Levels, Scales, Linkages, and Other 'Multiples' affecting Natural Resources

Abstract

"Natural resources are affected by several types of 'multiples.' Some analysts emphasize linkages across multiple scales while others focus on interactions across multi-level institutions or multiple fields of action. Different ways of framing the 'multiples' associated with socio-ecological systems are important because they influence what analysts see--and do not see. Given the complexity of these systems, a narrow frame of analysis increases the risk that critical issues will be overlooked. Framing analysis in terms of 'multi-dimensional linkages'--including multiple scales, multi-level institutions, and other types of multiples--reduces that risk by directing attention to a broader range of factors, processes, and interactions."