Sustainability of (Post-)Nomadic Resource Utilization Under Global Change - Conceptual Understanding Through Ecological-Economic Modelling

Programme

The project deals with (post-)nomadic resource utilization and its sustainability under Global Change. Starting from case studies it aims to (1) derive basic principles of sustainable resource utilization and (2) characterise appropriate designs fro resource access regimes as well as (formal and informal) systems for risk management by means of ecological-economic modelling.

The project includes case studies in two countries: The High Atlas and the Eastern Moroccan Plateau in Morocco and the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau in China. The research is carried out in close cooperation with Project A4.

Modelling is a suitable tool to analyse the dynamic behaviour of complex systems with respect to a specific question. This method is especially appropriate if hypotheses need to be tested or detailed knowledge is available, whose consequences on the overall system are difficult to assess because of possible feedback processes (in particular between ecological and socio-economic factors).

Publications

PD Dr. Karin Frank

Frank, K., Lorek, H., Köster, F., Sonnenschein, M., Wissel, C, and Grimm, V. (2003) META-X: Software for Metapopulation Viability Analysis. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg.

Frank, K., Baumgärtner, S., Becker, C., Müller, B., and Quaas, M. (2006). Ecological-economic models for sustainable grazing in semi-arid regions: between concepts and case studies. In: Leser, H. (ed.): The Changing Culture and Nature of Namibia: Case Studies. Publishing House Basler Afrika Bibliographien, Basel - Windhoek, 69 - 89.

Frank, K. (2005) Metapopulation persistence in heterogeneous landscapes: Lessons about the effect of stochasticity. The American Naturalist 165: 374-388.

Heinz, S.K., Wissel, C., and Frank, K. (2006) On the viability of metapopulations: individual dispersal behaviour matters. Landscape Ecology 21: 77-89.

Müller, B., Frank, K., and Wissel, C. (2007). Relevance of rest periods in non-equilibrium rangeland systems - a modelling analysis. Agricultural Systems 92: 295-317.

Müller, B., Linstädter, A., Frank, K., Bollig, M., and Wissel, C. (2007). Learning from local knowledge: modeling the pastoral-nomadic range management of the Himba, Namibia. Ecol. Appl. 17: 1857-1875.

Dr. Birgit Müller

Baumgärtner, S., Becker, C., Frank, K., Müller, B. & M.F Quaas (2008). Relating the philosophy and practice of ecological economics. The role of concepts, models and case studies in inter- and transdisciplinary sustainability research. UFZ Diskussionspapier 2/2008. pdf

Müller, B., Frank, K. & Wissel, C. (2007). Relevance of rest periods in non-equilibrium rangeland systems - a modelling analysis. Agricultural Systems 92: 295-317. doi

Müller, B., Linstädter, A., Frank, K., Bollig, M. & C. Wissel (2007). Learning from local ecological knowledge: modeling the pastoral-nomadic range management of the Himba, Namibia. Ecological Applications 17(7): 1857-1875. doi

Quaas, M., Baumgärtner, S., Becker, C., Frank, K. & Müller, B. (2007). Uncertainty and sustainability in the management of rangelands. Ecological Economics (62): 251-266. doi

Müller, B. (2006) Sustainable grazing management in semi-arid rangelands. An ecological-economic modelling approach. PhD Dissertation 02/2006, UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, ISSN 1860-0387. Summary / PDF (4.8MB)