Irrigation is important for global food supply and is vulnerable to climate change. Internalized cultural norms are important for the performance of Common Pool Resource (CPR) regimes such as irrigation systems, but much is unknown about the role of norms in shaping irrigation performance. This paper applies multi-level selection (MLS) theory and CPR theory to a stratified, semi-random sample of 71 irrigation systems of distinct cultural origins in the Upper Rio Grande Basin of the United States to test hypotheses related to the role of norms in irrigation system form and function. Results show that internalized norms of cooperation are strongly associated with the rules and technologies adopted by irrigators, the frequency of water use violations, average crop production, and the equality of crop production. Systems with internalized norms of cooperation have adopted rules and technologies which are associated with increased care for the commons, public goods, and higher equality between irrigators. Further, agents designated as monitors of CPR use have different effects depending on whether irrigators possess cooperative or competitive norms. Notably, the presence of monitors that enforce rules that are incongruent with norms is associated with increased water use violations and lower average crop production. These findings add weight to the growing body of work giving greater attention to cultural context when analyzing user-governed CPR regimes and climate resilience, and further illustrate the compatibility of MLS theory with other prevailing theories in CPR research.

中文翻译：

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规范的演变及其对美国西南部自治灌溉系统绩效的影响

灌溉对于全球粮食供应很重要，而且容易受到气候变化的影响。内部化的文化规范对于诸如灌溉系统之类的公共水池资源（CPR）制度的执行非常重要，但是对于规范在塑造灌溉绩效中的作用还知之甚少。本文将多级选择（MLS）理论和CPR理论应用于美国上里约格兰德盆地上71种具有不同文化起源的灌溉系统的分层，半随机样本，以检验与规范作用有关的假设。灌溉系统的形式和功能。结果表明，内部合作规范与灌溉者采用的规则和技术，违反用水量的频率，平均农作物产量以及农作物产量平等密切相关。具有内部合作规范的系统已经采用了规则和技术，这些规则和技术与对公地，公共物品和灌溉者之间更高的平等性的日益重视相关。此外，根据灌溉者是否具有合作规范或竞争规范，被指定为CPR使用监控者的代理具有不同的作用。值得注意的是，存在执行与规范不符的规则的监视器会导致用水量增加和平均农作物减产。这些发现增加了工作量的增长，在分析用户控制的心肺复苏方式和气候适应性时更加重视文化背景，并进一步说明了MLS理论与心肺复苏研究中其他流行理论的兼容性。