Community clusters in wildlife and environmental management: using TEK and community involvement to improve co-management in an era of rapid environmental change

Environmental change has stressed wildlife co-management systems in the Arctic because parameters are changing more rapidly than traditional scientific monitoring can accommodate. Co-management systems have also been criticized for not fully integrating harvesters into the local management of resources. These two problems can be approached through the use of spatially-defined human social units termed community clusters, which are based on the demographic or ecological units being managed. An examination of polar bear management in Nunavut Territory, Canada, shows that community clusters provide a forum to collect and analyse traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) over a geographic area that mirrors the management unit, providing detailed information of local conditions. This case study also provides examples of how instituting community clusters at a governance level provides harvesters with social space in which to develop their roles as managers, along the continuum from being powerless spectators to active, adaptive co-managers. Five steps for enhancing co-management systems through the inclusion of community clusters and their knowledge are: (1) the acceptance of TEK, science, the precautionary principle and the right of harvesters not to be constrained by overly-conservative management decisions; (2) data collection involving TEK and science, and a collaboration between the two; (3) institutionalization of community clusters for data collection; (4) institutionalization of community clusters in the management process; and (5) grass-roots initiatives to take advantage of the social space provided by the community cluster approach, in order to adapt the management to local conditions, and to effect policy changes at higher levels, so as to better meet local objectives.     

Legitimacy of Different Knowledge Types in Natural Resource Governance and Their Functions in Inter-Institutional Gaps

Abstract

This study expands the Inter-Institutional Gaps (IIGs) framework to conceptualize the legitimacy associated with different types of ecological knowledge (e.g., scientific, traditional and local) used in natural resource governance. We draw on primary qualitative data, and document analysis to examine a case of inland fisheries management in the north-eastern floodplain of Bangladesh. We posit that the pragmatic, moral, cognitive, and regulative legitimacy for different types of ecological knowledge are repeatedly reevaluated by rule-makers and resource users in the process of rule-devising. Results show that inter-institutional gaps may be perpetuated when formal rules do not sufficiently consider traditional and local ecological knowledge. While it is widely proposed that systematically incorporating different knowledge types can better address local-national policy problems, this study underscores that the source of legitimacies for different knowledge types often differs across formal and informal institutional actors. Recognizing the differences is critical to fishers’ resource management.     

Effects of Policy Measures and Moderating Factors on Climate Change Adaptation Among Private Forest Owners in Sweden

Threats associated with climate change may damage forests. To encourage adaptation in countries with a lot of privately owned forest, policy measures directed at private forest owners may be implemented. By means of policy scenarios, the present study examined the effects of two hypothetical policies: an advice and an economic incentive, on climate change adaptation among private forest owners in Sweden (n?=?753 and n?=?729). Both policies strengthened the intention to adapt although results also revealed that individual variables (i.e., forest values) and a contextual variable (i.e., being in an encouraging social risk management context) were important for the owners’ response. Production forest values and social risk management context furthermore moderated the effect of policy on intention to adapt, suggesting that the economic incentive was mainly more effective than the advice among owners with strong production values and among owners in less encouraging social risk management contexts.     

The role of social resource of indigenous people in local ecological resource management in China: A preliminary case in Zhangye, Northwestern China

Social resources of indigenous people are valuable wealth, including the social norms, the relational network, belief, attitude as well as the social system which is accumulated from generation to generation. Those social resources are very important for local ecological resource management, which can help diffuseness and communion of skills and traditional conservation techniques for conserving and restoring the ecological sites. Social capital is one indicator of social resources, which is accepted widely. In order to investigate the role of social resources of indigenous people in local ecological resource management, the authors studied the relation between social capital of indigenous people and local ecological resource management, taking Zhangye City as an exam-ple. In this paper, social capital of indigenous people is quantified by constructing social capital index, composed of structural so-cial capital and cognitive social capital; local ecological resource management is quantified by constructing "Grain for Green Pro-ject" performance index. Based on correlation analysis approach and logistic regression analysis approach, the authors analyzed the relation between social capital and "Grain for Green Project" performance index, as well as the relations between "Grain for Green Project" performance index and other factors such as per capita net income, medical treatment and so on. Results showed that the correlation between social capital and "Grain for Green Project" performance index was positive, the coefficient was 0.761, with P<0.01. An increase of 1 unit in social capital is associated with an increase of 1.550 units in "Grain for Green Project" per-formance. With factor, such as faction, per capita net income, medical treatment, increasing 1 unit, the "Grain for Green Project" performance index will increase 3.912, 1.039 and 1.005 units, respectively.     

The Politics of AIDS Surveillance

This paper examines the social construction of official HIV/AIDS surveillance data in San Francisco and the implications of this research for understanding the past and future trajectories of the epidemic in the United States. I employ a methodology of social constructivism in an analysis of the historical evolution of the epidemic and a critique of its quantitative representation by public health officials. I argue that medical geographers have erroneously interpreted AIDS surveillance data as evidence for an exponential growth in AIDS cases during the past 17 years, neglecting to critically explore the multiple and extensive revisions in the definition of the disease (in 1982, 1985, 1987, 1993) by which patients have been reported over time. In contrast, social constructivism exemplifies a method for elucidating the sociopolitical interests of public health institutions and community activists which underlie the constant metamorphosis of the subjects (e.g., patients) and object (e.g., ‘AIDS’) comprising this epidemic.     

The Value of Practice-Based Knowledge

Increasing recognition of the value of practice-based or experiential knowledge in natural resource management justifies the creation of a new category of articles in Society & Natural Resources that we are calling Practice-Based Knowledge (PBK). The rationale for focusing on PBK is due to its key role in the emergence of hybrid governance institutions across state, market, and civil society, understanding the complexity of dynamic socioecological systems, recognizing the challenges of multiple knowledge systems and context-specific practices, embracing the power of informal institutions and civic science, and engaging debates on the growing prevalence of market-oriented conservation. The goal is to provide a dedicated space within the published, peer-reviewed literature for scholars, government officials, nonprofit managers, and engaged citizens to share experiences informed by practical action. Relevant and timely practice-based insights may improve understanding and management of social and ecological processes and systems, while also offering the potential to contribute to theory.     

Foreign Direct Investment,Ecological Withdrawals,and Natural-Resource-Dependent Economies

This article examines the relationships between foreign direct investment (FDI) and natural resource depletion and natural resource rents for a longitudinal (2005–2013: N?=?125 nations) sample of less developed countries (LDCs). Theoretically, we argue that FDI contributes to increased ecological withdrawals and dependence on the natural resource sector for economic growth within countries. We hypothesized that LDCs with higher levels of FDI would also have higher levels of natural resource depletion and income (i.e., rents). We assess whether this hypothesized relationship holds across nations in our sample for four different natural resource depletion and rents measures (energy, forest, mineral, and total natural resources). We find strong support for our hypotheses regarding natural resource depletion and resource rents, with the exception of energy rents. The outcome lends support to the ecological withdrawal and ecostructural theory of foreign investment dependence perspectives.     

中国西部生态环境重建与城镇化关系研究

城市是现代经济和社会发展的主要载体,城镇化是人类社会发展的必然趋势。当前,在国家西部大开发战略的指引下,西部正在掀起迅猛的城镇化浪潮,但是西部地区生态环境脆弱,其城镇化应该有特有的路径。区域自然地理条件是产生西部生态环境问题的决定性因素,但强烈的人类活动及其对区域生态环境的压力则是引发和加重西部生态环境问题的主要原因。因此,西部生态环境治理的关键是减轻人类活动对生态环境的压力。在西部社会经济条件下,非农化进而城镇化是实现社会经济转型,从而减轻生态环境压力,促进生态环境治理的有效措施。     

Using Multiple Methods to Understand the Nature of Relationships in Social Networks

Effective natural resource management (NRM) often depends on collaboration through formal and informal relationships. Social network analysis (SNA) provides a framework for studying social relationships; however, a deeper understanding of the nature of these relationships is often missing. By integrating multiple analytical methods (including SNA, evidence ratings, and perception matrices), we were able to investigate the nature of relationships in NRM social networks across five service types (e.g., technical advice, on-ground support) in our case study region, Daly catchment Australia. Only one service type was rated as highly associated with free choice in establishing relationships: technical advice/knowledge. Beneficial characteristics of NRM organizations, such as collaborative and transparent, were associated with the presence of freely chosen relationships between organizations. Our results suggest a need to improve our understanding of organizational roles and characteristics, in particular for use in applied NRM contexts, such as network weaving or disseminating information.     

Spatial Representation of Aquatic Vegetation by Macrofossils and Pollen in a Small and Shallow Lake

We have explored the contemporary spatial relationship between aquatic vegetation and surficial macrofossil and pollen remains in a small, shallow, English lake. A detailed point-based (n = 87) underwater vegetation survey was undertaken in the middle of the plant-growing season in July 2000. Then following plant die-back in November 2000, surface sediment samples (upper 1.5 cm) were collected from 30 of these plant survey points and analysed for plant macro-remains (all 30 samples), and pollen (4 evenly spaced samples). All data were stored as separate layers in a geographical information system and spatial relationships between the aquatic vegetation and plant remains were explored. In contrast to pollen types, plant macrofossils were not evenly dispersed across all parts of the lake and, with the exception of Chara oospores, higher concentrations of remains (particularly for Potamogeton) were found close to areas of source-plant dominance. The spatial pattern of macrophyte–macrofossil relationships revealed that vegetative remains (particularly leaf fragments) were probably deposited at source, whereas seeds were recovered close to the shore suggesting slightly wider dispersal. Overall, however, macro-remains best represented local ‘patch-scale’ vegetation within 20–30 m of the core site. The macro-remains effectively recorded the dominant plants in the lake with 63% of samples containing a combination of remains of Chara, Elodea, and Potamogeton. However, relationships between macrophytes and fossils were complex. Some species were significantly over-represented by macrofossils (e.g., Chara spp., Nitella flexilis agg., and Zannichellia palustris), while others were either under-represented (e.g., Potamogeton spp.), or not represented at all (e.g., Lemna trisulca). Pollen represented macrophyte diversity poorly, but some taxa were found (e.g., Myriophyllum spicatum, Ceratophyllum demersum) that were not recorded by macro-remains. We conclude that macrofossil analysis may be very usefully employed to determine the dominant taxa in past aquatic plant communities of shallow, productive lakes and that the addition of pollen analysis provides further information on former species richness.     

From Microtoponyms to Landscape Using Semantics,Location, and Topography: The Case of Wald,Holz, Riet,and Moos in St. Gallen,Switzerland

To explore landscape properties using language, we analyzed the semantics and associated physical properties of four generic landscape terms through spatially located microtoponyms in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen. We applied quantitative methods to physical and etymological data to understand how four common generic terms (Wald, Holz, Riet, and Moos) were used in microtoponyms in the canton. We observe that the meaningful elements associated with those generic terms characterize general properties of landscape independent of the feature type as well as specific properties linked to the feature. Moreover, using a toponym taxonomy, we compared co-occurrences of different terms (e.g., those associated with spatial relationships or vegetation) for the four generic terms. Holz, which we argue is more associated with land use than land cover, was markedly different in naming patterns from the other three generic terms, and we suggest that this was driven by a distinction between nature and culture. We conclude that the act of naming natural features is influenced not only by properties of the referent but also by broader scale landscape patterns and cognitive associations with landscape terms. Key Words: ethnophysiography, landscape, language, microtoponyms.     

Local Perceptions of the Sustainability of Alaska’s Highly Contested Cook Inlet Salmon Fisheries

Using a mixed set of ethnographic methods including interviews and a structured survey, we evaluate local perceptions about the sustainability of salmon fisheries among fishers of the Cook Inlet region of Alaska. A majority of residents report participating in these fisheries, but we find significant disagreement about their sustainability. Household income and the types of fishing practiced both influence people's responses, and many implicated specific user groups for overharvesting and/or for receiving unfair catch allocations. Drawing on the theoretical areas of information theory and political ecology, we argue that these findings reveal a complex interplay among the practical, social, and political aspects of how local resource users, or “local experts,” develop and communicate their assessments of ecological conditions in a context of conflict. We conclude with notes on future research as it relates to the successful design of local-management and co-management solutions, especially in settings where resources are contested by stakeholders.     

湖南农业可持续发展面临的生态危机及应对措施

湖南省是一个农业大省,虽然湖南农业目前在推进可持续发展战略中取得了显著成果,生态环境和污染治理现状有了明显改善,但仍然存在着严重的生态危机,维护好农业生态环境,解决好农业发展问题,不仅对湖南省社会经济的持续发展有着重要意义,而且对促进长江中下游地区的可持续发展也具有十分重要的作用。在分析湖南省农业生产特点和生态环境现状的基础上,指出农业生态危机突出地表现在5个方面:水资源失调、农用化肥使用过量、农产品质量低劣、水土流失和城市工业污染严重。在深入分析这些生态危机的基础上,同时提出了解决生态危机的8条对策:进行土地利用系统结构优化和生态设计,加强科普宣传,培养生态农业典型,施用生态肥,完善生态税制,制定农业生态环境保护政策,强化检测,推行优质农产品标准化生产技术。     

Simulating Movement-Related Resource Dynamics to Improve Species Distribution Models: A Case Study with Oilbirds in Northern South America

A better understanding of the current and future distributions of organisms is a critical facet of biodiversity conservation, and species distribution models (SDMs) are an important framework for achieving this. Despite the potential of SDMs to address an array of biogeography questions, they are subject to a number of conceptual and methodological uncertainties, such as the role of animal movement processes in determining geographic ranges. Movement processes have only recently been incorporated in SDMs, predominantly conceptualized as broad-scale movement processes (e.g., dispersal), while finer scale ambulatory movements of mobile animals (e.g., foraging) have been omitted. This research addresses this gap by developing a model that simulates the dynamic relationship between movement and biotic resources (e.g., food sources) for oilbirds (Steatornis caripensis) in Venezuela. This simulation represented the sustainability of an oilbird’s neighborhood, based on the connectivity, accessibility, and viability of its biotic resources. These dynamic variables improved the accuracy and ecological realism of the SDM projection compared to other commonly applied SDM scenarios. Integration of a Lagrangian (individual-level) form of movement in SDM with step-selection functions to parameterize biased-correlated random walks provides a new empirical framework for applying geographic context to simulation.     

Practical Exploration of Ecological Restoration and Management of the Mountains-Rivers-Forests-Farmlands-Lakes-Grasslands System in the Irtysh River Basin in Altay,Xinjiang

The Irtysh River Basin refers to a water conservation area and a vital ecological barrier in Xinjiang and also partially in Central Asia. Here, the technical solution for the ecological protection and the restoration of the Mountains-Rivers-Forests-Farmlands-Lakes-Grasslands system (MRFFLGs) pilot project in the Irtysh River Basin is refined, by complying with the core concept, i.e., “mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands are a community of life”. The solution stresses the specific characteristics of ecologically protecting and restoring MRFFLGs in the Irtysh River Basin, which aim to reduce ecological water use, soil erosion, forest and grassland degradation, the ecological destruction of mines, water environment pollution and other issues. With overall protection, system restoration, district policy, and problem orientation as the overarching ideas, 162 sub-items of 44 major items with seven categories have been designed and implemented in the project. In addition, some highlights of the management experience that are worth promoting when the pilot project is being implemented are also summarized (e.g., the use of laws to solve historical problems, scientific argumentation and third-party evaluation, proactive guidance for the engagement of people, modern information technology support, and integration with local sustainable development). Lastly, four policy suggestions are proposed: (1) Building a model of systematic protection and restoration by using basins as the basic geographic unit; (2) Establishing and optimizing key weak links of systems and mechanisms; (3) Focusing on remedying the shortcomings of regional talents, technology and capital; and (4) Promoting the MRFFLGs project to integrate “industry, city, people, and tourism” for carrying out a large-scale system project.     

Exploring the Spatiotemporal Pattern of Cyberbullying with Yik Yak

Cyberbullying is an emerging social issue along with the prevalence of social media. Previous studies have used extensive surveys or firsthand data primarily from conventional social networks¹1 Social media whose users primarily use their real name and provide identifiable information, although some might use pseudonyms (e.g., Facebook and Twitter).View all notes (e.g., Twitter) to study cyberbullying, which often ignores the factor of anonymity and location. Considering the sensitive nature and contagious effect of cyberbullying, a better understanding of the spatiotemporal pattern in cyberbullying is sorely needed to develop effective policies to combat this toxic social behavior. Grounded in the dramaturgy theory and the emerging literature on technoself, this study aims to compare cyberbullying in the anonymous social media (Yik Yak) with the conventional social media (Twitter) and explore its spatiotemporal patterns. A support vector machine is used to help identify records with bullying content. Average nearest neighbor, kernel density, and Ripley's K-function are used to explore the spatiotemporal patterns of cyberbullying behavior. We have found that cyberbullying is more likely to occur in anonymous than conventional social media. We also detected a clustering pattern corresponding to the student population, which can be explained by the dramaturgy theory and recent studies on technoself. In addition to making suggestions to help reduce cyberbullying in the future, this article also sheds light on the need for future studies.     

A context-sensitive correlated random walk: a new simulation model for movement

Computational Movement Analysis focuses on the characterization of the trajectory of individuals across space and time. Various analytic techniques, including but not limited to random walks, Brownian motion models, and step selection functions have been used for modeling movement. These fall under the rubric of signal models which are divided into deterministic and stochastic models. The difficulty of applying these models to the movement of dynamic objects (e.g. animals, humans, vehicles) is that the spatiotemporal signal produced by their trajectories a complex composite that is influenced by the Geography through which they move (i.e. the network or the physiography of the terrain), their behavioral state (i.e. hungry, going to work, shopping, tourism, etc.), and their interactions with other individuals. This signal reflects multiple scales of behavior from the local choices to the global objectives that drive movement. In this research, we propose a stochastic simulation model that incorporates contextual factors (i.e. environmental conditions) that affect local choices along its movement trajectory. We show how actual global positioning systems observations can be used to parameterize movement and validate movement models and argue that incorporating context is essential in modeling movement.     

北京市耕地资源价值体系及价值估算方法

北京市为例尝试设计了耕地资源价值体系, 分析其价值关系, 进而探讨耕地资源经 济价值、社会保障价值、生态价值的估算方法, 并对北京市1990-2005 年耕地价值进行了定 量测算。研究结果表明: ① 北京市耕地资源单位面积经济价值呈较快增长, 1990 年为 12.57×10⁴ 元/hm², 2005 年为108.12×10⁴ 元/hm²; ② 耕地资源社会保障价值供给能力和农 村居民的需求水平相距甚远, 1997 年供给能力为49.19×10⁴ 元/hm², 需求水平为160.56×10⁴ 元/hm², 2005 年供给能力为74.82×10⁴ 元/hm², 需求水平为305.48×10⁴ 元/hm²。可见, 耕 地作为农民重要的社会保障资源已不堪重负, 农村社会保障体系亟待建立; ③ 生态价值供给 能力总体呈下降趋势, 1994 年达到171.21×10⁸ 元, 2005 年为70.87×10⁸ 元, 大量耕地减少 是重要的影响因素。但基于人口增加和人们生活水平不断提高, 生态价值的总体需求和多元 需求呈不断增长趋势, 所以需要保持和提高耕地表面的植被覆盖度, 为此政府有必要对农民 因种植耕地给予其一定的生态补偿。     

千岛湖风景区生态风险及风险管理对策研究

文章以千岛湖风景区为研究对象,从区域现状出发,对区域内自然生态、社会经济及污染源现状调查结果进行综合归纳,总结了千岛湖区域的生态风险,提出该区域的生态风险管理目标,最后从农林、城镇、工业、旅游、外来生物、灾害、流域、生态工程技术和综合管理9个方面系统地提出了区域生态风险管理对策。     

Phytoplankton composition and dynamics in three shallow temporary salt lakes (Monegros, Spain)

The present study deals with phytoplankton composition and dynamics of three ephemeral saline lakes (La Muerte, Piñol and Sulfúrica) situated in one of the most arid inland zone in Europe (Los Monegros). The lakes show marked differences among one another, although they are all temporary, shallow and saline systems (>30 g l⁻¹). La Muerte is dominated by microbial mats that are absent from the other two. Piñol is more exposed to strong winds than the other two lakes and exhibits higher turbidity. Sulfúrica appears to be the most extreme system, with the highest salinity, which leads to a complete absence of macrozooplankton. Phytoplankton composition in these lakes varies as a consequence of the different physico-chemical conditions; it is fundamentally composed of typical hypersaline species such as Dunaliella sp., Aphanothece sp., and soil benthic species (e.g. Hantzschia amphyoxis) that appear to play an important role in these systems. Comparative analysis of the microbial component (phytoplankton diversity and temporal evolution) under in situ conditions and the presence of various abiotic and biotic factors, including the impact of macrozooplankton grazing, shows that it is easy to overlook large differences in the community structure of apparently similar ecosystems. The present study is a contribution to the understanding of the often-neglected microbial ecology of ephemeral shallow lakes.