What is socio-ecological research delivering? A literature survey across 25 international LTSER platforms
Dick, J.; Orenstein, D.E.; Wohner, C.; Andrews, C.; Avriel-Avni, N.; Beja, P.; Blond, N.; Cabello, J.; Chen, C.; Díaz-Delgado, R.; Giannakis, G.V.; Gingrich, S.; Izakovicova, Z.; Krauze, K.; Lamouroux, N.; Leca, S.; Melecis, V.; Miklós, K.; Mimikou, M.; Niedrist, G.; Piscart, C.; Postolache, C.; Santos-Reis, M.; Tappeiner, U.; Vanderbilt, K.; Van Ryckegem, G. (2018). What is socio-ecological research delivering? A literature survey across 25 international LTSER platforms. Sci. Total Environ. 622-623: 1225-1240. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.324 In: Science of the Total Environment. Elsevier: Amsterdam. ISSN 0048-9697; e-ISSN 1879-1026, more |  |
| Author keywords | ILTER; Place-based; Transdisciplinary; Sustainability; Socio-ecology; LTER |
| Authors | | Top | - Dick, J.
- Orenstein, D.E.
- Wohner, C.
- Andrews, C.
- Avriel-Avni, N.
- Beja, P.
- Blond, N.
- Cabello, J.
- Chen, C.
| - Díaz-Delgado, R.
- Giannakis, G.V.
- Gingrich, S.
- Izakovicova, Z.
- Krauze, K.
- Lamouroux, N.
- Leca, S.
- Melecis, V.
- Miklós, K.
| - Mimikou, M.
- Niedrist, G.
- Piscart, C.
- Postolache, C.
- Santos-Reis, M.
- Tappeiner, U.
- Vanderbilt, K.
- Van Ryckegem, G., more
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| Abstract | With an overarching goal of addressing global and regional sustainability challenges, Long Term Socio-Ecological Research Platforms (LTSER) aim to conduct place-based research, to collect and synthesize both environmental and socio-economic data, and to involve a broader stakeholder pool to set the research agenda. To date there have been few studies examining the output from LTSER platforms. In this study we enquire if the socio-ecological research from 25 self-selected LTSER platforms of the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) network has produced research products which fulfil the aims and ambitions of the paradigm shift from ecological to socio-ecological research envisaged at the turn of the century. In total we assessed 4983 publically available publications, of which 1112 were deemed relevant to the socio-ecological objectives of the platform. A series of 22 questions were scored for each publication, assessing relevance of responses in terms of the disciplinary focus of research, consideration of human health and well-being, degree of stakeholder engagement, and other relevant variables. The results reflected the diverse origins of the individual platforms and revealed a wide range in foci, temporal periods and quantity of output from participating platforms, supporting the premise that there is a growing trend in socio-ecological research at long-term monitoring platforms. Our review highlights the challenges of realizing the top-down goal to harmonize international network activities and objectives and the need for bottom-up, self-definition for research platforms. This provides support for increasing the consistency of LTSER research while preserving the diversity of regional experiences. |
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