Enhancing quantitative approaches for assessing community resilience

W C Chuang; A Garmestani; T N Eason; T L Spanbauer; H B Fried-Petersen; C P Roberts; S M Sundstrom; J L Burnett; D G Angeler; B C Chaffin; L Gunderson; D Twidwell; C R Allen

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.01.083

Enhancing quantitative approaches for assessing community resilience

J Environ Manage. 2018 May 1:213:353-362. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.01.083.

Authors

W C Chuang¹, A Garmestani², T N Eason³, T L Spanbauer¹, H B Fried-Petersen⁴, C P Roberts⁵, S M Sundstrom⁵, J L Burnett⁵, D G Angeler⁴, B C Chaffin⁶, L Gunderson⁷, D Twidwell⁸, C R Allen⁹

Affiliations

¹ National Research Council, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA.
² U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA. Electronic address: garmestani.ahjond@epa.gov.
³ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 109 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
⁴ Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, SE-750 07, Sweden.
⁵ School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 103 Hardin Hall, 3310, Holdrege St., NE, 68583, USA.
⁶ W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA.
⁷ Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
⁸ Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68503-0984, USA.
⁹ U.S. Geological Survey, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 103 Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege St., Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.

Abstract

Scholars from many different intellectual disciplines have attempted to measure, estimate, or quantify resilience. However, there is growing concern that lack of clarity on the operationalization of the concept will limit its application. In this paper, we discuss the theory, research development and quantitative approaches in ecological and community resilience. Upon noting the lack of methods that quantify the complexities of the linked human and natural aspects of community resilience, we identify several promising approaches within the ecological resilience tradition that may be useful in filling these gaps. Further, we discuss the challenges for consolidating these approaches into a more integrated perspective for managing social-ecological systems.

Keywords: Community resilience; Ecological resilience; Social-ecological systems.

Published by Elsevier Ltd.

MeSH terms

Ecology*
Ecosystem*
Humans

Grants and funding

EPA999999/Intramural EPA/United States