Effect of infrastructure design on commons dilemmas in social−ecological system dynamics

Abstract

The use of shared infrastructure to direct natural processes for the benefit of humans has been a central feature of human social organization for millennia. Today, more than ever, people interact with one another and the environment through shared human-made infrastructure (the Internet, transportation, the energy grid, etc.). However, there has been relatively little work on how the design characteristics of shared infrastructure affect the dynamics of social− ecological systems (SESs) and the capacity of groups to solve social dilemmas associated with its provision. Developing such understanding is especially important in the context of global change where design criteria must consider how specific aspects of infrastructure affect the capacity of SESs to maintain vital functions in the face of shocks. Using small-scale irrigated agriculture (the most ancient and ubiquitous example of public infrastructure systems) as a model system, we show that two design features related to scale and the structure of benefit flows can induce fundamental changes in qualitative behavior, i.e., regime shifts. By relating the required maintenance threshold (a design feature related to infrastructure scale) to the incentives facing users under different regimes, our work also provides some general guidance on determinants of robustness of SESs under globalization-related stresses.social−ecological system | infrastructure | robustness | resilience | irrigation M any modern social−ecological systems (SESs) depend heavily on shared infrastructure. How such critical infrastructure mediates social and human−environment interactions is thus central to many pressing sustainability challenges in contemporary SESs (1). For example, the robustness of urban systems to natural hazards often depends on engineered structures such as levees, roads, or buildings. Similarly, global food security depends on irrigation infrastructure through which farmers obtain water. In infrastructuremediated SESs, the very presence and the design features of infrastructure fundamentally shape the dynamics of coupled social and natural processes (2). A major puzzle for sustainability in this era of global change rests on a deep understanding of interactions among social, natural, and built components and the effects of such interactions on the robustness of SESs to unexpected shocks. How can the design of infrastructure affect the capacity of SESs to maintain vital functions in the face of shocks? What are design criteria for infrastructure for more robust SESs? This study examines these questions using a simple model of a community irrigation system-a classic case of a SES in which shared infrastructure is the key interface between social and natural processes.Community (or farmer-managed) irrigation systems are widespread in Asia and, even today, serve a significant portion of the total irrigated area (3). These systems provide an excellent testing ground for exploring how infrastructure affects SESs. Farmers need a reliable supply of water to produce food and...

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