Paleolimnological studies improve socio-ecological risk assessments: a tale of two lagoons

CONDE DANIEL; SEITZ CARINA; GERARDO M.E. PERILLO; MARIA I. VÉLEZ; JAMES A. RUSAK; LOYOLA JUAN PABLO; RODRIGUEZ-GARCIA FELIPE; HARMON THOMAS; ESCOBAR JARAMILLO JAIME H

Victoria

Encuentro; ASLO 2018 Summer Meeting; 2018

ASLO

Paleo-environmental reconstructions can generate valuable time series of variables that represent proxies for important ecosystem functions. Such studies include a wide variety of possible fossil records and techniques to generate the unique historical perspective that comes with a long-term understanding of system dynamics. Paleolimnological studies are particularly well-suited to provide a watershed-level understanding of long-term dynamics, thus generating insights on changes in ecosystem services which are often difficult to characterize but very important for maintaining the long-term persistence and resilience of socio-ecological systems. Risk assessment techniques are increasingly being used to operationalize management decisions that incorporate ecosystem services in the decision-making process, but few social scientists or managers are aware of the benefits of incorporating paleolimnology as part of this process. Using sediment-based reconstructions from two coastal lagoons, one in Uruguay and the other in Colombia, we highlight how paleolimnology can qualitatively and quantitatively improve the application of a risk assessment framework to the management of complex socio-ecological systems.