Concepts of Human Ecosystems and Human Ecological Interaction PDF

Concepts of Human Ecosystems and Stability is a measure of the speed with Human Ecological Interaction which a system returns to equilibrium after absorbing disturbances. THE ECOSYSTEM Ecology...

Concepts of Human Ecosystems and Stability is a measure of the speed with Human Ecological Interaction which a system returns to equilibrium after absorbing disturbances. THE ECOSYSTEM Ecology Example of resilience components The term “ecology” (from the Greek Systems with high resilience but low “oikos” – house or habitation) stability may undergo continual and - to denote a scientific field was profound changes but still continue to exist coined in 1870 by the biologist as a system; that is, their constituent parts Haeckel and was understood by him persist together even though they take a to mean: “… the study of the very long time to return to their initial states. economy, of the household, of animal organisms. Systems with high stability but low resilience, on the other hand, may show Ecosystem little change when suffering some The ecosystem is a model for the cycles of disturbances but then collapse suddenly. matter and energy that include organic entities and their linkages to the inorganic. Natural ecosystems - Not perceptibly altered by humans The usefulness of the ecosystem concept is: The actual and historical role of 1. It can be applied to any humans in the functioning of the environment. ecosystem is nil or almost nil. 2. The ecosystem concept allows us to Species composition and species describe humans in dynamic numbers are uninfluenced. interaction with one another, with Geomorphic, ecological and other species, and with the physical biological processes are almost environment. We can chart and undisturbed by humans. quantify the flow of energy and nutrients and specify the interactions Examples are: Highest parts of mountains, critical for the maintenance of any Undisturbed parts of the seas, lakes, rivers, local population. tundras, etc, and Primeval natural forest 3. The ecosystem concept gives us a ecosystems. way of describing how human populations influence and are Semi-natural ecosystems influenced by their surroundings. - Altered by human actions, but which retain significant native elements Continuity and change in ecosystems Almost all ecosystems resulting from Resilience is a measure of the degree of “traditional” forms of agricultural land use as change a system can undergo while still steppes, puszta and wooded meadows fall maintaining its basic elements or in this category. relationships. Artificial ecosystems units or sub-systems that jointly work - Human-made system of plants, towards achievement of community animals and people living in an area goals. together with their surroundings Systems theory Man-made areas similar to their natural - views people as holding different habitat. People can also create lakes in the roles and statuses as part of middle of desserts and keep penguins in different systems closely linked with warm climates, but only if they create an each other. artificial ecosystem. - The field theory describes ‘social interaction as the most critical THE HUMAN SYSTEMS feature of community’. Family - The basic foundation of social *The theories contribute in explaining the community as a structure of relationship whose members are organization comprised of inter-related and function through social interaction. individuals associated by blood relationship, legal union, adoption, or Human Settlements consensual affiliation - Human settlement is the totality of Organizations the human community – whether - Come in many forms. city, town, or village – with all the - These can be a random group of social, material, organizational, people who spontaneously came spiritual, and cultural elements that together to address a short-term sustain it. need, such as collecting litter along a certain stretch of road. Human Ecological Frameworks - Or, it might be a carefully collected, aligned and integrated group of Actor based model people who came together for the Orlove in 1980, in his conceptualized long-term to address a long-term actor-based model; need. - suggested that adaptation occurs at the level of individuals rather Community than of cultures or populations. - The theory of human ecology - From this perspective, any higher explains ‘community as the structure levels of organization, whether of relationships through which a communities, ecosystems, or human localized population meets its daily social systems, exist only as the requirements’. fortuitous outcome of interactions It points out its key role of providing support among many individual organisms. to its members for its survival by forming relationships of care. Ecosystem-based model Andrew Vayda and Roy Rappaport - Systems theory identifies community suggested that attention should be focused; as the amalgamation of different  - on the relationship of specific - Human ecosystems can be human populations to specific described at several spatial scales, ecosystems. and these scales are hierarchically - In their view, human beings linked. constitute simply another population - A set of critical resources is required among the many populations of in order to provide the system with plant and animal species that necessary supplies. interact with each other and with the These resources are of three kinds: nonliving components (climate, soil, (1) natural resources (such as energy, water) of their local ecosystem. fauna, wood, or water) - Thus, the ecosystem constitutes the (2) socioeconomic resources (such as fundamental unit of analysis in their labor or capital) conceptual framework for human (3) cultural resources (such as myths and ecology. beliefs). - These resources keep the human Social system with the ecosystems ecosystem functioning; their flow model and distribution are critical to - Both the social system and the sustainability. ecosystem with which it interacts - The flow and use of these critical retain their integrity as systems, with resources is regulated by the social each changing its structural system, the set of general social configuration according to its internal structures that guide much of human dynamics. behavior. - It is recognized that each system receives energy, material, and The social system is composed of three information from the other, and subsystems. (Machlis, et al., 2008) these inputs also influence its 1. a set of social institutions, defined structure and functioning. as collective solutions to universal - Is also open to influence from other social challenges or needs. systems of the same kind so that a 2. a series of social cycles, which are social system may be altered by the temporal patterns for allocating inputs received from a neighboring human activity. Time is both a fixed social system (the processes resource as well as a key organizing anthropologists call diffusion and tool for human behavior. acculturation) just as an ecosystem 3. the social order, which is a set of may be changed by inputs from cultural patterns for organizing other ecosystems (e.g., migration interaction among people and and colonization). groups. The social order includes three key Human ecosystems model mechanisms for ordering behavior: The human ecosystem is defined as a a. personal identities (such as age or coherent system of biophysical and social gender) factors capable of adaptation and b. norms (rules for behaving) sustainability over time.  c. hierarchies (for example, of wealth Systems Approaches on Human or power). Ecosystems The social order (individually, collectively, General systems theory and in relationship to social institutions and - Concerned with the general social cycles) provides high predictability in properties of the structures and functions of systems as such, rather much of human behavior. than with their specific contents. The domains of the human ecology Applications of Systems Approaches system, according to Dr. Eusebio (1984), can be defined at the following four levels: 1. Ecosystems Approach (1) individual - a strategy for the integrated (2) family management of land, water, and (3) community living resources which promotes (4) larger ecosystem. conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. Its focus is on the levels of biological The central subject of human ecology is the organization, which encompass essential individual man and the upgrading of this structure, processes, functions and human capital. interactions among organisms and their environment. Primer on “Human Ecology as an emerging discipline” in the advent of the establishment of the College of Human Ecology. Apparently, this has become the basis of departmentalizing the College. Conceptual Framework of Human Ecology, CHE, UPLB, 2008 By 2008, in the process of reviewing and improving its human ecology curriculum, the College of Human Ecology came up with a conceptual framework akin to the Systems Model of Human Ecology. 2. Watershed Approach The framework has likewise identified - Watershed is a topographically CHE’s four goals anchored on human delineated area that is drained by a ecological security: environmental stream system. integrity, empowering organizations and - The size of watersheds ranges from institutions, food and nutrition security, and two hectares to 30,000 ha. developing human potential. * Integrated Watershed Management (IWSM) is the process of formulating and implementing a course of action involving natural and human resources in a experience in the atmosphere at a given watershed, taking into account social, time in a specific location. political, economic and institutional factors operating within the watershed and its Climate - the average weather over a long surroundings to achieve certain time period (30 – 50 years) in a region. socio-economic and ecological objectives. Climate Variability - natural variation in climate that occurs over months to decades (a.k.a. Natural Variability)  Climate Change - a systematic change in the long-term state of the atmosphere over multiple decades or longer. Climate Extreme - The occurrence of a 3. Ridge to Reef Approach value of a weather or climate variable - A ‘‘whole-of-ecosystem’ or above (or below) a threshold value near integrated management approach. the upper (or lower) ends of the range. - The philosophy of cross-sectoral coordination in the planning and What factors determine Earth’s Climate? management of freshwater use, Incoming solar radiation absorbed sanitation, wastewater treatment and = released outgoing longwave radiation pollution control, sustainable land What Causes Climate Change? use and forestry practices, balancing - Imbalanced cause by Greenhouse coastal livelihoods and biodiversity Gases (Carbon dioxide, methane, conservation, hazard risk reduction, nitrous oxide, black carbon, and climate variability and change. fluorinated gases) released since Industrial Revolution * In Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), Climate change is causing five critical Ridge to Reef refers to integrated global environmental changes approaches to freshwater and coastal area 1. Warming temperature of earth’s management emphasizing the surface and oceans interconnections between the natural and 2. Changes in global water cycle social systems from the mountain ‘ridges’ 3. Declining glaciers and snow pack through coastal watersheds and habitats, 4. Sea level rise and across coastal lagoons to the fringing 5. Ocean Acidification ‘reef’ environments associated with most PSIDS. Critical Environment Changes in the PH Context Science of Climate Change 1. Extreme average temperatures 2. Extreme rainfall and intense storms Weather- the temperature, humidity, 3. Ocean acidification precipitation, cloudiness and wind that we 4. Sea Level rise IPCC Exposure - The presence of people; livelihoods; environmental services and resources; infrastructure; or economic, social, or cultural assets in places that could be adversely affected. Sensitivity - the degree to which a system or species is affected, either adversely or beneficially, by climate variability or change. Concepts of CCA and DRR Vulnerability - The propensity or predisposition to be adversely affected. Potential Impact - impacts of climate change are the effects of climate change on Vulnerability to climate change - the natural (e.g. water resources, biodiversity, degree to which a system is susceptible to, soil, etc) and human systems (e.g. and unable to cope with, adverse effects of agriculture, health, tourism, etc). climate change, including climate variability and extremes. a function of the character, magnitude and rate of climate change and variation to which a Adaptive Capacity - the ability of a system system is EXPOSED, its to adjust to climate change (including SENSITIVITY, and its ADAPTIVE climate variability and extremes) to CAPACITY moderate potential damages, to take advantage of opportunities, or to cope with Adaptation - In human systems, the the consequences. process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects, in order to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. - In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate and its effects; human intervention may facilitate Vulnerability Assessments adjustment to expected climate. Disaster - Severe alterations in the normal functioning of a community or a society due to hazardous physical events interacting with vulnerable social conditions, leading to widespread adverse human, material, economic, or environmental effects that require immediate emergency response to satisfy critical human needs and that may require external support for recovery. Resilience - The ability of a system and its Disaster Risk - The likelihood over a component parts to anticipate, absorb, specified time period for the disaster to accommodate, or recover from the effects of occur a hazardous event in a timely and efficient Interaction of vulnerability and manner, including through ensuring the hazard preservation, restoration, or improvement of its essential basic structures and functions. Disaster Risk Management - Processes for designing, implementing, and evaluating strategies, policies, and measures to improve the understanding of disaster risk, foster disaster risk reduction and transfer, and promote continuous improvement in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery practices, with the explicit purpose of increasing human security, well-being, quality of life, resilience, and sustainable development. Transformation - The altering of - Discusses how localities can tolerate fundamental attributes of a system. and overcome damage, diminished productivity and reduced quality of life from disasters without outside assistance 4. Build Back Better Approach - use of the recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction phases after a disaster to increase the resilience of nations and communities through integrating disaster risk reduction Frameworks, Models, and Policies in measures into the restoration Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction 5. Invulnerable Development - pursued in a manner that reduces Disaster vulnerability to disasters and a - “a serious disruption of the process that seeks to decrease the functioning of a community or a frequency and severity of society involving widespread human, emergencies and disasters through material, economic or environmental liability reduction and capacity losses and impacts, which exceeds building. the ability of a community to cope It can be achieved by: using its own resources” (UNISDR, a. altering cultural attitudes about 2009). disasters; b. linking development practices to Different Paradigms in DRM vulnerability reduction; c. building DRM institutions 1. Disaster Resistant Community - need to minimize vulnerability of 6. Comprehensive Vulnerability communities to natural hazards by Management maximizing the principles and - holistic and integrated activities techniques of mitigation to their directed toward the reduction of development and/or redevelopment emergencies and disasters by in the decision-making process diminishing risk and susceptibility and building of resistance and 2. Disaster Resilient Community resilience - emphasizes on the concept of - there need to be a strong political resilience or the ability to recover or will of leaders to deal with disasters bounce back to normalcy after a disaster event strikes 3. Sustainable Development and Sustainable Hazards Mitigation  Major Concepts and Paradigms in Three components of adaptation Climate Change Adaptation ➔ climate-related stimuli - adaptation to 1. Influences the Earth’s global energy what? balance, which is important to ➔ the system - who or what adapts? maintain the temperature that favors ➔ the types of processes and form - life, survival and growth. how does adaptation occur? 2. A component of biogeochemical cycles influence food systems and Climate change adaptation can be production landscapes. expressed as : 3. Provides favorable climate non-structural (policy, conditions, which is a requirement to planning and employment of satisfy society’s food and energy soft technology), demands structural in the form of infrastructures and/or a combination of the two options Both mitigation and adaptation options have: specific cost some intended or unintended impacts gained recognition in Mitigation promoting improved - Climate change mitigation deals with well-being of systems the efforts that decrease or forestall experiencing climate change emission of GHGs. Mitigation includes: Adaptation needs and options Utilization of new technologies and Adaptation needs are the gaps renewable energy between what might occur as the Changing management practices evidence-based changes in climate Changing consumer behaviors prevails and the desired scenarios * Climate change mitigation can be applied that the social systems envision as a multifaceted approach. Require actions related to climate change adaptation to close the gaps. Adaptation Numerous adaptation options are - refers to adjustments in ecological, present. social, economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. Category of Adaptation Options Five factors that enable or restrict The prominent and widely used institutional adaptation in relation to belong to the engineering and planning and implementation in both technological category. developed and developing countries: The contribution of the two other categories, social and institutional, 1. Multilevel institutional cannot be discounted. coordination between different Applying the options under these political and administrative levels categories facilitates adaptations * Challenging in both developed and and capability-building of social and developing countries: institutional systems to address the - There may be unclear roles and burdens of climate change. responsibility or even overlap in roles and responsibilities at various offices within the same level (meso, macro, etc.) - Sufficient and improved knowledge is not enough – science and practice among stakeholders. 2. Key actors Known for being decisive in promoting, mainstreaming and sustaining efforts and actions for climate adaptation. - Personal commitment and leadership are important factors from key actors. Adaptation planning and 3. Horizontal interplay implementation: some considerations in Norms, values, and priorities of institutions, institutional governance local government affect climate adaptation * Some leaders prefer structural and Climate change adaptation will bring engineered approaches to adaptations about development - Communications in the form of but Adaptation assessments usually not limited to cross-sectoral focus on the impacts, vulnerability interaction and exchange and adaptation planning on the interrelation of climate risks, 4. Political dimensions adaptation needs and options Planning – affected by the situation of a There are gaps in the aspect of political arena implementation and evaluation of Prioritization – favoring more short-term actual adaptation actions tangible issues * Both top-down assessment and the bottom-up assessment are important in 5. Coordination between formal delivering local and localized solutions. governmental, administrative  agencies, and private sectors and problems of the human system stakeholders to increase related to climate change. efficiency, representation and support for climate adaptation Ecosystem biomimicry is a way of giving measures. order and coherence to the myriad of To increase efficiency, representation and methods used in the creation of sustainable support for climate adaptation measures architecture. * Stakeholders are strongly encouraged to communicate Coupled Human and Natural Systems Model Framework Notes: This framework banks on the Institutional dimensions in foundation that humans and nature adaptation governance play a interact with one another, forming leading role in the transition from interdependent, integrated and planning to implementation of complex systems (Turner et al. 2003 adaptation. and Liu et al. 2007a in Carter et al. Proper management was identified 2014). research on climate change Three subsystems: Natural, Human adaptation. system, Interactions as the activities of human system Frameworks in the Natural Science This framework is applied in the context of IPCC integrated framework for promoting holistic and transdisciplinary considering anthropogenic climate change solutions for climate change mitigation, cause and effect relationship among adaptation and disaster risk management in socio-economic development, relation to sustainability. climate process drivers, climate change, and impacts and In pursuit of solutions, significant lessons vulnerability can be derived by looking at adaptive Climate Resilient Framework natural systems. o this framework is associated with - An ‘adaptive’ approach inspired development planning as it assess from nature could provide a adaptation goals and the framework for built environments in requirements to meet these goals the future. while considering stressors (climate and non-climate related) Social Theories Sustainable design framework and Coleman’s Boat Model biomimetic built environment - Reality is produced as a combination o the presented frameworks, built on of systemic (macro), organization the principles of the natural (meso), and individual factors sciences, are further developed (micro). Within the system there are within the framework of the social also dynamic interrelationships sciences to address the complex between these different levels.  Tolbert & Zucker’s Institutional Theory * borrows eclectically from other disciplines - This framework can be used in but is not bounded by any. That is why analyzing efforts to mainstream human ecology is often described as DRM and CCA efforts at various transdisciplinary. levels of governance. Disaster as Politics, Politics as Disaster Disasters are inherently political - They cause ruptures in human society that do no just alter values and norms but also the material infrastructure and other aspects of society. Disasters produce a particular type of politics which he calls as (cosmo)-politics which depicts human relationship with nature and technology as the social organizations are recomposed and altered following a catastrophe. Politics also produces disasters in the absence of preparedness, risk assessment and, in rare cases, extreme events are created for political ends. Human Ecological Lens - The value of human ecology is its ability Humanities in DRM to capture complexity by elevating Asks fundamental questions related to the discussions not just within the academic ethical and political complexity of these disciplines but also reaching out to other ecological issues such as the following: sources of knowledge such as community perspectives in co-producing 1. What is a solution? knowledge. 2. To whom are the solutions addressed? 3. Are the solutions always desirable? 4. What are the kinds of thinking that created climate change? Human Ecology as a transdisciplinary lens in analyzing climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction - Human Ecology refers to the field of Emic approach: Stakeholder’s definitions of study that investigates the organizational resilience during the pandemic “interrelationship between humans, Capturing complexity and multiple relationships their cultures, and their ecosystems”. among variables using the human ecological lens THE HYOGO FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION of powers and functions from the 2005-2015 (HFA) national government to the local - considered as the most important government. international document that focused on and created a public interest on The current DRM of the Philippines, on disaster risk reduction (Poterie and contrary, mandates the “use [of] all possible Baudoin, 2015). resources available at the local level before seeking assistance from external entities Five priorities for action that intended to and the central government” implement disaster risk reduction at multi-scale level – regional, national, and In 2010, R.A. 10121 presented a major local levels. legislative shift in DRM from passive to proactive responses and actions. 1. Ensure that disaster risk reduction Furthermore, the law stipulates that 5 becomes a national priority, and a strong institutional implementation percent of the calamity fund can be used base is established. for the pre-disaster phase including the 2. Identify, monitor, and assess the construction of infrastructure for flood respective disaster risk. 3. Support early warning. control, procurement of equipment and 4. Make sure of knowledge, innovation, supplies, training, research, policy and education to develop a culture development among others. of safety and resilience at all levels. 5. Reduce the risk factors that The law also stated that DRM now revolves determine disasters and strengthen around four thematic sectors: disaster risk reduction to enable effective response at all levels. SENDAI FRAMEWORK FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (SFDRR) Four priority actions: 1. Understand global risk. 2. Strengthen disaster governance to Tools and Methodologies in CCA and manage disaster risk. DRR 3. Invest in disaster risk reduction for * Philippines ranks 1st most natural resilience. hazard-prone country 4. Enhance disaster preparedness for effective response and to “build back What is climate change vulnerability better: in recovery, rehabilitation, and assessment (CCVA)? reconstruction. A tool which assesses the vulnerabilities of the locality to various climate- related The Philippine government has stimuli enacted several laws and institutions Qualitative in approach in order to to address disaster risk. The R.A. determine the level of vulnerability and 7160 (otherwise known as the the underlying factors contributing to Local Government Code [LGC]) vulnerability resulted in the substantial devolution Risk The probability of harmful consequences — casualties, damaged property, lost Index 2022 livelihoods, disrupted economic activity, and damage to the environment — resulting from interactions between natural or human-induced hazards and vulnerable conditions What is Disaster Risk Assessment (DRA)? Risk assessment is a process to determine the nature and extent of such risk, by analyzing hazards and evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability that together could potentially harm exposed people, property, services, livelihoods and the environment on which they depend What is Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA)? Integrate CCVA and DRA Determine potential impacts Identify decision areas Help formulate policy interventions and plans THE CDRA PROCESS -World Risk