Evidence suggests that soil microorganisms, to which humans have been exposed throughout our evolutionary history, were essential for the evolution of the human gut microbiome and immunological resilience. In recent decades, gut microbial diversity has decreased along with urbanization and global loss of biodiversity. At the same time, the prevalence of chronic, non‐communicable inflammatory diseases has been increasing in urbanized societies. Here, we investigate whether the existing literature supports the hypothesis that ingesting soil microbiota provides immunological resilience. We focus on identifying research gaps and challenges that must be overcome to understand the effects of eating soil on immunological resilience. A scoping review of the peer‐reviewed empirical literature was carried out. The search focused on studies that exposed mammals to direct soil contact and measured the gut microbiota and host response; 12 articles, including four human, six mouse and two other mammal studies, were identified for inclusion in the review. In addition, seven articles related to human health risks associated with soil consumption were included in the review. Studies indicate that ingesting soil‐bound microorganisms supports immunological resilience. There is a lack of intervention studies that include human study subjects that test orally the effect of soil microorganisms on the gut microbiota and immunological resilience. Challenges, particularly soil heterogeneity and risks related to soil biological and chemical properties, have prevented progress to fully understand the effect of oral intake of soil‐bound microorganisms on human gut microbiota and health. The results encourage the development of technologies that allow daily exposure to soil microbiota. Future research should be aimed to precisely test the importance of oral intake of soil‐bound microorganisms in gut microbial homeostasis and immunological resilience. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"Scoping review on soil microbiome and gut health—Are soil microorganisms missing from the planetary health plate?","authors":"M. Roslund, Olli H. Laitinen, A. Sinkkonen","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10638","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10638","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000Evidence suggests that soil microorganisms, to which humans have been exposed throughout our evolutionary history, were essential for the evolution of the human gut microbiome and immunological resilience. In recent decades, gut microbial diversity has decreased along with urbanization and global loss of biodiversity. At the same time, the prevalence of chronic, non‐communicable inflammatory diseases has been increasing in urbanized societies.\u0000\u0000Here, we investigate whether the existing literature supports the hypothesis that ingesting soil microbiota provides immunological resilience. We focus on identifying research gaps and challenges that must be overcome to understand the effects of eating soil on immunological resilience. A scoping review of the peer‐reviewed empirical literature was carried out. The search focused on studies that exposed mammals to direct soil contact and measured the gut microbiota and host response; 12 articles, including four human, six mouse and two other mammal studies, were identified for inclusion in the review. In addition, seven articles related to human health risks associated with soil consumption were included in the review.\u0000\u0000Studies indicate that ingesting soil‐bound microorganisms supports immunological resilience. There is a lack of intervention studies that include human study subjects that test orally the effect of soil microorganisms on the gut microbiota and immunological resilience.\u0000\u0000Challenges, particularly soil heterogeneity and risks related to soil biological and chemical properties, have prevented progress to fully understand the effect of oral intake of soil‐bound microorganisms on human gut microbiota and health.\u0000\u0000The results encourage the development of technologies that allow daily exposure to soil microbiota. Future research should be aimed to precisely test the importance of oral intake of soil‐bound microorganisms in gut microbial homeostasis and immunological resilience.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140661010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
U. Arbieu, Laura Taysse, Olivier Gimenez, Lisa Lehnen, T. Mueller
Emotions are short, intuitive mental processes that are important components of people's cognitions. They can influence attitudes (i.e. positive or negative evaluations of objects), and they are involved in decision‐making processes. In the context of human‐wildlife coexistence, mostly emotional dispositions have been studied (i.e. people's decontextualized, stable tendencies to react in a certain way towards wildlife), in contrast to emotional states (i.e. quick reactions elicited in specific contexts), which have been overlooked. This limits our understanding of emotional states and the role of emotional diversity in shaping attitudes towards wildlife species. Here, we quantified emotional states elicited by context‐specific wolf encounters featured in a set of YouTube videos. We conducted a social survey in rural populations of 24 randomly selected cities in France (n = 795) to (i) quantify emotional diversity and (ii) test the relationship between emotional states and attitudes towards wolves, accounting for individual and regional factors. We found that emotional states that were most expressed across the six contexts of encounter were surprise, interest and fear, in this order. Emotional diversity was highly context‐specific, with significantly different emotional identity, dispersion and extremization across the six contexts of encounters. Most variance in attitudes was explained by emotional factors alone (28%) and the best model including all three groups of predictors (emotional, individual and regional factors) explained 57% of the variance. The strongest effects of emotional states on attitudes were those of anger and joy. Fear had only half the effect of joy on attitudes. Synthesis and applications: Our results highlight the importance and context‐specificity of emotional diversity for human‐carnivore coexistence. Complementary to previous studies focusing on single emotions and on decontextualized emotional dispositions, quantifying diverse, context‐dependent emotional states can be helpful to improve decision‐making in three different ways: (i) address relevant contexts triggering anger, which is a feeling rooted in perceived injustice, (ii) reduce emotional biases involving fear of carnivores given the extremely low probability of risks to human life and (iii) promote positive emotions like joy to better reflect costs and benefits of sharing landscapes with large carnivores. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"Emotional states elicited by wolf videos are diverse and explain general attitudes towards wolves","authors":"U. Arbieu, Laura Taysse, Olivier Gimenez, Lisa Lehnen, T. Mueller","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10637","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10637","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000Emotions are short, intuitive mental processes that are important components of people's cognitions. They can influence attitudes (i.e. positive or negative evaluations of objects), and they are involved in decision‐making processes. In the context of human‐wildlife coexistence, mostly emotional dispositions have been studied (i.e. people's decontextualized, stable tendencies to react in a certain way towards wildlife), in contrast to emotional states (i.e. quick reactions elicited in specific contexts), which have been overlooked. This limits our understanding of emotional states and the role of emotional diversity in shaping attitudes towards wildlife species.\u0000\u0000Here, we quantified emotional states elicited by context‐specific wolf encounters featured in a set of YouTube videos. We conducted a social survey in rural populations of 24 randomly selected cities in France (n = 795) to (i) quantify emotional diversity and (ii) test the relationship between emotional states and attitudes towards wolves, accounting for individual and regional factors.\u0000\u0000We found that emotional states that were most expressed across the six contexts of encounter were surprise, interest and fear, in this order. Emotional diversity was highly context‐specific, with significantly different emotional identity, dispersion and extremization across the six contexts of encounters. Most variance in attitudes was explained by emotional factors alone (28%) and the best model including all three groups of predictors (emotional, individual and regional factors) explained 57% of the variance. The strongest effects of emotional states on attitudes were those of anger and joy. Fear had only half the effect of joy on attitudes.\u0000\u0000Synthesis and applications: Our results highlight the importance and context‐specificity of emotional diversity for human‐carnivore coexistence. Complementary to previous studies focusing on single emotions and on decontextualized emotional dispositions, quantifying diverse, context‐dependent emotional states can be helpful to improve decision‐making in three different ways: (i) address relevant contexts triggering anger, which is a feeling rooted in perceived injustice, (ii) reduce emotional biases involving fear of carnivores given the extremely low probability of risks to human life and (iii) promote positive emotions like joy to better reflect costs and benefits of sharing landscapes with large carnivores.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140672006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. Armstrong, Jennifer Grenz, Jennifer Zyp‐Loring, Jade LaFontaine, Leslie Main Johnson, Nancy J. Turner
Local and Indigenous Peoples steward and protect a significant proportion of biologically diverse ecosystems globally. This fact is increasingly acknowledged by researchers and international organizations, offering both opportunities and challenges at the intersection of Indigenous and western knowledge production in the context of environmental management research and policy. Drawing on half a century of ethnoecological research and personal experiences in Gitxsan and nłeʔkepmx Territories in the Pacific Northwest of North America, this research considers the role of reciprocity as an inherent philosophy and tenet for successful environmental stewardship. Reciprocity is a legal responsibility and moral perspective that foregrounds many Indigenous worldviews. Such cultural drivers and obligations towards lands and biota appear to be unknown, marginalized or instrumentalized in mainstream and western science and policy. We conclude that fundamental elements of reciprocity may not be adequately blended or braided into western environmental management frameworks. As such, alternatives to blending include acknowledging sole proprietary and self‐determining rights for Indigenous Peoples to govern and steward lands outside of western infrastructures and value systems. This study raises critical questions about the feasibility of reconciling reciprocity with western environmental management practices and regulations. It explores the implications for Indigenous rights and sovereignty, and climate change mitigation. By addressing these complex issues, we contribute to ongoing discourse on the integration of Indigenous and western knowledge in environmental stewardship research, and the ethical, historical and cultural challenges that come with it. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"Ethnoecological perspectives on environmental stewardship: Tenets and basis of reciprocity in Gitxsan and nłeʔkepmx (Nlaka'pamux) Territories","authors":"C. Armstrong, Jennifer Grenz, Jennifer Zyp‐Loring, Jade LaFontaine, Leslie Main Johnson, Nancy J. Turner","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10641","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10641","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000Local and Indigenous Peoples steward and protect a significant proportion of biologically diverse ecosystems globally. This fact is increasingly acknowledged by researchers and international organizations, offering both opportunities and challenges at the intersection of Indigenous and western knowledge production in the context of environmental management research and policy.\u0000\u0000Drawing on half a century of ethnoecological research and personal experiences in Gitxsan and nłeʔkepmx Territories in the Pacific Northwest of North America, this research considers the role of reciprocity as an inherent philosophy and tenet for successful environmental stewardship.\u0000\u0000Reciprocity is a legal responsibility and moral perspective that foregrounds many Indigenous worldviews. Such cultural drivers and obligations towards lands and biota appear to be unknown, marginalized or instrumentalized in mainstream and western science and policy.\u0000\u0000We conclude that fundamental elements of reciprocity may not be adequately blended or braided into western environmental management frameworks. As such, alternatives to blending include acknowledging sole proprietary and self‐determining rights for Indigenous Peoples to govern and steward lands outside of western infrastructures and value systems.\u0000\u0000This study raises critical questions about the feasibility of reconciling reciprocity with western environmental management practices and regulations. It explores the implications for Indigenous rights and sovereignty, and climate change mitigation. By addressing these complex issues, we contribute to ongoing discourse on the integration of Indigenous and western knowledge in environmental stewardship research, and the ethical, historical and cultural challenges that come with it.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140678731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Andrea Byfuglien, M. Hirons, Anna Birgitte Milford
A sustainable transition in the agri‐food system holds society‐wide implications. Farmers play central roles in responding to climate change, environmental degradation and sustainable food production. Still, factors underlying how farmers make decisions and manage their farms are often marginalised in efforts to develop policies to tackle these issues. The concept of relational values, defined as preferences, principles and virtues based on human–nature relationships, recently emerged to expand understandings of environmental decision‐making in general and that of farmers specifically. As agricultural landscapes are dynamic and characterised by the interaction of various actors with diverse values and interests, how these interactions influence farmers' decisions remains underexplored. This paper engages with these issues by using qualitative data on Norwegian horticultural farmers' motivations, opportunities and challenges in farming. We find that their relational values (a) are influential in shaping farmers' decisions about farm management and (b) are continually unfolding and embedded within a web of other actors, including grocers, retailers, consumers, farm advisors and policymakers, which shapes farmers' enactment of their relational values. In the context of agriculture, this research underlines the utility of an in‐depth understanding of relational values as embedded in wider social systems to enrich analyses of farmer decision‐making. How farmers' relational values are shaped and realised through interactions with other actors holds important implications for policy and programming to navigate tensions between different interests and actors for sustainable and long‐term change. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"From values to actions in agriculture: A web of actors shape Norwegian farmers' enactment of relational values","authors":"Andrea Byfuglien, M. Hirons, Anna Birgitte Milford","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10640","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10640","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000A sustainable transition in the agri‐food system holds society‐wide implications. Farmers play central roles in responding to climate change, environmental degradation and sustainable food production. Still, factors underlying how farmers make decisions and manage their farms are often marginalised in efforts to develop policies to tackle these issues.\u0000\u0000The concept of relational values, defined as preferences, principles and virtues based on human–nature relationships, recently emerged to expand understandings of environmental decision‐making in general and that of farmers specifically. As agricultural landscapes are dynamic and characterised by the interaction of various actors with diverse values and interests, how these interactions influence farmers' decisions remains underexplored.\u0000\u0000This paper engages with these issues by using qualitative data on Norwegian horticultural farmers' motivations, opportunities and challenges in farming. We find that their relational values (a) are influential in shaping farmers' decisions about farm management and (b) are continually unfolding and embedded within a web of other actors, including grocers, retailers, consumers, farm advisors and policymakers, which shapes farmers' enactment of their relational values.\u0000\u0000In the context of agriculture, this research underlines the utility of an in‐depth understanding of relational values as embedded in wider social systems to enrich analyses of farmer decision‐making. How farmers' relational values are shaped and realised through interactions with other actors holds important implications for policy and programming to navigate tensions between different interests and actors for sustainable and long‐term change.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140682428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Restoring degraded peatlands is a promising strategy for mitigating carbon emissions. Large‐scale landscape transformations, such as rewetting of land used for intensive agriculture, often lead to conflicts. Elicitation of the relational values acting as barriers to landscape transformation may support the resolution or taming of such conflicts. This study aimed to explore the relational values associated with a transforming peatland site in Northern Germany. We focused on the value of living and non‐living peat landscape elements; cultural heritage values and identities; educational values; spiritual values; recreational values; and sensory, affective and cognitive experiences. Additionally, we sought to understand how past landscape changes have influenced these values. We conducted interviews with land managers and local residents. Using an art‐based research method, we created six thematic participant‐voiced poems that capture the diverse peatland values. Subsequent interpretation of these poems revealed three key observations: the importance of multisensory experiences; the significance of specific living elements; and the deep cultural and historical values linked to peat landscapes. Landscape changes impact peat landscape values, potentially weakening bonds between people and the peatland. Our study indicates that considering the cultural and historical significance of landscapes may prevent conflicts and foster support for peatland restoration. Ensuring the well‐being of those living and working in these areas requires value‐inclusive landscape planning that embraces a broader focus on relational values. This also involves the potential promotion of value shifts. Such an approach may cultivate a more sustainable and inclusive transformation of the landscape. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"Poetic inquiry to explore the relational values of a transforming peat landscape","authors":"C. Heindorf, Stefan Schüler, Tobias Plieninger","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10629","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10629","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000Restoring degraded peatlands is a promising strategy for mitigating carbon emissions. Large‐scale landscape transformations, such as rewetting of land used for intensive agriculture, often lead to conflicts. Elicitation of the relational values acting as barriers to landscape transformation may support the resolution or taming of such conflicts.\u0000\u0000This study aimed to explore the relational values associated with a transforming peatland site in Northern Germany. We focused on the value of living and non‐living peat landscape elements; cultural heritage values and identities; educational values; spiritual values; recreational values; and sensory, affective and cognitive experiences. Additionally, we sought to understand how past landscape changes have influenced these values.\u0000\u0000We conducted interviews with land managers and local residents. Using an art‐based research method, we created six thematic participant‐voiced poems that capture the diverse peatland values.\u0000\u0000Subsequent interpretation of these poems revealed three key observations: the importance of multisensory experiences; the significance of specific living elements; and the deep cultural and historical values linked to peat landscapes. Landscape changes impact peat landscape values, potentially weakening bonds between people and the peatland.\u0000\u0000Our study indicates that considering the cultural and historical significance of landscapes may prevent conflicts and foster support for peatland restoration. Ensuring the well‐being of those living and working in these areas requires value‐inclusive landscape planning that embraces a broader focus on relational values. This also involves the potential promotion of value shifts. Such an approach may cultivate a more sustainable and inclusive transformation of the landscape.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140741152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maritza Satama‐Bermeo, Max Rudolf, Roland Olschewski
Agricultural ecosystems managed by farmers provide and receive multiple ecosystem services that are essential to sustain human well‐being. Understanding how agricultural production systems generate agroecosystem services is as important as gaining deeper insights into how farmers perceive and value them to ensure the adoption and implementation of sustainable agricultural practices. We conducted a comprehensive review and in‐depth analysis of existing valuation studies on agroecosystem services to identify potential future research directions. We found two broad research strands of articles: one focusing on ‘General assessment of agroecosystem services’ and the other on ‘Implications for policy making’. The first strand focuses more on individual preferences and monetary values, which might limit a comprehensive assessment. The second strand emphasizes participatory and deliberative techniques to reflect the plurality of values and to provide empirical evidence for policymaking. We recommend to move beyond monetary valuation techniques, and to develop methods that bridge the two strands as a promising avenue for future inter‐ and transdisciplinary research. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"Agroecosystem services: From general assessment to policy implications","authors":"Maritza Satama‐Bermeo, Max Rudolf, Roland Olschewski","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10605","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10605","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000Agricultural ecosystems managed by farmers provide and receive multiple ecosystem services that are essential to sustain human well‐being. Understanding how agricultural production systems generate agroecosystem services is as important as gaining deeper insights into how farmers perceive and value them to ensure the adoption and implementation of sustainable agricultural practices.\u0000\u0000We conducted a comprehensive review and in‐depth analysis of existing valuation studies on agroecosystem services to identify potential future research directions.\u0000\u0000We found two broad research strands of articles: one focusing on ‘General assessment of agroecosystem services’ and the other on ‘Implications for policy making’.\u0000\u0000The first strand focuses more on individual preferences and monetary values, which might limit a comprehensive assessment. The second strand emphasizes participatory and deliberative techniques to reflect the plurality of values and to provide empirical evidence for policymaking.\u0000\u0000We recommend to move beyond monetary valuation techniques, and to develop methods that bridge the two strands as a promising avenue for future inter‐ and transdisciplinary research.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140741107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
P. Tallman, Natalia C. Piland, Melanie Villarmarzo, Lulu Victoria‐Lacy, Armando Valdés‐Velásquez
Water insecurity, the inability to benefit from affordable, adequate, reliable and safe water, is one of the greatest contemporary threats facing humans. While ‘water insecurity’, as a concept, is globally recognized and serves an essential function in policymaking, it does not capture the multiple, relational connections between Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) and water systems. We contend that studies of water insecurity and health among IPLCs can be improved by applying a systematic approach to the concept of waterscapes. The term waterscape describes the socio‐natural relations between humans and water. To make examining waterscapes more systematic and to draw attention to the importance of health within waterscapes, we use a four‐tiered socio–ecological approach to describe the multi‐level interactions between IPLCs and local water systems in the Amazonian watershed. We then apply this four‐tiered model to the case of the Belo Monte dam in the Brazilian Amazon to identify the specific health impacts of disrupting the Xingu River waterscape. Applying the four‐tiered socio‐ecological approach to the Belo Monte case study showed that this dam led to flooding and compromised water quality that local people associated with an increased risk for chronic health conditions, such as kidney and renal diseases, and vector‐borne diseases, such as dengue. Displacement due to the dam threatened food security, economic security, community cohesion and the cultural survival of multiple IPLCs along the Xingu river. Our approach uncovers not only the direct consequences of the dam on water insecurity but also the broader implications for community well‐being and cultural integrity, addressing the diverse challenges arising from human‐water interactions. The four‐tiered approach for assessing waterscapes offers a framework that enables a comprehensive examination of the intricate relations between water and humans. While there are overlaps among the levels, this framework is applicable to other situations where mining, oil extraction and the construction of hydrovías are substantially altering local waterscapes. Tools such as this one can promote more meaningful engagement between researchers, policymakers, and IPLCs in defining the range of outcomes to be considered in social and environmental impact assessments. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"Waterscapes meet socio‐ecological models: A relational framework to examine water insecurity and human health and well‐being","authors":"P. Tallman, Natalia C. Piland, Melanie Villarmarzo, Lulu Victoria‐Lacy, Armando Valdés‐Velásquez","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10635","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10635","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000Water insecurity, the inability to benefit from affordable, adequate, reliable and safe water, is one of the greatest contemporary threats facing humans. While ‘water insecurity’, as a concept, is globally recognized and serves an essential function in policymaking, it does not capture the multiple, relational connections between Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) and water systems. We contend that studies of water insecurity and health among IPLCs can be improved by applying a systematic approach to the concept of waterscapes. The term waterscape describes the socio‐natural relations between humans and water.\u0000\u0000To make examining waterscapes more systematic and to draw attention to the importance of health within waterscapes, we use a four‐tiered socio–ecological approach to describe the multi‐level interactions between IPLCs and local water systems in the Amazonian watershed. We then apply this four‐tiered model to the case of the Belo Monte dam in the Brazilian Amazon to identify the specific health impacts of disrupting the Xingu River waterscape.\u0000\u0000Applying the four‐tiered socio‐ecological approach to the Belo Monte case study showed that this dam led to flooding and compromised water quality that local people associated with an increased risk for chronic health conditions, such as kidney and renal diseases, and vector‐borne diseases, such as dengue. Displacement due to the dam threatened food security, economic security, community cohesion and the cultural survival of multiple IPLCs along the Xingu river. Our approach uncovers not only the direct consequences of the dam on water insecurity but also the broader implications for community well‐being and cultural integrity, addressing the diverse challenges arising from human‐water interactions.\u0000\u0000The four‐tiered approach for assessing waterscapes offers a framework that enables a comprehensive examination of the intricate relations between water and humans. While there are overlaps among the levels, this framework is applicable to other situations where mining, oil extraction and the construction of hydrovías are substantially altering local waterscapes. Tools such as this one can promote more meaningful engagement between researchers, policymakers, and IPLCs in defining the range of outcomes to be considered in social and environmental impact assessments.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140747793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecosystems are rapidly degraded by anthropogenic pressures, affecting the provision of ecosystem services. Therefore, it is increasingly important that we can quantify and manage ecosystem services to maintain human well‐being. Many ecosystem services are underpinned by ecosystem functions and processes that are driven by interspecific ecological interactions. Humans then benefit from ecosystem services through socio‐ecological interactions. Therefore, interaction network approaches can provide a unique understanding of ecosystem service flows. In this paper, we assess the current interface between network ecology and ecosystem services, before exploring how work linking these two fields could be enhanced. We emphasise the value of network approaches and explore network methods to improve the assessment and management of ecosystem services. Within this, we highlight the role of local and indigenous knowledge in operationalising network approaches in a useful ecosystem service context. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"Linking network ecology and ecosystem services to benefit people","authors":"Anna Stanworth, K. Peh, Rebecca J. Morris","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10632","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10632","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000Ecosystems are rapidly degraded by anthropogenic pressures, affecting the provision of ecosystem services. Therefore, it is increasingly important that we can quantify and manage ecosystem services to maintain human well‐being.\u0000\u0000Many ecosystem services are underpinned by ecosystem functions and processes that are driven by interspecific ecological interactions. Humans then benefit from ecosystem services through socio‐ecological interactions. Therefore, interaction network approaches can provide a unique understanding of ecosystem service flows.\u0000\u0000In this paper, we assess the current interface between network ecology and ecosystem services, before exploring how work linking these two fields could be enhanced.\u0000\u0000We emphasise the value of network approaches and explore network methods to improve the assessment and management of ecosystem services. Within this, we highlight the role of local and indigenous knowledge in operationalising network approaches in a useful ecosystem service context.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140214092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. M. Ferreira, M. ’t Sas‐Rolfes, D. Balfour, C. Barichievy, G. Chege, C. Dean, N. Doak, H. T. Dublin, R. du Toit, S. Ellis, R. H. Emslie, J. Flamand, M. Gadd, J. Gaymer, M. Hofmeyr, M. Knight, Y. Moodley, J. Shaw, L. Versteege, L. Vigne, F. von Houwald, S. Uri‐Khob, K. Mosweu
Image‐based analyses from an online repository on rhino horns asserted that declines in size over time could be the consequence of poaching and hunting. We provide reflections on whether the sample was representative enough to make generalizations, the study adequately accounted for the main sources of horn‐size variation and the statistical methods were adequate to be confident in the results. The sample had a limited representation, most coming from zoo animals. We highlight several sources of variance in horn size that such a sample could not evaluate robustly using linear regressions, both for establishing a proxy for horn size corrected for size of a rhino and assessing trends over time. Nevertheless, horn poaching continues to be the key threat to rhinos. Addressing the underlying drivers of poaching and trafficking are key priorities for responsible public debate, policy making and interventions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"Risky conclusions regarding shrinking rhino horns","authors":"S. M. Ferreira, M. ’t Sas‐Rolfes, D. Balfour, C. Barichievy, G. Chege, C. Dean, N. Doak, H. T. Dublin, R. du Toit, S. Ellis, R. H. Emslie, J. Flamand, M. Gadd, J. Gaymer, M. Hofmeyr, M. Knight, Y. Moodley, J. Shaw, L. Versteege, L. Vigne, F. von Houwald, S. Uri‐Khob, K. Mosweu","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10552","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10552","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000Image‐based analyses from an online repository on rhino horns asserted that declines in size over time could be the consequence of poaching and hunting.\u0000\u0000We provide reflections on whether the sample was representative enough to make generalizations, the study adequately accounted for the main sources of horn‐size variation and the statistical methods were adequate to be confident in the results.\u0000\u0000The sample had a limited representation, most coming from zoo animals. We highlight several sources of variance in horn size that such a sample could not evaluate robustly using linear regressions, both for establishing a proxy for horn size corrected for size of a rhino and assessing trends over time.\u0000\u0000Nevertheless, horn poaching continues to be the key threat to rhinos. Addressing the underlying drivers of poaching and trafficking are key priorities for responsible public debate, policy making and interventions.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140221955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
O. E. Wilson, Michael D. Pashkevich, K. Rookmaaker, E. Turner
In their response to Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022), Ferreira et al. argue that our conclusions regarding shrinking rhino horns were risky, given the low sample size used for this assessment, the variation in rhino horn length related to non‐heritable factors (including age, sex, environment and behaviour) and the low impact that current selective trophy hunting has on rhino numbers. We agree that our sample size was low and that many factors can influence horn length and therefore we discussed these points as important caveats in Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022). However, we argue that although many factors can lead to variation in horn length, they do not explain the decline in relative horn length over time that we observed, and we note that the response does not offer an alternative explanation for this temporal shift. Although selective hunting is currently a minor factor in rhino mortality, this may have been relatively more important and to have had a potentially greater selective influence in the past. Our dataset does not allow identification of factors driving this change, and in Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022), we offered selective hunting as one possible explanation for the relative decline, calling for more work to investigate this further. We highlight that the focus of Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022) was far more than an assessment of changing relative horn length and instead aimed to demonstrate that a wide range of data can be extracted effectively from image repositories for use in a conservation context. We hope that the results in Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022) will provide a useful starting point for future research, including addressing the questions raised by Ferreira et al. Ultimately, we feel that the attention given to Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022) reveals the enduring interest people have in rhinos, a topic addressed in other parts of our original paper, which we encourage readers to read in its entirety. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
{"title":"Response to ‘Risky conclusions regarding shrinking rhino horns’: Clarification on a statistically determined reduction of relative horn length in five species of rhinoceros since 1885","authors":"O. E. Wilson, Michael D. Pashkevich, K. Rookmaaker, E. Turner","doi":"10.1002/pan3.10584","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10584","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000In their response to Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022), Ferreira et al. argue that our conclusions regarding shrinking rhino horns were risky, given the low sample size used for this assessment, the variation in rhino horn length related to non‐heritable factors (including age, sex, environment and behaviour) and the low impact that current selective trophy hunting has on rhino numbers.\u0000\u0000We agree that our sample size was low and that many factors can influence horn length and therefore we discussed these points as important caveats in Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022).\u0000\u0000However, we argue that although many factors can lead to variation in horn length, they do not explain the decline in relative horn length over time that we observed, and we note that the response does not offer an alternative explanation for this temporal shift.\u0000\u0000Although selective hunting is currently a minor factor in rhino mortality, this may have been relatively more important and to have had a potentially greater selective influence in the past.\u0000\u0000Our dataset does not allow identification of factors driving this change, and in Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022), we offered selective hunting as one possible explanation for the relative decline, calling for more work to investigate this further.\u0000\u0000We highlight that the focus of Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022) was far more than an assessment of changing relative horn length and instead aimed to demonstrate that a wide range of data can be extracted effectively from image repositories for use in a conservation context.\u0000\u0000We hope that the results in Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022) will provide a useful starting point for future research, including addressing the questions raised by Ferreira et al.\u0000\u0000Ultimately, we feel that the attention given to Wilson, Pashkevich, Rookmaaker, et al. (2022) reveals the enduring interest people have in rhinos, a topic addressed in other parts of our original paper, which we encourage readers to read in its entirety.\u0000\u0000Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.","PeriodicalId":52850,"journal":{"name":"People and Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140223678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}