Linking biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human well-being: three challenges for designing research for sustainability

Bennett, Elena M.; Crämer, Wolfgang; Begossi, Alpina; Cundill, Georgina; Dı́az, Sandra; Egoh, Benis N.; Geijzendorffer, Ilse R.; Krug, Cornelia B.; Lavorel, Sandra; Lazos, Elena; Lebel, Louis; Martín‐López, Berta; Meyfroidt, Patrick; Mooney, Harold A.; Nel, Jeanne; Pascual, Unai; Payet, Karine; Harguindeguy, Natalia Pérez; Peterson, Garry D.; Prieur‐Richard, Anne‐Hélène; Reyers, Belinda; Roebeling, Peter; Seppelt, Ralf; Solan, Martin; Tschakert, Petra; Tscharntke, Teja; Turner, B. L.; Verburg, Peter H.; Viglizzo, Ernesto F.; White, Piran C. L.; Woodward, Guy

doi:10.1016/j.cosust.2015.03.007

Cited by 574 publications

(369 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…In contrast, Ostrom [36] focuses strongly on questions of governance and introduces a framework with multi-tier variables for a thorough analytical perspective. Authors such as Bennett et al [67,68] and García-Llorente et al [69] place ESS at the centre of SES. They shift the focus to the interrelation and trade-offs of ESS as a function of societal drivers [68,69] or at the valuation of ESS [46].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How the Social-Ecological Systems Concept Can Guide Transdisciplinary Research and Implementation: Addressing Water Challenges in Central Northern Namibia

et al. 2017

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Abstract:Research aimed at contributing to the further development of integrated water resources management needs to tackle complex challenges at the interface of nature and society. A case study in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin in Namibia has shown how semi-arid conditions coinciding with high population density and urbanisation present a risk to people's livelihoods and ecosystem health. In order to increase water security and promote sustainable water management, there is a requirement for problem-oriented research approaches combined with a new way of thinking about water in order to generate evidence-based, adapted solutions. Transdisciplinary research in particular addresses this issue by focusing on the problems that arise when society interacts with nature. This article presents the implementation of a transdisciplinary research approach in the above-mentioned case study. The concept of social-ecological systems (SES) plays a key role in operationalising the transdisciplinary research process. Application of the SES concept helps to outline the problem by defining the epistemic object, as well as structure the research process itself in terms of formulating research questions and developing the research design. It is argued here that the SES concept is not merely useful, but also necessary for guiding transdisciplinary sustainability research and implementation. The study from Namibia clearly demonstrates that the introduction of technological innovations such as rainwater and floodwater harvesting plants requires a social-ecological perspective. In particular this means considering questions around knowledge, practices and institutions related to water resources management and includes various societal innovations alongside technologies on the agenda.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How the Social-Ecological Systems Concept Can Guide Transdisciplinary Research and Implementation: Addressing Water Challenges in Central Northern Namibia

et al. 2017

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“…To date, much more work has addressed ecological dimensions than social dimensions (Bagstad et al 2014), yet both need more balanced treatment (Spangenberg et al 2014, Bennett et al 2015.…”

Section: Advantages Of Multifaceted Ecosystem Services Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To obtain a realistic and integrative description of the social-ecological system, consultations on ES influence networks need to deliberately consider the diversity of stakeholders and organizations related to the issue discussed (Lamarque et al 2011, Bennett et al 2015. Stakeholders hold various priorities in environmental management and have varying perceptions and knowledge about social-ecological systems (e.g., Castro et al 2011, Lugnot and Martin 2013, Iniesta-Arandia et al 2014.…”

Section: Discrepancies Between Perceived and Actual Ecological Influementioning

confidence: 99%

Disentangling trade-offs and synergies around ecosystem services with the influence network framework: illustration from a consultative process over the French Alps

Crouzat¹,

Martín‐López²,

Turkelboom³

2016

E&S

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ABSTRACT. An important aspect of sustainability is to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem functioning while improving human well-being. For this, the ecosystem service (ES) approach has the potential to bridge the still existing gap between ecological management and social development, especially by focusing on trade-offs and synergies between ES and between their beneficiaries. Several frameworks have been proposed to account for trade-offs and synergies between ES, and between ES and other components of socialecological systems. However, to date, insufficient explicit attention has been paid to the three facets encompassed in the ES concept, namely potential supply, demand, and use, leading to incomplete descriptions of ES interactions. We expand on previous frameworks by proposing a new influence network framework (INF) based on an explicit consideration of influence relationships between these three ES facets, biodiversity, and external driving variables. We tested its ability to provide a comprehensive view of complex socialecological interactions around ES through a consultative process focused on environmental management in the French Alps. We synthetized the interactions mentioned during this consultative process and grouped variables according to their overall propensity to influence or be influenced by the system. The resulting directed sequence of influences distinguished between: (1) mostly influential variables (dynamic social variables and ecological state variables), (2) target variables (provisioning and cultural services), and (3) mostly impacted variables (regulating services and biodiversity parameters). We discussed possible reasons for the discrepancies between actual and perceived influences and proposed options to overcome them. We demonstrated that the INF holds the potential to deliver collective assessments of ES relations by: (1) including ecological as well as social aspects, (2) providing opportunities for colearning processes between stakeholder groups, and (3) supporting communication about complex social-ecological systems and consequences for environmental management.

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“…To that end, we should take a comprehensive and systemic approach, coming to understand that fundamental ecology is context dependent, being tightly bound up to the social-cultural history, the anthropic activity, the economic implications, and the social tradeoffs [124]. Thus, it is necessary to accomplish transdisciplinary decision-making processes [166] which take into account not only ecological consequences but also ecosystem services and human well-being [167].…”

Section: Towards a New Paradigmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exotic Plant Species in the Mediterranean Biome: A Reflection of Cultural and Historical Relationships

Martín‐Forés¹

2017

Mediterranean Identities - Environment, Society, Culture

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The Mediterranean basin was the world's cradle of agriculture and the first human civilisation. In the Neolithic age, the agrarian culture expanded throughout the Mediterranean basin from the East to the West. Later, an expansion of agrarian culture and trade occurred, associated with the European colonialism, giving rise to a great plant exchange among Mediterranean-type regions. Despite being a biodiversity hotspot, the Mediterranean biome has been subjected to several anthropic impacts, such as alteration of land-use and cross-introductions of exotic species. The millenary anthropic modification of the landscape occurred in the Mediterranean basin gave rise to the formation of seminatural systems in which plants co-evolved with anthropogenic activities over a long time. Thus, species that originated in the Mediterranean basin might have developed a key role in other agro-silvo-pastoral systems along the whole Mediterranean biome. Research is biased towards highlighting the negative impact of exotic species on the ecosystems. To defy the traditional belief, outstanding recent literature focused on the positive effects of exotics on native communities was reviewed. Exotic species seem to have a key role in Mediterranean-type seminatural systems, as evidences of tolerance and facilitation processes were found. Exotic species that have co-evolved with human practices over millennia seem to enhance biodiversity in the Mediterranean biome.

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Linking biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human well-being: three challenges for designing research for sustainability

Cited by 574 publications

References 80 publications

How the Social-Ecological Systems Concept Can Guide Transdisciplinary Research and Implementation: Addressing Water Challenges in Central Northern Namibia

How the Social-Ecological Systems Concept Can Guide Transdisciplinary Research and Implementation: Addressing Water Challenges in Central Northern Namibia

Disentangling trade-offs and synergies around ecosystem services with the influence network framework: illustration from a consultative process over the French Alps

Exotic Plant Species in the Mediterranean Biome: A Reflection of Cultural and Historical Relationships

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