20, 509519 (2011). Behavioural and socio-ecological factors that influence access and Wellmann, T. et al. Socioeconomic Environment Collaborative for Health & Environment Are traits too simplistic proxies, or perhaps too specific features, to express and understand peoplenature interactions? A. Mapping ecosystem services on brownfields in Leipzig, Germany. 30). Biodivers. & Kowarik, I. CityScapeLab Berlin: a research platform for untangling urbanization effects on biodiversity. Google Scholar. Landsc. von der Lippe, M., Buchholz, S., Hiller, A., Seitz, B. Implications for European Research Policy. This perspective aims to contribute to the current wide-ranging discussion about traits in both theoretical and applied ecology, and parallel work on better understanding human connections to nature. Environmental literacy, ecological literacy, ecoliteracy: What do we Nodes of socio-ecological vulnerability are identified, and the inclusion of areas that provide ecosystem services and ecological resilience to future climate change is innovative. There resource could be water or a fishery and the resource users could be farmers irrigating or inshore fishermen. Evol. Sustainability 12, 2565 (2020). A system that is defined at several spatial, temporal, and organisational scales, which may be hierarchically linked; A set of critical resources (natural, socio-economic, and cultural) whose flow and use is regulated by a combination of. 3,8,16,23). Turnhout, E. The effectiveness of boundary objects: the case of ecological indicators. At the same time, there is a growing interest in flowers and blooming meadows among gardeners worldwide also to support insects in urban landscapes to counteract global biodiversity decline37,39. This changed through the 1970s and 1980s with the rise of several subfields associated with the social sciences but explicitly including the environment in the framing of the issues. The resilience of social-ecological systems is related to the degree of the shock that the system can absorb and remain within a given state. [19], Studying SESs from a complex system perspective attempts to link different disciplines into a body of knowledge that is applicable to serious environmental problems. Island Press, Washington, D.C., USA. Advancing urban ecology toward a science of cities. This in turn, and drawing on different sets of traits, allows for estimations of changes in ecosystem function (e.g., see ref. Nat. [49], The concept of social-ecological systems has been developed in order to provide both a promising scientific gain as well as impact on problems of sustainable development. The individual level is concerned with an individual's knowledge and skills. Progress in Human Geography, Vol. Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Krftriket 2b, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden, Erik Andersson,Julie Goodness&Timon McPhearson, Unit for Environmental Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa, Geography Department, Humboldt University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany, Dagmar Haase,Angela Lausch&Thilo Wellmann, Department Computational Landscape Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental ResearchUFZ, Permoserstr. For example, traits could inform DPSIR (drivers, pressures, state, impact, and response) models by anticipating or measuring response to a pressure and the direct and indirect impact this response could have. Boca Raton, FL: Lewis. 18, 7386 (2015). Defining socio-environmental systems for sustainable development https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-020-00008-4, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-020-00008-4. Vogt, J. et al. We use the term socio-cultural context as interchangeable with the term socio-cultural environment, the former forming an important part of our ecological model. For example, in management, Wieland (2021) describes a panarchy that represents the planetary, political-economic, and supply chain levels. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Commun. Angela Lausch is Member of the GEO BONGroup on Earth Observations (GEO) and GEOEssential GroupEssential Geo-Variables for resource efficiency and environmental management GEOEssentials (ERA-NET-Cofund Grant, Grant Agreement No. Vandewalle, M. et al. However, to make traits successful indicators of global, regional, or local environmental changes, it is vital that urban society is understood as diverse across characteristics such as cultural background, physical mobility, gender, age, degree of formal or informal education, access to information and communication, purchasing power, and political influence67. Mapping functional diversity from remotely sensed morphological and physiological forest traits. Nat. Buijs, A. et al. This broad approach to thinking of health, advanced in the 1947 Constitution of the World Health Organization, includes physical, mental, and social well-being (World Health Organization, 1947). We see valuable developments from the past two decades of research towards achieving a traits response-effect library in both the ecology and remote sensing communities33,34, even if recent advances from remote sensing studies still rarely find entrance into urban planners work and policy decision-making35. Lastly, the third dimension is represented by urban ecosystem planning and management embedded in governance processes and instruments. Dancing the Supply Chain: Toward Transformative Supply Chain Management. A social-ecological system consists of 'a bio-geo-physical' unit and its associated social actors and institutions. Integrating Social Science into the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network: Social Dimensions of Ecological Change and Ecological Dimensions of Social Change. (2002). Urban land use intensity assessment: the potential of spatio-temporal spectral traits with remote sensing. Schneider, F. D. et al. High speed computers and nonlinear mathematical techniques help simulate self-organisation by yielding complex results and yet strangely ordered effects. Issues in Ecology uses commonly-understood language to report the consensus of a panel of scientific experts on issues related to the environment. [6] While resilience has somewhat different meaning in social and ecological context,[7] the SES approach holds that social and ecological systems are linked through feedback mechanisms, and that both display resilience and complexity. This will support the development of a (meta-) theoretically grounded, practically applicable traits framework to interrogate reciprocal feedback linkages and nature-human relationships. As cities strive to adapt to climate change by, for example, revising tree species selection (e.g., see ref. 19, 27732790 (2010). Let this lead you to explore why we should have nature in cities by defining the socio-environmental problems related to cities and Kendal, D. et al. Socioecology is primarily related to anthropology, geography, sociology, and ecology. Could this be done using traits instead of commonly used area-based indicators? Andersson, E., Haase, D., Anderson, P. et al. Conserv. 55), an improved understanding of the relationship between detectable functional traits and the provision of ecosystem services can help avoid maladaptation56. 13, e00362 (2018). Correspondence to Socioecology is the scientific study of how social structure and organization are influenced by an organism's environment. Policy 85, 182192 (2018). Sword W. A socio-ecological approach to understanding barriers to prenatal care for women of low income. The first dimension is represented by observable traits of the urban environment, e.g., features of humans and other co-inhabiting species and their differing responses to pressures and selection, leading to functional consequences and finally, altered characters of an urban social-ecological system. Veg. Responding to the environmental crisis: Culture, power and Johannes, R. E. (1998) The case of data-less marine resource management: examples from tropical nearshore finfisheries. 1, 553565 (2018). Engaging citizens in the production of scientific knowledge, for example by interactively . In particular, the development in the technical dimensions of detecting traits and trait variation20,34, and tracking these over time, has recently rapidly developed. Functional traits as indicators of biodiversity response to land use changes across ecosystems and organisms. Core principles for successfully implementing and upscaling nature-based solutions. Social-ecological traits (expanded definition): An ecologically or socially (inter)active and demonstrable feature of the environment at any level or scale. And finally, what traits could best serve as reasonable proxies or indicators to provide either cues or early signals of species responses to (fundamental) change in urban environments? Multiple-scale integrated assessment of societal metabolism: an analytical tool to study development and sustainability. Urban Green. 77, 8095 (2017). What are the traits of a social-ecological system: towards a framework in support of urban sustainability. 161-171. A relevant example to this point is the ongoing debate about how to evaluate ex-ante, and then monitor, the implementation of nature-based solutions62,64, which remains a challenge65. Kattge, J. et al. The expansion and implementation of a traits-based approach for urban systems is impeded by availability of traits data. Abstract This commentary addresses the Social and Ecological Thought (SET) framework based on virtue ethics (Dyck & Manchanda, in AMS Review, 2021 ). Conserv. The adaptive cycle thus predicts that the four phases of the cycle can be distinguished based on distinct combinations of high or low potential and connectedness. Urban landscaping choices and peoples selection of plant traits in Cape Town, South Africa. (1998) Ecosystems and the biosphere as complex adaptive systems. Ambio 43, 480491 (2014). Social ecology may refer to: . Based on the diverse use and potential meanings of the word traits, we argue that a traits framework, and traits-focused interdisciplinary discussions and projects, could support a dual ontological stance where some connections are more universal, while others are inherently interpretational or simply individual. Soil properties influence the growth and composition of plant communities. Population and the Environment 22.2:155-210. The use of socio-ecological controversies, such as global warming, in classrooms has been suggested to increase students' awareness about complex issues, although detailed analysis of their implementation in classrooms are still scarce. 30, 2127 (2013). Traits such as flower colour, leaf shape, and canopy density, which may not necessarily be considered central functional traits, are important drivers of peoples preferences37,39,45,46. Rev. Proc. 23, 6978 (2016). In addition, Erik was supported by the SMARTer Greener Cities project through the Nordforsk Sustainable Urban Development and Smart Cities program. Core Principles of the Ecological Model | Models and Mechanisms of Panarchy: understanding transformations in human and natural systems. Our analysis finds that research on the socio-environmental impacts of lithium extraction at local level has been very limited. As we indicated with our definition of traits (Box 1), we see a value in including soil properties as traits and not to leave them as environmental filters, as this may offer a more dynamic way of understanding one of the major urban processes of changesoil sealing and compactionand thus help guide urban development. In this vein, we argue that traits are a formative force influencing human wellbeing and world views, giving shape to ecological systems and linked human affordances (through, e.g., shade and sensory stimuli), and social systems by shaping the context of human activities and experiences. Aggregate, or higher-level traits, such as structural composition and functional diversity of vegetation, matter flows, or species migration, are the most common traits analysed through remote sensing in order to track trends25. 7, 831844 (2017). Volume 1 March - October 2019. Evol. Biogeogr. Env. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. References: 1 Holling, C.S. The social ecological model conceptualizes health broadly and focuses on multiple factors that might affect health. Low-maintenance green tram tracks as a socially acceptable solution to greening a city. [Website] Available from: <. Mackinson, S., and Nottestad, L.( 1998) Combining local and scientific knowledge. Active citizenship for urban green infrastructure: fostering the diversity and dynamics of citizen contributions through mosaic governance. Population and the Environment 22.2:109-153. An integrated study on air mitigation potential of urban vegetation: from a multi-trait approach to modeling. (1996) Adaptive management: promises and pitfalls. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany, Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private Bag X3, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa, Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University, Slvegatan 37, 22362, Lund, Sweden, Global Risk Governance Programme, Department of Public Law, Law Faculty, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private Bag X3, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa, School of Technology, Environments and Design, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 78, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia, Urban Systems Lab, The New School, 79 Fifth Avenue, 16th Fl., New York, NY, 10003, USA, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB; 2801 Sharon Turnpike, Millbrook, New York, 12545, USA, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Department of Remote Sensing and Environmental Assessment, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, ul. Agricultural Systems, 177, p. 39,40). [19], SES theory emerged from a combination of disciplines[19] and the notion of complexity developed through the work of many scholars, including the Santa Fe Institute (2002). 6,14) and allow for the types of generalizations sought in ecology15,16. Plant Soil 199, 213227 (1998). [19] Management processes in the complex systems can be improved by making them adaptive and flexible, able to deal with uncertainty and surprise, and by building capacity to adapt to change. A social-ecological system (SES) perspective provides an integrative framework that could lead to better understanding of the interactions between human and natural systems (6, 7).Regime shifts, i.e. 11, 2356 (2019). A consequence of path dependency is the existence of multiple basins of attraction in ecosystem development and the potential for threshold behaviour and qualitative shifts in system dynamics under changing environmental influences. npj Urban Sustainability Urban Plan. 8, 112 (2017). The basic idea is that open systems will reorganise at critical points of instability. Transformability is the capacity of a system to transform into a completely new system, when ecological, economic, or social structures make the current system unsustainable. Journal of Political Ecology, Vol. 22,36). Much attention has focused on individual risks according to various characteristics and experiences. Ecol. 12, 474478 (1997). Urban Plan. Berkes, F., Colding, J., and Folke, C. (2001) Linking Social-Ecological Systems. When combined, the two categories of traits can be used to detect, identify and monitor the current state of ecosystems, and to anticipate the outcomes of change8,10,17,18,19. 9/2017. This page was last edited on 21 April 2023, at 06:43. Theoretical flow chart linking the entities of a social-ecological system to its traits, demonstrating how a traits frameworkas outlined in this articlemight be positioned to support the analysis, interpretation and governance of urban systems. [32][33] Some scholars have suggested that management and governance of SESs may benefit from combination of different knowledge systems;[34][35][36] others have attempted to import such knowledge into the scientific knowledge field[37] There also those who have argued that it would be difficult to separate these knowledge systems from their institutional and cultural contexts,[38] and those who have questioned the role of traditional and local knowledge systems in the current situation of pervasive environmental change and globalised societies. Specifically, the term is used in human ecology, the study of the interaction between humans and their environment. Panarchy: understanding transformations in human and natural systems. Forests 9, 284 (2018). What kind of framing, what research, would allow traitsclassically understood as a different representation and interpretation of well-established and known properties of the social-ecological systemto fully work as mediators for understanding the behavior, functions, and needs of urban systems under pressure? 2003,[5] Gunderson and Holling 2002,[4] Norberg and Cumming 2008[19][21]), but it is also concerned with a wider range of SES dynamics and attributes than any one of these terms implies. All branches of investigation need to be embedded in an interdisciplinary discussion about the role that traits play for social-ecological interactions and mutual exchange. Berkes, F. (1989) Common Property Resources: Ecology and Comtnunity-Based Sustainable Development London: Belhaven Press. 209227. 53), we need to ensure that traits considered in the plant selection include both traits related to broad and diverse preferences and desires for ecosystem services and traits, that ensure a resilient response to drivers of change that may impact their ability to provide these services (see, e.g., the scoring system for urban vegetation species proposed by Tiwary et al.59). Introduction to Socio-Ecological Resilience Citation: Vincenzo Bollettino, Patrick Vinck, Tilly Alcayna, and Philip Dy. What are the traits of a social-ecological system: towards a - Nature Bioscience 69, 566574 (2019). The basis of this framework is to replace utilitarian values that focus on profit maximization. For example, invasive or non-native plants are often seen as ecologically problematic, but certain traits such as high leaf coverage or flower colour and shape make them socially desirable48. The social component refers to all human activities that include economy, technology, politics and culture. Biol. By the late 1960s, public awareness of environmental issues had become widespread, and environmental education, with a focus on the social aspects of environmental problems, emerged. Greenberg, J.B and Park, TK. Environ. Three different approaches are identifiablestudying cities as distinctive (socio)ecological systems, studying ecosystems in cities, and studying the functions, benefits, and services that urban ecosystems provide. BioScience, Vol.51, pp. Social ecology (academic field), the study of relationships between people and their environment, often the interdependence of people, collectives and institutions Social ecology (Bookchin), a theory about the relationship between ecological and social issues, associated with Murray Bookchin Social ecological model, frameworks for depicting the conceptual . 32, pp. 27, 7884 (2012). Soc. TRYa global database of plant traits. Ecosyst. Sci. 1, 488494 (2003). View Article Google Scholar 25. J. Ecol. Sci. From this perspective, we see in a traits framework the potential to support a shift towards more flexible and effective planning approaches, more suitable to address todays urban challenges and to promote greater well-being, sustainability and resilience of present and future cities. [Author: Claudia Davidson, Velma McBride Murry, Molly Meinbresse, Darlene M. Jenkins, and Robert Mindrup] Nashville, TN: available at www.nhchc.org. and Tittonell, P., 2020. Stud. Suding, K. N. et al. Individual traits, trait combinations, and interlinked suites of traits: A key promise of traits is to provide mechanistic explanations of observed structure, patterns and functionality, which is usually demonstrated through statistical correlations. CAS Berkes, F., Colding, J., and Folke, C. (2000) Rediscovery of traditional ecological knowledge as. 2, 15311540 (2018). [48] Hereby, the panarchical understanding of the supply chain leads to a social-ecological interpretation of supply chain resilience. large, abrupt, and persistent changes in system structure, function, and feedbacks, occur across a wide range of SES (8, 9).Identifying the evolutionary phases (regime shifts) of a SES and the . Ecol. What defines social ecology as social is its recognition of the often-overlooked fact that nearly all our present ecological problems arise from deep-seated social problems. Issues in Ecology - Publications of the Ecological Society of America Resilience Theory and Socio-Environmental Systems | SESYNC To do so, we discuss what kind of framing, and what research, that would allow traits to (1) link the sensitivity of a given environmental entity to different globally relevant pressures, such as land conversion or climate change to its social-ecological consequences; (2) connect to human appraisal and diverse bio-cultural sense-making through the different cues and characteristics people use to detect change or articulate value narratives, and (3) examine how and under what conditions this new approach may trigger, inform, and support decision making in land/resources management at different scales. [19], SES theory incorporates ideas from theories relating to the study of resilience, robustness, sustainability, and vulnerability (e.g. Urban For. Dave Kendal is supported by ARC Linkage Project LP160100439 and the Healthy Future Environments and People REP grant. The Socio-Ecological Model takes into consideration the individual, and their affiliations to people, organizations, and their community at large to be effective.