Complexity of coupled human and natural systems
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Integrated studies of coupled human and natural systems reveal new and complex patterns and processes not evident when studied by social or natural scientists separately. Synthesis of six case studies from around the world shows that couplings between human and natural systems vary across space, time, and organizational units. They also exhibit nonlinear dynamics with thresholds, reciprocal feedback loops, time lags, resilience, heterogeneity, and surprises. Furthermore, past couplings have legacy effects on present conditions and future possibilities.
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The Galapagos archipelago, viewed as an ecotourism destination, is an emblematic case of the challenges of a coupled human-natural system (CHANS) in which a natural resource is exploited by humans producing feedback mechanisms that influence social-ecological interactions, dynamics, and trajectories.
“The Galapagos archipelago (see Figure 1 for a map of the archipelago), viewed as an ecotourism destination, is an emblematic case of the challenges of a coupled human-natural system (CHANS) (Liu et al. 2007) in which a natural resource (the Galapagos island ecosystem) is exploited by humans (tourists) producing feedback mechanisms that influence social-ecological interactions, dynamics, and”
From Modelling Tourism in the Galapagos Islands: An Agent-Based Model Approach (2014) · cites this paper as Liu et al. 2007
The coupling of natural and human systems is defined by highly integrated and complex system dynamics resulting from human-nature interactions.
“The coupling of natural and human systems is defined by highly integrated and complex system dynamics resulting from humannature interactions (Liu et al., 2007).”
From Climate change and COP26: Are digital technologies and information management part of the problem or the solution? An editorial reflection and call to action (2022) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2007
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“Typically, CHANS are difficult to study because of their non-linearity characteristics, multiple space-time scales, complex feedback mechanisms, and unique local contexts that are linked to forces of globalization.”
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- Authors
- Liu, J., Dietz, T., Carpenter, S. R., Alberti, M., Folke, C., Moran, E., Pell, A. N., Deadman, P., Kratz, T., Lubchenco, J., Ostrom, E., Ouyang, Z., Provencher, W., Redman, C. L., Schneider, S. H., & Taylor, W. W.
- Affiliations
- Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (SE)
- Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
- Corresponding author
- Liu, Jianguo
- ORCID
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2007-09-14
- Volume
- 317
- Issue
- 5844
- Pages
- 1513-1516
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2010365184
- Cited by
- 3,624
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 196 · 2025: 168 · 2024: 206 · 2023: 215 · 2022: 239 · 2021: 310 · 2020: 231 · 2019: 297 · 2018: 285 · 2017: 215 · 2016: 197 · 2015: 205 · 2014: 181 · 2013: 170 · 2012: 142
- FWCI
- 9.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- ir.rcees.ac.cn
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences OpenIR (Chinese Academy of Sciences) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- VTechWorks (Virginia Tech) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
- Keywords
- coupled human-natural systems, nonlinear dynamics, threshold, feedback loops, time delay, resilience, heterogeneity, surprise, legacy effects, spatiotemporal variation, organizational units, interdisciplinary synthesis
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brazil, China, Conservation of Natural Resources, Ecology, Environment, Humans, Human Activities, Socioeconomic Factors, Sociology, Sweden, United States, Ecosystem, Biodiversity
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