From trade-offs to synergies in food security and biodiversity conservation
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In: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Vol. 15, No. 9, 11.2017, p. 489 - 494.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - From trade-offs to synergies in food security and biodiversity conservation
AU - Hanspach, Jan
AU - Abson, David J.
AU - Collier, Neil
AU - Dorresteijn, Ine
AU - Schultner, Jannik
AU - Fischer, Joern
PY - 2017/11
Y1 - 2017/11
N2 - Providing universal food security and conserving biodiversity are prominent challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. Typically, these challenges are believed to involve a trade-off, especially in farming landscapes of the Global South. We conducted a multivariate analysis of social-ecological data from 110 landscapes in the Global South, and found that different system characteristics lead to partly predictable outcomes, resulting either in trade-offs or, unexpectedly, in synergies (mutual benefits) between food security and biodiversity. Specifically, these synergies are fostered by social equity, by reliable access to local land, and by increasing social capital (eg maintenance of traditions) and human capital (eg health). In contrast, we also found high degrees of food security in landscapes with adequate infrastructure, market access, and financial capital, but this increased security came at the expense of biodiversity. Our findings demonstrate that a social-ecological systems perspective can help to identify previously unrecognized synergies between food security and biodiversity conservation.
AB - Providing universal food security and conserving biodiversity are prominent challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. Typically, these challenges are believed to involve a trade-off, especially in farming landscapes of the Global South. We conducted a multivariate analysis of social-ecological data from 110 landscapes in the Global South, and found that different system characteristics lead to partly predictable outcomes, resulting either in trade-offs or, unexpectedly, in synergies (mutual benefits) between food security and biodiversity. Specifically, these synergies are fostered by social equity, by reliable access to local land, and by increasing social capital (eg maintenance of traditions) and human capital (eg health). In contrast, we also found high degrees of food security in landscapes with adequate infrastructure, market access, and financial capital, but this increased security came at the expense of biodiversity. Our findings demonstrate that a social-ecological systems perspective can help to identify previously unrecognized synergies between food security and biodiversity conservation.
KW - Sustainability Science
KW - AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION
KW - ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
KW - SUSTAINABILITY
KW - EQUITY
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85031330269&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/8537b230-92d1-31d3-936a-d3cdee8fd81b/
U2 - 10.1002/fee.1632
DO - 10.1002/fee.1632
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:85031330269
VL - 15
SP - 489
EP - 494
JO - Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
JF - Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
SN - 1540-9295
IS - 9
ER -