Sustainability Of Socio-ecological Systems Research Articles

Sensitivity Analysis in Socio-Ecological Models as a Tool in Environmental Policy for Sustainability

The assessment of environmental policies and sustainability in socio-ecological systems (SES) should be tackled from a holistic perspective, using methodologies such as dynamic system models. However, the integral assessment of SES generally suffers from high levels of uncertainty. In this work, the potential of sensitivity analysis (SA) to assess uncertainty and its implications in SES models, specifically in the Fuerteventura sustainability model, has been explored. An extensive SA was applied in different stages of model development and application. The different SA techniques applied allowed, besides a detailed assessment of robustness, the identification of leverage points and their application to define environmental policies and management measures intended to improve sustainability. The results suggest that measures based on leverage points identified by the SA in the model are more effective than others proposed so far by different agents. Furthermore, the assessment of uncertainty of measures thought to contribute to sustainability shows that, when uncertainty ranges are considered, the thresholds of some sustainability indicators might be exceeded, whereas mean values would not. Therefore, the surpassing of some sustainability thresholds might go unnoticed if uncertainties are not considered in the policy analysis. This work shows SA to be a powerful tool that provides important insights to policy makers and end users, with regard to improving environmental policies for sustainability.

Quinoa and production rules: how are cooperatives contributing to governance of natural resources?

The sharp increase in the price and production of quinoa between 1990 and 2014 has had important impacts in Bolivia’s southern Altiplano region, previously considered one of the poorest regions in the country. The socio-economic status of most inhabitants improved significantly as a result of the “quinoa boom”. However, it also caused severe disturbances in socio-ecological systems and posed challenges to resource governance by traditional indigenous institutions. This article focuses on the role of farmer cooperatives, in particular, and examines how their production rules may have mitigated some of the challenges associated with the quinoa boom. We assess the activities of cooperatives with the help of Elinor Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework and analytic tools such as the ADICO grammar (Attribute, Deontic, aIm, Condition, Or else) and the eight design principles. The key production rules of cooperatives are examined and compliance with these rules is estimated based on semi-structured interviews and a survey conducted with quinoa producers (n=305). We argue that the cooperatives successfully contributed to alleviate pressures on resources in a context where traditional authorities were challenged by new tasks associated with land grabbing and the crowding out of diversified agricultural activities. In conclusion, we argue that collaboration between traditional authorities and farmer cooperatives holds great potential for improving the governance and sustainability of socio-ecological systems in the region.

Indigenous peoples' control over contemporary challenges of traditional subsistence socio-ecological systems sustainability: The case from the taiga zone of Siberia

Traditional subsistence socio-ecological systems (TSSESs) based on hunting, gathering and fishing are widely spread all-over the taiga zone of Siberia. Nowadays, they are strongly impacted by several drivers of change, coming from human activities and climate changes with cascading both positive and negative effects on all components of ecosystem functions and services. The effects may influence quality of life of indigenous people and human capacities. Key multi-scale issues and possible ways of their solution are identified in TSSESs of Evenkia municipal district of the Krasnoyarsk region based on scientific research and traditional local knowledge and perceptions integration. Among key issues the degradation of ecosystems heavily impacting local subsistence resources availability (fish and meat for food as well as wild animals’ skins for sale) is the most urgent for the indigenous people living on land. Several negative driving forces both socio-economic and natural such as widespread poaching, forest land auctions and increasing annual rent obligations for hunting grounds to the indigenous peoples, imposing limits (quarters) without taking into account real subsistence need of indigenous communities, non-compensated impact of spreading infrastructure and logging on taiga forest ecosystems and hunting grounds, as well as climate changes, are impacting quality of life and human capacities of indigenous people. This analysis of key issues and driving forces leading to them gives us opportunity to propose several ways of such issues solution. The improvement of control and management of TSSESs sustainability with active participation of indigenous people is the principle way for achieving TSSESs resilience and sustainability.

Participatory scenario planning for developing innovation in community adaptation responses: three contrasting examples from Latin America

Environmental change requires adaptive responses that are innovative, forward-looking and anticipatory, in order to meet goals for sustainability in socio-ecological systems. This implies transformative shifts in understanding as conceptualised by the idea of ‘double’- or ‘triple-loop learning’. Achieving this can be difficult as communities often rely on shorter-term coping mechanisms that purport to maintain the status quo. The use of participatory scenario planning to stimulate forward-looking social learning for adaptation was investigated through three contrasting community case studies on natural resource management in Latin America (in Mexico, Argentina and Colombia). Exploratory scenario narratives that synthesised local knowledge and future perceptions were used iteratively to define response options considered robust across multiple futures. Despite its intensive format, participants in each case agreed that scenario planning enabled a more systematic appraisal of the future. Scenarios facilitated innovation by providing scope to propose new types of responses and associated actions. Differences in local context meant that learning about future change developed in diverse ways, showing a need for a reflexive process. Reframing of key issues characteristic of double-loop learning did occur, albeit through different forms of interaction in each location. However, a shift towards transformative actions characteristic of triple-loop learning was less evident. Achieving this would appear to require ongoing use of scenarios to challenge social norms in light of changing drivers. Use of learning loops as a diagnostic to evaluate adaptive responses provided a useful reference framework although in practice both innovation and consolidative approaches can develop concurrently for responses to different issues.

Normative structures, collaboration and conflict in irrigation; a case study of the Pillaro North Canal Irrigation System, Ecuadorian Highlands

This paper analyzes conflict and collaboration and their relation to normative structures based on a case study of the history and external interventions of the Pillaro North Canal Irrigation System in the Ecuadorian Highlands. It does so by using Ostrom’s framework for analyzing the sustainability of socio-ecological systems together with an analysis of the normative structures that define the governance systems through which the interactions in irrigation systems are mediated. I argue that the external interventions by the state and NGOs imposed a new governance system that undermined the existing normative structures and related organizations, leading to internal conflicts. The case study suggests that a reformulation of irrigation policies and state intervention methodologies in user managed supra-community irrigation systems in the Andes could lead to higher levels of cooperation.

Requirements on Management Practices for the Development of Entrepreneurial Creativity in a Global Social-ecological System – Case Study

Abstract We follow a general framework for analysing the sustainability of socio-ecological systems – with a strong human intervention, for Entrepreneurial creativity in a global social-ecological system. In order to define the economic and socio-cultural contextual factors that facilitate or hinder the development of creative skills we applied questionnaires to entrepreneurs, managers and staff of 10 enterprises. We can say that the main problem managers see with their enterprises is a source of financing, while employees feel that there are organizational problems. The enterprises are focused on local and regional markets. Managers feel in general they encourage creative solutions to problems, creative individual contributions by employees; employees rarely downsize these managerial approaches. Both managers and employees feel in general that they work on challenging and important projects and that their work is at the very least productive. Managers often think they are a good example for their employees and workers tend to think the same way. Both Managers and employees have, for the most part, positive opinions on group work, its dynamics, its effectiveness and validity and on interpersonal relationships present in the work group. In the focus group, managers and employees have similar feelings towards most of the questions raised. Participants creative solutions available. With these solutions start always.

Effects of Land Use Change on Soil Carbon Storage and Water Consumption in an Oasis-Desert Ecotone

Land use and ecosystem services need to be assessed simultaneously to better understand the relevant factors in sustainable land management. This paper analyzed land use changes in the middle reach of the arid Heihe River Basin in northwest China over the last two decades and their impacts on water resources and soil organic carbon (SOC) storage. The results indicated that from 1986 to 2007: (1) cropland and human settlements expanded by 45.0 and 17.6%, respectively, at the expense of 70.1, 35.7, and 4.1% shrinkage on woodland, grassland, and semi-shrubby desert; (2) irrigation water use was dominant and increased (with fluctuations) at an average rate of 8.2%, while basic human water consumption increased monotonically over a longer period from 1981 to 2011 at a rate of 58%; and (3) cropland expansion or continuous cultivation led to a significant reduction of SOC, while the land use transition from grassland to semi-shrubby desert and the progressive succession of natural ecosystems such as semi-shrubby desert and grassland, in contrast, can bring about significant carbon sequestration benefits. The increased water consumption and decreased SOC pool associated with some observed land use changes may induce and aggravate potential ecological risks for both local and downstream ecosystems, including water resource shortages, soil quality declines, and degeneration of natural vegetation. Therefore, it is necessary to balance socioeconomic wellbeing and ecosystem services in land use planning and management for the sustainability of socio-ecological systems across spatiotemporal scales, especially in resource-poor arid environments.

Farm households’ resilience scale under water scarcity

In light of climate change, increasing water scarcity and growing interest in resilience as an important dimension of sustainability of socio-ecological systems, the aims of this article were to (1) develop a scale for measurement of resilience of socio-ecological systems under water scarcity and (2) illustrate that the developed scale has validity and reliability. An nine-step approach was documented for development of the Farm Households’ Resilience Scale (FHRS). The data were collected from 450 farm households around Parishan wetland, Fars province, Iran. This wetland has been selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a biosphere reserve and recorded as an international wetland. The data were subjected to factor analysis at different steps in order to develop FHRS. The final study outcome was a scale with 31 questions to assess farm households’ resilience under water scarcity. The validity and reliability of this scale were tested and verified. Considering the challenges researchers and policy-makers facing to improve resilience of socio-ecological systems in an effort to mitigate disasters such as water scarcity, use of FHRS makes it easier to compare findings and evaluate the impact of mitigation policies and programs. Although the Parishan Wetland was used as the study area of this study, the developed FHRS has application far beyond the geographic limits of this area.

Impact of urban planning on household's residential decisions

Interest in assessing the sustainability of socio-ecological systems of urban areas has increased notably, with additional attention generated due to the fact that half the world's population now l...

Impact of urban planning on household's residential decisions: An agent-based simulation model for Vienna

Interest in assessing the sustainability of socio-ecological systems of urban areas has increased notably, with additional attention generated due to the fact that half the world's population now lives in cities. Urban areas face both a changing urban population size and increasing sustainability issues in terms of providing good socioeconomic and environmental living conditions. Urban planning has to deal with both challenges. Households play a major role by being affected by urban planning decisions on the one hand and by being responsible – among many other factors – for the environmental performance of a city (e.g. energy use). We here present an agent-based decision model referring to the city of Vienna, the capital of Austria, with a population of about 1.7 million (2.3 million within the metropolitan area, the latter being more than 25% of Austria's total population). Since the early 1990s, after decades of negative population growth, Vienna has been experiencing a steady increase in population, mainly driven by immigration. The aim of the agent-based decision model is to simulate new residential patterns of different household types based on demographic development and migration scenarios. Model results were used to assess spatial patterns of energy use caused by different household types in the four scenarios (1) conventional urban planning, (2) sustainable urban planning, (3) expensive centre and (4) no green area preference. Outcomes show that changes in preferences of households relating to the presence of nearby green areas have the most important impact on the distribution of households across the small-scaled city area. Additionally, the results demonstrate the importance of the distribution of different household types regarding spatial patterns of energy use.

Water-Use Sustainability in Socioecological Systems: A Multiscale Integrated Approach

Human societies and ecosystems use water in different ways and at different scales, which complicates the study of water-use sustainability in socioecological systems. We present a multiscale integrated assessment of societal and ecosystem metabolism, an innovative approach to the quantitative analysis of water use that addresses the problem of multiple scales. It builds on the concept of metabolic pattern and the flow–fund model of Georgescu-Roegen. We show how to define water resources and water use (expressed in hourly rates) for socioeconomic systems in relation to the identities of relevant fund elements (relevant categories of human activity or land use) over a time span of 1 year. Similarly, we define the limits on the human appropriation of water (aggregate withdrawal or damping per year) on the basis of the structural and functional stability of ecological funds (defined over a much longer time scale) and the related land-use pattern.