María Gabriela González Cruz y Eduardo García Frapolli

Laboratorio de Economía EcológicaInstituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad UNAM

June, 2016

RESPONDING TO DISTURBANCES: LESSONS FROM A MAYAN SOCIAL-

ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM

Resilience and adaptation• Global environmental change• Globalization: conservation and development

Mayan presence > 3 000 years

TIME

Objectives• Looking for mechanisms to adapt to climate and

economic uncertainties

• Analyzing strategy for managing natural resources

• Reconstructing the history of the community, focusing on social (practices, institutions) and ecological (landscape, environmental units) elements

Study siteNuevo Tesoco

1. Community- Ejido Nuevo Tesoco- Ejido Santa María Pixoy

3. Ecosystem- Semi-deciduous tropical forest - Deciduous tropical forest

3. Social system- 40 households- 180 inhabitants

Methods

Results

• Productive activities• Landscape• Institutions

Diversified activities

Environmental heterogeneity

Nuevo TesocoSanta María

VillageAguadaCatzimalCenoteMilpaSabanaTuc’um

Primary vegetation

Nursery*Secondary vegetation

*

Social-ecological system

* Agro-ecological system

EJIDO

UNIDAD AMBIENTAL

Productive activities

Successional dynamic

InstitutionsAccess

InstitutionsRegulation

Institutions Management

Conclusion

A mechanism for long-term stability:

• Diversification of productive activities• Management of environmental

heterogeneity• Flexibility of formal and informal institutions

Thanks

Aknowledgements

Nuevo Tesoco, YucatánAlejandro CasasJuan Manuel DupuyLab. Ecological economicsUNAMPronatura PYPAPIIT-UNAM, CONACYT