Dynamics of Social–Ecological Systems: The Case of Farmers’ Food Security in the Semi-arid Tropics

2014 ◽  
pp. 157-178
Author(s):  
Chieko Umetsu ◽  
Thamana Lekprichakul ◽  
Takeshi Sakurai ◽  
Taro Yamauchi ◽  
Yudai Ishimoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Droughts and governance impacts on water scarcity: an~analysis in the Brazilian semi-arid

2015 ◽  
Vol 369 ◽  
pp. 129-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. S. Silva ◽  
C. O. Galvão ◽  
G. N. S. Silva
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Management ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Extreme Events ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Drought Event ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
Semi Arid

Abstract. Extreme events are part of climate variability. Dealing with variability is still a challenge that might be increased due to climate change. However, impacts of extreme events are not only dependent on their variability, but also on management and governance. In Brazil, its semi-arid region is vulnerable to extreme events, especially droughts, for centuries. Actually, other Brazilian regions that have been mostly concerned with floods are currently also experiencing droughts. This article evaluates how a combination between climate variability and water governance might affect water scarcity and increase the impacts of extreme events on some regions. For this evaluation, Ostrom's framework for analyzing social-ecological systems (SES) was applied. Ostrom's framework is useful for understanding interactions between resource systems, governance systems and resource users. This study focuses on social-ecological systems located in a drought-prone region of Brazil. Two extreme events were selected, one in 1997–2000, when Brazil's new water policy was very young, and the other one in 2012–2015. The analysis of SES considering Ostrom's principle "Clearly defined boundaries" showed that deficiencies in water management cause the intensification of drought's impacts for the water users. The reasons are more related to water management and governance problems than to drought event magnitude or climate change. This is a problem that holdup advances in dealing with extreme events.

Sustainable livelihoods approach through the lens of the State-and-Transition Model in semi-arid pastoral systems

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos H. Easdale ◽  
Dardo R. López
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Livelihoods ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
The State ◽  
Transition Model ◽  
Pastoral Systems ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
State And Transition Model ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Semi Arid

Dealing with complex challenges worldwide regarding sustainable development and environmental management requires applied frameworks to understand and manage change in complex social-ecological systems. In this regard, frameworks that have originated from different research arenas such as the State-and-Transition Model and the sustainable livelihoods approach provide a conceptual basis for theory and operative integration. The aim of this paper was to provide a conceptual model for social-ecological research and sustainable management in semi-arid pastoral systems. We suggest integrating the state-and-transition model by including structural and functional features of social-ecological systems into the sustainable livelihoods approach. Both attributes are analysed at a household level in five types of capital that typically comprise social-ecological systems: natural, human, manufactured, social and financial. We propose to perform the structural-functional analysis for each capital as separate sub-systems in order to assess the impact of different disturbance factors. Some implications of this framework are explained by providing an example of the impact of drought in smallholder pastoral systems from semi-arid rangelands of North-West Patagonia, Argentina. This approach is encouraging as a step towards two main challenges: (i) the provision of applied frameworks for social-ecological assessment and management, and (ii) an attempt to bring closer science and decision making.

scholarly journals The vulnerability evolution and simulation of social-ecological systems in a semi-arid area: A case study of Yulin City, China

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Chen ◽  
Xinjun Yang ◽  
Sha Yin ◽  
Kongsen Wu ◽  
Mengqi Deng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Arid Area ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
Yulin City ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Mapping Social Ecological Systems Archetypes

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Rocha ◽  
Katja Malmborg ◽  
Line Gordon ◽  
Kate Brauman ◽  
Fabrice DeClerk
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Security Issues ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
Local Case ◽  
Depth Analysis

AbstractWhile sustainable development goals are by their nature global, their achievement requires local action and thus targeting and monitoring sustainable solutions tailored to different social and ecological contexts. Ostrom stressed that there are no panaceas or universal solutions to environmental problems, and developed a social-ecological systems’ (SES) framework -a nested multi-tier set of variables- to help diagnose problems, identify complex interactions, and solutions tailored to each SES arena. The framework has been applied to over a hundred cases, typically reflecting in-depth analysis of local case studies, but with relatively small coverage in space and time. While case studies are context rich and necessary, it can be difficult to upscale their lessons to policy making realms. Here we develop a data driven method for upscaling Ostrom’s SES framework and apply it to a context where data is scarce, incomplete, but also where sustainable solutions are needed. The purpose of upscaling the framework is to create a tool that facilitates decision-making on data scarce contexts such as developing countries. We mapped SES by applying the SES framework to poverty alleviation and food security issues in the Volta River basin in Ghana and Burkina Faso. We found archetypical configurations of SES in space. Given data availability, we study their change over time, and discuss where agricultural innovations such as water reservoirs might have a stronger impact at increasing food security and therefore alleviating poverty and hunger. We conclude by outlining how the method can be used in other SES comparative studies.

Systems theories

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc J. Stern
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Real World ◽  
Common Pool Resources ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Effective Governance ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
Real World Problem

This chapter covers systems theories relevant to understanding and working to enhance the resilience of social-ecological systems. Social-ecological systems contain natural resources, users of those resources, and the interactions between each. The theories in the chapter share lessons about how to build effective governance structures for common pool resources, how to facilitate the spread of worthwhile ideas across social networks, and how to promote collaboration for greater collective impacts than any one organization alone could achieve. Each theory is summarized succinctly and followed by guidance on how to apply it to real world problem solving.

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