Resilience of small-scale societies: a view from drylands
To gain insights on long-term social-ecological resilience, we examined adaptive responses of small-scale societies to dryland-related hazards in different regions and chronological periods, spanning from the mid-Holocene to the present. Based on evidence from Africa (Sahara and Sahel), Asia (south...
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Resilience Alliance
2016-06-01
|
Series: | Ecology and Society |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss2/art53/ |
id |
doaj-98deddb4ae334846b1fcea86c1c52552 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-98deddb4ae334846b1fcea86c1c525522020-11-24T20:59:08ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872016-06-012125310.5751/ES-08327-2102538327Resilience of small-scale societies: a view from drylandsAndrea L. Balbo0Erik Gómez-Baggethun1Matthieu Salpeteur2Arnald Puy3Stefano Biagetti4Jürgen Scheffran5Research Group Climate Change and Security (CLISEC), Institute of Geography, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN), University of HamburgDepartment of International Environment and Development Studies, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Edifici C Campus de la UABInstitute of Geography, University of CologneComplexity and Socio-Ecological dynamics (CaSEs), SpainResearch Group Climate Change and Security (CLISEC), Institute of Geography, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN), University of HamburgTo gain insights on long-term social-ecological resilience, we examined adaptive responses of small-scale societies to dryland-related hazards in different regions and chronological periods, spanning from the mid-Holocene to the present. Based on evidence from Africa (Sahara and Sahel), Asia (south margin of the Thar desert), and Europe (South Spain), we discuss key traits and coping practices of small-scale societies that are potentially relevant for building resilience. The selected case studies illustrate four main coping mechanisms: mobility and migration, storage, commoning, and collective action driven by religious beliefs. Ultimately, the study of resilience in the context of drylands emphasizes the importance of adaptive traits and practices that are distinctive of small-scale societies: a strong social-ecological coupling, a solid body of traditional ecological knowledge, and a high degree of internal cohesion and self-organization.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss2/art53/adaptationclimate changecoping mechanismsdrylandsresiliencesocial-ecological systemssustainabilitytraditional ecological knowledge |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Andrea L. Balbo Erik Gómez-Baggethun Matthieu Salpeteur Arnald Puy Stefano Biagetti Jürgen Scheffran |
spellingShingle |
Andrea L. Balbo Erik Gómez-Baggethun Matthieu Salpeteur Arnald Puy Stefano Biagetti Jürgen Scheffran Resilience of small-scale societies: a view from drylands Ecology and Society adaptation climate change coping mechanisms drylands resilience social-ecological systems sustainability traditional ecological knowledge |
author_facet |
Andrea L. Balbo Erik Gómez-Baggethun Matthieu Salpeteur Arnald Puy Stefano Biagetti Jürgen Scheffran |
author_sort |
Andrea L. Balbo |
title |
Resilience of small-scale societies: a view from drylands |
title_short |
Resilience of small-scale societies: a view from drylands |
title_full |
Resilience of small-scale societies: a view from drylands |
title_fullStr |
Resilience of small-scale societies: a view from drylands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Resilience of small-scale societies: a view from drylands |
title_sort |
resilience of small-scale societies: a view from drylands |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
series |
Ecology and Society |
issn |
1708-3087 |
publishDate |
2016-06-01 |
description |
To gain insights on long-term social-ecological resilience, we examined adaptive responses of small-scale societies to dryland-related hazards in different regions and chronological periods, spanning from the mid-Holocene to the present. Based on evidence from Africa (Sahara and Sahel), Asia (south margin of the Thar desert), and Europe (South Spain), we discuss key traits and coping practices of small-scale societies that are potentially relevant for building resilience. The selected case studies illustrate four main coping mechanisms: mobility and migration, storage, commoning, and collective action driven by religious beliefs. Ultimately, the study of resilience in the context of drylands emphasizes the importance of adaptive traits and practices that are distinctive of small-scale societies: a strong social-ecological coupling, a solid body of traditional ecological knowledge, and a high degree of internal cohesion and self-organization. |
topic |
adaptation climate change coping mechanisms drylands resilience social-ecological systems sustainability traditional ecological knowledge |
url |
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss2/art53/ |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT andrealbalbo resilienceofsmallscalesocietiesaviewfromdrylands AT erikgomezbaggethun resilienceofsmallscalesocietiesaviewfromdrylands AT matthieusalpeteur resilienceofsmallscalesocietiesaviewfromdrylands AT arnaldpuy resilienceofsmallscalesocietiesaviewfromdrylands AT stefanobiagetti resilienceofsmallscalesocietiesaviewfromdrylands AT jurgenscheffran resilienceofsmallscalesocietiesaviewfromdrylands |
_version_ |
1716783660448874496 |