Exploring the Function of Home Gardens in Strengthening the Resilience of Social-Ecological Landscapes through Cross-Scale Interactions: A case Study from Lefke City of the Northern Cyprus

Authors : Gülay ÇETİNKAYA ÇİFTÇİOĞLU

Pages : 327-347

Doi:10.32569/resilience.620885

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Publication Date : 2019-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The purpose of this study is to evaluate the function of home gardens in strengthening the resilience of the social-ecological landscape system in Lefke City of the Northern Cyprus through a set of cross-scale interactions. In doing so, the objectives of the study were insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(i); to design a conceptual framework that links the resilience of the home garden and landscape systems through a range of cross-scale interactions, insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ii); to identify the major cross-scale resilience assessment indicators at the home garden insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(site); scale, and insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(iii); to quantify the resilience of the home garden system and to evaluate its inter-linkages with the resilience of the landscape system. The method of the study consisted of three parts. Firstly, a conceptual framework, which depicts the relationship between the resilience of the home garden and landscape systems through a set of cross-scale interactions, was designed by reviewing the relevant literatures. Secondly, appropriated cross-scale resilience assessment indicators at the home garden scale were identified through an in-depth literature review. Thirdly, the relevant data on the indentified indicators were collected by employing a social preference approach and then evaluated by performing the Statistical Package for Social Science insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(SPSS);. A social preference approach was adopted to collect the relevant data. Within this context, a questionnaire form was designed to explore stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the objectives of the study. The interviewers expressed their perceptions on a 0-5 Likert Scale. Assessment of the results revealed that plant diversity and spatial connectivity are the key cross-scale principles to link the ecological resilience of the home garden with landscape systems. The social resilience of the both systems is interlinked with five principles insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(maintenance of food production, income diversification, demographics, cultural heritage, and traditional knowledge);. The average relative value of the ecological and social resilience of the home garden system was estimated to be medium with a 3,15 points and low with a 2,16 points respectively. The total average relative value of the resilience of the home garden system was estimated to be low with a 2,41 points. Several drivers insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(e.g. intensive urbanization and landscape fragmentation); have been identified as the driving forces behind the decline of the resilience of the both systems. Understanding the interconnectedness between the resilience of different spatial units and scales may help policy-makers, planners, and land managers to design a mechanism that integrates the cross-scale interactions into planning and relevant strategies.
Keywords : Social ecological landscape, home garden, resilience, cross scale interactions, cross scale resilience assessment indicators, Northern Cyprus