| Variable Type | Ordinal |
|---|---|
| Variable Component Type | Actor |
| Variable Kind | Interaction |
| Theme | Outcomes (learn about themes) |
| Projects | SESMAD |
| Question | How would you rate the adaptive capacity of this actor group with respect to large changes in the availability or concentration of the commons they rely on in this snapshot? |
| Select Options | 1 High, 2 Medium, 3 Low |
| Unit | |
| Role | CommonsUser |
| Importance | Adaptive capacity is an important social outcome that reflect the ability of different groups to respond to a variety of disturbances. Without such capacities, many groups will be unable to persist over time. |
| Definition | Adaptive capacity is an extremely complicated concept, and has been discussed in many different contexts (see Smit and Wandel 2006 for the most popular discussion). In one way or another, however, it boils down to the ability of an actor group to adapt to changing circumstances or disturbances. As the adaptive capacity of an actor group may be different depending on what type of discurbance is being considered, we specify in this variable that the disturbance in question is a large fluctiation in the availability (in terms of natural resources) or concentration (in terms of pollutants) of the commons they rely on within an interaction, and/or the stream of benefits associated with their use of this commons. High adaptive capacity means that an actor group would have little to no problem maintaining its well-being and important economic goals in the face of a large fluctuation. Medium adaptive capacity means that an actor group would find it challenging to maintain its well-being and important economic goals in the face of a large fluctuation, but ultimately would be able to persist with more or less the same set of strategies. Low adaptive capacity means that an actor group would find it highly difficult to almost impossible to maintain its well-being and important economic goals in the face of a large fluctuation. |
| Sectors |
Theory Usages
| Theory | Value Used |
|---|---|
| Feedbacks and general resilience | High |
| Social diversity and general resilience | High |
| Conditions for general resilience | Medium or High |
| Social memory and general resilience | Medium or High |
| Gilded traps | Low |
| Polycentric comanagement | High |
| Transhumance | Increased |
Associated Studies
| Study Citation |
|---|
Smit, Barry, and Johanna Wandel. 2006. “Adaptation, Adaptive Capacity and Vulnerability.” Global Environmental Change 16 (3): 282–292. |
Case Usages
| Case | Interaction Type | Component | Value Used | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park | Governance | GBR recreational fishers | Not Applicable | |
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park | Governance | GBR commercial fishers | Medium (2) | |
| Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) | Governance | Galapagos Artisan Fishermen | Fishermen have successfully moved out of the fishing sector into tourism | |
| Macquarie Island Marine Park | Governance | Australian Toothfish Fishers | Medium (2) | Groups could turn to other stocks of fish and toothfish. |
| Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) | Governance | Galapagos Tourism Sector | ||
| Wakatobi National Park | Governance | Wakatobi Bajau fishers | Bajau can migrate to pelagic system, and some evidence of migration to cities, but ultimately hugely dependent on marine resources and would have very few other options in response to large fluctuations within the system. | |
| Wakatobi National Park | Governance | Wakatobi Bajau fishers | Bajau are heavily depdnent on marine resources, but not green turtles. Bajau can migrate to pelagic system, and some evidence of migration to cities, but ultimately they would have very few other options in response to large fluctuations within the system | |
| Wakatobi National Park | Governance | Wakatobi Bajau fishers | Bajau can migrate to pelagic system, and some evidence of migration to cities, but ultimately hugely dependent on coral reef system, and would have very few other options in response to large fluctuations within the system. | |
| Central California National Marine Sanctuaries | Governance | California Sanctuary Recreational Users | ||
| Central California National Marine Sanctuaries | Governance | California Academic Researchers | Researchers adapt projects according to fluctuations. | |
| Central California National Marine Sanctuaries | Governance | California Academic Researchers | Researchers adapt projects according to fluctuations. | |
| Raja Ampat (National Act No. 32 2004) | Governance | Raja Ampat Artisanal Fishers | Low (3) | Not solely dependent on the coral-reef ecosystem as they also farm, but because they are dependent on the reef system for subsistence, large changes would be likely to have a significant negative impact |
| Raja Ampat (National Act No. 32 2004) | Governance | Raja Ampat Tourism | ||
| Raja Ampat (National Act No. 32 2004) | Governance | Raja Ampat Artisanal Fishers | High (1) | Turtles are now not a major species and pigs have been introduced as an alternative communal meat source |
| Raja Ampat (National Act No. 32 2004) | Governance | Raja Ampat Artisanal Fishers | ||
| Svalbard Nature Reserves | Governance | Svalbard Tourism | Medium (2) | The Polar Bear is one of many species that tourists are interested in viewing. However, if the polar bear declines rapidly, likely many other species are in trouble as well. |
| Central California National Marine Sanctuaries | Governance | California Groundfish Fishermen | Fishermen can access other fisheries, but doing so takes financial support to buy new permits and gear, and often times has substantial relocation costs. | |
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park | Governance | GBR recreational fishers | High (1) | High education, resources and agency |
| Great Australian Bight Marine Park (GABMP) (Commonwealth Waters) | Governance | GABMP (Commonwealth Waters) Commercial Fishers | Groups could turn to target other fish stocks. The SBT has already undergone a large decline and the industry remains largely unaffected. | |
| Svalbard Nature Reserves | Governance | Svalbard Shrimp Fishers | Medium (2) | Norway accounts for 75-92% of the landings, so not as important to other states. |
| Great Australian Bight Marine Park (GABMP) (Commonwealth Waters) | Governance | GABMP (Commonwealth Waters) Commercial Fishers | Not Applicable | |
| Macquarie Island Marine Park | Governance | Australian Toothfish Fishers | Not Applicable | |
| Heard and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve | Governance | Australian Toothfish Fishers | Not Applicable | |
| Heard and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve | Governance | Australian Toothfish Fishers | Medium (2) | Fishers could instead fish other species or other stocks of toothfish. |
| Great Australian Bight Marine Park (GABMP) (Commonwealth Waters) | Governance | GABMP (Commonwealth Waters) Commercial Fishers | Groups could turn to target other fish stocks. The SBT has already undergone a large decline and the industry remains largely unaffected. | |
| Svalbard Nature Reserves | Governance | Svalbard Tourism | High (1) | Not soley dependent on kittiwakes |
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park | Governance | GBR commercial fishers | Medium (2) | |
| Seaflower MPA | Governance | Seaflower artisanal fishers | Not Applicable | |
| Seaflower MPA | Governance | Seaflower artisanal fishers | Missing | NO DATA |
| Cenderwasih National Park | Governance | Cenderwasih fishers | Medium (2) | Due to high dependence on land based farming assume adaptive capacity is higher than for those soley dependent on marine resources, but as fish are used for subsistence assume any changes would have a negative impact. |
| Cenderwasih National Park | Governance | Cenderwasih fishers | Medium (2) | Due to high dependence on land based farming assume adaptive capacity is higher than for those soley dependent on marine resources, but as fish are used for subsistence assume any changes would have a negative impact. |
| Falkland Islands squid | Governance | Patagonian Squid Trawlers | High (1) | Fishermen were able to make changes (points system, ITQ) to ensure economic profit in bad times. System keeps changing with same fundamental structures. Lower since rely primarily on two species. |
| New Zealand squid | Governance | New Zealand Arrow Squid Fishers | High (1) | Not very sensitive, high learning and collective action, yes exposed but not frequently subject to busts. |
| California squid | Governance | California market squid fishermen | High (1) | Well prepared, strong network, flexible options. |
| Pond aquaculture on Lombok, Indonesia | Governance | Lombok aquaculture farmers | Missing | |
| Pond aquaculture on Lombok, Indonesia | Governance | Lombok aquaculture farmers | ||
| Caete-Teperacu Extractive Reserve (RESEX) in Braganca, Brazil | Governance | Association of Users in the Caete-Teperacu RESEX (ASSUREMACATA) in Brazil | Low (3) | |
| Gili Trawangan Coastal Tourism | Governance | SCUBA diving businesses on Gili Trawangan | Missing | |
| Gili Trawangan Coastal Tourism | Governance | Gili Indah Dive Association (GIDA) | Missing | |
| Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica fisheries governance | Governance | Isla Caballo AMPR Costa Rica | Missing | |
| Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica fisheries governance | Governance | Palito-Montero AMPR Costa Rica | Missing | |
| Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica fisheries governance | Governance | Paquera-Tambor AMPR Costa Rica | Missing |