This website is a repository of training resources on SES methods

including overviews of key methods, case studies and exercises

SES FOUNDATIONS

SES methods

SES datasets

Collaborators

Research Centres

Resources available

About this website

This website is a companion and additional resource to The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods for Social-Ecological Systems, which aims to provide a synthetic guide to the range of methods that can be employed in social-ecological systems (SES) research.

This website is primarily targeted at graduate students, lecturers and researchers working on SES, and aims to be accessible to users entering the field from a variety of different disciplinary backgrounds. This website aims to provide accessible content on commonly-used SES methods, generated by experts in the field.

This website is grouped into three sections:

1. The SES Foundations page provides a number of videos which give a brief orientation to the SES research field

2. The SES Methods homepage, where the bulk of this website’s content is located, provides 28 different pages, each focussing in on a particular method; and

3. The SES datasets page provides some commonly-used datsets relevant to SES research.

We have also set up a Slack channel to facilitate ongoing methods conversations. Please feel free to join!

How to use this website

If you are new to SES research, or would like to explore resources about the nature of SES and key concepts in this field, you may want to start on the SES Foundations page. This page presents four videos which introduce the conceptual underpinnings of SES research, and also provide an introduction to the common elements and problems of conducting this research in practice. 

The main resources of this website are found on the SES Methods homepage, which presents 28 methods pages. Each methods page provides an overview of the methods/group of methods, and also presents more detailed summaries of particular methods, case studies demonstrating their practical implementation, teaching activities, and tips and tricks for implementing particular methods. A list of key publications is also provided on each page. Topics covered include discussions of the types of SES questions to which particular methods are suited, the potential resources and skills required for their implementation, and common outcomes or problems with the methods.

We also provide a list of SES Datasets, which are globally relevant to those working in this field.

The interactive table below provides a guide to the range of methods on this website, including their key characteristics, and a link to the relevant set of resources. More information about these tables can be found here.

How to use this chart:

1. Click on the arrows in the column headings to sort the table
2. ⁠Click on the row headings to see the relevant method summaries
SES compo-nents and linkagesDiversitySE depen-dence and impactPower relationsMultiple scales or cross-level interact.SE interact. over timePath depen-dencyAdaptation and self-organis.Regime shiftsTransformSocial LearningCollect. action and collab. govern.Evaluating policy optionsExploring uncertainty
System ScopingSub methods:
Social-ecological inventories,
Stakeholder analysis,
Historical,
social and ecological inventories,
Cultural domain analysis,
Contextual profiling,
Policy scoping,
Literature reviews
1010
1010




1010
Ecological Field Data CollectionSub Methods:
Point counts
Survey grids
Transects
Distance and plotless sampling
Quadrats
Capture and mark-recapture
Abiotic environmental sampling
Core sampling
Telemetry
Isotope analysis
Genetic analysis
111110
Interviews and SurveysSub methods:
In-depth interviews,
Key informant interviews,
Life histories,
Focus group discussions,
Reflective questioning,
Conversations and dialogues,
Arts-based interview methods
12121111
Participatory Data CollectionSubmethods:
Participatory mapping,
Photovoice,
Transect walks,
Ranking exercises,
Focus group discussions,
Venn diagrams,
Matrix scoring,
Ecograms,
Timelines,
Q-methodology,
Community mapping,
Participatory videography,
Photo elicitation,
Seasonal calendars,
Participatory action research,
Participatory rural appraisal,
Participant observation,
Arts-based participatory methods
13
1212





11
Facilitated DialoguesSub methods:
Appreciative enquiry,
Change labs,
Social innovation labs,
the Circle,
Theory U,
T-Labs,
Scenarios,
World cafés,
Learning journeys,
Listening projects,
Dialogue interviewing
1413
131110


101211
10
Futures AnalysisSub methods:
Scenarios,
Participatory scenario planning,
Futures wheels,
Three horizons framework,
Design/experiential futures,
Horizon scanning,
Delphi,
Trend impact analysis,
Emerging issues analysis,
Causal layered analysis,
Appreciative inquiry,
Gaming,
Future workshops,
Visioning,
Back-casting,
Road-mapping


1314
1110

1113

11
Scenario DevelopmentSub methods:
Double uncertainty matrix,
Mānoa,
Scenario archetypes,
La Prospective,
Causal layered analysis


14

1211

1214
1012
Serious GamesSub methods:
Role-playing games,
Policy exercises,
Business games









13151211
Participatory ModellingSub methods:
System dynamics models,
Agent-based models,
Role-playing games,
Expert models,
State-and-transition models,
Soft system methodologies,
Collaborative modelling,
Companion modelling,
Participatory system analysis

1415






161312
Resilience AssessmentSub methods:
Wayfinder,
RAPTA,
Resilience Assessment Workbook for Practitioners 2.0,
STRESS,
Operationalising systemic resilience
15


12

1010141714
13
Action ResearchSub methods:
Narrative inquiry,
Learning history,
Cooperative inquiry

15
15




1518151314
Expert ModellingSub methods:
Bayesian networks,
Fuzzy cognitive maps
16
16
13


11


1415
Data Mining and Pattern RecognitionSub methods:
Data wrangling,
Clustering analysis,
Regression trees,
Neural networks,
Sentiment analysis,
Topic models
1716





12
Statistical AnalysisSub methods:
Descriptive statistics,
Regression models,
Multivariate regression analysis,
Group comparison,
Clustering and non-metric dimensional scaling,
Principal component analysis
181717




13



16
Qualitative Content AnalysisSub methods:
Discourse analysis,
Critical discourse analysis,
Thematic analysis,
Narrative analysis,
Critical narrative analysis,
Interpretative phenomenological analysis
19

16




16

15
Comparative Case Study AnalysisSub methods:
Variable-oriented analysis,
Formal concept analysis,
Qualitative comparative analysis









17
16
Controlled Behavioural ExperimentsSub methods:
Common-pool resource games,
Public good games





13
11


17
Institutional AnalysisSub methods:
Lab and field experiments,
Models/agent-based models,
Large-n analysis
20









18
Network AnalysisSub methods:
Network analysis metrics
21

17






19
Spatial Mapping and AnalysisSub methods:
Geography,
Landscape ecology,
Remote sensing,
Statistics,
Land surveying
2218


14

14
Historical AssessmentSub methods:
Sediment cores,
Archaeological/zooarchaeological materials,
Dendrochronology/sclerochronology,
Land surveys,
Historical aerial photography,
Satellite remote sensing,
Documentary sources,
Governmental data,
Oral histories





15
1215
Dynamical Systems ModellingSub methods:
Causal loop diagrams,
Loop analysis,
Qualitative analysis of differential equations,
Numerical simulation of dynamical systems
23
18

1612
16


16
State and Transition ModellingSub methods:
Conceptual STMs,
Spatial and non-spatial state-and-transition simulation models,
Process-based STMs,
Ecosystem service-based STMs








17
19
17
Agent-Based ModellingSub methods:
Agent-based models,
Policy assessment,
Assessment of response of SES to environmental or social change
2419

14171313



1817
Decision Analysis on OptimisationSub methods:
Mathematical programming,
Optimal control theory,
Game theory,
Decision theory,
Cost-benefit analysis,
Multiple-criteria decision analysis
25
19








19
Flow and Impact AnalysisSub methods:
Physical trade flows,
Multi-regional input-output,
Environmentally extended multi-regional input-output,
Environmental footprints,
Life Cycle Assessment,
Energy return on investment,
Multi-scale integrated analysis of societal and ecosystem metabolism,
Global commodity chain analysis


20
1518





20
Ecosystem Service ModellingSub methods:
Decision-support modelling packages,
Artificial intelligence for ecosystem services,
Co$ting Nature/Waterworld,
Integrated assessment models,
General equilibrium models,
Lund–Potsdam–Jena Dynamic Global Vegetation Model,
Life Cycle Assessment models
26
21








21
Livelihood and Vulnerability AnalysisSub methods:
Sustainable livelihood analysis,
Vulnerability assessment

2022



14



22

How to use this website

If you are new to SES research, or would like to explore resources about the nature of SES and key concepts in this field, you may want to start on the SES Foundations page. This page presents four key videos which introduce the conceptual underpinnings of SES research, and also provide an introduction to the common elements and problems of conducting this research in practice. Other foundational resources and links can be found here as well.

The main resources of this website are found on the SES Methods homepage, which presents 28 methods pages. Each methods page provides an overview of the methods/group of methods, and also presents more detailed summaries of particular methods, case studies demonstrating their practical implementation, teaching activities, and tips and tricks for implementing particular methods. Topics covered include discussions of the types of SES questions to which particular methods are suited, the potential resources and skills required for their implementation, and common outcomes or problems with the methods. A list of key publications is also provided on each page. 

Finally, we provide a list of SES Datasets, which are globally relevant to those working in this field.  

SES METHODS
SES DATASETS

Become a collaborator

How to contribute

This website is envisioned as a “commons”, where anyone who is working with SES methods can contribute towards creating an open-source repository of information. We have begun this journey, by creating a selection of videos and other resources, but welcome any other contributions. We have aimed to make contributing easy for everyone, with templates and instructions available to guide you through each step. Please visit our CONTRIBUTE page for more information about how to share content. You will be credited for all your work. 

There is also information and guides on how to run your own SES methods “hackathon”. This format gets people together in a lively, collaborative setting to create content for the website, related to particular methods. Please see the Contribute page for more information about running a hackathon event at your institution. 

We thank you for your interest in helping to make SES methods accessible for all!

Learn More

How to contribute

This website is envisioned as a “commons”, where anyone who is working with SES methods can contribute towards creating an open-source repository of information. We have begun this journey, by creating a selection of videos and other resources, but welcome any other contributions. We have aimed to make contributing easy for everyone, with templates and instructions available to guide you through each step. Please visit our CONTRIBUTE page for more information about how to share content. You will be credited for all your work. 
There is also information and guides on how to run your own SES methods “hackathon”. This format gets people together in a lively, collaborative setting to create content for the website, related to particular methods. Please see the Contribute page for more information about running a hackathon event at your institution. 
We thank you for your interest in helping to make SES methods accessible for all!

Learn More

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