Learning from conceptual models – a study of the emergence of cooperation towards resource protection in a social–ecological system

<p>Engaging ecological resource users in intervention to protect resources is challenging for governments due to the self-interest of users and uncertainty about intervention consequences. Focusing on a case of forest insect infestations, we addressed questions of resource protection and envir...

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Main Authors: S. Harati-Asl, L. Perez, R. Molowny-Horas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2024-10-01
Series:Geoscientific Model Development
Online Access:https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/17/7423/2024/gmd-17-7423-2024.pdf
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author S. Harati-Asl
L. Perez
R. Molowny-Horas
author_facet S. Harati-Asl
L. Perez
R. Molowny-Horas
author_sort S. Harati-Asl
collection DOAJ
description <p>Engaging ecological resource users in intervention to protect resources is challenging for governments due to the self-interest of users and uncertainty about intervention consequences. Focusing on a case of forest insect infestations, we addressed questions of resource protection and environmentally responsible behavior promotion with a conceptual model. We coupled a forest infestation model with a social model in which a governing agent applies a mechanism for the recognition and promotion of environmentally responsible behavior among several user agents. We ran the coupled model in various scenarios with a reinforcement-learning algorithm for the governing agent as well as best-case, worst-case, and random baselines. Results showed that a proper recognition policy facilitates emergence of environmentally responsible behavior. However, ecosystem health may deteriorate due to temporal differences between the social and ecological systems. Our work shows it is possible to gain insight about complexities of social–ecological systems with conceptual models through scenario analysis.</p>
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spelling doaj-art-38ec1f9e439c4b83aee75e80df4f86c42025-08-20T02:11:11ZengCopernicus PublicationsGeoscientific Model Development1991-959X1991-96032024-10-01177423744310.5194/gmd-17-7423-2024Learning from conceptual models – a study of the emergence of cooperation towards resource protection in a social–ecological systemS. Harati-Asl0L. Perez1R. Molowny-Horas2Roger Tomlinson Laboratory, Department of Geography, McGill University, Montréal, H3A 0B9, CanadaLaboratory of Environmental Geosimulation (LEDGE), Department of Geography, Université de Montréal, Montréal, H2V 0B3, CanadaCentro de Investigación Ecològica i Aplicaciones Forestales (CREAF), Bellaterra, Cerdanyola de Vallès, 08193, Spain<p>Engaging ecological resource users in intervention to protect resources is challenging for governments due to the self-interest of users and uncertainty about intervention consequences. Focusing on a case of forest insect infestations, we addressed questions of resource protection and environmentally responsible behavior promotion with a conceptual model. We coupled a forest infestation model with a social model in which a governing agent applies a mechanism for the recognition and promotion of environmentally responsible behavior among several user agents. We ran the coupled model in various scenarios with a reinforcement-learning algorithm for the governing agent as well as best-case, worst-case, and random baselines. Results showed that a proper recognition policy facilitates emergence of environmentally responsible behavior. However, ecosystem health may deteriorate due to temporal differences between the social and ecological systems. Our work shows it is possible to gain insight about complexities of social–ecological systems with conceptual models through scenario analysis.</p>https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/17/7423/2024/gmd-17-7423-2024.pdf
spellingShingle S. Harati-Asl
L. Perez
R. Molowny-Horas
Learning from conceptual models – a study of the emergence of cooperation towards resource protection in a social–ecological system
Geoscientific Model Development
title Learning from conceptual models – a study of the emergence of cooperation towards resource protection in a social–ecological system
title_full Learning from conceptual models – a study of the emergence of cooperation towards resource protection in a social–ecological system
title_fullStr Learning from conceptual models – a study of the emergence of cooperation towards resource protection in a social–ecological system
title_full_unstemmed Learning from conceptual models – a study of the emergence of cooperation towards resource protection in a social–ecological system
title_short Learning from conceptual models – a study of the emergence of cooperation towards resource protection in a social–ecological system
title_sort learning from conceptual models a study of the emergence of cooperation towards resource protection in a social ecological system
url https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/17/7423/2024/gmd-17-7423-2024.pdf
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