ANNUAL REPORT 2013 SARAS INSTITUTE
Ruta 10 km 86, Parada 21 al fondo Bella Vista, Maldonado - Uruguay Email: [email protected] Website: www.saras-insitute.org ANNUAL REPORT 3
Institute & Foundation
The SARAS² Institute is a SARAS² Institute original idea emerged Gregory Randall and Omar Macadar joint initiative of Wageningen in Holland, a summer day of 2005. to engage into a collaborative process University (Netherlands), the At that time, the Institute’s goals and from the very beginning. University of Uruguay Republic preliminary structure were conceived (UdelaR, Uruguay), the Resilience and discussed by Marten Scheffer and During 2008 and 2009 the Institute Alliance, the Education and Néstor Mazzeo. entered into academic life through Culture Ministry of Uruguay the writing of scientific papers (Uruguay), and the Maldonado In January 2006 the first document and research projects, which Department(Uruguay). about mission, goals and structure were submitted to national and of the Institute was written with the international funding agencies. Some aid of Ruben Budelli. At this time, a approved projects enabled the Through the advisory board the meeting with Oscar de los Santos institute to put in place a Conference Institute has strong linkages – Major of Maldonado – helped to Cycle on relevant environmental with: the Beijer Institute of explore the feasibility of establishing topics for Latin America, held on a Ecological Economics (Sweden), the Institute at Maldonado County. yearly basis. This set of conferences the Stockholm Resilience Center The proposal was very well received started in 2010 and have continued (Sweden), the University of by local authorities and immediately since then: the first symposium in Wisconsin (USA), Arizona State a group was conformed (Jorge 2010 was on Sustainable Futures for University (USA), the University Hourcade, Ruben Budelli, Gabriel Hydric Resources in Latin America. of Waterloo (Canada), the Aintablian, Hugo Fort and Néstor Catholic University of Chile Mazzeo) to find the most appropriate In 2009 SARAS² received a substantial (CASEB, Chile), the Patagonic place to locate SARAS². financial support from the UdelaR, National Center CONICET the Ministry of Education and Culture (Argentina), the University of Since the summer of 2007, the SARAS² and, in 2011 also from the Maldonado Brasilia (Brazil), and the Doñana Advisory Board has been meeting in Department. These contributions have Biological Station-CSIC (Spain). Uruguay on a regular basis, to discuss been fundamental, and allowed to the strategy, agenda, goals and incorporate two members to the local actions. Simultaneously, the working team: Mariana Meerhoff and Nicolás team (Ruben Budelli, Hugo Fort, Marchand. Gabriel Aintablian and Néstor Mazzeo) contacted local authorities in the area Since 2009 several advances have of Science, Culture and Education: been made to consolidate the María Simón, Rodrigo Arocena, Institute facilities building process and
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the landscaping in the surrounding The Executive Committee is integrated area, as part of a joint effort with the by: Marten Scheffer, Osvaldo Sala, Architectural General Directorate Isabel Bortagaray, Ana Dubra, Néstor of UdelaR (Alvaro Cayón, Gonzalo Mazzeo, Mariana Meerhoff, Cecilia Lorenzo, Mariana Frances & Pedro Delgado, William Rodríguez, Mariella Berger) and the contribution of Amalia Busnadiego and Andrés Richero. Robledo, María Puppo and Carla Bruzzone on the landscape design. The Administrative Board of the SARAS² Foundation involves: Néstor As of July 2013, SARAS² turned into a Mazzeo (UdelaR representative), Omar Foundation, a milestone in the history Defeo (UdelaR representative), Osvaldo of the Institute. Currently, the financial Sala (Advisory Board representative), support mainly originates from the Mariana Meerhoff(Advisory Board Ministry of Education and Culture representative), Ricardo Pereira of Uruguay, the UdelaR and the (Maldonado representative), Virginia Maldonado Department. Fernández (MEC representative) and Matías Arim (Scientific members The advisory board is integrated by: representative). Marten Scheffer, Jordi Bascompte, Laurie Beth Clark, Steve Carpenter, Finally, the Fiscal Board of the SARAS² Omar Defeo, Carl Folke, Pablo Foundation involves: Lujan Criado Marquet, Osvaldo Sala, Ana Parma, (UdelaR representative), Gustavo Eduardo Viola, and Frances Westley. Morales (Udelar representative) and Julio Riella (Maldonado government representative).
Scientific activities
For the last four years there has been a round of four symposia.
2010 Continental aquatic resources 2011 Artisanal fisheries 2012 Transitions in terrestrial ecosystems 2013 Education for uncertainty
In the context of a series of thematic years triggered by the UdelaR (Espacio Interdisciplinario Program), the thematic year 2013 was connected to SARAS² and was about the emerging properties of the interactions between social and ecological systems. ANNUAL REPORT 5
Networks
SARAS can be considered a net of networks. The networks are organized about specific topics independently of the disciplinary background of the researchers.
Early warning signals Current and future climate Adaptive management of the variability and the relationship with Laguna del Sauce (Maldonado- the Uruguayan productive sectors Uruguay) basin
This network is aimed at developing This network is oriented to analyze methods and frameworks to identify the current and future scenario of The goal of this network is to early warning signals that could climate variability and the relationship develop and promote a set of anticipate radical changes or critical with the key productive sectors of adaptive strategies that enable the transitions. Uruguay. sustainability of the critical ecosystem services for the human wellbeing.
Scientific papers
2009 2012 2012 Early-warning signals for critical Environmental warming in shallow Biomanipulation as a restoration transitions. lakes: a review of potential tool to combat eutrophication: Nature 416(3)53-59. changes in community structure recent advances and future as evidenced from space-for-time challenges. Marten Scheffer, Jordi Bascompte, William A. substitution approaches. Advances in Ecological Research Brock, Victor Brovkin, Stephen R. Carpenter, Advances in Ecological Research 47: 411-488. Vasilis Dakos, Hermann Held, Egbert H. van 46: 259-349. Nes, Max Rietkerk & George Sugihara. Erik Jeppesen, Martin Søndergaard, Mariana Meerhoff, Franco Teixeira-de Mello, Torben L. Lauridsen, Thomas A. Davidson, 2012 Carla Kruk, Cecilia Alonso, Iván González- Zhengwen Liu, Néstor Mazzeo, Carolina Anticipating Critical Transitions. Bergonzoni, Juan Pablo Pacheco, Gissell Trochine, Korhan Özkan, Henning S. Jensen, Science 338: 344:348. Lacerot, Matías Arim, Meryem Beklioğlu, Dennis Trolle, Fernando Starling, Xavier Sandra Brucet, Guillermo Goyenola, Carlos Lazzaro, Liselotte S. Johansson, Rikke Marten Scheffer, Stephen R. Iglesias, Néstor Mazzeo, Sarian Kosten & Bjerring, Lone Liboriussen, Søren E. Larsen, Carpenter,Timothy M. Lenton, Jordi Erik Jeppesen. Frank Landkildehus, Sara Egemose, & Bascompte, William Brock, Vasilis Dakos, Mariana Meerhoff. Johan van de Koppel, Ingrid A. van de Leemput, Simon A. Levin, Egbert H. van Nes, Mercedes Pascual & John Vandermeer.
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Training programs and postgraduate
Postgraduate courses Technology Transfer Center Climate Change and Decision Water-city. Postgraduate course about Making, UNESCO-AVINA urban planning and conservation of crucial aquatic ecosystem services. In October 2013, the Climate Change 2012-2014. Coordinate by Arq. and Decision Making Regional Center Adriana Piperno and Dr. Néstor was launched. The center was created Mazzeo. by UNESCO, the AVINA Foundation and a network of universities and Synthetic networks. The integrated institutions of the South America management of the basin through countries. Its main objective is to synthetic fluvial networks. 2013. Prof. integrate the complexity, risks and Dr. Jose Barquín, Cantabria University, opportunities of climate change in Spain. The course is oriented to the decision-making processes of analyze the current state of the art public and private sectors in the in terms of management, planning, region. In this context, it will promote conservation and restoration of fluvial opportunities for exchange and ecosystems. discussion among leaders from various sectors who will share their PhD thesis experience, making the link with international leaders at the highest Rafael Bernardi. 2012-2015. level of the scientific, political and Grassland-forest transitions in entrepreneur and exchange learning subtropical South America. Supervised experiences in order to integrate by: Dr. Milena Holmgren, Dr. Marten climate change challenges in the Scheffer and Dr. Matías Arim. daily management of their strategies and institutions. SARAS² was actively Postdocs involved in the launching of the center. Carolina Crisci. 2012-2013. Implications of climatic variability on water quality of Laguna del Sauce. Supervised by: Dr. Rafael Terra & Dr. Néstor Mazzeo. ANNUAL REPORT 7
Outreach
The SARAS² Institute is frequently In the last few years a comprehensive Currently, members of the Institute asked to participate in the study study of problems related to drinking are working on Agriculture Adaptation of relevant issues related to socio- water supply, the management of to Climatic Change (supported by ecological systems management, this resource and the land use took MGAP-FAO) in conjunction with which is particularly conspicuous place at Laguna del Sauce and the scientists from CURE-UdelaR (Hugo in Uruguay (at local and national watershed associated. The main Inda, Laura del Puerto, Carolina levels). Some of the researches results of this project were exposed Crisci), the Engineering Faculty-UdelaR had been selected because they last year and can be accessed in pdf in (Rafael Terra), Meteorological National are representative of Institute’s the following link: Division (Mario Bidegain) and the main research topics. Humanities and Education Sciences- UdelaR (Javier Taks). The main contribution can be download from:
http://saras-institute.org/publications/ http://issuu.com/institutosaras/docs/fao laguna-del-sauce/
Publications
Mario Bidegain, Carolina Crisci, Laura Néstor Mazzeo, Hugo Inda, Javier Taks, del Puerto, Hugo Inda, Néstor Mazzeo, Rafael Terra, Mario Bidegain,Carolina Javier Taks & Rafael Terra. 2013. Crisci and Isabel Bortagaray. Variabilidad climática de importancia 2013. Capacidad de adaptación para el sector productivo. In: Clima y transformación en un clima de de cambios, nuevos desafíos de cambios. In: Clima de cambios, nuevos adaptación en Uruguay, Walter desafíos de adaptación en Uruguay, Oyhantcabal, Diego Sancho and Walter Oyhantcabal, Diego Sancho Malvina Galván (eds.). Chapter 2: 43- and Malvina Galvan (eds.). Chapter 6: 99, FAO 2013. 273-284, FAO 2013.
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Future projects
Bilateral Scientific crucial ecosystem services for Cooperation with Brazil human well being (at regional and global scales). The evolution of the The proposal is about developing a human development needs and Brazil-Uruguay working platform in those of environmental systems is the area of climate-land use changes unpredictable. South America faces and resilience, and the related significant environmental and social societal dynamics. The main goal is constraints, which present great to develop an area of academic and challenges and potentially significant policy-oriented research around the opportunities as well following three themes: Anticipating critical transitions in • Futures of South America: socio-ecological systems Scenario planning in climate-land use changes and sustainability The early warning signals system • Anticipating critical transitions in is aimed at anticipating critical socio-ecological systems transitions that occasionally reshape • The societal dynamics and complex systems in nature. A close governance of environmental monitoring of early warning signals research and policy for such transitions is key, not only for advancing our understanding of the Futures of South America: Scenario dynamics of environmental change, planning in climate-land use changes but also for anticipating and designing and sustainability decisions that impact societies on a wide range of dimensions. These This line of action-research proposes dynamics have been mainly thought in to analyze the alternative pathways the context of ecosystems. However, for South America and provide it is necessary to take this reflection research and policy insights to further, and integrate the analysis navigate the complex, uncertain regarding the social systems in present and futures through scenario general. To meet both the challenges thinking. South America faces many and the opportunities will require a crucial and critical social, political new approach to problem solving. and environmental challenges. The In this world marked by surprise, rising demands for food, water, the only evidence of emergent housing and development must be patterns comes in the form of weak balanced with the need to preserve but persistent early warning signs. ANNUAL REPORT 9
Therefore, there is a need to build enhances the capacity of ecosystems • To design and monitoring system decision-making capacity that includes and the quality of human life. There with key patterns in terms of the ability to identify and respond to is a need to find processes that resilience to establish in the short these emergent patterns. There is a support whole system transformation. term. need to harness the different types These new processes must engage • To asses the adaptation and of human potential, skill and creativity government, civil society, and the transformation capacity of the to collectively tip the interconnected private sector to devise solutions to cattle system in the specific region. ecological, social, political and complex and intractable problems. economic systems towards greater Rural landscape planning sustainability and resilience. Building resilience capacity in and ecosystem services vulnerable agroecosystems conservation The societal dynamics and governance to current and future of environmental research and policy climatic variability (Sierra del SARAS² are working together with Este and Basalto-Uruguay). the Maldonado authorities, DINOT The world is rapidly changing, and Ministry of Agriculture, Cattle (National Division of Land Planning complexity and uncertainty define a and Fisheries of Uruguay. of Uruguay) and Laguna del Sauce good part of the new problems that 2014. Basin Committee about possible societies face in the economic, social, strategies of rural planning in order to and environmental spheres. Research The main idea is to identify a set of preserve relevant ecosystem services and policy are required to provide key drivers that condition the cattle (mainly drinking water supply). The (anticipated) insights and solutions vulnerability in some specific regions main idea is to develop an adaptive to the emerging problems, which with high vulnerability to dry periods management approach, probably the are increasingly more complex and (Sierras del Este and Basalto). The first example in rural land planning of crosscut by high doses of uncertainty. drivers involve different types of Uruguay. (sub)systems: climate (frequency The need to rely on new research and drought intensity), social (land Regional center of river solutions and policy interventions property, associativity, etc.) and basin planning and water calls for new methodological and economic (credit access, among management analytical frameworks that account for others). More in detail, the project the complexity and interdisciplinarity seeks: Cantabria University (Spain), the of the emerging problems. It is International Hydrologic Program of necessary to better understand the • To define the set of indicators United Nations and SARAS² started to societal and environmental dynamics in the functioning of the overall develop a possible regional program in a systemic way, and reflect on the system that allows to trace of knowledge exchanges between types, modalities, and functioning of the temporal evolution of the universities and water authorities from institutions and governance structures resilience capabilities both at the South American countries, Spain and required to act and react in a way that regional and farm levels. Portugal.
saras-institute.org Ruta 10 km 86, Parada 21 al fondo Bella Vista, Maldonado - Uruguay Email: [email protected] Website: www.saras-insitute.org