Panarchy: opportunities and challenges for ecosystem management

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Ahjond Garmestani, US Environmental Protection Agency; Dirac Twidwell, University of Nebraska; David G. Angeler, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Shana Sundstrom, University of Nebraska; Chris Barichievy, University of Cape Town; Brian C. Chaffin, University of Montana; Tarsha Eason, US Environmental Protection Agency; Nick Graham, Lancaster University; Dean Granholm, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Lance Gunderson, Emory University; Melinda Knutson, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Kristy L. Nash, University of Tasmania, Hobart; R. John Nelson, University of Victoria; Magnus Nystrom, Stockholm University; Trisha L. Spanbauer, University of Toledo; Craig A. Stow, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory; Craig R. Allen, University of Nebraska
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-06-01
• Publisher: Ecological Society of America
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: 2020
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fee.2264
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 10
• Start Page: 576
• End Page: 583
• Grant/Funding Information: Funding was provided by the US Geological Survey Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis; Nebraska Game & Parks Commission (W-125-R-1); US Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP; W912HQ-15-C-0018); the US National Science Foundation (OIA-1920938); the August T Larsson Foundation of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; and the Swedish Research Council Formas (2014-1193) and VR (2014-5828). This is Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) contribution number 1942.

Abstract

Addressing unexpected events and uncertainty represents one of the grand challenges of the Anthropocene, yet ecosystem management is constrained by existing policy and laws that were not formulated to deal with today’s accelerating rates of environmental change. In many cases, managing for simple regulatory standards has resulted in adverse outcomes, necessitating innovative approaches for dealing with complex social–ecological problems. We highlight a project in the US Great Plains where panarchy – a conceptual framework that emerged from resilience – was implemented at project onset to address the continued inability to halt large-scale transition from grass-to-tree dominance in central North America. We review how panarchy was applied, the initial outcomes and evidence for policy reform, and the opportunities and challenges for which it could serve as a useful model to contrast with traditional ecosystem management approaches.