擾動可能顯著地降低社會生態系統的永續性。若行動者缺乏應對變遷的能力,則社會生態系統可能將陷入非永續的發展路徑。對於其生計非常仰賴生物物理環境的社區而言,它們在面對自然、社會、政治與制度變遷時是特別脆弱的。在本研究中,我們從社會生態系統韌性的視角,闡述貝里斯Sarstoon Temash區域原住民族凱克其馬雅人實踐的策略,他們建立了調適涵容力以應對擾動。我們特別探討凱克其馬雅人在以下面向採用的策略,包括模擬變遷、從危機中學習、以及分散風險等建立調適涵容力的作法。透過參與式與獨立觀察、半結構式與深度訪談、以及焦點團體討論,我們發現Sarstoon Temash區域凱克其馬雅人已經加強了合作與制度體系,也增加了多樣性與功能冗餘以調適變遷。這調適涵容力可能被以下因素所影響且增進了Sarstoon Temash區域的永續性,包括集體行動、調適性合作管理取徑、多樣性、跨尺度與跨層級網絡、以及社會學習。類似本文的實證研究,應能協助人們理解原住民族在時間過程中如何發展應對擾動時所需之調適涵容力。
Disturbances can significantly undermine the sustainability of social and ecological systems (SES). Where actors lack the capacity to cope with changes, SES can shift into unsustainable trajectories. Communities whose livelihoods are appended to the biophysical environment are particularly vulnerable to natural, social, political, and institutional changes. We used a social-ecological resilience lens to elucidate strategies implemented by the indigenous Q'eqchi' Mayas in the Sarstoon Temash region of Belize to build adaptive capacities to disturbances. In particular, we unpack strategies implemented by the Mayas to mimic change, learn from crises, and diversify risks as proxies of adaptive capacity. Through participant and independent observations, semi-structured and in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions, we found that the indigenous Q'eqchi Mayas in the Sarstoon Temash SES have increased collaboration, strengthen institutions, and increase diversity and redundancy in adapting to change. Such adaptive capacities may have been influenced by collective action, adaptive collaborative management approaches, diversity, cross-scale and cross-level networks, and social learning and potentially contributed to the diachronic sustainability of Sarstoon Temash SES. Empirical studies such as this one can help to improve understanding of indigenous people's adaptive capacities to address disturbances over time.