Developing transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability challenges: the need to model socio-environmental systems in the longue durée

Silva, F. et al. (2022) Developing transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability challenges: the need to model socio-environmental systems in the longue durée. Sustainability, 14(16), 10234. (doi: 10.3390/su141610234)

[img] Text
277022.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

907kB

Abstract

Human beings are an active component of every terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. Although our local impact on the evolution of these ecosystems has been undeniable and extensively documented, it remains unclear precisely how our activities are altering them, in part because ecosystems are dynamic systems structured by complex, non-linear feedback processes and cascading effects. We argue that it is only by studying human–environment interactions over timescales that greatly exceed the lifespan of any individual human (i.e., the deep past or longue durée), we can hope to fully understand such processes and their implications. In this article, we identify some of the key challenges faced in integrating long-term datasets with those of other areas of sustainability science, and suggest some useful ways forward. Specifically, we (a) highlight the potential of the historical sciences for sustainability science, (b) stress the need to integrate theoretical frameworks wherein humans are seen as inherently entangled with the environment, and (c) propose formal computational modelling as the ideal platform to overcome the challenges of transdisciplinary work across large, and multiple, geographical and temporal scales. Our goal is to provide a manifesto for an integrated scientific approach to the study of socio-ecological systems over the long term.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Whitehouse, Professor Nicki
Authors: Silva, F., Coward, F., Davies, K., Elliott, S., Jenkins, E., Newton, A. C., Riris, P., Linden, M. V., Bates, J., Cantarello, E., Contreras, D., Crabtree, S. A., Crema, E., Edwards, M., Filatova, T., Fitzhugh, B., Fluck, H., Freeman, J., Goldewijk, K. K., Krzyzanska, M., Lawrence, D., Mackay, H., Madella, M., Maezumi, S. Y., Marchant, R., Monsarrat, S., Morrison, K. D., Rabett, R. J., Roberts, P., Saqalli, M., Stafford, R., Svenning, J.-C., Whitehouse, N. J., and Williams, A.
College/School:College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Archaeology
Journal Name:Sustainability
Publisher:MDPI
ISSN:2071-1050
ISSN (Online):2071-1050
Published Online:17 August 2022
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2022 The Authors
First Published:First published in Sustainability 14(16):10234
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record