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Torsten Krause

Torsten Krause

Senior Lecturer, Director of PhD Studies

Torsten Krause

In the blind-spot of governance – Stakeholder perceptions on seagrasses to guide the management of an important ecosystem services provider

Author

  • Ana Ruiz-Frau
  • Torsten Krause
  • Nuría Marbà

Summary, in English

Seagrass ecosystems have been identified as important marine ecosystem service (ES) providers, they contribute to coastal protection, fisheries provision and mitigate climate change among others. Yet, they are declining globally at alarming rates. While the ecological dimensions of this social-ecological system have been well studied, its associated social aspects remain largely unexplored. Here, we show how the analysis of stakeholders’ perceptions on seagrass ES, their drivers of change, links to wellbeing and governance structures can provide a path towards a more sustainable management. Stakeholders identified seagrass regulatory ES as crucial for the maintenance of social and economic wellbeing and the potential causes and consequences associated to seagrass decline. Power imbalances, an over-compartmentalized legislation and a generalized lack of awareness were highlighted as key aspects to redress in order to achieve a more just governance system. Stakeholders’ empirical evidence on the importance of particular ES and on negative drivers of change can also provide an understanding of areas where financial investment would gather wider public support and therefore be more successfully implemented. We showed how the different dimensions highlighted through stakeholders’ perspectives can contribute to the consecution of a more inclusive sustainable management, a crucial aspect in the maintenance of seagrass ecosystems.

Department/s

  • LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)

Publishing year

2019

Language

English

Pages

1081-1091

Publication/Series

Science of the Total Environment

Volume

688

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
  • Landscape Architecture

Keywords

  • Posidonia oceanica
  • Balearic Islands
  • Tourism
  • Governance
  • Social-ecological systems
  • Conservation
  • Scenarios

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1879-1026