

Looking back to shape the future: Trajectories and resilience of social–ecological systems in the Global South

How to manage regime shifts: insights from a dryland social–ecological system

ABSTRACT Effective water resource management in the Zayandeh-Rud River Basin, a critical region in the Middle East, requires understanding system dynamics and anticipating regime shifts. This study uses system dynamics to model water consumption changes in the basin, analysing various scenarios (10% to 30% increase/decrease) in agricultural, urban, and industrial sectors. Results show that increased consumption harms water systems, while reductions, especially a 30% decrease, stabilize systems and improve water quality. Upstream reductions benefit downstream resources, highlighting the importance of integrated management. Proactive strategies can mitigate adverse impacts, ensuring a sustainable water future for the region’s inhabitants.

The Chinampa a Response to Climate Change: A Complex Model of Ancestral Wisdom for Urban Resilience

Introduction: In the context of climate change, cities face critical challenges in water management and sustainability. One of the most ingenious and adaptive procedures that has endured throughout history is that of chinampas, which is a model of sustainable agriculture, and reflects a way of life intimately connected with nature. Objective: Evaluate the possibility of incorporating the method based on the chinampas built by the Mexica culture in current cities to generate a complex model of urban resilience. Theoretical Framework: In the theoretical framework there are theories such as ecological utopia, dystopia, stationary urbanism addressed by Fernando Gaja, smart cities by Tim Campbell and sustainability from the perspective of Francisco Javier Aceves, in addition to the agroecology of Nicholls and the socioecological systems of Towers as main axes of analysis. Method: The methodology is based on complex systems from the approach of Edgar Morin and Rolando García, with stratification, and the application of different methods to form a complex unit that is a resilient city model with the use of chinampas. Results and Discussion: The excessive construction, pollution, traffic and various problems show an urban crisis that was drying up the basin of the Valley of Mexico and there are currently few areas where bodies of water and chinampas such as Xochimilco are still conserved with socio-ecological systems and agroecology. Research Implications: Urban resilience, which aims to recover from an impact caused by climate change to current cities, health, adequate habitability conditions, and natural resources, which is why searching for a resilient urban city model is a complex task. Originality/Value: It is based on the recovery of ancestral knowledge to reestablish healthy cities of the 21st century from sustainability and bioclimatics since chinampas are used by the Mexica culture in pre-Hispanic times.

Rethinking the landslide risk assessment for socio-ecological systems using the example of the northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast

Rethinking the landslide risk assessment for socio-ecological systems using the example of the northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast

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.

Shifted baselines: Using the adaptive cycle to assess the post-tsunami mangrove social-ecological system recovery in the Nicobar Islands.

The 2004 tsunami and coastal subsidence resulted in 97% mangrove loss in the Nicobar Islands (India), leading to major social-ecological change. We assessed how the Nicobar mangrove social-ecological system (SES) responded to the 2004 event using the adaptive cycle (AC) framework. We describe the changes across AC phases (collapse-Ω, reorganisation-α, growth-r, and conservation-K) concerning various capital types (natural, built, human, social), connectedness and resilience. The subsidence and tsunami triggered a rapid collapse (Ω) in the mangrove SES, particularly depleting natural and built capitals. Despite declines in social and human capital, some knowledge and skills were retained within Nicobari communities. We suggest that locally managed interventions involving mangrove restoration are critical to escape the poverty trap caused by resource insufficiency hindering growth. The AC model helps visualise and describe temporal changes, preparing for recovery challenges. This approach is relevant to SESs beyond Nicobar, offering insights for sites confronting similar social-ecological dynamics and challenges.

Towards biocultural realism: Connecting conservation with historical ecology and common sense. A European perspective.

In this perspective, we present and discuss four major causes of the worldwide nature conservation failure: 1) ideologies based on nature-culture dualism, 2) the bias prioritising forests in conservation, 3) the illusory objectiveness of selected biological indicators, and 4) the mismanagement of rural agricultural landscapes. All of these relate to ignorance of historical ecology and neglect of the role past plays in shaping landscapes and fostering biodiversity. These led to a false anthropology focussed on the broader human economy (including agriculture) as the absolute culprit of biodiversity loss. It is believed, therefore, that biodiversity preservation depends on conservation policies and actions providing protection against human activities, such as farming. In this way, nature conservation has been detached from the rich experiences of long and fruitful coexistence of people with other elements of nature. The bio-cultural legacy includes biodiversity-rich rural landscapes, whose habitats are often either neglected or wrongly interpreted as "remnants of natural ecosystems". Consequently, conservation efforts are frequently ineffective or worse still, counter-effective. In the face of policies favouring subsidised intensive agribusiness at the cost of destroying smallholder family farming, even expensive conservation projects are usually nothing more than a "fig leaf" to cover failure. We advocate re-focussing of conservation planning to put more emphasis on landscapes' historical ecology responsible for their bio-cultural diversity. It implies the need for new principles in policies necessary to secure the economic and cultural sovereignty of local socio-ecological systems responsible for the world's bio-cultural diversity.

Resource Nexus for decision-making: an industry-community synergistic approach for textile wastewater management

ABSTRACT Although the textile industry is crucial to economic development, it is a significant polluter of global water sources through its wastewater discharge, which endangers aquatic ecosystems and neighboring communities. This study focuses on stakeholder perceptions from farming and fishing communities related to wastewater management in the Bangladesh textile industry. Using focus group discussions with stakeholders that focused on sustainability values and a Resource Nexus framing, the results emphasise the adverse effects of textile wastewater on neighbouring communities, spanning agriculture, livestock, and ecological resources. The findings also underscore a significant need for collaboration between the textile industry and neighbouring communities, emphasising the ongoing obligation of governance resources, such as monitoring, regulations, and proactive measures and advocates for engaging different stakeholders in the formulation of robust policies, stringent regulations, and concerted efforts across industry, government, and communities to deliver improved governmental monitoring, enforcement of regulations and transparency in wastewater management practices in the textile industry of Bangladesh. The study suggests that a Water-Energy-Ecosystems-Food (WEEF) Resource Nexus approach can enhance decision-making, promoting sustainable energy infrastructure, encourage increased treated wastewater reuse, and facilitate effective management for environmental resilience and socio-ecological systems sustainability. This study contributes valuable insights elicited from a WEEF Resource Nexus approach, offering guidance for policymakers, industry practitioners, and researchers in the textile industry and beyond, aiding in the understanding of resilient industry-community ecosystems.

Modelling the Banni social-ecological system using participatory system dynamics for building insights on invasive species management and stakeholder engagement

Invasive species are a significant driver of environmental change in social-ecological systems (SES) globally. Given that SES are inherently complex adaptive systems (CAS), they continuously reorganize themselves and adapt to change, including changes in ecological composition, as well as in associated lives and livelihoods. Decision-making on invasive species management in such systems can be contested and fraught with tradeoffs. The Banni Grasslands in Kutch, India, is one such system where the introduction of Prosopisjuliflora (P.juliflora), an invasive woody species, has over decades resulted in deeply coupled social-ecological change. Removal of P.juliflora for land restoration is as of date a contested policy choice. Through a participatory transdisciplinary process comprising workshops and consultations with the local community (Maldharis), civil society and researchers involved in long term research on Banni, a system dynamics simulation model was developed which synthesizes the SES dynamics as a set of feedback loops. The model was used to simulate ‘what-if’ scenarios of interest up to 2050, to study consequences of restoration and the impact of climate extremes, to generate insights which could be useful in aiding decision making. The runs show how vis-à-vis a Business-As-Usual Scenario, restoration could help Maldharis increase livestock populations and livestock income, although there would still be a limit to the growth, with livestock reaching a higher normal. The runs show how it would also mean a loss in the P.juliflora-dependent charcoal-based income and livelihoods, and the extent of the loss, raising the question of finding alternative livelihoods. In a climate extremes scenario, the system, being more resource-intensive owing to growing livestock population, and loss of the relatively climate proof P.julilfora-based income, counterintuitively shows higher sensitivity to climate change impacts resulting in more pronounced impact on income variation. In order to engage stakeholders via ‘live’ simulation and scenario building, a user-friendly app encoding the simulation model was developed and used to carry out a participatory scenario planning exercise with the community to allow for live appraisal of the scenarios and their implications for decision-making. The paper summarizes insights from the simulation runs and from taking the app back to the community.

Unveiling Relationships: Enhancing Sustainability of Golpata (Nipa Palm) Through Socio‐Ecological Systems Management in the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest

ABSTRACTThis study explores the social‐ecological dynamics of common pool resource (CPR) management in the Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh. We focus on golpata (Nypa fruticans), a vital CPR for local communities. A social‐ecological systems (SESs) framework was employed to assess the relationships between social (actors and governance) and ecological (resource system and resource unit) dimensions and their influence on the sustainability of golpata management. Data on 12 variables and 24 indicators were collected within the Chadpai range of the Sundarbans. Results revealed both positive and negative relationships between the SES dimensions. Positive correlations were found between the resource system and resource unit, and between governance and both resource system and unit (albeit weaker). Conversely, negative correlations emerged between actors and both resource systems and units, suggesting a potential disconnect between community user practices and resource sustainability. Based on these findings, the study recommends four distinct management scenarios tailored to specific SES regions within the Sundarbans. These scenarios emphasize strengthening governance frameworks, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and implementing targeted ecological interventions to improve the sustainability of golpata resources. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the social‐ecological complexities of golpata management in the Sundarbans. The findings can inform policymakers in developing effective strategies for sustainable resource use and community livelihoods within this critical ecosystem.

An analytical framework based on social-ecological systems for identifying priority areas for ecological restoration in coastal regions

Owing to rapid urbanization, coastal regions worldwide are experiencing immense resource and environmental stress. Ecological restoration is vital for maintaining and sustainably developing coastal regions. This study proposed a method for delineating priority areas for ecological restoration based on the social-ecological systems (SES) theory. First, an analytical model was established based on three dimensions: ecosystem function, social system pressure, and SES evolution, for analyzing the social and natural systems of coastal regions. Second, based on the modes of land–sea interaction relevant to ecological restoration, auxiliary marine factors were incorporated to aid the delineation of priority areas for ecological restoration. A case study was conducted on the Dapeng New District of Shenzhen City to validate our method. The marine areas of the Dapeng New District have significantly poorer ecosystem function than its terrestrial areas because of the natural geography of this area and human activities. A total of 43.4% of marine areas require artificially assisted ecological restoration, and inland areas 1.5 km from the shoreline are significant for ecological conservation and restoration. Additionally, estuaries and artificial shorelines should be the focus of ecological restoration work in the study area. This case study proved the efficacy of our method. The findings will serve as a reference for the planning and implementation of ecological restoration plans in coastal regions.

A Comprehensive Framework for Understanding Urban Forests as Social-Ecological Systems

AbstractUrban forest management is a multistakeholder, multi-objective situation whereby a surfeit of synergistic or competing goals may exist. Greater research and applied guidance for what works in which urban forest contexts could help improve urban tree and forest outcomes. The challenge in conducting research of this nature is systematic definitions of “what works” and “which contexts” across multidimensional, polycentric urban forest social-ecological systems. This paper presents a comprehensive framework for studying the complexities in urban forest systems (synthesized from numerous other frameworks in the field) that could be used to generate context-specific insights into urban forest management and dynamics. The logic of using frameworks and specific frameworks that already exist within the field are reviewed. Then, I present the urban forest social-ecological system (UFSES) framework. The UFSES framework specifies 5 first-tier factors: theCharacteristics of Trees in the Urban Forest (T); theSurrounding Growing Environment (E);Management & Institutions (M); andCharacteristics of the Human Community (H); which influenceUrban Forest Outcomes (O). A detailed set of second-tier variables nested within these factors are presented in tables at the end of the paper. The framework can foster holistic systems thinking in a systematic yet flexible way; provide a working draft of a common language for thinking about and studying urban forest systems; and enable comparative case research.

ROLE OF COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION IN EKITI STATE

This seminar paper examines the role of Community-Based Conservation (CBC) in promoting environmental sustainability and community development in Ekiti State, Nigeria. CBC is a framework that prioritizes local community involvement in managing natural resources, combining environmental conservation with socio-economic development. The study reviews relevant literature to demonstrate how CBC utilizes Indigenous knowledge and cultural practices to tackle significant environmental issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution. This paper analyses case studies of successful Community-Based Conservation (CBC) initiatives from regions like Cross River and Ondo States, demonstrating how CBC enhances biodiversity protection and supports livelihoods through sustainable practices, including agroforestry and ecotourism. Social-ecological systems (SES) theory offers a framework that highlights the interdependence of human societies and ecosystems. The theory supports adaptive governance, emphasizing community involvement in decision-making for resource management, thereby enhancing resilience in social and ecological systems. The paper also analyses the involvement of government agencies, NGOs, and local authorities in offering institutional support for community-based conservation (CBC) via policies that acknowledge land tenure and resource rights. The findings indicate that CBC plays a significant role in meeting global conservation objectives, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land), while also providing avenues for poverty alleviation. The study concludes with recommendations to enhance legal frameworks, develop community capacity via education, and promote collaborative governance to tackle issues associated with resource depletion and climate change.

Human–River Relationships

ABSTRACTRivers and people are tightly coupled. How people relate to rivers dictates their understanding of rivers and approaches to river management. The numerous ways people interact with rivers create complex patterns of social–ecological relationships and interdependencies. Despite this tight coupling, rivers and humans are often studied and managed as separate entities, to the detriment of river environments. Conceptual pluralism is required to move beyond existing practice to avoid irretrievable loss of ways of framing and working with our river environments. The articles in this special issue approach human–river relationships from three perspectives. First, there is a subset that enters the discussions via the human aspects of relationships with rivers, particularly the human frames, metaphors, definitions, or concepts used to reflect on human activities related to rivers. The second subset approaches relationships via the river dimensions, with particular focus on the impacts of human modifications to river ecosystems. Finally, the third subset more fully emphasizes the relationships between humans and rivers. The wide‐ranging dialogue provided in these articles highlights the need for a wider research agenda for rivers that embraces social–ecological systems and other integrative, inclusive ways of understanding. As a collective, these articles advocate the value of creating new river knowledge embedded within a social–ecological context, action, and advocacy.

The Socioecology of Sexual Minority Stigma: Advancing Theory on Stigma-Based Mechanisms Underlying Sexual Orientation-Based Disparities in Health

Research in public health and psychology has identified sexual minority stigma-related risk factors that contribute to sexual orientation-based health disparities across settings and societies worldwide. Existing scholarship, however, has predominantly focused on these factors as independent, stand-alone risk factors, neglecting their interconnected nature across different levels. This article theoretically explores how sexual minority stigma may function as a multilevel socioecological system, by building on prevailing theories and emphasizing the interplay between structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal stigma-related factors. Drawing on the minority stress and socioecological theories, three central tenets are proposed, namely 1) chronosystem with immediate, accumulating, or lasting effects across spatiotemporal contexts, 2) nested multilevel system with cross-level effects, and 3) mechanistic pathways linking stigma exposure to health. By providing a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of how sexual minority stigma may operate as a multilevel socioecological system, this article aims to contribute by reflecting on the novel implications of this interpretation for future research and to guide conceptualizations and studies, acknowledging the complexity of sexual minority stigma exposure across historical contexts, societies, and the individual life course in shaping physical and mental health of sexual minorities. Limitations of current research and recommendations for future research are discussed.

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

Network analysis concepts and tools are being increasingly applied to Social-ecological systems (SES) in human-environment and sustainability sciences. In this study, we used the Gao metric (βeff) to measure the resilience of networks in small-scale fisheries (SSF) in the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex (PEC). The purpose was to evaluate the variations and trends in network resilience across eight hydrological sectors of the PEC during different seasons. Our analysis revealed that the βeff metric varied significantly across the eight SES sectors, suggesting that resilience is not uniformly distributed. Notably, the sectors located internally the estuary exhibited lower resilience values than the others. The average trophic level of the fishery catches was the higher hierarchical position variable that most affected the network topological metrics, followed by variables magnitude of conflicts, water and sediment quality, and rainfall. Our hydrodynamic sectorization, reflecting ecological and social interactions, enabled us to identify distinct interaction networks within the PEC. This shows the complexity of managing these SES to ensure the sustainability and resilience of the system. While other variables and spatial and temporal scales could lead to different estimates and relationships, our findings shed light on the importance of resilience quantification and the interaction networks within SES to manage them effectively.

Reversing degradation of social–ecological systems: explaining the outcomes of interventions in Africa

Reversing degradation of social–ecological systems: explaining the outcomes of interventions in Africa

Social Influence in Social-Ecological Systems: Collaborative Capacity and Inter-Organizational Networks in the U.S. Sagebrush.

Collaborative governance has become a prominent, if not dominant, framework for thinking about multi-scalar and cross-jurisdictional environmental management. The literature broadly and consistently suggests that collaborative capacity and inter-organizational networks provide the institutional framework for addressing social-ecological system challenges. Surprisingly little scholarship addresses processes of social influence (or contagion) in social-ecological systems writ large, or more specifically as it relates to collaborative capacity. In this study, we consider the relationship between network position and structure and "collaborative capacity". We use a linear network autocorrelation model to establish a quantifiable, statistical relationship between an organizational-level outcome (collaborative capacity) for organizations that are relationally connected in a network addressing conservation and management issues in the U.S. sagebrush biome. We test three general hypotheses: (1) that social position - operationalized as network centrality - is related to collaborative capacity, (2) that subgroup or community structure - operationalized as modularity - is related to collaborative capacity, and (3) that there is a social contagion effect of collaborative capacity. Our results identify a positive relationship between collaborative capacity and organizations in positions of brokerage as well as evidence of a "collaborative capacity" contagion effect. This work contributes to our understanding of the role of bridging organizations and networks for large-scale environmental management.

Research Framework of Regional Economic-Ecological System Vulnerability Evolution and Adaptive Leap under the Background of Climate Change

This study focuses on the vulnerability evolution mechanism of regional economic-ecological systems and its adaptive leapfrogging path under the background of climate change. Based on the theory of complex adaptive systems and the framework of social-ecological system coupling, a regional economic-ecological system vulnerability assessment index system was constructed. Using the system dynamics model and scenario simulation method, the impact transmission mechanism of climate change on regional economic-ecological systems was analyzed, and the spatiotemporal evolution law of system vulnerability was revealed. The study found that climate change has aggravated the vulnerability of regional economic-ecological systems by changing resource endowments, disturbing industrial structure, and affecting ecological service functions. In response to this problem, this study proposed a leapfrogging path based on adaptive management: including building a climate-resilient industrial system, optimizing resource allocation efficiency, enhancing ecosystem service functions, and improving regional adaptive governance mechanisms. The research results have important theoretical value and practical significance for promoting regional sustainable development and ecological civilization construction.

A method for interactive collaboration between different actors: theory of change workshops

Abstract It is well recognised that the involvement of different actors in health research is crucial to the success of projects and interventions, as it increases the likelihood that they will be relevant, impactful and applicable in practice. However, researchers and policy makers often lack tools for the participatory involvement of actors. One way of actively involving actors is the Theory of Change (ToC) method. A ToC is a model of a change process that describes how and why an intervention leads to the intended change or outcome in a given context. It describes the path along which change is expected to occur and provides a framework for investigating whether and how change takes place. It is a systematic methodology that can be used both prospectively and retrospectively for the planning, implementation and evaluation of interventions. The approach recognises that changes in socio-ecological systems are complex and challenging and that the causal processes are often non-linear and intertwined. A ToC workshop begins with the formulation of a clear vision for the desired change and the long-term goal of the intervention. Starting from the long-term goal, the necessary medium-term and short-term goals are then defined in a backward mapping process. Next, indicators, activities and assumptions are defined for each intermediate goal. The results of a ToC workshop can be visualised in a ToC map, which shows the causal pathways, relationships, and connections between the different components of the ToC. This visual representation helps the actors to understand the logic, connections, and assumptions underlying the ToC. This in turn facilitates a shared understanding, collaboration, and ownership among all actors involved. Overall, successful involvement of actors using the ToC method can not only enrich the research process, but ultimately also increase the health benefits of interventions and health policies.