Balancing multiple management objectives as climate change transforms ecosystems

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Climate Change Science
• Conservation Management

Background:

• Climate change is driving unprecedented ecological transformations, making historical ecosystem baselines obsolete for management.
• Current ecosystem management approaches struggle to adapt to novel environmental conditions and persistent ecological shifts.
• The Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework provides a basis for climate-informed interventions but needs refinement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the limitations of the RAD framework in accounting for trade-offs between ecological and societal objectives.
• To identify key scientific challenges in developing climate-adapted ecosystem management strategies.
• To promote the equitable and just implementation of the RAD framework through participatory decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Review of current ecological transformation drivers and their socioecological impacts.
• Analysis of scientific challenges in predicting ecological change under novel climate conditions.
• Exploration of methods for incorporating uncertainty into RAD intervention decisions.

Main Results:

• The RAD framework, while useful, has not fully addressed trade-offs between diverse ecological and societal goals.
• Predictive understanding of climate-driven transformations and their impacts is a critical scientific gap.
• Integrating uncertainty into management decisions and participatory processes is essential for RAD implementation.

Conclusions:

• Effective climate-adapted ecosystem management requires moving beyond historical baselines.
• The RAD framework needs enhancement to incorporate multiple objectives and uncertainties.
• Just and equitable participatory processes are crucial for successful RAD implementation in the face of climate change.