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- Lake Superior Manoomin cultural and ecosystem characterization study
Authors:
Adrian Williams
Abstract: Manoomin, wild rice, is integral to the culture, livelihood, and identity of the Anishinaabeg, the indigenous peoples of Canada and the United States that include the Odawa, Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Algonquin peoples. In addition to the vital role Manoomin has in the lives of the Anishinaabeg, Manoomin is recognized as being ecologically important, feeding migrating and resident wildlife species, providing a nursery for fish and nesting and breeding habitats for many waterfowl and muskrat, and stabilizing shorelines. This study was initiated by a team of Lake Superior basin Anishinaabe communities and federal and state agencies to document and characterize (1) the importance of Manoomin habitat to Anishinaabe cultural perspectives and identity, community connections, spiritual practices, food sovereignty, and food security; and (2) the ecological importance of Manoomin habitat as an indicator of a high-quality, high-functioning, and biodiverse ecosystem. The team applied a set of cultural and ecological metrics to characterize seven case study sites around Lake Superior and used a habitat equivalency analysis to determine the amount of restoration needed to counterbalance the lost Manoomin habitat functionality. Results from this study highlight the difficulty in restoring the cultural and ecological functionality of degraded Manoomin habitat and the importance of preserving and protecting existing Manoomin habitat.The post Lake Superior Manoomin cultural and ecosystem characterization study first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:38:48 +000
- A Chinese database on ecological thresholds and alternative stable states:
implications for related research around the world
Authors:
Adrian Williams
Abstract: The concepts of ecological thresholds and alternative stable states were proposed to explain nonlinear changes. However, the greatest obstacle to advance these theories and their managerial applications is a lack of data and research experience. There are almost all types of ecosystems in China, and various ecological degradation and catastrophe events occurred at the end of the 20th century. Considerable monitoring data and research cases that focus on the ecological thresholds are published in Chinese, limiting their dissemination around the world. We integrate Chinese cases and data that refer to the framework of Threshold Database and Regime Shifts Database. We introduce the China Ecological Thresholds and Alternative Stable States Database (CETASSD), developed by the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, which mainly collects research cases. The CETASSD uses a unified description framework to integrate key information from past 110 case studies from China. This paper summarizes relevant case studies with intrinsic consistency to ecological thresholds and alternative stable states in social-ecological systems. We collate and analyze 26 potential alternative stable states and 60 potential ecological thresholds in CETASSD, covering 14 types of ecosystems. We found several peculiarities of the Chinese case studies. First, more types of alternative stable states were identified in arid areas and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Second, critical thresholds research related to spatial gradient has received great attention. Third, methods of constructing highly generalized “stress-response” process lines are mainly used for threshold analysis. We suggest re-examining past research cases and methods with the latest theories of ecological thresholds and alternative stable states; strengthening research on the detection of threshold and mechanism establishment of certain ecosystems, such as the ocean in China; and further applying ecological thresholds to ecological assessment and early warning.The post A Chinese database on ecological thresholds and alternative stable states: implications for related research around the world first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:44:59 +000
- What we know and do not know about reciprocal pathways of environmental
change and migration: lessons from Ethiopia
Authors:
Zora Naarei
Abstract: Linkages between environmental change and migration can be reciprocal: declining environmental conditions can trigger people to leave a place, while the movement of people to certain places can have implications for the natural environment and may enhance conflict risks. Although a growing body of research has enriched our knowledge on these two main directions of influence, including the role of conflict, research on dynamic linkages between environmental out-migration and degradation through in-migration is virtually lacking. To fill this gap, we have developed a conceptual framework and have outlined specific pathways of environmental change, migration, immobility, and resource use conflicts. We focus on reciprocal linkages to understand the mechanisms through which environmental change contributes to out-migration and how in-migration, in turn, may contribute to changes in the environment and resource use conflicts. The framework and corresponding pathways are based on our empirical research on resource-dependent rural communities in Ethiopia, which we have embedded in a broader Global South perspective. We identified the following four specific pathways of change: first, environmental change increases migration needs, primarily through declining agricultural production and food insecurity, with financial means and migration experiences being key factors enabling migration. Second, environmental change increases migration needs but hampers migration abilities through care responsibilities and lack of financial resources. This lack inhibits migration and leads to involuntary immobility. Third, migration to rural areas triggers land use change and deforestation through livelihood transitions and adopted land management in receiving areas. Forth, blaming migrants for perceived resource degradation contributes to resource disputes and violence between migrants and the local population. We conclude with future directions for identifying and understanding reciprocal environment-migration linkages and priorities for research.The post What we know and do not know about reciprocal pathways of environmental change and migration: lessons from Ethiopia first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 03:00:07 +000
- Conceptualizing trust and distrust as alternative stable states: lessons
from the Flint Water Crisis
Authors:
Zora Naarei
Abstract: Despite the universally recognized importance of fostering trust and avoiding distrust in governance relationships, there remains considerable debate on core questions like the relation between (dis)trust and the evaluations of the characteristics that make a governance agent appear (un)worthy of trust. In particular, it remains unclear whether levels of (dis)trust simply follow levels of (dis)trustworthiness—such that building trust is primarily a question of increasing evidence of trustworthiness and avoiding evidence of distrustworthiness, or if their dynamics are more complicated. The current paper adds novel theory for thinking about the management of trust and distrust in the governance context through the application of principles borrowed from resilience theory. Specifically, we argue that trust and distrust exist as distinct, self-reinforcing (i.e., stable) states separated by a threshold. We then theorize as to the nature of the self-reinforcing processes and use qualitative data collected from and inductively coded in collaboration with Flint residents as part of a participatory process to look for evidence of our argument in a well-documented governance failure. We conclude by explaining how this novel perspective allows for clearer insight into the experience of this and other communities and speculate as to how it may help to better position governance actors to respond to future crises.The post Conceptualizing trust and distrust as alternative stable states: lessons from the Flint Water Crisis first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 02:48:53 +000
- Recognizing the importance of near-home contact with nature for mental
well-being based on the COVID-19 lockdown experience
Authors:
Zora Naarei
Abstract: Several urban landscape planning solutions have been introduced around the world to find a balance between developing urban spaces, maintaining and restoring biodiversity, and enhancing quality of human life. Our global mini-review, combined with analysis of big data collected from Google Trends at global scale, reveals the importance of enjoying day-to-day contact with nature and engaging in such activities as nature observation and identification and gardening for the mental well-being of humans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Home-based activities, such as watching birds from one’s window, identifying species of plants and animals, backyard gardening, and collecting information about nature for citizen science projects, were popular during the first lockdown in spring 2020, when people could not easily venture out of their homes. In our mini-review, we found 37 articles from 28 countries with a total sample of 114,466 people. These papers suggest that home-based engagement with nature was an entertaining and pleasant distraction that helped preserve mental well-being during a challenging time. According to Google Trends, interest in such activities increased during lockdown compared to the previous five years. Millions of people worldwide are chronically or temporarily confined to their homes and neighborhoods because of illness, childcare chores, or elderly care responsibility, which makes it difficult for them to travel far to visit such places as national parks, created through land sparing, where people go to enjoy nature and relieve stress. This article posits that for such people, living in an urban landscape designed to facilitate effortless contact with small natural areas is a more effective way to receive the mental health benefits of contact with nature than visiting a sprawling nature park on rare occasions.The post Recognizing the importance of near-home contact with nature for mental well-being based on the COVID-19 lockdown experience first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Tue, 05 Sep 2023 22:07:09 +000
- Collaborative everyday adaptation to deal with peatland fires: a case
study on the east coast of Sumatra, Indonesia
Authors:
Zora Naarei
Abstract: Actors across multiple levels, such as the private sector, national and subnational government institutions, and local communities, are expected to have the capacity to adapt to climate impacts and risks. This study analyzes how collaborative governance has been developed and carried out by multiple actors in everyday life to adapt to peatland fires in a situation where climate change variability drives fire occurrences. The case study research was undertaken on the east coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, where the challenge of annual peatland fires has increased in the last 15 years. The qualitative data were collected through participatory observations, face-to-face interviews with 35 key informants, and document analysis conducted in 2020. The research finding shows that structural arrangements, knowledge and learning, and resource sharing are essential dimensions in generating collaborative governance to adapt to peatland fires. Multiple actors in the community case study applied collaborative activities during the three adaptation stages: (1) anticipatory measures, (2) preparedness, and (3) responses through constructing canal blocks, conducting fire patrols, and fighting fires. Those collaborative activities are performed in everyday life and have reduced the potential occurrence of fires and the vulnerability of villagers to peatland fires. The study also highlights the effects of domination when powerful actors are unwilling to collaborate meaningfully with local actors, who sometimes share different interests and hierarchical positions.The post Collaborative everyday adaptation to deal with peatland fires: a case study on the east coast of Sumatra, Indonesia first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Wed, 30 Aug 2023 20:15:14 +000
- To split a stone
Authors:
Zora Naarei
Abstract: Science and art are often disconnected but, if combined, can help stimulate learning and novelty and guide societal change. How then to bridge the divide between scientists and artists in a way that extends beyond superficial, short-term interactions' We describe an ongoing coproduction practice between a Swedish sustainability scientist and two Chilean artists—a sculptor and painter—striving to find ways to work together. Our transdisciplinary collaboration was initiated in 2013 and, although there has never been an agenda or goal for our interaction, there has been a mutual interest to investigate joint possibilities. Through a series of meetings, we tried but failed to accomplish anything for several years. By 2022, we finally created something tangible together, realizing it was not just material objects we were producing but also a meeting between worlds. We describe how this long-term partnership, driven by mutual respect and curiosity, created conditions for bridging across our respective knowledge and practices. By working, walking, and exploring together, we learned how to communicate, overcome challenges of different languages, and combine perspectives. We have recognized similarities in how we engage with material from the natural world and how we combine elements for novelty. Through our interactions, we have started to identify how coproduced science and art can stimulate a reconnection with the biosphere, thereby providing a foundation for transformative societal change.The post To split a stone first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Tue, 29 Aug 2023 13:51:09 +000
- Eutrophication, water quality, and fisheries: a wicked management problem
with insights from a century of change in Lake Erie
Authors:
Adrian Williams
Abstract: Human-driven nutrient inputs into aquatic ecosystems must be managed to preserve biodiversity and to ensure that valued fishery and water quality services are not compromised by hypoxia and harmful algal blooms. Aiming for nutrient inputs that achieve an intermediate level of ecosystem productivity is expected to provide both high fish yield and good water quality. However, we argue that such an intermediate “optimum” may not exist for many aquatic ecosystems that support multiple fisheries with differing tolerances to eutrophication and that must provide multiple water quality services. We further support this argument with an empirical case study of nearly a century (1915–2011) of change in the productivity of Lake Erie and its lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), walleye (Sander vitreus), and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) fisheries. We discuss and show how the harvest of each fishery has been historically maximized at different levels of ecosystem productivity. Additionally, we examine how anticipated management efforts to improve water quality by reducing nutrient inputs (i.e., oligotrophication) may favor certain fisheries over others, resulting in no single optimal range of nutrient inputs that achieves all valued fishery and water quality objectives. Our synthesis and case study illustrate how the need to balance multiple services in aquatic ecosystems can create a wicked management problem with inevitable trade-offs. To navigate these trade-offs, we recommend the use of ecosystem-based management approaches, which can help decision makers identify and resolve complex trade-offs by facilitating cooperative research and communication among water quality regulators, fisheries managers, and end users.The post Eutrophication, water quality, and fisheries: a wicked management problem with insights from a century of change in Lake Erie first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Tue, 22 Aug 2023 15:05:46 +000
- Small-scale fisheries and agricultural trade networks are socially
embedded: emerging hypotheses about responses to environmental changes
Authors:
Adrian Williams
Abstract: Global change is threatening the production and livelihoods of millions of smallholders. The capacity of smallholders to deal with such changes is influenced by the increasingly complex trade networks that connect them to local and global markets. Moreover, the social relationships (e.g., trust, reciprocity) in which these trade networks are embedded likely influence smallholders’ capacity to respond to change. However, the prevalence and influence of such “social embeddedness” of trading across different fisheries and agricultural small-scale food systems is still largely unknown. Here, we characterize the social embeddedness of trade networks in small-scale food systems across different production and institutional contexts. We then explore how actors in small-scale food systems could respond to environmental changes in relation to their existing trade networks. We used a methodology based on the qualitative comparison of three different case studies of small-scale fisheries and agriculture in Mexico and South Africa. We analyzed and compared expert interviews among case studies and against the backdrop of embeddedness theory and a previous empirical study. We found key similarities in the level of social embeddedness of trade networks across cases. For example, business relationships characterized by stability and trust prevailed, whereby smallholders are often interdependent through networks of connected traders. There were also differences across cases, such as the higher formalization of business relationships in the agricultural cases, and the influence of institutional and country-specific factors on trade structures. Actors mostly responded to environmental change based on their existing trade networks, although these networks were also subject to change. The findings allowed us to propose more detailed hypotheses outlining how social embeddedness in trade networks play different roles in responding to environmental changes. These hypotheses aim to inspire future research toward the improved understanding of trade networks’ influence on small-scale food systems’ resilience.The post Small-scale fisheries and agricultural trade networks are socially embedded: emerging hypotheses about responses to environmental changes first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Mon, 21 Aug 2023 21:37:53 +000
- Tropical forest environments provide insurance against COVID-19
Authors:
Adrian Williams
Abstract: Research prior to the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the rural poor often turn to wild resources to cope with adverse shocks. We report on the first study addressing natural insurance against health shocks during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on riverine communities without road access in the Peruvian Amazon. We consider the most devastating shock people may experience, the death of a close family member. Using data from an in-person survey of almost 4000 households in 235 randomly selected communities before the pandemic as baseline, we conducted telephone surveys with over 400 communities during the early phase of the pandemic. We found that before the pandemic, forest peoples relied on game and non-timber forest products to cope with mortality, whether in their own household or their community. Once COVID-19 arrived, people reduced their reliance on hunting and resorted instead to fishing. These patterns were differentiated by gender and indigeneity. Tropical forest environments, which include also aquatic habitat, provide vital insurance against mortality, but just how may be altered during a pandemic. These novel findings have important implications for research and policies on forest conservation and pandemics.The post Tropical forest environments provide insurance against COVID-19 first appeared on Ecology & Society.
PubDate: Mon, 21 Aug 2023 14:40:37 +000
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