Ciclos de estabilidad, cambios y variables lentas-rápidas en el paisaje del Área Metropolitana de Concepción a partir de estudios de sistemas socio ecologicos: un análisis exploratorio

Landscapes can maximize their strengths in moments of stability by deeply developing their character and, thus, managing the pressures or disturbances behind slow and fast changes in the Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) to avoid their transformation. Fast variables explain short-term changes and violent rupture processes in stability/change cycles for natural disaster issues. On the other hand, slow variables explain long-term changes and more complex processes in stability/change cycles. The work below focused on studying the Concepción Metropolitan Area (AMC, in Spanish), Chile, which has undergone relevant changes throughout its history but has not been studied as an SES using its slow and fast variables. An exploratory literary review of 150 articles was made in scientific databases without using scientific support software, considering "Concepción" and "Concepción Metropolitan Area" as keywords. The main results highlight short-term phenomena cycles -fast variables- with a major impact, exemplified in natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, fires, and drought), changes in urban planning (urban plans and hygienism), as well as long-term phenomena -slow variables-, with more notable impacts in certain key areas, namely political (conquest and war between indigenous/Spanish/Chilean peoples), economic (boom/bust of business cycles) and environmental (wetland intervention, creation of different protection laws).Los paisajes son capaces de maximizar sus fortalezas en momentos de estabilidad al desarrollar de manera profunda su carácter y, así, manejar las presiones o disturbios que generan cambios en los Sistemas Socio Ecológicos (SSE) en sus variables lentas y rápidas para evitar su transformación. Las variables rápidas son aquellas que explican los cambios de corto plazo y procesos violentos de ruptura en los ciclos de estabilidad/cambio en las temáticas de desastres naturales. Por su parte, las variables lentas corresponden a aquellas que explican los cambios a largo plazo y procesos más complejos en los ciclos de estabilidad/cambio. El trabajo que sigue se abocó al estudio del Área Metropolitana de Concepción (AMC), Chile, la cual ha sufrido cambios relevantes a lo largo de su historia, pero no ha sido estudiada como un SSE en sus variables lentas y rápidas. De forma exploratoria, se realizó una revisión literaria de 150 artículos en las bases de datos científicas sin uso de software científico de apoyo, considerando como palabras claves “Concepción” y “Área Metropolitana de Concepción”. Como resultados principales, se destacan ciclos de fenómenos de corto plazo -variables rápidas- con gran impacto, ejemplificados en desastres naturales (terremotos, maremotos, inundaciones, incendios y sequía), y cambios en los planes de urbanismo (planes urbanos e higienismo), así como fenómenos de largo plazo -variables lentas-, con impactos más memorables en ciertas áreas clave: política (conquista y guerra entre indígenas/españoles/chilenos), economía (auge/caída de ciclos económicos) y medioambiente (intervención humedales, creación de diversas leyes de protección)

Developing Transdisciplinary Approaches to Sustainability Challenges: The Need to Model Socio-Environmental Systems in the Longue Durée

Human beings are an active component of every terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. Although our local impact on the evolution of these ecosystems has been undeniable and extensively documented, it remains unclear precisely how our activities are altering them, in part because ecosystems are dynamic systems structured by complex, non-linear feedback processes and cascading effects. We argue that it is only by studying human–environment interactions over timescales that greatly exceed the lifespan of any individual human (i.e., the deep past or longue durée), we can hope to fully understand such processes and their implications. In this article, we identify some of the key challenges faced in integrating long-term datasets with those of other areas of sustainability science, and suggest some useful ways forward. Specifically, we (a) highlight the potential of the historical sciences for sustainability science, (b) stress the need to integrate theoretical frameworks wherein humans are seen as inherently entangled with the environment, and (c) propose formal computational modelling as the ideal platform to overcome the challenges of transdisciplinary work across large, and multiple, geographical and temporal scales. Our goal is to provide a manifesto for an integrated scientific approach to the study of socio-ecological systems over the long term

Understanding spatial growth and resilience of megacities based on the DPSIR conceptual model:study case: Greater Cairo Metropolis, Egypt

Die Bewältigung stadtplanerischer Aufgaben in komplexen urbanen Systemen, wie des Großraums Kairo (GCM) bedarf eines vertieften Verständnisses dieses sozio-ökologischen Systems. In dieser Studie werden die Konzepte des räumlichen Wachstums und der räumlichen Resilienz genutzt, um über die Analyse der physisch-räumlichen Gegebenheiten hinaus, auf die Prozesse und Beziehungen der Akteure zur sie umgebenden Umwelt zu schließen und zu analysieren, wie sich diese in Raum und Zeit verändert haben. Die Basis bildet das DPSIR-Schema als Rahmenkonzept, um räumliche Indikatoren auf zwei Ebenen abzubilden. Diese resultieren aus pixel- und objektorientierten Klassifikationen von Fernerkundungsdaten (LANDSAT und SPOT), welche die Änderungen in der Landbedeckung und Landnutzung in mehreren Zeitschnitten abbilden. In der Studie konnten über vierzehn Hotspots identifiziert werden, die in verschiedene Kategorien eingeteilt werden konnten. Auf sie sollte die Stadtentwicklung ein verstärktes Augenmerk richten.Planning the sustainable development of complex socio-ecological systems such as the megacity Greater Cairo Metropolis (GCM) requires an understanding of the physical change of the main components of the system. From that point of view, this study introduces the analysis of spatial growth and spatial resilience as two fundamental concepts to find out the relation between social actors and activities, and their physical and environmental expressions and impacts in time and space. The thesis uses the DPSIR conceptual model as a framework to examine spatial indicators on different levels. Both of them represent pixel and object based interpretations of remotedly sensed data (LANDSAT and SPOT) especially focused on land use/land cover change (LULCC). The study could show that there are about fourteen hot spot areas which are in need of different responses e.g. by land management based on their types, properties and spatial features. Most of them can be categorized as open corridors of urban sprawl and saturated closed slums

Making sense of changing coastal systems: overcoming barriers to climate change adaptation using fuzzy cognitive mapping

This thesis describes the role and value of Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) in undertaking coastal climate change adaptation at the local scale, comparing FCM against existing, scenario-based adaptation methods in overcoming known barriers to adaptation. It describes the attributes and limitations of FCM as a modelling tool, exploring what must be accounted for in considering the use of FCM in mixed stakeholder settings where individual and group knowledge must be integrated to form a view of the system under study, discussing in some detail the facilitation strengths and weaknesses inherent to the method. These issues are then described via reference to case-studies in Ireland and Scotland, drawing inferences regarding the ease with which an FCM-based approach to adaptation might be substituted for orthodox, scenario-based adaptation. This is found to not only be feasible, but preferable, provided there is sufficient facilitation capacity on hand to manage the added complexity that FCM carries over simple narrative scenario development. Adding to the value that FCM offers in adaptation contexts, the thesis also explores its value as both a diagnostic tool for establishing what additional capacity building or data may be required by adaptation decision makers, and also as a tool for gauging the extent to which resilience gains (or losses) might be measured. Although FCM cannot be claimed to provide a robust objective measure of resilience gains or losses, it can nevertheless usefully illustrate to decision makers the strengths and limitations of their own understanding of the systems which they must manage. This is perhaps where the future of FCM-based systems analysis in support of adaptation may ultimately lie

Developing Transdisciplinary Approaches to Sustainability Challenges: The Need to Model Socio-Environmental Systems in the Longue Durée

Human beings are an active component of every terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. Although our local impact on the evolution of these ecosystems has been undeniable and extensively documented, it remains unclear precisely how our activities are altering them, in part because ecosystems are dynamic systems structured by complex, non-linear feedback processes and cascading effects. We argue that it is only by studying human–environment interactions over timescales that greatly exceed the lifespan of any individual human (i.e., the deep past or longue durée), we can hope to fully understand such processes and their implications. In this article, we identify some of the key challenges faced in integrating long-term datasets with those of other areas of sustainability science, and suggest some useful ways forward. Specifically, we (a) highlight the potential of the historical sciences for sustainability science, (b) stress the need to integrate theoretical frameworks wherein humans are seen as inherently entangled with the environment, and (c) propose formal computational modelling as the ideal platform to overcome the challenges of transdisciplinary work across large, and multiple, geographical and temporal scales. Our goal is to provide a manifesto for an integrated scientific approach to the study of socio-ecological systems over the long term

Developing Transdisciplinary Approaches to Sustainability Challenges : The Need to Model Socio-Environmental Systems in the Longue Durée

Human beings are an active component of every terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. Although our local impact on the evolution of these ecosystems has been undeniable and extensively documented, it remains unclear precisely how our activities are altering them, in part because ecosystems are dynamic systems structured by complex, non-linear feedback processes and cascading effects. We argue that it is only by studying human–environment interactions over timescales that greatly exceed the lifespan of any individual human (i.e., the deep past or longue durée), we can hope to fully understand such processes and their implications. In this article, we identify some of the key challenges faced in integrating long-term datasets with those of other areas of sustainability science, and suggest some useful ways forward. Specifically, we (a) highlight the potential of the historical sciences for sustainability science, (b) stress the need to integrate theoretical frameworks wherein humans are seen as inherently entangled with the environment, and (c) propose formal computational modelling as the ideal platform to overcome the challenges of transdisciplinary work across large, and multiple, geographical and temporal scales. Our goal is to provide a manifesto for an integrated scientific approach to the study of socio-ecological systems over the long term. View Full-Tex

Sustainable management of mineral resource active regions: a participatory framework for the application of systems thinking

Mineral active regions (MARs), considered here as those with stocks of geological resources of intrinsic economic interest that can be used beyond the scope or need of the local people, have undergone decades of extraction with significant environmental and human health effects, socio-cultural impacts, and ecosystem and biodiversity consequences. Traditional resource governance and management approaches were reviewed and the potential for re-assessing these regions from a systems perspective was investigated. Through an extensive review, the application of systems thinking in resource management was demonstrated to have the potential to deliver benefits to all stakeholders while maintaining ecological integrity. Rather than simply relying on competition, a process that focuses on the interdependencies between the various players and sectors in these regions can deliver system improvements and should be further investigated because of its potential to deliver holistic solutions that could benefit all involved. Appraisal of systems methodologies was undertaken and their application to MAR challenges discussed, and a participatory approach was selected to form the basis of the proposed framework, a holistic tool to deal effectively with the complexity of MARs. Using a case study, the thesis addressed the data required to capture its complexity and catchment information, policy problems as well as relevant stakeholders were identified. A participatory group building process was conducted which was a learning process that resulted in the co-production of knowledge by identifying problem drivers in the region. Quantitative data on a decade of oil spill was analysed with graphical representation showing the causes of oil spill, quantity spilled and lost to the environment. The result of the data analysis supported the outcome of the participatory process which links the problem drivers with underlying socio-economic problems plaguing the region. The application of the participatory framework in the case study demonstrates the practicability of the tool and how it can be utilised to see the interactions and interdependences between actors and elements in the MAR system. Understanding the full consequences and benefits of such interactions was shown to be the way to avoid conflicts and encourage collaboration. The participatory systems framework developed here can facilitate the sustainable management of MARs based on its inclusive approach. It can serve as a tool to support policies that ensures that resource development is undertaken sustainably through a resource regime that is able to deliver benefits to all stakeholders involved.Open Acces

Marine biological valuation as a decision support tool for marine management

Marine environments are currently experiencing intense pressures from both natural and anthropogenic impacts. Marine policy makers are therefore searching new ways to manage the sea in a sustainable way. This thesis describes the development and application of a biological instrument that can be used for marine management, and more specifically for marine spatial planning. A biological valuation methodology was developed that compiles all available biological information of a certain area in one indicator for biological value. The methodology is widely applicable, transparent and objective and the resulting valuation maps can be used as a warning signal during spatial planning. The possibilities of using this methodology for the implementation of certain European Directives concerning marine nature conservation, are also described