Co-production Refers to the cooperation between actors (academic and non-academic) in the creation of knowledge. It is an iterative and collaborative process that includes various knowledge systems with the purpose of solving a problem, defining a strategy or any other type of decision-making process, generally related to a particular socio-economic [...]

Transformation Refers to intentional or unintentional changes of the structure and operation of any system. In the field of social-ecological systems, transformation is usually linked to changes that ensure the sustainability of life on the planet and the development of human societies. These changes include multiple dimensions: care and management [...]

Scale mismatches in social-ecological systems They happen when the scale of an ecological process differs from the scale of the social organization linked to the decision-making processes. This can lead to disruptions in some function of the social-ecological systems, inefficiencies or loss of significant system components. Understanding the different types [...]

Uncertainty Refers to ignorance about the status, behavior or changes in a system. Social-ecological systems are complex, so change and uncertainty are their inherent characteristics and not a mistake that can be removed through technological progressor the advancement of science. The distinction between sources of uncertainty is key, as it [...]

Adaptive Management It is a process of experimentation, learning and continuous improvement, which incorporates uncertainty as a key component. It is based on the understanding of social-ecological systems as complex and dynamic: their management always implies certainties and uncertainties. The aim is learning-by-doing and understanding the causal mechanisms of successes [...]

Adaptive governance It is the institutional, political and social arrangement which allows the implementation of strategies, such as adaptive management. It is the product of bottom-up processes mediated by informal structures that emerge in response to the failures of bureaucratic institutional structures dominated by top-down processes. Foto [...]

Adaptive capacity Refers to the capacity of a system to modify its response or functioning (operation mode) in the face of external changes or changes in its internal dynamics. Adaptive capacity implies a diverse set of attributes linked to learning capacities, innovation, anticipation, and the interaction of different knowledge systems. Foto [...]

Social-ecological systems These are complex adaptive systems, in which human societies are embedded in nature. The social component refers to all human activities that include economy, technology, politics and culture. On the other hand, the ecological component refers to the biosphere, that is, to the part of the planet on which [...]

Rigidity or poverty traps Poverty and rigidity traps are systemic conformations that control the dynamics of the social-ecological systems (SES) and the evolution of the adaptive cycles. In both cases, they hinder or interfere with the care and management of SES. The poverty trap is a configuration which is characterized by [...]

Alternative regimes Systems can change their properties depending on external or internal controls, in linear or nonlinear ways, or by dynamics known as alternative states or sudden regime shifts. Nonlinear dynamics and the existence of alternative states imply the occurrence of thresholds where the system presents very abrupt changes or change rates [...]