Exploring the hidden connections between human societies and ecological systems that determine our capacity to withstand challenges
Imagine a fishing community facing declining catches due to climate change. Some fishers adapt by changing techniques, others diversify their livelihoods, while some are forced to leave the profession entirely. What determines who thrives and who struggles? The answer lies not just in individual choices, but in an invisible web of natural supports—the rich connections between people, communities, and ecosystems that determine our capacity to withstand challenges.
This invisible web represents the emerging science of social-ecological systems, which reveals that human well-being and environmental health are inextricably linked through complex feedback loops. From the farmlands of France to the fisheries of Spain, researchers are discovering how these hidden connections provide critical support that shapes our response to environmental change, economic pressure, and social transformation.
This article explores how recognizing and nurturing these natural supports may hold the key to building more resilient communities in an era of unprecedented global change.
Social-ecological systems (SES) are integrated complexes that include both human societies and ecological processes, linked through mutual feedback and adaptation 9 . The core insight of SES research is that the division between society and natural systems is artificial and arbitrary 9 .
These systems exhibit characteristics of complex adaptive systems—they're nonlinear, unpredictable, and self-organizing, with properties like critical thresholds, regime shifts, and cross-scale connections 9 .
Natural supports in social-ecological systems operate through specific architectural patterns:
Ecosystem services are defined as "the benefits that humans can derive from ecosystems" 7 . Recent research emphasizes that these services are not merely "provided" by nature but are co-produced through human management and ecological processes 7 .
Food, water, timber, and fiber
Climate control, water purification, pollination
Recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits
Nutrient cycling, soil formation, photosynthesis
Resilience in social-ecological systems refers to the capacity to absorb disturbance while maintaining essential functions. It can be quantified as:
This resilience stems from natural supports including social networks, ecological memory, institutional diversity, and adaptive learning—all of which provide buffers against unexpected challenges.
A crucial laboratory experiment examined how communication affects cooperation in common-pool resource management 5 .
Diverse volunteers were recruited without prior knowledge
Participants managed simulated common-pool resources
Three groups with different communication/punishment options
Measured harvest levels, cooperation rates, and outcomes
The experiment yielded striking results about what enables sustainable resource management:
| Experimental Condition | Resource Preservation | Cooperation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| With Communication | 85% | 92% |
| Costly Punishment Only | 45% | 48% |
| No Communication/Punishment | 30% | 25% |
The data revealed that communication significantly increased cooperation in common-pool resource governance 5 .
Participants demonstrated a strong tendency to self-organize when allowed to communicate, contradicting traditional views of inevitable resource overharvesting (the "tragedy of the commons") 5 . This finding has profound implications for how we design resource governance systems worldwide.
Recent research in Galician fisheries in Northwest Spain examined how different network structures influenced fishers' adaptation to climate change .
| Income Decrease Scenario | Remain (%) | Adapt (%) | Transform (%) | Exit (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15% decrease | 50.74 | 35.15 | 8.66 | 5.45 |
| 30% decrease | 39.11 | 41.58 | 12.87 | 6.44 |
| 50% decrease | 31.44 | 37.62 | 15.59 | 15.35 |
| 70% decrease | 18.56 | 31.19 | 19.31 | 30.94 |
| 90% decrease | 4.95 | 23.01 | 9.65 | 62.37 |
The results empirically demonstrated that fishers generally follow a 'remain—adapt—transform—exit' pathway when faced with increasing climate impacts .
The study tested five specific social-ecological network structures and their effects on adaptation decisions:
| Network Structure | Primary Function | Associated Adaptation Response |
|---|---|---|
| Trust-based Bonding Ties | Builds cooperation, reciprocity | Business-as-usual strategies |
| Communicative Bonding Ties | Enables knowledge sharing, coordination | Adaptive responses (changing gears/targets) |
| Communicative Bridging Ties | Provides novel information, resources | Transformative & exit strategies |
| Ties to Informal Leaders | Facilitates collective action | Mixed (context-dependent) |
| Social-Ecological Ties | Enhances environmental knowledge | Early detection of changes |
The research demonstrated that communicative bonding ties were associated with adaptive responses, while communicative bridging ties were associated with transformative and exit strategies .
Social-ecological research employs diverse methodological "reagents" to uncover the invisible web of natural supports:
Developed by Elinor Ostrom, this provides a common vocabulary and diagnostic organization of 1st-tier component interactions 2 .
Provides principles for understanding nonlinear dynamics, feedback loops, and emergent properties in social-ecological systems 9 .
Combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to capture both patterns and meanings in social-ecological systems 8 .
Place-based research infrastructures that track systems over extended periods 7 .
Mapping communication, trust, and resource dependency ties to understand relationship patterns .
Evaluating a system's capacity to withstand shocks while maintaining essential functions 1 .
The science of social-ecology reveals that natural supports are not abstract concepts but tangible networks of relationships that profoundly influence our capacity to thrive amid challenge.
From the communication patterns that enable cooperative resource management to the bridging ties that provide pathways for transformation when needed, these supports form an invisible infrastructure that sustains both communities and ecosystems.
Protecting not just biological diversity but also social and institutional diversity
Fostering not just ecological connections but also communication across social boundaries
As we face increasing environmental changes and social transformations, recognizing and nurturing these natural supports may be among our most vital tasks. The lesson from social-ecological research is ultimately hopeful: by understanding the hidden web of connections that constitutes our natural support system, we can make intentional choices to strengthen it—building futures that are not just sustainable, but resilient, adaptive, and deeply rooted in the relationships that bind us to each other and to the natural world.
For those interested in exploring this field further, the newly established Society for Social-Ecological Systems (SocSES) provides a global platform for researchers, practitioners, and communities working at the science-practice-policy interface 3 .