Toward Principles for Enhancing the Resilience of Ecosystem Services

Posted: 20 Oct 2012

See all articles by Reinette Biggs

Reinette Biggs

Stockholm University

Maja Schlüter

Stockholm University; Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology

Duan Biggs

University of Queensland

Erin L. Bohensky

Government of the Commonwealth of Australia - CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)

Shauna B. BurnSilver

School of Human Evolution and Social Change

Georgina Cundill

Rhodes University

Vasilis Dakos

Wageningen University and Research (WUR)

Tim Daw

University of East Anglia (UEA)

Louisa Evans

James Cook University

Karen Kotschy

University of the Witwatersrand

Anne Leitch

Government of the Commonwealth of Australia - CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)

Chandra Meek

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Allyson Quinlan

Carleton University

Ciara Raudsepp-Hearne

McGill University

Martin Robards

Wildlife Conservation Society

Michael Schoon

Arizona State University (ASU)

Lisen Schultz

Stockholm University

Paul West

Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota

Date Written: November 2012

Abstract

Enhancing the resilience of ecosystem services (ES) that underpin human well-being is critical for meeting current and future societal needs, and requires specific governance and management policies. Using the literature, we identify seven generic policy-relevant principles for enhancing the resilience of desired ES in the face of disturbance and ongoing change in social-ecological systems (SES). These principles are (P1) maintain diversity and redundancy, (P2) manage connectivity, (P3) manage slow variables and feedbacks, (P4) foster an understanding of SES as complex adaptive systems (CAS), (P5) encourage learning and experimentation, (P6) broaden participation, and (P7) promote polycentric governance systems. We briefly define each principle, review how and when it enhances the resilience of ES, and conclude with major research gaps. In practice, the principles often co-occur and are highly interdependent. Key future needs are to better understand these interdependencies and to operationalize and apply the principles in different policy and management contexts.

Suggested Citation

Biggs, Reinette and Schlüter, Maja and Schlüter, Maja and Biggs, Duan and Bohensky, Erin L. and BurnSilver, Shauna B. and Cundill, Georgina and Dakos, Vasilis and Daw, Tim and Evans, Louisa and Kotschy, Karen and Leitch, Anne and Meek, Chandra and Quinlan, Allyson and Raudsepp-Hearne, Ciara and Robards, Martin and Schoon, Michael and Schultz, Lisen and West, Paul, Toward Principles for Enhancing the Resilience of Ecosystem Services (November 2012). Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Vol. 37, pp. 421-448, 2012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2163619 or http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-051211-123836

Reinette Biggs (Contact Author)

Stockholm University ( email )

Universitetsvägen 10
Stockholm, Stockholm SE-106 91
Sweden

Maja Schlüter

Stockholm University

Stockholm, SE-106 91
Sweden

Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology ( email )

Müggelseedamm 310
Berlin
Germany

Duan Biggs

University of Queensland

Australia

Erin L. Bohensky

Government of the Commonwealth of Australia - CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) ( email )

41 Boggo Rd
Dutton Park, Queensland
Australia

Shauna B. BurnSilver

School of Human Evolution and Social Change ( email )

900 Cady Mall
Tempe, AR
United States

Georgina Cundill

Rhodes University ( email )

Fine Art Department
Rhodes University, PO Box 94
Grahamstown 6140, Eastern cape 6140
South Africa

Vasilis Dakos

Wageningen University and Research (WUR) ( email )

Hollandseweg 1
Wageningen, 6706KN
Netherlands

Tim Daw

University of East Anglia (UEA) ( email )

Norwich Research Park
Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ
United Kingdom

Louisa Evans

James Cook University ( email )

Cairns, Queensland 4878
Australia

Karen Kotschy

University of the Witwatersrand ( email )

1 Jan Smuts Avenue
Johannesburg, GA Gauteng 2000
South Africa

Anne Leitch

Government of the Commonwealth of Australia - CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) ( email )

41 Boggo Rd
Dutton Park, Queensland
Australia

Chandra Meek

University of Alaska Fairbanks ( email )

Fairbanks, AK 99775-6660
United States

Allyson Quinlan

Carleton University ( email )

1125 colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6
Canada

Ciara Raudsepp-Hearne

McGill University ( email )

1001 Sherbrooke St. W
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G5
Canada

Martin Robards

Wildlife Conservation Society ( email )

Fairbanks, AK 99775
United States

Michael Schoon

Arizona State University (ASU) ( email )

Farmer Building 440G PO Box 872011
Tempe, AZ 85287
United States

Lisen Schultz

Stockholm University ( email )

Universitetsvägen 10
Stockholm, Stockholm SE-106 91
Sweden

Paul West

Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota ( email )

1954 Buford Ave
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

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