Although cross-disciplinary research collaboration is necessary to achieve a better understanding of how human and natural systems are dynamically linked, it often turns out to be very difficult in practice. We outline a framing approach to cross-disciplinary research that focuses on the different perspectives that researchers from different backgrounds use to make sense of the issues they want to research jointly. Based on interviews, participants' evaluations, and our own observations during meetings, we analyze three aspects of frame diversity in a large-scale research project. First, we identify dimensions of difference in the way project members frame the central concept of adaptive water management. Second, we analyze the challenges provoked by the multiple framings of concepts. Third, we analyze how a number of interventions (interactive workshops, facilitation, group model building, and concrete case contexts) contribute to the connection and integration of different frames through a process of joint learning and knowledge construction.

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The importance of problem framing in relation with environmental problems has been stated in various scientific contributions. In this paper we intend to relate it to the issue of uncertainties in water management. Dealing with uncertainties in water management is an important issue and will increase to be so in light of global changes, in particular climate change. To know how uncertainties are framed in water management practice then is important in order to evaluate strategies for dealing with these uncertainties. With the aim of identifying what are important parameters for the framing of uncertainties in water management practice, in this paper we analyze uncertainty situations described by decision-makers in water management. The analysis builds on a series of "Uncertainty Dialogues" carried out within the NeWater project with water managers in the Rhine, Elbe and Guadiana basins in 2006. During these dialogues, representatives of these river basins were asked what uncertainties they en-2 N. Isendahl, A. Dewulf, M. Brugnach, G. François, S. Möllenkamp, C. Pahl-Wostl countered in their professional work life and how they confronted them. Analysing these dialogues we identified several important parameters of how uncertainties get framed. Our assumption is that making framing of uncertainty explicit will allow for better dealing with the respective uncertainty situations. In order to get a broader picture of the framing of an uncertainty we therefore suggest to add a third axis to the uncertainty matrix developed earlier by Brugnach et al. (2007) detailing on the relation of actors towards an uncertainty situation. This axis is assembled from the parameters identified in this paper.

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