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Social-ecological alignment and ecological conditions in coral reefs

Author

Listed:
  • Michele L. Barnes

    (James Cook University
    University of Hawaii at Manoa)

  • Örjan Bodin

    (Stockholm University)

  • Tim R. McClanahan

    (Wildlife Conservation Society, Marine Programs)

  • John N. Kittinger

    (Center for Oceans, Conservation International
    Arizona State University)

  • Andrew S. Hoey

    (James Cook University)

  • Orou G. Gaoue

    (University of Hawaii at Manoa
    University of Tennessee
    University of Parakou
    University of Johannesburg)

  • Nicholas A. J. Graham

    (James Cook University
    Lancaster University)

Abstract

Complex social-ecological interactions underpin many environmental problems. To help capture this complexity, we advance an interdisciplinary network modeling framework to identify important relationships between people and nature that can influence environmental conditions. Drawing on comprehensive social and ecological data from five coral reef fishing communities in Kenya; including interviews with 648 fishers, underwater visual census data of reef ecosystem condition, and time-series landings data; we show that positive ecological conditions are associated with ‘social-ecological network closure’ – i.e., fully linked and thus closed network structures between social actors and ecological resources. Our results suggest that when fishers facing common dilemmas form cooperative communication ties with direct resource competitors, they may achieve positive gains in reef fish biomass and functional richness. Our work provides key empirical insight to a growing body of research on social-ecological alignment, and helps to advance an integrative framework that can be applied empirically in different social-ecological contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele L. Barnes & Örjan Bodin & Tim R. McClanahan & John N. Kittinger & Andrew S. Hoey & Orou G. Gaoue & Nicholas A. J. Graham, 2019. "Social-ecological alignment and ecological conditions in coral reefs," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-09994-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09994-1
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    Cited by:

    1. E.R.L. Sanna & M. Meleddu, 2024. "Integrating justice and ecological economics: a theoretical framework and indicator toolkit for analysing conflict in protected areas," Working Paper CRENoS 202413, Centre for North South Economic Research, University of Cagliari and Sassari, Sardinia.
    2. Mengmeng Zhang & Shuai Wang & Bojie Fu & Xiaohua Wei & Cong Wang & Shuang Song & Fangli Wei, 2019. "Structure Disentanglement and Effect Analysis of the Arid Riverscape Social-Ecological System Using a Network Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Giroux, Stacey & Kaminski, Patrick & Waldman, Kurt & Blekking, Jordan & Evans, Tom & Caylor, Kelly K., 2023. "Smallholder social networks: Advice seeking and adaptation in rural Kenya," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    4. Sara Garcia-Figuera & Elizabeth E. Grafton-Cardwell & Bruce A. Babcock & Mark N. Lubell & Neil McRoberts, 2021. "Institutional approaches for plant health provision as a collective action problem," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(2), pages 273-290, April.
    5. Beibei Guo & Xiaobin Jin & Yelin Fang & Yinkang Zhou, 2020. "Evaluation of Sustainable Regional Development Combining Remote Sensing Data and Ecological Constraints: A Case Study of Chaohu Basin, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-20, November.

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