Modeling social-ecological problems in coastal ecosystems: a case study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Modeling social-ecological problems in coastal ecosystems

T2 - a case study

AU - Forrester, John Martin

AU - Taylor, Richard

AU - Greaves, Richard Brian

AU - Noble, Howard

PY - 2014/7

Y1 - 2014/7

N2 - Complex social-ecological systems (SES) are not amenable to simple mathematical modeling. However, to address critical issues in SES (e.g., understanding ecological resilience/amelioration of poverty) it is necessary to describe such systems in their entirety. Based on empirical knowledge of local stakeholders and experts, we mapped their conceptions of one SES. Modelers codified what actors told us into two models: a local-level model and an overarching multiple-entity description of the system. Looking at these two representations together helps us understand links between the locally specific and other levels of decision taking and vice-versa. This “bimodeling” approach is investigated in one SES in coastal Kenya.

AB - Complex social-ecological systems (SES) are not amenable to simple mathematical modeling. However, to address critical issues in SES (e.g., understanding ecological resilience/amelioration of poverty) it is necessary to describe such systems in their entirety. Based on empirical knowledge of local stakeholders and experts, we mapped their conceptions of one SES. Modelers codified what actors told us into two models: a local-level model and an overarching multiple-entity description of the system. Looking at these two representations together helps us understand links between the locally specific and other levels of decision taking and vice-versa. This “bimodeling” approach is investigated in one SES in coastal Kenya.

KW - agent-based models; unified modeling language; participatory modeling

U2 - 10.1002/cplx.21524

DO - 10.1002/cplx.21524

M3 - Article

SN - 1099-0526

VL - 19

SP - 73

EP - 82

JO - Complexity

JF - Complexity

IS - 6

ER -