MULTI AGENT-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL LANDSCAPE (MABEL) - AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SIMULATION MODEL: SOME EARLY ASSESSMENTS

The Multi Agent-Based Environmental Landscape model (MABEL) introduces a Distributed Artificial Intelligence (DAI) systemic methodology, to simulate land use and transformation changes over time and space. Computational agents represent abstract relations among geographic, environmental, human and socio-economic variables, with respect to land transformation pattern changes. A multi-agent environment is developed providing task-nonspecific problem-solving abilities, flexibility on achieving goals and representing existing relations observed in real-world scenarios, and goal-based efficiency. Intelligent MABEL agents acquire spatial expressions and perform specific tasks demonstrating autonomy, environmental interactions, communication and cooperation, reactivity and proactivity, reasoning and learning capabilities. Their decisions maximize both task-specific marginal utility for their actions and joint, weighted marginal utility for their time-stepping. Agent behavior is achieved by personalizing a dynamic utility-based knowledge base through sequential GIS filtering, probability-distributed weighting, joint probability Bayesian correlational weighting, and goal-based distributional properties, applied to socio-economic and behavioral criteria. First-order logics, heuristics and appropriation of time-step sequences employed, provide a simulation-able environment, capable of re-generating space-time evolution of the agents.Environmental Economics and Policy,

How Landscape Ecology Informs Global Land-Change Science and Policy

Landscape ecology is a discipline that explicitly considers the influence of time and space on the environmental patterns we observe and the processes that create them. Although many of the topics studied in landscape ecology have public policy implications, three are of particular concern: climate change; land use–land cover change (LULCC); and a particular type of LULCC, urbanization. These processes are interrelated, because LULCC is driven by both human activities (e.g., agricultural expansion and urban sprawl) and climate change (e.g., desertification). Climate change, in turn, will affect the way humans use landscapes. Interactions among these drivers of ecosystem change can have destabilizing and accelerating feedback, with consequences for human societies from local to global scales. These challenges require landscape ecologists to engage policymakers and practitioners in seeking long-term solutions, informed by an understanding of opportunities to mitigate the impacts of anthropogenic drivers on ecosystems and adapt to new ecological realities

Advances in restoration ecology: rising to the challenges of the coming decades

Simultaneous environmental changes challenge biodiversity persistence and human wellbeing. The science and practice of restoration ecology, in collaboration with other disciplines, can contribute to overcoming these challenges. This endeavor requires a solid conceptual foundation based in empirical research which confronts, tests and influences theoretical developments. We review conceptual developments in restoration ecology over the last 30 years. We frame our review in the context of changing restoration goals which reflect increased societal awareness of the scale of environmental degradation and the recognition that inter-disciplinary approaches are needed to tackle environmental problems. Restoration ecology now encompasses facilitative interactions and network dynamics, trophic cascades, and above- and below ground linkages. It operates in a non-equilibrium, alternative states framework, at the landscape scale, and in response to changing environmental, economic and social conditions. Progress has been marked by conceptual advances in the fields of trait-environment relationships, community assembly, and understanding the links between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Conceptual and practical advances have been enhanced by applying evolving technologies, including treatments to increase seed germination and overcome recruitment bottlenecks, high throughput DNA sequencing to elucidate soil community structure and function, and advances in satellite technology and GPS tracking to monitor habitat use. The synthesis of these technologies with systematic reviews of context dependencies in restoration success, model based analyses and consideration of complex socio-ecological systems will allow generalizations to inform evidence based interventions. Ongoing challenges include setting realistic, socially acceptable goals for restoration under changing environmental conditions, and prioritizing actions in an increasingly space-competitive world. Ethical questions also surround the use of genetically modified material, translocations, taxon substitutions, and de-extinction, in restoration ecology. Addressing these issues, as the Ecological Society of America looks to its next century, will require current and future generations of researchers and practitioners, including economists, engineers, philosophers, landscape architects, social scientists and restoration ecologists, to work together with communities and governments to rise to the environmental challenges of the coming decades

Redefining the Organizational Resilience Construct using a Frame Based Methodology : A New Perspective from the Ecology Based Approach

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Enhancing Coastal Resilience: Perspectives on Valuing RI Coastal Lands

This paper discusses coastal resilience as an organizing framework for future policymaking, coastal planning, and insurance decisions, and explores the different perspectives of the value of ecosystems held by various stakeholders in Rhode Island’s coastal communities. A grounded theory approach was used in an effort to abstract general insights from the substantive but isolated areas of coastal management and economics. Special attention is given to the perspectives of municipal decision makers, the National Flood Insurance Program, natural economists, and real estate developers. We have (1) conducted a statistical analysis of environmental spending of RI towns, (2) identified key models for ecosystem services valuation, (3) researched the major threats to coastal ecosystems, and (4) explored how the coastal resilience theme might shape the future of the coast. Elements of the study rely on the formulation and testing of hypotheses. However, the analysis was primarily a demonstration of the inter-disciplinary emergent thinking that this paper proposes will provide solutions for coastal communities’ most pressing issues. The framing question is how social, personal, and environmental goals align when coastal resilience is enhanced, and how stakeholders can utilize these new decision-making tools to achieve increased communication and a more accurate understanding of the perceived value of ecosystem services

The ecomics of ecosystems and biodiversity: scoping the scale

The G8 decided in March 2007 to initiate a “Review on the economics of biodiversity loss”, in the so called Potsdam Initiative: 'In a global study we will initiate the process of analysing the global economic benefit of biological diversity, the costs of the loss of biodiversity and the failure to take protective measures versus the costs of effective conservation. The study is being supported by the European Commission (together with the European Environmental Agency and in cooperation with the German Government. “The objective of the current study is to provide a coherent overview of existing scientific knowledge upon which to base the economics of the Review, and to propose a coherent global programme of scientific work, both for Phase 2 (consolidation) and to enable more robust future iterations of the Review beyond 2010.

Climate Change and Highland Malaria: Fresh Air for a Hot Debate

In recent decades, malaria has become established in zones at the margin of its previous distribution, especially in the highlands of East Africa. Studies in this region have sparked a heated debate over the importance of climate change in the territorial expansion of malaria, where positions range from its neglect to the reification of correlations as causes. Here, we review studies supporting and rebutting the role of climatic change as a driving force for highland invasion by malaria. We assessed the conclusions from both sides of the argument and found that evidence for the role of climate in these dynamics is robust. However, we also argue that over-emphasizing the importance of climate is misleading for setting a research agenda, even one which attempts to understand climate change impacts on emerging malaria patterns. We review alternative drivers for the emergence of this disease and highlight the problems still calling for research if the multidimensional nature of malaria is to be adequately tackled. We also contextualize highland malaria as an ongoing evolutionary process. Finally, we present Schmalhausen's law, which explains the lack of resilience in stressed systems, as a biological principle that unifies the importance of climatic and other environmental factors in driving malaria patterns across different spatio-temporal scales

Dessin de la résilience climatique urbaine avec des solutions fondées sur la nature et les infrastructures vertes. Défis, problèmes et bonnes pratiques pour la régénération à l' échelle de quartier

[EN] Climate change poses unprecedented challenges to urban environments, mostly affecting already vulnerable communities and ecosystems. While Climate Action (13th Sustainable Development Goal) still tends to focus on economic shifts and technological fixes, urban design and planning can play a crucial role in climate adaptation processes, enhancing socio-ecological resilience, while improving inclusivity, livability, wellbeing for all, opening to sustainable development scenarios. By focusing on nature-based solutions (NBS) and green infrastructure (GI), the contribution, which is part of an ongoing research, aims at identifying issues, challenges, and best practices to operationalize climate resilient adaptation through urban nature design and planning process and actions for neighborhood scale s regeneration. Through a qualitative methodology, three neighborhood case studies, recognized as best practices, will be compared in order to understand, issue and procedures related to the implementation of climate NBS and GI inside urban regeneration design and planning process.eworks towards equitable and livable urban futures.[CA] El canvi climàtic planteja reptes sense precedents als entorns urbans, afectant principalment comunitats i ecosistemes ja vulnerables. Tot i que l’acció climàtica (13è Objectiu de Desenvolupament Sostenible) encara tendeix a centrar-se en els canvis econòmics i les solucions tecnològiques, el disseny i la planificació urbans poden tenir un paper crucial en els processos d’adaptació climàtica, millorant la resiliència socioecològica, alhora que milloren la inclusivitat, l’habitabilitat, el benestar per a tothom, obrint-se a escenaris de desenvolupament sostenible. En centrar-se en les solucions basades en la natura (NBS, Nature Based Solutions) i la infraestructura verda (GI, Green Infrastructure), la contribució, que forma part d’una investigació en curs, té com a objectiu identificar problemes, reptes i bones pràctiques per operacionalitzar l’adaptació resilient al clima mitjançant el procés de disseny i planificació de la natura urbana i accions per a la regeneració a escala de barri. A través d’una metodologia qualitativa, es compararan tres casos d’estudi de barri, reconeguts com a millors pràctiques, per tal d’entendre, emetre i procediments relacionats amb la implementació de NBS i GI dins del procés de disseny i planificació de la regeneració urbana.[ES] El cambio climático plantea desafíos sin precedentes para los entornos urbanos y afecta principalmente a comunidades y ecosistemas que ya son vulnerables. Si bien la Acción Climática (13º Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible) todavía tiende a centrarse en los cambios económicos y las soluciones tecnológicas, el diseño y la planificación urbanos pueden desempeñar un papel crucial en los procesos de adaptación al clima, mejorando la resiliencia social y ecológica y al mismo tiempo mejorando la inclusión, la habitabilidad y el bienestar para todos, invitando a escenarios de desarrollo sostenible. Al centrarse en las soluciones basadas en la naturaleza (SBN) y la infraestructura verde (IV), la contribución, que forma parte de una investigación en curso, tiene como objetivo identificar problemas, desafíos y mejores prácticas para hacer operativa la adaptación resiliente al clima a través del proceso de diseño y planificación de la naturaleza urbana y de acciones para la regeneración a escala de barrio. A través de una metodología cualitativa, se compararán tres estudios de caso de barrios, reconocidos como buenas prácticas, para comprender los problemas y procedimientos relacionados con la implementación de SBN e IV climáticas dentro del proceso de diseño y planificación de la regeneración urbana.[FR] Le changement climatique pose des défis sans précédents aux milieux urbains qui touchent surtout les communautés et les écosystèmes déjà vulnérables. Tandis que l' Action pour le Climat (13e Objectif de Développement Durable) vise à se centrer sur les changements économiques et les solutions technologiques, le dessin et la planification urbains peuvent jouer un rôle crucial sur les processus d' adaptation au climat, en améliorant la résilience socio-écologique, en même temps qu' ils améliorent l' inclusion, l' habitabilité et le bien-être pour tout le monde, en s' ouvrant à des scènes de développement durable. En se centrant sur les solutions fondées sur la nature (SBN) et l' infrastructure verte (IV), cette contribution (faisant partie d' une recherche en cours) a pour objectif d' identifier les problèmes, les défis et les bonnes pratiques pour rendre opérative l' adaptation résiliente au climat à travers le dessin de la nature urbaine et le processus de planification et actions pour la régéneration à l échelle de quartier. Au moyen d' une méthodologie qualitative, on y compare trois études de cas de quartier, reconnus comme de bonnes pratiques, afin de comprendre les problèmes et les procédures ayant rapport avec la mise en oeuvre des SBN climatiques et l IV dans le processus de dessin et de planification de la régénération urbaine.La contribució s’ha desenvolupat dins de les activitats de recerca finançades per PON R&I i FSE-REACT EU (r.c. n. 38-G-14879-1, CUP C49J21043340001) i també dins del Nature-City Lab, DiCEM, Universitat de Basilicata.Raffa, A. (2023). Disseny de la resiliència climàtica urbana amb solucions basades en la natura i infraestructures verdes. Reptes, problemes i bones pràctiques per a la regeneració a escala de barri. ANUARI d Arquitectura i Societat. (3):234-266. https://doi.org/10.4995/anuari.2023.20056234266

Grand Challenges for Resilience-Based Management of Rangelands

AbstractThe social and ecological contexts for rangeland management are changing rapidly, prompting a reevaluation of science, management, and their relationship. We argue that progression from steady-state management to ecosystem management has served the rangeland profession well, but that further development toward resilience-based management is required to ensure that ecosystem services are sustained in an era of rapid change. Resilience-based management embraces the inevitability of change and emphasizes that management should seek to guide change to benefit society. The objectives of this forum are to: 1) justify the need for adopting resilience-based management, 2) identify the challenges that will be encountered in its development and implementation, and 3) highlight approaches to overcoming these challenges. Five grand challenges confronting the adoption of resilience-based management, based upon the insights of 56 rangeland researchers who have contributed to this special issue, were identified as: 1) development of knowledge systems to support resilience-based management, 2) improvement of ecological models supporting science and management, 3) protocols to assess and manage tradeoffs among ecosystem services, 4) use of social-ecological system models to integrate diverse knowledge sources, and 5) reorganization of institutions to support resilience-based management. Resolving the challenges presented here will require the creation of stronger partnerships between ecosystem managers, science organizations, management agencies, and policymakers at local, regional, and national scales. A realistic near-term goal for achieving such partnerships is to initiate and support collaborative landscape projects. The creation of multiscaled social learning institutions linked to evolving knowledge systems may be the best approach to guide adaptation and transformation in rangelands in the coming century