Abstract Practitioners play a critical yet largely unexamined role in translating collaborative, ecosystem-based management (EBM) for social-ecological systems from theory to practice. We paired mental models and social network analytical methods and applied them to two cases of marine EBM in Rhode Island and New York, focusing on practitioners themselves, to understand the relationship between practitioners’ mental models of marine ecosystems and the extent and nature of collaboration within each network. Mental models analysis was used to assess the comprehensiveness and balance of practitioners’ mental models, and social network analysis was used to assess the role and influence of practitioners within each network. A comparative statistical analysis was then performed to understand the relationship between mental models and network measures. Research revealed a statistically significant correlation between practitioners’ mental model comprehensiveness and practitioners’ influence within the network. In other words, practitioners with comprehensive mental models of the ecosystem for which they were planning were found to act as “brokers,” connecting those who were not otherwise connected, bridging jurisdictions, sectors, and disciplines. Results underscore the importance of brokers in achieving the collaborative and integrated goals of EBM and suggest the need for greater attention to practitioners’ role in EBM implementation.

中文翻译：

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经纪人在基于海洋生态系统的社会生态系统协作管理中的重要性

摘要 从业者在将基于生态系统的协作式管理 (EBM) 的社会生态系统从理论转化为实践方面发挥着关键但在很大程度上未经审查的作用。我们将心智模型和社交网络分析方法进行配对，并将其应用到罗德岛和纽约的两个海洋 EBM 案例中，以从业者自身为重点，了解从业者对海洋生态系统的心智模型与内部协作的范围和性质之间的关系。每个网络。心理模型分析用于评估从业者心理模型的全面性和平衡性，社会网络分析用于评估从业者在每个网络中的作用和影响。然后进行比较统计分析以了解心理模型和网络测量之间的关系。研究表明，从业者的心理模型综合性与从业者在网络中的影响力之间存在统计学上的显着相关性。换句话说，具有他们计划的生态系统综合心理模型的从业者被发现充当“经纪人”，将那些没有其他联系的人联系起来，在司法管辖区、部门和学科之间架起桥梁。结果强调了经纪人在实现 EBM 的协作和集成目标方面的重要性，并表明需要更多地关注从业者在 EBM 实施中的作用。发现对他们计划建立的生态系统具有综合心智模型的从业者充当“经纪人”，将那些没有其他联系的人联系起来，在司法管辖区、部门和学科之间架起桥梁。结果强调了经纪人在实现 EBM 的协作和集成目标方面的重要性，并表明需要更多地关注从业者在 EBM 实施中的作用。发现对他们计划建立的生态系统具有综合心智模型的从业者充当“经纪人”，将那些没有其他联系的人联系起来，在司法管辖区、部门和学科之间架起桥梁。结果强调了经纪人在实现 EBM 的协作和集成目标方面的重要性，并表明需要更多地关注从业者在 EBM 实施中的作用。