Showing papers by "Birgit Müller published in 2019"
Colorado State University1, University of Florida2, University of Nevada, Reno3, Boise State University4, University of Colorado Boulder5, Mountain Institute6, Food and Agriculture Organization7, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development8, National Autonomous University of Mexico9, Centre national de la recherche scientifique10, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ11, ETH Zurich12, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala13, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill14, Beijing Normal University15, University of Bern16, Stony Brook University17
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed four principles for integrated CB- and Eco-DRR that address these challenges: (1) governance and institutional arrangements that fit local needs; (2) empowerment and capacity-building to strengthen community resilience; (3) discovery and sharing of constructive practices that combine local and scientific knowledge; and (4) approaches focused on well-being and equity.
68 citations
Colorado State University1, University of Florida2, University of Nevada, Reno3, Boise State University4, ETH Zurich5, Centre national de la recherche scientifique6, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ7, University of Colorado Boulder8, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research9, University of California, Berkeley10, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala11, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill12, Beijing Normal University13, University of Bern14, University of York15, United States Forest Service16, Stony Brook University17
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual model of the types and scales of stressors and ecosystem services in mountain social-ecological systems (MtSES) and explore their distinct configurations according to their primary economic orientation and land use is presented.
Abstract: Mountain social‐ecological systems (MtSES) are vital to humanity, providing ecosystem services to over half the planet's human population. Despite their importance, there has been no global assessment of threats to MtSES, even as they face unprecedented challenges to their sustainability. With survey data from 57 MtSES sites worldwide, we test a conceptual model of the types and scales of stressors and ecosystem services in MtSES and explore their distinct configurations according to their primary economic orientation and land use. We find that MtSES worldwide are experiencing both gradual and abrupt climatic, economic, and governance changes, with policies made by outsiders as the most ubiquitous challenge. Mountains that support primarily subsistence‐oriented livelihoods, especially agropastoral systems, deliver abundant services but are also most at risk. Moreover, transitions from subsistence‐ to market‐oriented economies are often accompanied by increased physical connectedness, reduced diversity of cross‐scale ecosystem services, lowered importance of local knowledge, and shifting vulnerabilities to threats. Addressing the complex challenges facing MtSES and catalyzing transformations to MtSES sustainability will require cross‐scale partnerships among researchers, stakeholders, and decision makers to jointly identify desired futures and adaptation pathways, assess trade‐offs in prioritizing ecosystem services, and share best practices for sustainability. These transdisciplinary approaches will allow local stakeholders, researchers, and practitioners to jointly address
MtSES knowledge gaps while simultaneously focusing on critical issues of poverty and food security.
56 citations
TL;DR: In this article, dynamic models have been used to support management of ecological and economic systems and played a prominent role in the early days of resilience research, and have been widely used in the literature.
Abstract: Dynamic models have long been a common tool to support management of ecological and economic systems and played a prominent role in the early days of resilience research. Model applications have la ...
56 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors use an agent-based model to examine long-term social-ecological consequences and implications for system resilience of such behavioral changes (e.g., giving up a social norm).
25 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors study the potential long-term effects of LDI on pasture conditions at scale with the help of an agent-based model and show that if insurance is taken up at scale, the quick herd size recovery that insurance enables after droughts can disrupt natural pasture recovery dynamics, with the potential to degrade the long run carrying capacity of the vegetation.
22 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a multi-agent simulation model to examine the economic, ecological, climatic, and demographic factors driving the polarization of pastoralist households in semi-arid regions.
Abstract: Mobile pastoralist strategies have evolved over centuries and are well adjusted to the variable climatic conditions of semi-arid regions However, economic, social, and climatic changes, as well as technical advancements such as truck transportation, have increasingly affected the livelihood of pastoralist households in recent decades An increase in inequality has been observed between wealthy pastoralists with large herds and impoverished households that are experiencing decreasing herd sizes on the High Plateau in Eastern Morocco, for example In addition, whereas wealthy pastoralists possess the financial means to use trucks to transport their herds across large distances, the impoverished households are mainly limited to ranges they can travel by foot This phenomenon can be described as polarization: the emergence of two distinct socio-economic groups with respect to household livestock and monetary resources The reasons that have led to this polarization, however, are not well understood at present In this study, we present a multi-agent simulation model to examine the economic, ecological, climatic, and demographic factors driving this polarization The model captures the feedbacks between pastoralist households, their herds, and the pastures that they use in a common property grazing system Using this model, we are able to show that heterogeneities in household assets (livestock and monetary resources) are only one cause of polarization Changes in ecological conditions and the impact of climate and demographic change can also cause polarization, even if households are completely homogeneous in their characteristics
5 citations
Free University of Berlin1, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ2, McGill University3, Dresden University of Technology4, University of Jena5, Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library6, Cranfield University7, Université de Namur8, University of Dundee9, Technische Universität München10, University of Potsdam11, Leibniz Association12, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg13, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences14, Murdoch University15
TL;DR: A conceptual framework, resilience trinity, is suggested to facilitate management of resilience mechanisms in three distinctive decision contexts and time-horizons to emphasize that resilience has different interpretations and implications at different time horizons which however need to be reconciled.
Abstract: Ensuring ecosystem resilience is an intuitive approach to safeguard future provisioning of ecosystem services (ES). However, resilience is an ambiguous concept and difficult to operationalize. Focusing on resilience mechanisms, such as diversity, network architectures or adaptive capacity, has recently been suggested as means to operationalize resilience. Still, the focus on mechanisms is not specific enough because the usefulness of a mechanism is context-dependent. We suggest a conceptual framework, resilience trinity, to facilitate management of resilience mechanisms in three distinctive decision contexts and time-horizons. i) reactive, when there is an imminent threat to ES resilience and a high pressure to act, ii) adjustive, when the threat is known in general but there is still time to adapt management, and iii) provident when time horizons are very long and the nature of the threats is uncertain, leading to a low willingness to act. This emphasizes that resilience has different interpretations and implications at different time horizons which however need to be reconciled. The inclusion of time into resilience thinking ensures that longer-term management actions are not missed while urgent threats to ES are given priority.
4 citations