Understanding and Managing Social–Ecological Tipping Points in Primary Industries

Yletyinen, Johanna; Brown, Philip H.; Pech, Roger P.; Hodges, Dave; Hulme, Philip E.; Malcolm, Thomas F; Maseyk, Fleur J. F.; Peltzer, Duane A.; Perry, George L.; Richardson, Sarah J.; Smaill, Simeon J.; Stanley, Margaret C.; Todd, Jacqui H.; Walsh, Patrick J.; Wright, W.; Tylianakis, Jason M.

doi:10.1093/biosci/biz031

Cited by 23 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…The complex interactions and feedbacks between organisms and the sedimentary environment have recently been documented through manipulative experiments in both the laboratory (Hale et al, ; Harris et al, ) in the field (Douglas et al, ; Hale et al, ; Kenworthy, Paterson, & Bishop, ; Thrush et al, ) and in modelling studies (Watson, Beaumont, Widdicombe, & Paterson, ). These studies help to disentangle the underlying processes and functions that lead to ES delivery, but the examination of feedback processes or a breakdown of interactions are particularly important (O'Meara et al, ; Yletyinen et al, ). The loss of ES cannot easily be predicted from the resilience of individual species or functional groups (Watson et al, ).…”

Section: The Importance Of Interactions and Feedbacksmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The close coupling of productivity and nutrient cycling in soft‐sediments, means that the effects of anthropogenic stressors on different aspects of coastal soft‐sediment ecosystem, will likely lead to the loss of multiple ecosystem services. Each step in this complex socio‐ecological network is affected by the decisions we make (Yletyinen et al, ) and the multiple stresses we put on the system. Moving beyond simple cause and effect relationships is an important element of improved prediction and management decisions.…”

Section: Future Investigations For Mpb and Es Deliverymentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of microphytobenthos in soft‐sediment ecological networks and their contribution to the delivery of multiple ecosystem services

2019

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1. Sediment dwelling, microscopic primary producers, that occupy sediments in the photic zone, are commonly referred to as microphytobenthos (MPB). The MPB are essential components of soft-sediment systems, but are often overlooked when assessing coastal ecosystem functionality and service delivery. 2. The MPB are involved in several complex interactions and feedback that underpin the delivery of vital ecosystem services. MPB profoundly influence the flow and cycling of carbon and nutrients, such as nitrogen, directly and indirectly underpinning highly productive shallow water marine food webs. The MPB can also stabilize sediments through the formation of biofilms, and significantly improve water quality by mediating the benthic-pelagic coupling of nutrients, sediment and pollutants. 3. The functional role of the MPB is compromised by increasing anthropogenic pressures such as nutrient enrichment, sedimentation, herbicides and emerging contaminants such as microplastic pollution. However, MPB are extremely good at buffering the effects of these land-sourced stressors at the interface between land and sea. 4. Synthesis. Society often appreciates the final provisioning of goods and services from our coastal marine environments. However, provisioning services are only possible due to the multitude of supporting and regulating services that underpin them. Microphytobenthos (MPB) are central to benthic ecological networks, and contribute to ecosystem service delivery through various pathways. Understanding the critical role of MPB in complex networks is therefore essential to appreciate their importance in ecosystem function and service delivery into the future. K E Y W O R D S benthic microalgae, ecosystem services, estuarine systems, microphytobenthos, service delivery, soft-sediment ecology 816 | Journal of Ecology HOPE Et al.

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Section: The Importance Of Interactions and Feedbacksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Future Investigations For Mpb and Es Deliverymentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of microphytobenthos in soft‐sediment ecological networks and their contribution to the delivery of multiple ecosystem services

2019

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“…These householdlevel savings can be substantial, as exemplified by the US$ 1.3-2.3 billion yearly insecticide expenditure to tackle the invasive Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) in the world's cabbage crops (Zalucki et al, 2012). Lastly, we theorize that a sequence of BC successes in e.g., Indonesia or Philippines induced social-ecological change (Ruttan & Hayami, 1998;Yletyinen et al, 2019) that ultimately facilitated the roll-out of effective input-reduction initiatives such as UN-FAO's Farmer Field School program (Bottrell & Schoenly, 2012;Thorburn, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…While 'packaged' GR seed x chemical technologies in Asian paddy rice systems did secure an elevated, stable supply of energy-dense foods, we argue that these achievements were paralleled by biodiversity-based innovations. In GR-beneficiary nations such as Indonesia or Philippines, successive waves of invasive species impacted 8-13 key agricultural commoditiesoften triggering sudden food shortages, crippling rural agro-industries or cascading into chronic societal crises Ricciardi et al, 2011;Tittonell & Giller, 2013;Yletyinen et al, 2019). Scientifically-guided BC across this diverse portfolio of commodities solidified the agricultural base of heterogeneous rural settings, lowered poverty vulnerability and ultimately enabled stable, sustainable and equitable growth of agricultural and non-farm sectors (Weinberger & Lumpkin, 2007;de Janvry, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity-based innovations fortify agricultural growth in Asia-Pacific economies

Wyckhuys

Lu²,

Zhou

et al. 2019

Preprint

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The Green Revolution (GR) is widely credited with alleviating famine, mitigating poverty and driving aggregate economic growth over the past 6 decades. In Asia, GR technologies secured a tripling of rice output, with one-off germplasm improvements providing benefits beyond US$ 4.3 billion/year. Here, we unveil the magnitude and macro-economic relevance of parallel biodiversity-induced productivity growth in non-rice crops from 1918 to 2018. We empirically demonstrate how biological control (BC) defused invasive pest threats in multiple agricultural commodities, ensuring annually-accruing (on-farm) benefits of US$ 22.6 billion/year. Scientifically-guided BC permitted 73-100% yield-loss recovery in critical food, feed and fiber crops including cassava, banana, breadfruit and coconut. As such, BC promoted rural growth and prosperity even in marginal, poorly-endowed, non-rice environments. By placing agro-ecological innovations on equal footing with input-intensive measures, our work provides lessons for future efforts to mitigate invasive species, restore ecological resilience and sustainably raise output of global agri-food systems.

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“…The effects of social feedbacks on ecosystem function are often ignored when modeling cumulative effects and abrupt change. Hysteresis (or lags in recovery) from intrinsic ecological feedbacks can be exacerbated in socio-ecological systems because of inertia in human reactions to ecological change (Sugiarto et al, 2015;Yletyinen et al, 2019), and mismatches between time scales of social and ecological change (e.g., Baltic Sea ecosystem response lags behind eutrophication management action; Nyström et al, 2012;Varjopuro et al, 2014). Managers are driven by the societal consequences of change in an ecosystem, yet the feedbacks among ecosystem components are often forgotten.…”

Section: Linking Multiple Knowledge Systems To Decision Makingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Old Tools, New Ways of Using Them: Harnessing Expert Opinions to Plan for Surprise in Marine Socio-Ecological Systems

et al. 2019

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With globally accelerating rates of environmental disturbance, coastal marine ecosystems are increasingly prone to non-linear regime shifts that result in a loss of ecosystem function and services. A lack of early-detection methods, and an over reliance on limits-based approaches means that these tipping points manifest as surprises. Consequently, marine ecosystems are notoriously difficult to manage, and scientists, managers, and policy makers are paralyzed in a spiral of ecosystem degradation. This paralysis is caused by the inherent need to quantify the risk and uncertainty that surrounds every decision. While progress toward forecasting tipping points is ongoing and important, an interim approach is desperately needed to enable scientists to make recommendations that are credible and defensible in the face of deep uncertainty. We discuss how current tools for developing risk assessments and scenario planning, coupled with expert opinions, can be adapted to bridge gaps in quantitative data, enabling scientists and managers to prepare for many plausible futures. We argue that these tools are currently underutilized in a marine cumulative effects context but offer a way to inform decisions in the interim while predictive models and early warning signals remain imperfect. This approach will require redefining the way we think about managing for ecological surprise to include actions that not only limit drivers of tipping points but increase socio-ecological resilience to yield satisfactory outcomes under multiple possible futures that are inherently uncertain.

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Understanding and Managing Social–Ecological Tipping Points in Primary Industries

Cited by 23 publications

References 78 publications

The role of microphytobenthos in soft‐sediment ecological networks and their contribution to the delivery of multiple ecosystem services

The role of microphytobenthos in soft‐sediment ecological networks and their contribution to the delivery of multiple ecosystem services

Biodiversity-based innovations fortify agricultural growth in Asia-Pacific economies

Old Tools, New Ways of Using Them: Harnessing Expert Opinions to Plan for Surprise in Marine Socio-Ecological Systems

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