NEWS NOTES ON SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES  Riverscape Ecology  https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/integrating-human-dimensions-riverscap...

Published on by

NEWS NOTES ON SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES  Riverscape Ecology  https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/integrating-human-dimensions-riverscape-ecology-and-management?qt-news_science_products=1#qt-news_science_products ; Incorporation of concepts from landscape ecology into understanding and managing riverine ecosystems has become widely known as riverscape ecology.Past studies have focused on understanding how humans modify ecological processes in riverscapes, yet exploring drivers behind actions that lead to human modification also merits consideration. Greater emphasis on feedbacks between social and ecological processes will help scientists and managers more completely understand riverscapes as complex, dynamic, interacting social–ecological systems. In a new paper, authors highlight why and how an interdisciplinary approach that links ecological and social science can improve understanding and management of riverscapes. They present emerging applications in riverscapes, as well as studies of other ecosystems, that provide examples of social and ecological science integration. Researchers point out that conservation successes within riverscapes may not occur if the fundamental drivers of human behaviors are not understood and addressed in conservation planning and implementation.The USGS paper referred to does not appear to be available as a free government publication. For that reason a second paper that applies similar concepts has been provided, and can be found at https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol20/iss3/art20/  ;   Finally, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has published a report on the importance of such studies, and that report can be found at https://www.nap.edu/read/11773/chapter/6 ;   These links will also be provided on the 2018 Reports Page 02 of the Sustainable Water Resources Site at https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ">https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ; Tim SmithSustainable Water Resources CoordinatorGovernment Web Site, https://acwi.gov/Sustainable Water Resources Site, https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ">https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ;