Human societies are influencing nature in such a way that their independent analysis is no longer suitable. Fortunately, social-ecological systems provide a conceptual framework for the interconnected analysis of societies and ecosystems. However, in the case of Latin America, the complexity of social-ecological processes undermined a much-needed compilation of theoretical concepts, methods and case studies. Increasing readers' understanding of such systems using a postnormal approach, the book discusses current concepts and methods with examples of studies from eight countries. It is a useful resource for social actors, government decision makers and scholars. 

<p>Chapter 1

Social-ecological systems and postnormal science
Chapter 2
Studying social-ecological systems from the perspective of social sciences in Latin America
Chapter 3
Simplifying the complexity of social-ecological systems with conceptual models
Chapter 4
Social actors and participative modelling
Chapter 5
Social-ecological systems and human wellbeing.-Chapter 6
Poor-people ecologism
Chapter 7
A new environmental governance
Chapter 8
A hierarchical approach for the valuation of multiple ecosystem services
Chapter 9
Novel ecosystems and social-ecological complexities
Chapter 10
Social-ecological systems and the economy of nature: A Latin-American perspective.-Chapter 11
Spatial modelling of social-ecological systems: The Arroyo las Conchas watershed, Argentina
Chapter 12
Analyzing social vulnerability to natural disasters in northeast Brazil: catastrophic flooding cycles at Alagoas littoral zone
Chapter 13
San Rafael Reserve, Paraguay: key social actors and sustainability scenarios. through environmental governance schemes
Chapter 14
Valuation of hydrological supply in high Andes wetlands of Chinchiná River, Colombia
Chapter 15
Participative management and local institutional strengthening: the successful case of mangle social-ecological systems in Ecuador.-Chapter 16
Integrated assessment of the effects of the payment for hydrological services program at Ajusco, Mexico City
Chapter 17
Influence of the rural/urban context in the implementation of forest conservation programs in Mexico: Oaxaca and Mexico City case studies
Chapter 18
Characterizing social-ecological traps: A case study of forest and marine systems in Southern and Austral Chile
Chapter 19
Ecosystem services from a multi-stakeholder perspective: a case study in a Biosphere Reserve in central Chile.-Chapter 20
Restoration of riverside forests: contributing to the fisheries management of river Pichis watershed, central jungle,Perú
Chapter 21
The challenge of integrated management of Isla de Chiloé coastal zone
Chapter 22
Social valuation of ecosystem services at local scale: challenges for the management of a multiple-use coastal and marine protected area (MU-CMPA): Isla Grande de Atacama.-Chapter 23
Potential futures of social-ecological systems in Latin America.</p>