Browsing by Author "Holling, C. S."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Navigating Social-Ecological Systems: Building Resilience for Complexity and Change
    Berkes, F.; Colding, J.; Folke, C. (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003)
  • Panarchy: Understanding Transformations in Human and Natural Systems
    (Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2002)
    The goal of this book was to develop and test theories that explain transformational change in systems of humans and nature, theories that are inherently integrative. Two targets for integration were identified which are integration of the dynamics of change across space from local to regional to global and over time from months to millennia and integration across disciplines to better understand systems of linked ecological, economic, and institutional processes. The purpose of this book is to develop an integrative theory to help understand the changes occurring globally. It seeks to identify how economic growth and human development depend upon joint attributes of ecosystems and institutions.
  • Resilience and adaptive cycles
    Holling, C. S.; Gunderson, L. H. (Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2002)
    This chapter examines dynamics and structures of ecological systems and how they are similar to social systems in their adaptive and renewal cycles in moving through processes of exploitation, conservation, release, and reorganization.
  • Why systems of people and nature are not just social and ecological systems
    Westley, F.; Carpenter, S. R.; Brock, W. A.; Holling, C. S.; Gunderson, L. H. (Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2002)
    This chapter attempts to compare ecological systems (as perceived by ecologists), against social systems (as perceived by social scientists). The differences between the systems lie in the dimensions used to study each system. Ecological systems key dimensions are space and time. While social systems include those dimensions, a third one, symbolic construction and meaning, is also added to fully understand the system. Essentially, this third dimension significantly contributes to the difference between the two systems. It includes four elements of its own: the creation of a hierarchy of abstraction, which loosens the power of time and space, the inherent capacity of such meaning structures for reflexivity, the ability to generate expectations and look forward, and the ability of humans to externalize these symbolic constructions in technology. These elements also help to explain the fundamental lack of responsiveness or adaptability to environmental signals that characterize much of natural resource management. This chapter has merely outlined the nature of these challenges.