Conceptualizing resilience in temporary wetlands

Abstract

Resilience research is gaining center stage at a time when fast social–ecological changes impose serious sustainability challenges to human societies and ecosystems. This paper conceptualizes resilience in temporary wetlands. A model is presented that demonstrates adaptive capacity, recovery, thresholds, regime shifts, and alternative regimes concepts, exemplified using wildland fires and their mitigation. The paper concludes with an examination of management challenges. Creating self-organizing temporary wetland landscapes similar to those existing prior to degradation may be elusive. Social–ecological tradeoffs may limit restoration and conservation.