Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: modeling and policy implications

@article{Levin2012SocialecologicalSA,
  title={Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: modeling and policy implications},
  author={Simon A. Levin and Tasos Xepapadeas and Anne-Sophie Cr{\'e}pin and Jon Norberg and Aart de Zeeuw and Carl Folke and Terry P. Hughes and Kenneth J. Arrow and Scott Barrett and Gretchen C. Daily and Paul R. Ehrlich and Nils Kautsky and K-G. M{\"a}ler and Stephen Polasky and Max Troell and Jeffrey R. Vincent and Brian Walker},
  journal={Environment and Development Economics},
  year={2012},
  volume={18},
  pages={111 - 132}
}
Abstract Systems linking people and nature, known as social-ecological systems, are increasingly understood as complex adaptive systems. Essential features of these complex adaptive systems – such as nonlinear feedbacks, strategic interactions, individual and spatial heterogeneity, and varying time scales – pose substantial challenges for modeling. However, ignoring these characteristics can distort our picture of how these systems work, causing policies to be less effective or even… 
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