Long Term Socio-ecological Research

The emerging interdisciplinary field of Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research, abbreviated LTSER, aims at observing, analyzing, understanding and modelling of changes in coupled socio-ecological (or human- environment) systems over longer, i.e. at least decadal, sometimes even centennial, periods of time. There is evidence that ecosystems are increasingly challenged by coping with human demands and that costs and benefits of the use of nature`s bounty is unequally distributed socially and geographically, inducing great potential for conflict. In this sense, the present problems are not only "ecological" but "socio-ecological" since the effect of how societies interact with their environment has a bearing not only on ecosystems but also for social systems and human wellbeing. Addressing sustainability concerns, LTSER is focused on interactions between societies and ecosystems at various spatial and temporal scales. By including long-term monitoring, historical research, forecasting and scenario building, empirical and conceptual research as well as participatory approaches, LTSER aims at providing a knowledge base that helps to reorient socioeconomic trajectories towards more sustainable pathways. The chapters in this book cover a broad range of settings to capture society-nature interactions over long periods of time. The first section brings together a plethora of concepts and methods relevant for LTSER, drawing on various disciplinary and interdisciplinary research traditions dealing with long term socio-ecological research; for example, social ecology, human ecology, industrial ecology, environmental history, archaeology, anthropology and human geography. The following two sections present case studies across a range of ecosystems and arranged according to spatial scales. Contributors to this book are scholars that have pioneered this field of research in Europe and North America. The book is expected to be in the market by July 2011.