Linking scales and disciplines: an interdisciplinary cross-scale approach to supporting climate-relevant ecosystem management
- Berger, Christian, Bieri, Mari, Bradshaw, Karen L, Brümmer, Christian, Clemen, Thomas, Hickler, Thomas, Kutsch, Werner Leo, Lenfers, Ulfia A, Martens, Carola, Midgley, Guy F, Mukwashi, Kanisios, Odipo, Victor, Scheiter, Simon, Schmullius, Christiane, Baade, Jussi, du Toit, Justin C, Scholes, Robert J, Smit, Izak P, Stevens, Nicola, Twine, Wayne
- Authors: Berger, Christian , Bieri, Mari , Bradshaw, Karen L , Brümmer, Christian , Clemen, Thomas , Hickler, Thomas , Kutsch, Werner Leo , Lenfers, Ulfia A , Martens, Carola , Midgley, Guy F , Mukwashi, Kanisios , Odipo, Victor , Scheiter, Simon , Schmullius, Christiane , Baade, Jussi , du Toit, Justin C , Scholes, Robert J , Smit, Izak P , Stevens, Nicola , Twine, Wayne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/460589 , vital:75967 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-019-02544-0"
- Description: Southern Africa is particularly sensitive to climate change, due to both ecological and socio-economic factors, with rural land users among the most vulnerable groups. The provision of information to support climate-relevant decision-making requires an understanding of the projected impacts of change and complex feedbacks within the local ecosystems, as well as local demands on ecosystem services. In this paper, we address the limitation of current approaches for developing management relevant socio-ecological information on the projected impacts of climate change and human activities. We emphasise the need for linking disciplines and approaches by expounding the methodology followed in our two consecutive projects. These projects combine disciplines and levels of measurements from the leaf level (ecophysiology) to the local landscape level (flux measurements) and from the local household level (socio-economic surveys) to the regional level (remote sensing), feeding into a variety of models at multiple scales. Interdisciplinary, multi-scaled, and integrated socio-ecological approaches, as proposed here, are needed to compliment reductionist and linear, scale-specific approaches. Decision support systems are used to integrate and communicate the data and models to the local decision-makers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Berger, Christian , Bieri, Mari , Bradshaw, Karen L , Brümmer, Christian , Clemen, Thomas , Hickler, Thomas , Kutsch, Werner Leo , Lenfers, Ulfia A , Martens, Carola , Midgley, Guy F , Mukwashi, Kanisios , Odipo, Victor , Scheiter, Simon , Schmullius, Christiane , Baade, Jussi , du Toit, Justin C , Scholes, Robert J , Smit, Izak P , Stevens, Nicola , Twine, Wayne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/460589 , vital:75967 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-019-02544-0"
- Description: Southern Africa is particularly sensitive to climate change, due to both ecological and socio-economic factors, with rural land users among the most vulnerable groups. The provision of information to support climate-relevant decision-making requires an understanding of the projected impacts of change and complex feedbacks within the local ecosystems, as well as local demands on ecosystem services. In this paper, we address the limitation of current approaches for developing management relevant socio-ecological information on the projected impacts of climate change and human activities. We emphasise the need for linking disciplines and approaches by expounding the methodology followed in our two consecutive projects. These projects combine disciplines and levels of measurements from the leaf level (ecophysiology) to the local landscape level (flux measurements) and from the local household level (socio-economic surveys) to the regional level (remote sensing), feeding into a variety of models at multiple scales. Interdisciplinary, multi-scaled, and integrated socio-ecological approaches, as proposed here, are needed to compliment reductionist and linear, scale-specific approaches. Decision support systems are used to integrate and communicate the data and models to the local decision-makers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
SPACES Project ARS AfricaE–Adaptive Resilience of Southern African ecosystems
- Falge, E M, Brümmer, Christian, Schmullius, Christiane, Hüttich, C, Scholes, Robert J, Midgley, Guy F, Hickler, Thomas, Scheiter, Simon, Twine, Wayne, Bradshaw, Karen L, Lück, W, Lenfers, Ulfia A, Thiel-Clemen, T, Mafukute, Mukelabai, Kutsch, Werner L
- Authors: Falge, E M , Brümmer, Christian , Schmullius, Christiane , Hüttich, C , Scholes, Robert J , Midgley, Guy F , Hickler, Thomas , Scheiter, Simon , Twine, Wayne , Bradshaw, Karen L , Lück, W , Lenfers, Ulfia A , Thiel-Clemen, T , Mafukute, Mukelabai , Kutsch, Werner L
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/475274 , vital:77791
- Description: Nowadays, many semi-arid ecosystems are affected by at least two different kinds of disturbances: land use (change) and climate change. Based on this, it can be hypothesized that even very resilient ecosystems may not return to their initial state after disturbance, but will rather adapt to a new steady-state. We name this phenomenon "Adaptive Resilience of Ecosystems" and use it as base for the research concept of ARS AfricaE. This project wants to go beyond older approaches that only describe structural changes in savannas and their drivers. It employs functional aspects, such as the investigation of biogeochemical cycles, but also targets a deeper understanding of the functional consequences of ecosystem changes caused by multiple disturbances, and defines "degradation" as a sustained loss in the broad set of ecosystem services, i.e. a decrease in natural capital. To achieve this goal, the project will • create a network of research clusters (with natural and altered vegetation) along an aridity gradient in the Greater Karoo, Kruger National Park in South Africa, and Kataba Forest Reserve in Zambia • link biogeochemical functions with ecosystem structure, diversity of species and eco-physiological properties • describe ecosystem disturbance (and recovery) in terms of ecosystem function such as carbon balance components and water use efficiency • build an individual-based model to predict ecosystem dynamics under (post) disturbance managements • combine this model with long-term landscape dynamic information derived from remote sensing and aerial photography • develop sustainable management strategies for disturbed ecosystems and land use change.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Falge, E M , Brümmer, Christian , Schmullius, Christiane , Hüttich, C , Scholes, Robert J , Midgley, Guy F , Hickler, Thomas , Scheiter, Simon , Twine, Wayne , Bradshaw, Karen L , Lück, W , Lenfers, Ulfia A , Thiel-Clemen, T , Mafukute, Mukelabai , Kutsch, Werner L
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/475274 , vital:77791
- Description: Nowadays, many semi-arid ecosystems are affected by at least two different kinds of disturbances: land use (change) and climate change. Based on this, it can be hypothesized that even very resilient ecosystems may not return to their initial state after disturbance, but will rather adapt to a new steady-state. We name this phenomenon "Adaptive Resilience of Ecosystems" and use it as base for the research concept of ARS AfricaE. This project wants to go beyond older approaches that only describe structural changes in savannas and their drivers. It employs functional aspects, such as the investigation of biogeochemical cycles, but also targets a deeper understanding of the functional consequences of ecosystem changes caused by multiple disturbances, and defines "degradation" as a sustained loss in the broad set of ecosystem services, i.e. a decrease in natural capital. To achieve this goal, the project will • create a network of research clusters (with natural and altered vegetation) along an aridity gradient in the Greater Karoo, Kruger National Park in South Africa, and Kataba Forest Reserve in Zambia • link biogeochemical functions with ecosystem structure, diversity of species and eco-physiological properties • describe ecosystem disturbance (and recovery) in terms of ecosystem function such as carbon balance components and water use efficiency • build an individual-based model to predict ecosystem dynamics under (post) disturbance managements • combine this model with long-term landscape dynamic information derived from remote sensing and aerial photography • develop sustainable management strategies for disturbed ecosystems and land use change.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
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