To ensure their quality of life, people adapt to multiple changes by maintaining or transforming the structure and functions of their socio-ecological systems (SES). A better understanding of mechanisms underpinning SES adaptation, especially the contribution of changes in human–nature interactions, is crucial to facilitate adaptation to future challenges. Using a chronosystemic timeline and based on literature, archives and local knowledge of inhabitants, we explored the past trajectory of a mountain SES (Pays de la Meije, French Alps) since 1900 by analysing drivers, impacts and responses. We hypothesised that adaptation has occurred through changes in the co-production of nature’s contributions to people (NCP). We identified four historical periods of combined changes in agriculture and tourism with associated changes in NCP. Results show which and how drivers of changes have influenced NCP co-production, how NCP have been mobilised in adaptive responses and how human and natural capitals involved in NCP co-production have been reconfigured for adaptation. We show that drivers of change have been mainly exogenous and out of the control of local actors, like public policies, markets and consumption patterns. These drivers can directly impact the capitals involved in NCP co-production like amount of workforce, knowledge or skills, creating not only threats but also opportunities for the livelihood of the local community. Depending on the intensity of capital reconfiguration and the type of NCP involved, adaptive responses range from resistance to transformation of the governance system and socio-economic sectors. This analysis highlights existing path dependencies that could hinder future adaptation.
The ending of milk quotas marks a breach in the mode of milk supply management. Farmers and actors of territorial development are concerned about the future of dairy farming since we can observe a loss of autonomy and sovereignty in front of agro-industries. In this context a group of dairy farmers in the Chartreuse massif (French Northern Alps) wished to conduct a reflection on their future. It consisted in better understanding the territorial embeddedness of dairy value chains, compared with what could be done elsewhere (geographical perspective), and what has been done in the history of the area (historical perspective). We used a same reading grid based on six criteria relative to the geographic embeddedness of the value chains, the ability of the producers to specify their resources, and to organize themselves and be autonomous. Of the 18 initiatives analyzed concerning dairy products, we identified four types of territorial embeddedness. The history of Chartreuse shows different trajectories of loss and gain of autonomy for the dairy producers and a loss of collective. We discuss the cross-reading of these geographical and historical perspectives and their meanings in terms of territorial embeddedness and for the Chartreuse producers.
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