Socio-Ecological Systems and Their Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Scholars have developed conceptual frameworks to effectively depict the nuanced relationship between individuals and the environment. The concept of socio-ecological systems (SES) stands out. These polycentric models are recognized for offering a refined portrayal of the dynamic interplay between human societies and their ecosystems. Polycentric systems present a potent paradigm for understanding social-ecological phenomena, given their ability to bridge various scales with diverse information flows. An SES encompasses both natural and human-influenced components, interacting across multiple spatial and temporal dimensions. These components include elements of nature, resource users, community members, voters, economic entities, and regulatory organizations. They are interlinked through connections that might entail financial transactions or the exchange of resources like information, energy, or strategies. This interwoven structure empowers the system to operate as a complex adaptive entity, wherein the flow of information assumes a crucial role in molding its behavior.

Prof. Dr. Arnaud Z. Dragicevic
Prof. Dr. Alberto Paucar-Caceres
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• resilience
• biodiversity
• adaptation
• sustainability
• human-nature interaction
• ecosystem services
• stakeholder engagement
• governance
• coupled systems
• land use change
• environmental management
• conservation
• anthropogenic impacts
• ecosystem-based management
• systems dynamics
• complex systems
• resource management
• environmental policies
• social-ecological networks
• climate change adaptation