Design principles for social-ecological research at the landscape scale applied to western Rwanda.

Area of Science:

• Social-ecological systems research
• Sustainability science
• Interdisciplinary landscape studies

Background:

• Place-based research often involves large, interdisciplinary teams with diverse methodologies.
• Integrating varied data (socioeconomic, ecological, qualitative) is crucial for holistic understanding.
• Existing approaches may lack standardized frameworks for cross-team data collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a method for integrating diverse research efforts in place-based social-ecological systems (SES) research.
• To establish shared anchor points for data collection across interdisciplinary teams.
• To develop a flexible stratification framework applicable to various landscapes.

Main Methods:

• Defined four design principles for social-ecological research units: spatial scale, gradients, data accessibility, and flexibility.
• Applied these principles to stratify a study area in western Rwanda for ecosystem restoration.
• Identified five distinct clusters and sampled 152 villages for interdisciplinary data collection.

Main Results:

• Successfully created a structured framework for interdisciplinary collaboration in SES research.
• The stratification enabled the integration of diverse data types from multiple research teams.
• Demonstrated a replicable methodology for place-based research in complex landscapes.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework of social-ecological research units effectively guides interdisciplinary collaboration.
• This approach enhances the integration of diverse research efforts in sustainability science.
• The methodology offers valuable insights and applicability for place-based SES research globally.