Dynamic properties of complex adaptive ecosystems: implications for the sustainability of service provision
Dynamic properties of complex adaptive ecosystems: implications for the sustainability of service provision
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DOI：
10.1007/s10531-010-9892-z
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发表时间：
2010-09-01
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
Stirling, Andrew
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Dawson, Terence P.;Rounsevell, Mark D. A.;Stirling, Andrew
预测环境变化及其在地方乃至全球范围内对生态系统货物和服务的影响仍然是国际科学界面临的一项重大挑战。这在很大程度上是因为地球是由开放、耦合、复杂、互动和非线性的动态系统组成的，这些系统本身就不可预测。环境变化的自然和人类驱动因素（在不同的空间和时间尺度上运作）之间不受限制的相互作用和反馈可能会加剧旨在可持续管理生态系统的多元社会所面临的内在棘手困难。社会生态系统（SES）理论解决了社会和生态系统的这些强耦合和复杂的特征。它可以提供一个有用的框架，阐明对生态系统和相关服务提供的不同驱动因素和压力，跨越不同的时间和起源。在这里，系统脆弱性（定义为暴露于威胁，影响SES的能力，以科普在提供相关的功能），可能会出现在多个时间尺度的内源性和外源性因素。脆弱性还可能采取截然不同的形式，从短暂的冲击或破坏到长期或持久的压力。认识到这些不同的条件，出现四个不同的动态特性（弹性，稳定性，耐久性和鲁棒性），在此条件下，有可能保持系统功能，从而实现可持续性。
Predicting environmental change and its impacts on ecosystem goods and services at local to global scales remains a significant challenge for the international scientific community. This is due largely to the fact that the Earth is made up of open, coupled, complex, interactive and non-linear dynamic systems that are inherently unpredictable. Uncertainties over interactions and feedbacks between natural and human drivers of environmental change (operating at different spatial and temporal scales) can compound intrinsic intractable difficulties faced by plural societies aiming at sustainable management of ecosystems. Social-Ecological Systems (SES) theory addresses these strongly coupled and complex characteristics of social and ecological systems. It can provide a useful framework for articulating contrasting drivers and pressures on ecosystems and associated service provision, spanning different temporalities and provenances. Here, system vulnerabilities (defined as exposure to threats affecting ability of an SES to cope in delivering relevant functions), can arise from both endogenous and exogenous factors across multiple time-scales. Vulnerabilities may also take contrasting forms, ranging from transient shocks or disruptions, through to chronic or enduring pressures. Recognising these diverse conditions, four distinct dynamic properties emerge (resilience, stability, durability and robustness), under which it is possible to maintain system function and, hence, achieve sustainability.