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Improving network approaches to the study of complex social–ecological interdependencies

Author

Listed:
  • Ö. Bodin

    (Stockholm University, Stockholm Resilience Centre)

  • S. M. Alexander

    (University of Waterloo)

  • J. Baggio

    (University of Central Florida)

  • M. L. Barnes

    (James Cook University)

  • R. Berardo

    (The Ohio State University)

  • G. S. Cumming

    (James Cook University)

  • L. E. Dee

    (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

  • A. P. Fischer

    (University of Michigan)

  • M. Fischer

    (Department of Environmental Social Sciences
    University of Bern)

  • M. Mancilla Garcia

    (Stockholm University, Stockholm Resilience Centre)

  • A. M. Guerrero

    (The University of Queensland
    The University of Queensland)

  • J. Hileman

    (Stockholm University, Stockholm Resilience Centre)

  • K. Ingold

    (Department of Environmental Social Sciences
    University of Bern
    University of Bern)

  • P. Matous

    (The University of Sydney, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies)

  • T. H. Morrison

    (James Cook University)

  • D. Nohrstedt

    (Uppsala University)

  • J. Pittman

    (University of Waterloo)

  • G. Robins

    (The University of Melbourne
    Swinburne University)

  • J. S. Sayles

    (Atlantic Ecology Division)

Abstract

Achieving effective, sustainable environmental governance requires a better understanding of the causes and consequences of the complex patterns of interdependencies connecting people and ecosystems within and across scales. Network approaches for conceptualizing and analysing these interdependencies offer one promising solution. Here, we present two advances we argue are needed to further this area of research: (i) a typology of causal assumptions explicating the causal aims of any given network-centric study of social–ecological interdependencies; (ii) unifying research design considerations that facilitate conceptualizing exactly what is interdependent, through what types of relationships and in relation to what kinds of environmental problems. The latter builds on the appreciation that many environmental problems draw from a set of core challenges that re-occur across contexts. We demonstrate how these advances combine into a comparative heuristic that facilitates leveraging case-specific findings of social–ecological interdependencies to generalizable, yet context-sensitive, theories based on explicit assumptions of causal relationships.

Suggested Citation

  • Ö. Bodin & S. M. Alexander & J. Baggio & M. L. Barnes & R. Berardo & G. S. Cumming & L. E. Dee & A. P. Fischer & M. Fischer & M. Mancilla Garcia & A. M. Guerrero & J. Hileman & K. Ingold & P. Matous &, 2019. "Improving network approaches to the study of complex social–ecological interdependencies," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(7), pages 551-559, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:2:y:2019:i:7:d:10.1038_s41893-019-0308-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-019-0308-0
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yu, Shuying & Peng, Jian & Xia, Pei & Wang, Qi & Grabowski, Robert C & Azhoni, Adani & Bala, Brij & Shankar, Vijay & Meersmans, Jeroen, 2023. "Network analysis of water-related ecosystem services in search of solutions for sustainable catchment management: A case study in Sutlej-Beas River systems, India," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    2. Zhang, Yan & Wu, Tong & Song, Changsu & Hein, Lars & Shi, Faqi & Han, Mingchen & Ouyang, Zhiyun, 2022. "Influences of climate change and land use change on the interactions of ecosystem services in China’s Xijiang River Basin," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    3. Barraclough, Alicia D. & Cusens, Jarrod & Måren, Inger Elisabeth, 2022. "Mapping stakeholder networks for the co-production of multiple ecosystem services: A novel mixed-methods approach," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    4. Labeyrie, Vanesse & Friedman, Rachel S. & Donnet, Sophie & Faye, Ndeye Fatou & Cobelli, Océane & Baggio, Jacopo & Felipe-Lucia, María R. & Raimond, Christine, 2023. "Linking seed networks and crop diversity contributions to people: A case study in small-scale farming systems in Sahelian Senegal," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    5. A. T. Shruthi Gopirajan & Praveen Kumar & P. K. Joshi, 2022. "Unraveling the complex and dynamic Himalayan socio-ecological systems: a systematic review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 1532-1559, February.
    6. Didier Wernli & Lucas Böttcher & Flore Vanackere & Yuliya Kaspiarovich & Maria Masood & Nicolas Levrat, 2023. "Understanding and governing global systemic crises in the 21st century: A complexity perspective," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 14(2), pages 207-228, May.

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