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Strengthen causal models for better conservation outcomes for human well-being
BACKGROUND: Understanding how the conservation of nature can lead to improvement in human conditions is a research area with significant growth and attention. Progress towards effective conservation requires understanding mechanisms for achieving impact within complex social-ecological systems. Caus...
Autores principales: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
Public Library of Science
2020
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Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7083336/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32196534 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230495 |
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author | Cheng, Samantha H. McKinnon, Madeleine C. Masuda, Yuta J. Garside, Ruth Jones, Kelly W. Miller, Daniel C. Pullin, Andrew S. Sutherland, William J. Augustin, Caitlin Gill, David A. Wongbusarakum, Supin Wilkie, David |
author_facet | Cheng, Samantha H. McKinnon, Madeleine C. Masuda, Yuta J. Garside, Ruth Jones, Kelly W. Miller, Daniel C. Pullin, Andrew S. Sutherland, William J. Augustin, Caitlin Gill, David A. Wongbusarakum, Supin Wilkie, David |
author_sort | Cheng, Samantha H. |
collection | PubMed |
description | BACKGROUND: Understanding how the conservation of nature can lead to improvement in human conditions is a research area with significant growth and attention. Progress towards effective conservation requires understanding mechanisms for achieving impact within complex social-ecological systems. Causal models are useful tools for defining plausible pathways from conservation actions to impacts on nature and people. Evaluating the potential of different strategies for delivering co-benefits for nature and people will require the use and testing of clear causal models that explicitly define the logic and assumptions behind cause and effect relationships. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: In this study, we outline criteria for credible causal models and systematically evaluated their use in a broad base of literature (~1,000 peer-reviewed and grey literature articles from a published systematic evidence map) on links between nature-based conservation actions and human well-being impacts. RESULTS: Out of 1,027 publications identified, only ~20% of articles used any type of causal models to guide their work, and only 14 total articles fulfilled all criteria for credibility. Articles rarely tested the validity of models with empirical data. IMPLICATIONS: Not using causal models risks poorly defined strategies, misunderstanding of potential mechanisms for affecting change, inefficient use of resources, and focusing on implausible efforts for achieving sustainability. |
format | Online Article Text |
id | pubmed-7083336 |
institution | National Center for Biotechnology Information |
language | English |
publishDate | 2020 |
publisher | Public Library of Science |
record_format | MEDLINE/PubMed |
spelling | pubmed-70833362020-03-30 Strengthen causal models for better conservation outcomes for human well-being Cheng, Samantha H. McKinnon, Madeleine C. Masuda, Yuta J. Garside, Ruth Jones, Kelly W. Miller, Daniel C. Pullin, Andrew S. Sutherland, William J. Augustin, Caitlin Gill, David A. Wongbusarakum, Supin Wilkie, David PLoS One Research Article BACKGROUND: Understanding how the conservation of nature can lead to improvement in human conditions is a research area with significant growth and attention. Progress towards effective conservation requires understanding mechanisms for achieving impact within complex social-ecological systems. Causal models are useful tools for defining plausible pathways from conservation actions to impacts on nature and people. Evaluating the potential of different strategies for delivering co-benefits for nature and people will require the use and testing of clear causal models that explicitly define the logic and assumptions behind cause and effect relationships. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: In this study, we outline criteria for credible causal models and systematically evaluated their use in a broad base of literature (~1,000 peer-reviewed and grey literature articles from a published systematic evidence map) on links between nature-based conservation actions and human well-being impacts. RESULTS: Out of 1,027 publications identified, only ~20% of articles used any type of causal models to guide their work, and only 14 total articles fulfilled all criteria for credibility. Articles rarely tested the validity of models with empirical data. IMPLICATIONS: Not using causal models risks poorly defined strategies, misunderstanding of potential mechanisms for affecting change, inefficient use of resources, and focusing on implausible efforts for achieving sustainability. Public Library of Science 2020-03-20 /pmc/articles/PMC7083336/ /pubmed/32196534 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230495 Text en https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) public domain dedication. |
spellingShingle | Research Article Cheng, Samantha H. McKinnon, Madeleine C. Masuda, Yuta J. Garside, Ruth Jones, Kelly W. Miller, Daniel C. Pullin, Andrew S. Sutherland, William J. Augustin, Caitlin Gill, David A. Wongbusarakum, Supin Wilkie, David Strengthen causal models for better conservation outcomes for human well-being |
title | Strengthen causal models for better conservation outcomes for human well-being |
title_full | Strengthen causal models for better conservation outcomes for human well-being |
title_fullStr | Strengthen causal models for better conservation outcomes for human well-being |
title_full_unstemmed | Strengthen causal models for better conservation outcomes for human well-being |
title_short | Strengthen causal models for better conservation outcomes for human well-being |
title_sort | strengthen causal models for better conservation outcomes for human well-being |
topic | Research Article |
url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7083336/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32196534 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230495 |
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