Defining Social and Ecological Interactions in West Hawai‘i Using Participatory Conceptual Ecosystem Modeling

Abstract

Numerous threats compromise the West coast of Hawaiʻi Island’s capacity to deliver socially valuable ecosystem services. The problem’s complexity and region’s ecological and economic importance prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to initiate an Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA), a program focused on conducting scientific research to support ecosystem-based management. Initial IEA phases characterize the ecosystem and identify monitoring indicators. Participatory workshops involving managers, scientists, and community members gathered place-based knowledge to develop conceptual ecosystem models (CEMs) guided by the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework. Generated CEMs represent ecosystem state components (corals, reef fishes, pelagic fishes, and water body), biophysical and anthropogenic threats, and ecosystem services, as well as the interactions between these attributes. CEMs identify the strongest perceived ecosystem pressures, and impacted ecosystem components and services. Identified indicators suggest key ecosystem attributes are not currently monitored. CEM development is an important phase of the IEA, informing future research and prioritizing management decisions.