Transformational change has been observed in many regional scale resource systems. Ecological or environmental crises can trigger transformational change. A key question is why some crises trigger change and others do not.
Results/Conclusions
Retrospective examination of the histories of development in many regional scale resource systems (such as water or wildlife management) reveal alternating periods of stability and crises. While such rhythms of predictable and unpredictable change have been observed, our understanding of them is rudimentary. Perhaps one barrier to understanding is that different disciplines examine these patterns and issues in different ways. Interdisciplinary dialogues can help overcome obstacles, but require extended interactions and focused projects to overcome different theories, methods and modes of scholarship. Panarchy theory was derived and deepened from such interdisciplinary scholarship, involving natural and social sciences. One key piece of Panarchy theory posits that resource systems develop over time to become less resilient, more complex and rigid. Such rigidity, inflexibility and lack of adaptive capacity and adaptive governance characterizes many ongoing regional resource systems, such as the Everglades in Florida. Panarchy theory also suggests that system resilience is tested by disturbances or instabilities, when system controls shift. Such instabilities can be in the form of environmental crises (unforeseen ecosystem changes), or social crises (such as lawsuits, policy failures). Such instabilities provide the opportunity for system transformation. Yet one common puzzle is why some systems transform and others do not following instabilities. Some examples will be presented of transformational change in regional scale resource systems, highlighting the role of integrated assessments, embedded leadership, and the role of novelty in devising new management approaches or new institutional arrangements.