Towards a Social-Ecological-Entropy Perspective of Sustainable Exploitation of Natural Resources

An innovative and integrative modeling strategy for assessing the sustainability resilience of social-ecological systems (SES) is presented by introducing a entropy production (SEEP) method. In analogy to thermodynamic irreversible processes, we discuss theoretical model that relates energy information flow with cultural epistemological peculiarities different communities exploit same natural resource. One aspects our approach comes from fact assessed single parameter incorporating simulation outcomes all populations participating in dynamics, not only on fate This significant as far non-linearities introduced coupling dynamics considered may lead high sensitivity small perturbations. Specifically, assuming two possible types technical environmental knowledge-transfer methods [direct (D) phase-in (P)] within each one restore resource, generate four mathematical models explore long-term scenario due intervention, new community, an initially sustainable resource-community SES. By exploring space key parameters characterizing degree knowledge, well rates social inclusion knowledge transfer, simulations show that, 400 scenarios studied case, P-P predicts 100% cases use resource after intervention second community. The mixed P-D D-P predict about 29%, D-D 23% cases. Catastrophic are predicted at 71% scenarios, 77% extinction system exhaustion community scenario. this form, help policymakers find priori science-based criteria solve controversies arising interventions.