Resilient Socio-Ecological Systems

Globally, most species and their natural habitats are declining and under mounting pressure. The rate of loss is not slowing, generating a biodiversity crisis. This widespread loss of biodiversity threatens economies and societies, but most crucially the ecological system that supports all life on land and below water. Discovering ways to increase the resilience of socio-ecological systems is of key importance for the future of people and the planet.

Several Sustainable Development Goals are underpinned by resilient ecosystems and the Convention on Biological Diversity calls for a reduction in biodiversity loss this decade. YESI is bringing together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to address the development and design of new policies and interventions for reversing nature loss,biodiversity decline and impact on communities that rely on the natural capital for their livelihoods.

Researchers at York study the drivers of biodiversity declines including climate change, degradation of natural habitats and agricultural intensification, and their underlying socio-economic drivers. They also study the solutions, from releasing green finance for biodiversity conservation to nature based solutions and practical management options in the field.

Research theme aims

Understanding the interactions and feedbacks among species, ecosystem functions and ecosystem services.
Investigating feedbacks between human behaviour and ecological dynamics, and what this means for the resilience and sustainability of coupled ecological-economic systems.
Identifying and evaluating practical, effective, and equitable solutions to deliver resilient ecosystems for the future.

Key focus areas

Biodiversity conservation – analysing the factors affecting species responses to habitat change, the ecological, social, political and economic impacts of biodiversity loss, and using this knowledge to develop conservation interventions that reorientate activities that are harmful to nature and biodiversity towards those which promote biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
Ecosystem services – assessing human impacts on essential ecosystem services and informing decision-making about the risks and opportunities that emerge from our dependence on nature.
Climate change – understanding the impacts of climate change on socio-ecological systems to enhance our predictions of future changes and to support the development of achievable mitigation and adaptation strategies at a range of temporal and spatial scales.