Concept maps for combining hard and soft system thinking in the management of socio-ecosystems

Despite the huge increase in the number of quantitative modeller studies undertaken, little attention in the literature has been given to the communication process among modellers, the researchers and local stakeholders. However, such communication is necessary to ensure that this research effort becomes a useful tool in the decision-making process. The work described here is based on the systems paradigm, and combines scientific environmental analysis and ecosystem modeller (the hard-system approach) with soft-system participatory processes. The development of concept maps is the main tool of the methodology proposed here: combining soft and hard approaches, concept maps are first developed with the involvement of local people and local experts and then used to guide the design of quantitative models. This paper discusses how concept maps and quantitative models were developed to capture the complexity of social and ecological systems in a declarative, systems oriented and user-friendly manner, assisting stakeholders to increase the knowledge of problems and make decisions. Finally, advantages and disadvantages of the proposed methodology are discussed.