Mangrove Ecosystems: A Global Biogeographic Perspective, 2017
National and global mangrove monitoring efforts provide an invaluable picture of changes to these... more National and global mangrove monitoring efforts provide an invaluable picture of changes to these dynamic and valuable ecosystems, the global threats they face, and the outcomes of recovery efforts. However, multiple forces drive global mangrove losses, whose nature and dynamics can vary dramatically across regional and local contexts. If we are to truly understand the human dimensions of these systems, we need to understand the fundamental drivers of mangrove losses and how they interact at local levels. The fate of interdisciplinary mangrove science as well as current and future mangrove conservation efforts rests on this knowledge. In this chapter, we review case studies of mangrove ecosystems to compare the fundamental drivers of regional mangrove losses. We highlight two significant drivers of mangrove losses: (a) mangrove-dependent subsistence economies and related poverty traps; and (b) the global trade in shrimp. Drawing on the cases of Southeast Asia/China and Ecuador, two distinct geographic regions that experienced rapid mangrove losses in the recent few decades, we examine specific drivers in those regional contexts. We conclude with implications of our findings for mangrove vulnerability and prospects for resilience. We argue for the benefits of a coupled system (specifically, a coupled socio-ecological system) approach to understand the bi-directional linkages between mangrove ecological dynamics on the one hand, and the constellation of anthropogenic drivers of mangrove change, on the other.
Integrated Land-Change Science and Tropical Deforestation in the Southern Yucatan
Despite decades of colonization and development initiatives, the southern Yucatán peninsular regi... more Despite decades of colonization and development initiatives, the southern Yucatán peninsular region remains an economic frontier. The term ‘frontier’, however, hides a complex political economy of social, political, and economic structures in which land managers operate. Presently, multiple interest groups vie for influence, increasingly positioning themselves around sustainability concerns, and attempting to reconcile the competing goals of economic development and environmental preservation. The major political institutions and organizations promoting conservation and development in the region fit into five categories: federally decreed land management regimes, federal and state secretariats, local community-based groups and institutions, national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international accords. These institutions and organizations aim to influence land-use decisions in the dominant land access unit, the ejido. The relationships among ejidos, social movements, NGO...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2022
Land use is central to addressing sustainability issues, including biodiversity conservation, cli... more Land use is central to addressing sustainability issues, including biodiversity conservation, climate change, food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable energy. In this paper, we synthesize knowledge accumulated in land system science, the integrated study of terrestrial social-ecological systems, into 10 hard truths that have strong, general, empirical support. These facts help to explain the challenges of achieving sustainability in land use and thus also point toward solutions. The 10 facts are as follows: 1) Meanings and values of land are socially constructed and contested; 2) land systems exhibit complex behaviors with abrupt, hard-to-predict changes; 3) irreversible changes and path dependence are common features of land systems; 4) some land uses have a small footprint but very large impacts; 5) drivers and impacts of land-use change are globally interconnected and spill over to distant locations; 6) humanity lives on a used planet where all land provides benefits t...
Díaz, Sandra, Settele, Josef, Brondízio, Eduardo, Ngo, Hien T., Guèze, Maximilien, Agard, John, A... more Díaz, Sandra, Settele, Josef, Brondízio, Eduardo, Ngo, Hien T., Guèze, Maximilien, Agard, John, Arneth, Almut, Balvanera, Patricia, Brauman, Kate, Butchart, Stuart, Chan, Kai, Garibaldi, Lucas, Ichii, Kazuhito, Liu, Jianguo, Subramanian, Suneetha Mazhenchery, Midgley, Guy, Miloslavich, Patricia, Molnár, Zsolt, Obura, David, Pfaff, Alexander, Polasky, Stephen, Purvis, Andy, Razzaque, Jona, Reyers, Belinda, Roy, Rinku, Shin, Yunne-Jai, Hamakers, Ingrid Visseren-, Willis, Katherine, Zayas, Cynthia (2019): Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services - unedited advance version. Bonn: IPBES, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.2671522, URL: https://www.ipbes.net/sites/default/files/downloads/summary_for_policymakers_ipbes_global_assessment.pdf The designations employed and the presentation of material on the maps used in the present report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform ...
We agree with Ceddia that investment can play a key role in achieving the transformative change t... more We agree with Ceddia that investment can play a key role in achieving the transformative change that is necessary to reverse nature's ongoing decline. In our Review, we pointed to the large impact of extractive industries, the unequal distribution of wealth associated with trade flows, and the handful of transnational corporations that control the majority of supply chains in agriculture, fishing, logging, and mining. Changing investment in these sectors can profoundly affect the future of nature. More broadly, the impact of both public and private investment deserves more visibility ([ 1 ][1], [ 2 ][2]). It is also important to focus on the role that public policy and public opinion (including a more holistic view of economics and quality of life) can have in shaping investment ([ 3 ][3], [ 4 ][4]). A new economic system should build on and enhance the fabric of life rather than erode it. By rewarding actions that promote sustainability and penalizing actions that result in environmental deterioration, policies and attitudes can create powerful incentives for change in global financial and economic systems toward this vision. 1. [↵][5]1. E. S. Brondizio et al. 1. P. Balvanera et al ., in Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, E. S. Brondizio et al., Eds. (Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, 2019). 2. [↵][6]1. E. S. Brondizio et al. 1. K. A. Brauman et al ., in Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, E. S. Brondizio et al., Eds. (Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, 2019). 3. [↵][7]1. E. S. Brondizio et al. 1. K. M. A. Chan et al ., in Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, E. S. Brondizio et al., Eds. (Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, 2019) 4. [↵][8]1. E. S. Brondizio et al. 1. J. Razzaque et al ., in Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, E. S. Brondizio et al., Eds. (Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, 2019). [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-3 [4]: #ref-4 [5]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [6]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2 in text" [7]: #xref-ref-3-1 "View reference 3 in text" [8]: #xref-ref-4-1 "View reference 4 in text"
The time is now For decades, scientists have been raising calls for societal changes that will re... more The time is now For decades, scientists have been raising calls for societal changes that will reduce our impacts on nature. Though much conservation has occurred, our natural environment continues to decline under the weight of our consumption. Humanity depends directly on the output of nature; thus, this decline will affect us, just as it does the other species with which we share this world. Díaz et al. review the findings of the largest assessment of the state of nature conducted as of yet. They report that the state of nature, and the state of the equitable distribution of nature's support, is in serious decline. Only immediate transformation of global business-as-usual economies and operations will sustain nature as we know it, and us, into the future. Science , this issue p. eaax3100
This document contains the draft Chapter 4 of the IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Eco... more This document contains the draft Chapter 4 of the IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Governments and all observers at IPBES-7 had access to these draft chapters eight weeks prior to IPBES-7. Governments accepted the Chapters at IPBES-7 based on the understanding that revisions made to the SPM during the Plenary, as a result of the dialogue between Governments and scientists, would be reflected in the final Chapters.IPBES typically releases its Chapters publicly only in their final form, which implies a delay of several months post Plenary. However, in light of the high interest for the Chapters, IPBES is releasing the six Chapters early (31 May 2019) in a draft form. Authors of the reports are currently working to reflect all the changes made to the Summary for Policymakers during the Plenary to the Chapters, and to perform final copyediting.
Urban residential expansion increasingly drives land use, land cover and ecological changes world... more Urban residential expansion increasingly drives land use, land cover and ecological changes worldwide, yet social science theories explaining such change remain under-developed. Existing theories often focus on processes occurring at one scale, while ignoring other scales. Emerging evidence from four linked U.S. research sites suggests it is essential to examine processes at multiple scales simultaneously when explaining the evolution of urban residential landscapes. Additionally, focusing on urbanization dynamics across multiple sites with a shared research design may yield fruitful comparative insights. The following processes and social-hierarchical scales significantly influence the spatial configurations of residential landscapes: household-level characteristics and environmental attitudes; formal and informal institutions at the neighborhood scale; and municipal-scale land-use governance. While adopting a multi-scale and multi-site approach produces research challenges, doing ...
Local regulations on residential landscapes (yards and gardens) can facilitate or constrain ecosy... more Local regulations on residential landscapes (yards and gardens) can facilitate or constrain ecosystem services and disservices in cities. To our knowledge, no studies have undertaken a comprehensive look at how municipalities regulate residential landscapes to achieve particular goals and to control management practices. Across six U.S. cities, we analyzed 156 municipal ordinances to examine regional patterns in local landscape regulations and their implications for sustainability. Specifically, we conducted content analysis to capture regulations aimed at: 1) goals pertaining to conservation and environmental management, aesthetics and nuisance avoidance, and health and wellbeing, and 2) management actions including vegetation maintenance, water and waste management, food production, and chemical inputs. Our results reveal significant variation in local and regional regulations. While regulatory goals stress stormwater management and nuisance avoidance, relatively few municipalities explicitly regulate residential yards to maintain property values, mitigate heat, or avoid allergens. Meanwhile, biological conservation and water quality protection are common goals, yet regulations on yard management practices (e.g., non-native plants or chemical inputs) sometimes contradict these purposes. In addition, regulations emphasizing aesthetics and the maintenance of vegetation, mowing of grass and weeds, as well as the removal of dead wood, may inhibit wildlife-friendly yards. As a whole, landscaping ordinances largely ignore tradeoffs between interacting goals and outcomes, thereby limiting their potential to support landscape sustainability. Recommendations therefore include coordinated, multiobjective planning through partnerships among planners, developers, researchers, and non-government entities at multiple scales.
ABSTRACT In forest frontiers, smallholder agrarian livelihoods remain uneasily juxtaposed with co... more ABSTRACT In forest frontiers, smallholder agrarian livelihoods remain uneasily juxtaposed with conservation interests. Agricultural intensification is often considered a viable means of reconciling competing environmental and livelihood objectives given its potential to concentrate production on less land. However, intensification may have unintended consequences, including loss of resilient agricultural systems. The risks of smallholder agricultural intensification warrant a better understanding of its drivers. This study uses the case of Calakmul, Mexico, to examine the critical role of the state in intensification processes. Drawing on household surveys and key-informant interviews, it traces the linkages between state institutions and local farming practices. Statistical and qualitative analyses reveal how intensification is both incentivized and imposed by prevailing policies, the former via subsidies and the latter via regulations against field rotations. The outcome – increased external inputs and longer cultivation periods between fallows – may undermine the sustainability of smallholders’ agroecosystems, an undesirable consequence amid limited livelihood alternatives.
Mangrove Ecosystems: A Global Biogeographic Perspective, 2017
National and global mangrove monitoring efforts provide an invaluable picture of changes to these... more National and global mangrove monitoring efforts provide an invaluable picture of changes to these dynamic and valuable ecosystems, the global threats they face, and the outcomes of recovery efforts. However, multiple forces drive global mangrove losses, whose nature and dynamics can vary dramatically across regional and local contexts. If we are to truly understand the human dimensions of these systems, we need to understand the fundamental drivers of mangrove losses and how they interact at local levels. The fate of interdisciplinary mangrove science as well as current and future mangrove conservation efforts rests on this knowledge. In this chapter, we review case studies of mangrove ecosystems to compare the fundamental drivers of regional mangrove losses. We highlight two significant drivers of mangrove losses: (a) mangrove-dependent subsistence economies and related poverty traps; and (b) the global trade in shrimp. Drawing on the cases of Southeast Asia/China and Ecuador, two distinct geographic regions that experienced rapid mangrove losses in the recent few decades, we examine specific drivers in those regional contexts. We conclude with implications of our findings for mangrove vulnerability and prospects for resilience. We argue for the benefits of a coupled system (specifically, a coupled socio-ecological system) approach to understand the bi-directional linkages between mangrove ecological dynamics on the one hand, and the constellation of anthropogenic drivers of mangrove change, on the other.
Integrated Land-Change Science and Tropical Deforestation in the Southern Yucatan
Despite decades of colonization and development initiatives, the southern Yucatán peninsular regi... more Despite decades of colonization and development initiatives, the southern Yucatán peninsular region remains an economic frontier. The term ‘frontier’, however, hides a complex political economy of social, political, and economic structures in which land managers operate. Presently, multiple interest groups vie for influence, increasingly positioning themselves around sustainability concerns, and attempting to reconcile the competing goals of economic development and environmental preservation. The major political institutions and organizations promoting conservation and development in the region fit into five categories: federally decreed land management regimes, federal and state secretariats, local community-based groups and institutions, national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international accords. These institutions and organizations aim to influence land-use decisions in the dominant land access unit, the ejido. The relationships among ejidos, social movements, NGO...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2022
Land use is central to addressing sustainability issues, including biodiversity conservation, cli... more Land use is central to addressing sustainability issues, including biodiversity conservation, climate change, food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable energy. In this paper, we synthesize knowledge accumulated in land system science, the integrated study of terrestrial social-ecological systems, into 10 hard truths that have strong, general, empirical support. These facts help to explain the challenges of achieving sustainability in land use and thus also point toward solutions. The 10 facts are as follows: 1) Meanings and values of land are socially constructed and contested; 2) land systems exhibit complex behaviors with abrupt, hard-to-predict changes; 3) irreversible changes and path dependence are common features of land systems; 4) some land uses have a small footprint but very large impacts; 5) drivers and impacts of land-use change are globally interconnected and spill over to distant locations; 6) humanity lives on a used planet where all land provides benefits t...
Díaz, Sandra, Settele, Josef, Brondízio, Eduardo, Ngo, Hien T., Guèze, Maximilien, Agard, John, A... more Díaz, Sandra, Settele, Josef, Brondízio, Eduardo, Ngo, Hien T., Guèze, Maximilien, Agard, John, Arneth, Almut, Balvanera, Patricia, Brauman, Kate, Butchart, Stuart, Chan, Kai, Garibaldi, Lucas, Ichii, Kazuhito, Liu, Jianguo, Subramanian, Suneetha Mazhenchery, Midgley, Guy, Miloslavich, Patricia, Molnár, Zsolt, Obura, David, Pfaff, Alexander, Polasky, Stephen, Purvis, Andy, Razzaque, Jona, Reyers, Belinda, Roy, Rinku, Shin, Yunne-Jai, Hamakers, Ingrid Visseren-, Willis, Katherine, Zayas, Cynthia (2019): Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services - unedited advance version. Bonn: IPBES, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.2671522, URL: https://www.ipbes.net/sites/default/files/downloads/summary_for_policymakers_ipbes_global_assessment.pdf The designations employed and the presentation of material on the maps used in the present report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform ...
We agree with Ceddia that investment can play a key role in achieving the transformative change t... more We agree with Ceddia that investment can play a key role in achieving the transformative change that is necessary to reverse nature's ongoing decline. In our Review, we pointed to the large impact of extractive industries, the unequal distribution of wealth associated with trade flows, and the handful of transnational corporations that control the majority of supply chains in agriculture, fishing, logging, and mining. Changing investment in these sectors can profoundly affect the future of nature. More broadly, the impact of both public and private investment deserves more visibility ([ 1 ][1], [ 2 ][2]). It is also important to focus on the role that public policy and public opinion (including a more holistic view of economics and quality of life) can have in shaping investment ([ 3 ][3], [ 4 ][4]). A new economic system should build on and enhance the fabric of life rather than erode it. By rewarding actions that promote sustainability and penalizing actions that result in environmental deterioration, policies and attitudes can create powerful incentives for change in global financial and economic systems toward this vision. 1. [↵][5]1. E. S. Brondizio et al. 1. P. Balvanera et al ., in Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, E. S. Brondizio et al., Eds. (Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, 2019). 2. [↵][6]1. E. S. Brondizio et al. 1. K. A. Brauman et al ., in Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, E. S. Brondizio et al., Eds. (Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, 2019). 3. [↵][7]1. E. S. Brondizio et al. 1. K. M. A. Chan et al ., in Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, E. S. Brondizio et al., Eds. (Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, 2019) 4. [↵][8]1. E. S. Brondizio et al. 1. J. Razzaque et al ., in Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, E. S. Brondizio et al., Eds. (Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, 2019). [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-3 [4]: #ref-4 [5]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [6]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2 in text" [7]: #xref-ref-3-1 "View reference 3 in text" [8]: #xref-ref-4-1 "View reference 4 in text"
The time is now For decades, scientists have been raising calls for societal changes that will re... more The time is now For decades, scientists have been raising calls for societal changes that will reduce our impacts on nature. Though much conservation has occurred, our natural environment continues to decline under the weight of our consumption. Humanity depends directly on the output of nature; thus, this decline will affect us, just as it does the other species with which we share this world. Díaz et al. review the findings of the largest assessment of the state of nature conducted as of yet. They report that the state of nature, and the state of the equitable distribution of nature's support, is in serious decline. Only immediate transformation of global business-as-usual economies and operations will sustain nature as we know it, and us, into the future. Science , this issue p. eaax3100
This document contains the draft Chapter 4 of the IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Eco... more This document contains the draft Chapter 4 of the IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Governments and all observers at IPBES-7 had access to these draft chapters eight weeks prior to IPBES-7. Governments accepted the Chapters at IPBES-7 based on the understanding that revisions made to the SPM during the Plenary, as a result of the dialogue between Governments and scientists, would be reflected in the final Chapters.IPBES typically releases its Chapters publicly only in their final form, which implies a delay of several months post Plenary. However, in light of the high interest for the Chapters, IPBES is releasing the six Chapters early (31 May 2019) in a draft form. Authors of the reports are currently working to reflect all the changes made to the Summary for Policymakers during the Plenary to the Chapters, and to perform final copyediting.
Urban residential expansion increasingly drives land use, land cover and ecological changes world... more Urban residential expansion increasingly drives land use, land cover and ecological changes worldwide, yet social science theories explaining such change remain under-developed. Existing theories often focus on processes occurring at one scale, while ignoring other scales. Emerging evidence from four linked U.S. research sites suggests it is essential to examine processes at multiple scales simultaneously when explaining the evolution of urban residential landscapes. Additionally, focusing on urbanization dynamics across multiple sites with a shared research design may yield fruitful comparative insights. The following processes and social-hierarchical scales significantly influence the spatial configurations of residential landscapes: household-level characteristics and environmental attitudes; formal and informal institutions at the neighborhood scale; and municipal-scale land-use governance. While adopting a multi-scale and multi-site approach produces research challenges, doing ...
Local regulations on residential landscapes (yards and gardens) can facilitate or constrain ecosy... more Local regulations on residential landscapes (yards and gardens) can facilitate or constrain ecosystem services and disservices in cities. To our knowledge, no studies have undertaken a comprehensive look at how municipalities regulate residential landscapes to achieve particular goals and to control management practices. Across six U.S. cities, we analyzed 156 municipal ordinances to examine regional patterns in local landscape regulations and their implications for sustainability. Specifically, we conducted content analysis to capture regulations aimed at: 1) goals pertaining to conservation and environmental management, aesthetics and nuisance avoidance, and health and wellbeing, and 2) management actions including vegetation maintenance, water and waste management, food production, and chemical inputs. Our results reveal significant variation in local and regional regulations. While regulatory goals stress stormwater management and nuisance avoidance, relatively few municipalities explicitly regulate residential yards to maintain property values, mitigate heat, or avoid allergens. Meanwhile, biological conservation and water quality protection are common goals, yet regulations on yard management practices (e.g., non-native plants or chemical inputs) sometimes contradict these purposes. In addition, regulations emphasizing aesthetics and the maintenance of vegetation, mowing of grass and weeds, as well as the removal of dead wood, may inhibit wildlife-friendly yards. As a whole, landscaping ordinances largely ignore tradeoffs between interacting goals and outcomes, thereby limiting their potential to support landscape sustainability. Recommendations therefore include coordinated, multiobjective planning through partnerships among planners, developers, researchers, and non-government entities at multiple scales.
ABSTRACT In forest frontiers, smallholder agrarian livelihoods remain uneasily juxtaposed with co... more ABSTRACT In forest frontiers, smallholder agrarian livelihoods remain uneasily juxtaposed with conservation interests. Agricultural intensification is often considered a viable means of reconciling competing environmental and livelihood objectives given its potential to concentrate production on less land. However, intensification may have unintended consequences, including loss of resilient agricultural systems. The risks of smallholder agricultural intensification warrant a better understanding of its drivers. This study uses the case of Calakmul, Mexico, to examine the critical role of the state in intensification processes. Drawing on household surveys and key-informant interviews, it traces the linkages between state institutions and local farming practices. Statistical and qualitative analyses reveal how intensification is both incentivized and imposed by prevailing policies, the former via subsidies and the latter via regulations against field rotations. The outcome – increased external inputs and longer cultivation periods between fallows – may undermine the sustainability of smallholders’ agroecosystems, an undesirable consequence amid limited livelihood alternatives.
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