Cullen-Unsworth Leanne C, Nordlund Lina Mtwana, Paddock Jessica, Baker Susan, McKenzie Len J, Unsworth Richard K F
Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, 33 Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3BA, UK.
Western Indian Ocean - Community, Awareness, Research, and Environment (WIO CARE), P.O. Box 4199, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2014 Jun 30;83(2):387-97. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.06.001. Epub 2013 Jun 22.
Seagrass ecosystems are diminishing worldwide and repeated studies confirm a lack of appreciation for the value of these systems. In order to highlight their value we provide the first discussion of seagrass meadows as a coupled social-ecological system on a global scale. We consider the impact of a declining resource on people, including those for whom seagrass meadows are utilised for income generation and a source of food security through fisheries support. Case studies from across the globe are used to demonstrate the intricate relationship between seagrass meadows and people that highlight the multi-functional role of seagrasses in human wellbeing. While each case underscores unique issues, these examples simultaneously reveal social-ecological coupling that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. We conclude that understanding seagrass meadows as a coupled social-ecological system is crucial in carving pathways for social and ecological resilience in light of current patterns of local to global environmental change.
全球范围内，海草生态系统正在减少，反复的研究证实人们对这些系统的价值缺乏认识。为了凸显它们的价值，我们首次在全球范围内将海草草甸作为一个社会 - 生态耦合系统进行讨论。我们考虑资源减少对人类的影响，包括那些依靠海草草甸通过渔业支持来创收和保障粮食安全的人。来自全球各地的案例研究用于展示海草草甸与人类之间的复杂关系，突出海草在人类福祉中的多功能作用。虽然每个案例都强调了独特的问题，但这些例子同时揭示了超越文化和地理界限的社会 - 生态耦合。我们得出结论，鉴于当前从地方到全球的环境变化模式，将海草草甸理解为一个社会 - 生态耦合系统对于开辟社会和生态恢复力的途径至关重要。
