ABSTRACT
Marine ecosystems around the world are facing increasing multiple natural and anthropogenic stressors associated with global change, which affect their ability to function and deliver services to humankind. Knowing how to respond to the local impacts of global change in a timely manner is occupying the attention of researchers, policy makers and decision makers around the world. Building infrastructure and adaptive capacity are usually part of the response program that is developed. However, what is missing is a tool for learning from experiences elsewhere and to enable decision makers to consider a range of responses to global change. To fill this gap, the IMBeR (Integrated Marine Biosphere Research) Human Dimensions Working Group developed a decision support framework, I-ADApT (IMBeR – Assessment based on Description, responses and Appraisal for a Typology). I-ADApT has been applied to a variety of case studies, covering a wide range of ecological and social systems around the world that have been challenged by critical global change issues. The objectives of this book are to introduce and use I-ADApT to (a) describe case studies of global changes to linked human and natural marine systems using a common template; (b) develop a typology of responses to global change; (c) use the typology to compare and synthesize cases studies, highlighting similarities and distinctions between successful and less successful responses; and (d) illustrate how this approach can be used to compare marine social-ecological resource crises to enable decision makers to identify potential solutions. This chapter introduces the background and context for this approach, the case studies and the typology which is used as the basis for the organization of this book.
