Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis
Open access
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
The social–ecological nexus (SEN) offers a framework to capture the complex and dynamic interactions and interdependencies between human communities and the natural systems that support them. This study analyzed the SENs within a village tank cascade system (VTCS), a social–ecological system (SES) located in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. The study adopted a participatory approach, combining fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) to determine key SES properties of the VTCS. The FCM process identified 49 nodes (elements) and 434 edges (connections) within the study landscape that contribute to system performance. Network graphs were generated using centrality metrics—degree, betweenness, and eigenvector centrality—to identify the most influential nodes and edges contributing to system sustainability and productivity. The study identified nine nodes as the most influential elements in the SEN which are critical for balancing trade-offs between sustainability and productivity in the VTCS. Three distinct clusters of elements influencing sustainability and productivity emerged from the SEN graph: (i) ecological cluster, (ii) social–ecological cluster, and (iii) social cluster. Understanding the role of SES elements and their positions in the SEN is crucial for identifying gaps within the system and informing tailored management interventions. These findings offer a theoretical basis for optimizing sustainability strategies aimed at enhancing the overall productivity and resilience of SES. Consequently, this approach exposes the complexities of the SEN, making it widely applicable to similar SESs globally.
Direct answer
What can I do from this paper page?
Use this page to scan "Mapping the Social–Ecological Nexus to Determine System Properties That Maintain Sustainability and Productivity in Village Tank Cascade Systems of Sri Lanka" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis research, save the paper, or map adjacent work.
Research areas
Follow related topics
Citation
BibTeX
@article{Ratnayake2026Mapping,
title = {Mapping the Social–Ecological Nexus to Determine System Properties That Maintain Sustainability and Productivity in Village Tank Cascade Systems of Sri Lanka},
author = {Sujith S. Ratnayake and Danny Hunter and Michael Reid and Benjamin Kipkemboi Kogo and Teresa Borelli and Callum Hunter and Champika S. Kariyawasam},
journal = {Sustainability},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.3390/su18126151},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/su18126151}
}FAQ
Using this paper in a discovery workflow
How do I find related work for this paper?
Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.
How can I keep up with new Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis research papers?
Follow Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis research in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.
Can I cite this paper from this page?
This page includes a static BibTeX block for Mapping the Social–Ecological Nexus to Determine System Properties That Maintain Sustainability and Productivity in Village Tank Cascade Systems of Sri Lanka. Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.
Follow this research in Scollr
Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.
Get the app