Winter 2022 • Issue 12

Ecosystem Approach

Published February 2022

The Winter 2022 issue examines the ecosystem approach as a key framework for large lake management. It highlights the Great River Rapport, integrating Indigenous knowledge with data to assess St. Lawrence River health, and reviews how institutional arrangements within Great Lakes Areas of Concern adapt over time. Systems thinking guidance offers strategies for addressing complex environmental challenges, while other articles explore The Nature Conservancy’s strategic evolution and fisheries management dilemmas on Lake Victoria. Research briefs offer international context through case studies from the Baltic Sea, Sweden, and agricultural systems. Collective contributions underscore the importance of adaptive governance, stakeholder collaboration, and long-term sustainability in safeguarding freshwater resources for future generations.

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Features

The dilemma of the ecosystem approach on Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria's experience with Nile perch and cage aquaculture highlights the tension between ecosystem principles and the immediate economic needs of local communities.

Evolution of a conservation organization

The Nature Conservancy traces its evolution from a land trust to a global systems-based organization tackling climate change and biodiversity loss through science.

Stepping into systems thinking

Practical strategies for applying systems thinking to ecosystem management, from mapping feedback loops to broadening timelines and discovering your story.

Systems thinking and the ecosystem approach

Managing complex large lakes requires systems thinking to understand interactions, leverage points, and the human dimensions often ignored in reductionist approaches.

Evolving institutional arrangements for use of an ecosystem approach in restoring Great Lakes Areas of Concern

A study of 43 Areas of Concern shows how evolving institutional arrangements and nonprofit partnerships have driven successful restoration and economic revitalization.

The Great River Rapport

The Great River Rapport combines Indigenous Knowledge and scientific data to assess the health of the Upper St. Lawrence River in an accessible format.

Back to the future with the ecosystem approach

The ecosystem approach is more vital than ever to manage the Great Lakes against climate change, prompting a new global conference to accelerate action.

Departments

In Memoriam

William D. Taylor

William D. Taylor (1950–2022) was a pioneering limnologist whose research on phosphorus cycling and microzooplankton fundamentally advanced Great Lakes science.

Member Spotlight

Alana Tedeschi

Alana Tedeschi researches coastal and riverine systems, focusing on hydrological connectivity in wetlands and the impact of climate change on the Great Lakes.

Member Spotlight

Alicia Sendrowski

Alicia Sendrowski integrates science and communication to study phosphorus runoff in the Eastern Lake Erie Watershed and engage the public in remediation.

Member Spotlight

Jennifer Powell

Jennifer Powell studies the effects of hypoxia and temperature on Lake Chubsucker physiology to develop habitat models for climate adaptation.

Member Spotlight

Bill Henry

Bill Henry applies his expertise in food safety and automation to advocate for the Great Lakes, exploring microbial solutions to reduce agricultural runoff.

Research Brief

Exploring pluralism in ecosystem governance

A new special issue explores how integrating diverse knowledge systems, including Indigenous and scientific, is crucial for effective ecosystem governance and sustainability.

Research Brief

Reducing our agricultural footprint to preserve, protect, and restore the ecological health of the Great Lakes

An agrosystem approach inspired by UN Sustainable Development Goals offers a path to regenerative agriculture that reduces runoff and supports community well-being.

Research Brief

Participatory, holistic management of great lakes: Experiences from Lake Vättern, Sweden

Lake Vättern demonstrates how participatory, holistic management can successfully reverse eutrophication and sustain iconic fish species like Arctic char.

Research Brief

How an ecosystem approach can accelerate socio-ecological systems mapping and management of aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes

Mapping social-ecological systems reveals that effective invasive species management requires aligning human governance structures with ecological interdependencies.

Research Brief

A SWOT analysis of the ecosystem approach in the Baltic Sea region

A SWOT analysis reveals that while the ecosystem approach is simple to communicate, its implementation in the Baltic Sea suffers from unclear language and resource fragmentation.