R-R-T (resistance-resilience-transformation) typology reveals differential conservation approaches across ecosystems and time

Conservation practices during the first decade of the millennium predominantly focused on resisting changes and maintaining historical or current conditions, but ever-increasing impacts from climate change have highlighted the need for transformative action. However, little empirical evidence exists on what kinds of conservation actions aimed specifically at climate change adaptation are being implemented in practice, let alone how transformative these actions are. In response, we propose and trial a novel typology-the R-R-T scale, which improves on existing concepts of Resistance, Resilience, and Transformation-that enables the practical application of contested terms and the empirical assessment of whether and to what extent a shift toward transformative action is occurring. When applying the R-R-T scale to a case study of 104 adaptation projects funded since 2011, we find a trend towards transformation that varies across ecosystems. Our results reveal that perceptions about the acceptance of novel interventions in principle are beginning to be expressed in practice. Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent et al. introduce the R-R-T (Resistance-Resilience-Transformation) conservation typology that enables the empirical assessment of whether and to what extent a management shift toward transformative action is occurring. They apply the R-R-T scale to 104 adaptation projects and find a shift towards transformation over time and differential responses across ecosystems, with more transformative actions applied in forested ecosystems.

Automated summary

Conservation practices in the first decade of the millennium mainly focused on resisting changes and maintaining current conditions, but the increasing impacts of climate change have emphasized the need for transformative action. By introducing the R-R-T scale, researchers found a trend towards transformation in adaptation projects funded since 2011, with varying responses across ecosystems. This suggests a potential shift towards more transformative actions, especially in forested ecosystems.