Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: Modeling and policy implications

Simon Asher Levin; Tasos Xepapadeas; Anne Sophie Crépin; Jon Norberg; Aart De Zeeuw; Carl Folke; Terry Hughes; Kenneth Arrow; Scott Barrett; Gretchen Daily; Paul Ehrlich; Nils Kautsky; Karl Göran Mäler; Steve Polasky; Max Troell; Jeffrey R. Vincent; Brian Walker

doi:10.1017/S1355770X12000460

Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: Modeling and policy implications

Simon Asher Levin, Tasos Xepapadeas, Anne Sophie Crépin, Jon Norberg, Aart De Zeeuw, Carl Folke, Terry Hughes, Kenneth Arrow, Scott Barrett, Gretchen Daily, Paul Ehrlich, Nils Kautsky, Karl Göran Mäler, Steve Polasky, Max Troell, Jeffrey R. Vincent, Brian Walker

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

558 Scopus citations

Abstract

Systems linking people and nature, known as social-ecological systems, are increasingly understood as complex adaptive systems. Essential features of these complex adaptive systems - such as nonlinear feedbacks, strategic interactions, individual and spatial heterogeneity, and varying time scales - pose substantial challenges for modeling. However, ignoring these characteristics can distort our picture of how these systems work, causing policies to be less effective or even counterproductive. In this paper we present recent developments in modeling social-ecological systems, illustrate some of these challenges with examples related to coral reefs and grasslands, and identify the implications for economic and policy analysis.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	111-132
Number of pages	22
Journal	Environment and Development Economics
Volume	18
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355770X12000460
State	Published - Apr 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Development
General Environmental Science
Economics and Econometrics

Access to Document

10.1017/S1355770X12000460

Cite this

Levin, S. A., Xepapadeas, T., Crépin, A. S., Norberg, J., De Zeeuw, A., Folke, C., Hughes, T., Arrow, K., Barrett, S., Daily, G., Ehrlich, P., Kautsky, N., Mäler, K. G., Polasky, S., Troell, M., Vincent, J. R., & Walker, B. (2013). Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: Modeling and policy implications. Environment and Development Economics, 18(2), 111-132. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355770X12000460

@article{118f7ef7ffcf46b884ffac1bb568df76,

title = "Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: Modeling and policy implications",

abstract = "Systems linking people and nature, known as social-ecological systems, are increasingly understood as complex adaptive systems. Essential features of these complex adaptive systems - such as nonlinear feedbacks, strategic interactions, individual and spatial heterogeneity, and varying time scales - pose substantial challenges for modeling. However, ignoring these characteristics can distort our picture of how these systems work, causing policies to be less effective or even counterproductive. In this paper we present recent developments in modeling social-ecological systems, illustrate some of these challenges with examples related to coral reefs and grasslands, and identify the implications for economic and policy analysis.",

author = "Levin, {Simon Asher} and Tasos Xepapadeas and Cr{\'e}pin, {Anne Sophie} and Jon Norberg and {De Zeeuw}, Aart and Carl Folke and Terry Hughes and Kenneth Arrow and Scott Barrett and Gretchen Daily and Paul Ehrlich and Nils Kautsky and M{\"a}ler, {Karl G{\"o}ran} and Steve Polasky and Max Troell and Vincent, {Jeffrey R.} and Brian Walker",

year = "2013",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1017/S1355770X12000460",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "18",

pages = "111--132",

journal = "Environment and Development Economics",

issn = "1355-770X",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

number = "2",

}

Levin, SA, Xepapadeas, T, Crépin, AS, Norberg, J, De Zeeuw, A, Folke, C, Hughes, T, Arrow, K, Barrett, S, Daily, G, Ehrlich, P, Kautsky, N, Mäler, KG, Polasky, S, Troell, M, Vincent, JR & Walker, B 2013, 'Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: Modeling and policy implications', Environment and Development Economics, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 111-132. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355770X12000460

TY - JOUR

T1 - Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems

T2 - Modeling and policy implications

AU - Levin, Simon Asher

AU - Xepapadeas, Tasos

AU - Crépin, Anne Sophie

AU - Norberg, Jon

AU - De Zeeuw, Aart

AU - Folke, Carl

AU - Hughes, Terry

AU - Arrow, Kenneth

AU - Barrett, Scott

AU - Daily, Gretchen

AU - Ehrlich, Paul

AU - Kautsky, Nils

AU - Mäler, Karl Göran

AU - Polasky, Steve

AU - Troell, Max

AU - Vincent, Jeffrey R.

AU - Walker, Brian

PY - 2013/4

Y1 - 2013/4

N2 - Systems linking people and nature, known as social-ecological systems, are increasingly understood as complex adaptive systems. Essential features of these complex adaptive systems - such as nonlinear feedbacks, strategic interactions, individual and spatial heterogeneity, and varying time scales - pose substantial challenges for modeling. However, ignoring these characteristics can distort our picture of how these systems work, causing policies to be less effective or even counterproductive. In this paper we present recent developments in modeling social-ecological systems, illustrate some of these challenges with examples related to coral reefs and grasslands, and identify the implications for economic and policy analysis.

AB - Systems linking people and nature, known as social-ecological systems, are increasingly understood as complex adaptive systems. Essential features of these complex adaptive systems - such as nonlinear feedbacks, strategic interactions, individual and spatial heterogeneity, and varying time scales - pose substantial challenges for modeling. However, ignoring these characteristics can distort our picture of how these systems work, causing policies to be less effective or even counterproductive. In this paper we present recent developments in modeling social-ecological systems, illustrate some of these challenges with examples related to coral reefs and grasslands, and identify the implications for economic and policy analysis.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875136100&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84875136100&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S1355770X12000460

DO - 10.1017/S1355770X12000460

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84875136100

SN - 1355-770X

VL - 18

SP - 111

EP - 132

JO - Environment and Development Economics

JF - Environment and Development Economics

IS - 2

ER -

Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: Modeling and policy implications

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this