ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to embed biological diversity in complex adaptive systems and to explore some elements of emerging understandings of the nature of complex adaptive systems. It focuses on the pluralistic aspects of these systems and attempts to identify key elements for building robust and resilient management systems. The chapter looks at emerging approaches for undertaking adaptive management in pluralistic settings. Adaptation is the processing of feedback, the changing of internal models so that they correspond more closely with experience. If the ecosystems and social systems themselves are truly dynamic and adaptive, then effective management must be similarly so. Pluralism promotes redundancy, self-correction, and learning — aspects that are a key to any attempt to manage adaptively for biodiversity conservation. The nature of complex adaptive systems indicates that approaches are needed that are interactive and iterative and recognize the need to pass through a variety of stages and phases.
