In the first SEEP workshop urban evolutionary ecologists discussed collaborations with the network of Long Term Ecological Research Stations (LTER) to integrate human socio-cultural dynamics in studies of urban ecology and evolution. The field of urban evolution has only recently begun to incorporate the social dynamics of urban communities as an important covariate shaping ecology and evolution of urban species (Check out recent related posts: What’s Missing in Urban Ecology?, Ecological Gentrification, Social-Ecological Frameworks and What the Future May Hold). We deliberated how to include local communities in urban research given our growing understanding of the impacts of environmental injustice in shaping eco-evo-dynamics in cities. Several pitfalls to avoid are working in isolation from local communities (i.e., helicopter or parachuting scientists), or establishing unidirectional collaborations with local communities that lack empathy or understanding. Instead, urban evolutionary ecologists should strive to develop trust with local communities and build win-win collaborations with community members, where both parties equally contribute to the expected outcomes of this relationship (co-production of ideas, research products and community services).
Building community trust and engagement requires and investment of time to really get to know local communities and identify their priorities. Long term ecological research stations (LTER) could facilitate these relationships via established partnerships between the LTER staff members and the communities nearby. Such a commitment from LTER networks would increase the positive impact these field stations can have on the communities where they occur and also facilitate researchers ability to conduct fieldwork to characterize socio-eco-evo dynamics. For example, partnership between stakeholders and LTER staff could facilitate access to private land, decrease negative interactions between visiting researchers and local communities, and visiting researchers could contribute to ongoing community engagement initiatives or community led research projects.
Tapping into a powerful network of collaborations to study socio-eco-evolutionary dynamics in cities.
This first, workshop focused on reviewing the pertinent background information to study the mechanisms of evolution and a thorough consideration of how to ethically integrate local communities in urban research. I hope to see that future workshops will provide more tangible mechanisms via which scientist at or in collaborations with LTER stations can integrate local communities to provide the foundation for future socio-eco-evo research. A common suggestion provided by participants of the first workshop was the inclusion of social scientist in these ongoing conservations of socio-eco-evolutionary dynamics and environmental justice. A particular note, that bares consideration is that some research products may not clearly match local community priorities. An alternative, could be that researchers, in addition to their established research plans, contribute to the co-production of community led research programs that begin first and foremost with the communities priorities and interest. LTER in partnership with local community groups such as libraries, after school programs, housing associations or neighborhood groups, among others, could serve as hubs linking researchers with the communities where their studies occur.
If you are interested in adding your perspective and ideas into how LTER could facilitate socio-eco-evolutionary research, keep an eye out for a second SEEP workshop expected to occur in the fall.
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Social-Ecological Frameworks and What the Future May Hold
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What’s Missing in Urban Ecology?
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Ecological Gentrification
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