Co-adapting societal and ecological interactions following large disturbances in urban park woodlands

Large disturbances in urban park woodlands can trigger co-adaptive societal and ecological responses that reshape both social and natural systems. This study demonstrates how such disturbances—whether natural (e.g., a tornado) or anthropogenic (e.g., land-use changes)—alter interactions between society and ecology, often leading to shifts in plant community composition and management practices. Using the Panarchy model, researchers analyzed two case studies: Cherokee Park in Louisville, where bottom-up societal responses post-tornado restored native plant dominance, and Tijuca Forest in Rio de Janeiro, where top-down interventions during the 18th century created a vast urban forest. Current threats like fire in Tijuca Forest again elicit societal action to protect native species. These examples highlight how disturbances can drive co-adaptation, altering structures and processes in both social and ecological domains.

CARREIRO, M. M., & ZIPPERER, W. C. (2011). Co-adapting societal and ecological interactions following large disturbances in urban park woodlands. Austral Ecology, 36(8), 904–915. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02237.x