Understanding the social-ecological system of wetlands

The concept of social-ecological system is receiving increasing recognition from the scientific community as a tool for analysing complex phenomena. The wetlands’ social-ecological systems provide valuable economic, social and environmental benefits to society. However, disturbances in wetland system due to human intervention have already led some of the wetlands’ social-ecological system towards the tipping point. Furthermore, in the context of the projected impacts of environmental and climate change, organisms inhabiting and dependent on wetlands, which are at the centre of the social-ecological system, are likely to require greater resilience and innovative coping strategies. The present chapter introduces the concepts of the social-ecological system using real-world case studies from the coastal Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta in Bangladesh in order to facilitate understanding of social-ecological system as well as interactions between ecological factors and human wellbeing. The chapter also discusses the critical issues of managing social-ecological system in order to support sustainable ecosystem management