Addressing vital linkages between ecosystem services and human outcomes

People in the Paulshoek area are dependent on ecosystem services such as firewood, especially among the poorer households (Picture © Tessa Oliver) Livestock, mainly goats and sheep, are owned by half the households, contribute to household nutrition and play a role in supporting social networks and cultural identity (Picture © Tessa Oliver) Generations of inhabitants have learnt how to keep the pot boiling in the barren semi-desert of Namaqualand (Picture © Tessa Oliver)

- Dr Nicky Allsopp, Manager: SAEON Fynbos Node

SAEON has submitted the Paulshoek site in the Namaqualand area of South Africa's Northern Cape Province to the "Integrative Science for Society and the Environment" (ISSE) initiative of the International Long Term Ecological Research (ILTER).

ILTER is a global network of research sites located in a wide array of ecosystems worldwide that can help understand environmental change across the globe.

This is the first network-level attempt by ILTER to address the linkages between ecosystem services and human outcomes and behaviour, and how they influence each other in biomes. The general objective of the study is to address to what extent cultural differences in the perception and use of ecosystem services constrain the resilience of socio-ecological systems.

Paulshoek is a small village in the commons of Leliefontein in the Kamiesberg. Livestock, mainly goats and sheep, are owned by half the households and are grazed on the semi-arid succulent karoo vegetation of the area. Livestock contribute to household nutrition, are an important investment or savings mechanism in this area, and play a role in supporting social networks and cultural identity.

In addition to the grazing resource, people in this area are dependent on other ecosystem services such as firewood, especially among the poorer households, water, arable land and building materials.

Wealth of socio-ecological research

Paulshoek is an ideal ISSE site because of the wealth of socio-ecological research that has been undertaken there over the last twelve years. This has resulted in several long-term studies and data sets such as plant phenology and livestock dynamics (Timm Hoffman at the University of Cape Town), impact of excluding livestock on vegetation (Nicky Allsopp and Lee Simons, formerly at the Agricultural Research Council, and SAEON Graduate Network Student, Dirk Snyman), monitoring vegetation composition (BIOTA).

A number of socio-ecological and socio-economic studies have charted among others, livestock management practices, natural resource use and household histories and livelihoods.

A more comprehensive article on Paulshoek will be published in a forthcoming issue of SAEON eNews.