In recent talks, Andy Revkin, the New York Times Dot Earth blogger, has been proposing that the adaptive value in ecosystems of "response diversity" -- varied responses to an environmental shift -- could also hold for societies. Think about this in the context of humanity's energy choices and climate challenge, with some pursuing fossil fuel divestment, others clean-energy innovation and others new generation of nuclear power plants. Rather than looking at these preferences as right or wrong, why not look at them as all part of a broadening commitment to new energy norms? More soon on Dot Earth. My long essay on 30 years of climate learning explores this: http://j.mp/revkin30yearsclimate An older post that gets at this: Is There Room for Varied Approaches to Energy and Climate Progress? http://nyti.ms/WJ0Sad The original 2003 ecology paper: http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/1540-9295%282003%29001%5B0488%3ARDECAR%5D2.0.CO%3B2

1. Response diversity, ecosystem change, and resilience
Thomas Elmqvist, Stockholm University
Nov. 2003, Frontiers in Ecology & the Environment
The diversity of responses to environmental change among
species contributing to the same ecosystem function, which we
call response diversity, is critical to resilience. Response diversity
is particularly important for ecosystem renewal and
reorganization following change….
We should pay special attention to response diversity when
planning ecosystem management and restoration, since it may
contribute considerably to the resilience of desired ecosystem
states against disturbance, mismanagement, and degradation.
nytimes.com/dotearth

2. Response diversity, ecosystem change, and resilience
Thomas Elmqvist, Stockholm University
Nov. 2003, Frontiers in Ecology & the Environment
The diversity of responses to environmental change among
people contributing to the same social function, which we call
response diversity, is critical to resilience. Response diversity is
particularly important for ecosystem and social renewal and
reorganization following change….
We should pay special attention to response diversity when
planning ecological and social management and restoration,
since it may contribute considerably to the resilience of desired
ecosystem and social states against disturbance,
mismanagement, and degradation.
nytimes.com/dotearth