Social-ecological system management in drylands: experiences from Chinese Ecosystem Research Network

Social-ecological system (SES) management plays an important role in terrestrial carbon dynamics and human well-being in fragile drylands. Over the past four decades, the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network has accumulated valuable experience on the infrastructure safeguarding, vegetation restoration, and watershed improvements, and has made substantial progress in biodiversity, land use, and climate change research, which could provide data and a theoretical base for an explicit and quantitative SES indicator system. Here, we introduced the key findings that could inspire scientific SES trade-off rethinking and presented a conceptual framework based on the observation platforms. Emphasis is placed on the radiative effects of the in situ-site stations involved in local social and natural surroundings, which could link-up the policy makers to enhance the balance of SES elements. It aiming to contribute to full initiatives of station researchers and to promote more productive collaboration for cross-site and interdisciplinary research in SES sustainability management.