Describing and Visualizing a Water–Energy–Food Nexus System

The objective of this study is to describe a target water–energy–food (WEF) nexus domain world including causal linkages and trade-off relationships between WEF resources and their stakeholders, and to develop a WEF nexus system map as an interdisciplinary tool used for understanding the subsequent...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water (Basel) 2018-09, Vol.10 (9), p.1245
Main Authors: Endo, Aiko, Kumazawa, Terukazu, Kimura, Michinori, Yamada, Makoto, Kato, Takaaki, Kozaki, Kouji
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ecosystems
Energy
Engineering
Environmental management
Food
Food resources
Food supply
Force and energy
Interdisciplinary aspects
Investment analysis
Japan
Linkages
Methods
Natural resources
Network analysis
Ontology
Qualitative analysis
Social networks
Society
Sustainable development
Tradeoffs
United Kingdom
Visualization
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Summary:The objective of this study is to describe a target water–energy–food (WEF) nexus domain world including causal linkages and trade-off relationships between WEF resources and their stakeholders, and to develop a WEF nexus system map as an interdisciplinary tool used for understanding the subsequent complexity of WEF nexus systems. An ontology engineering method, which is a qualitative method, was applied for the replicability of the WEF nexus domain ontology and the map, because ontology engineering is a method of semantic web development for enhancing the compatibility of qualitative descriptions logically or objectively. The WEF nexus system map has three underlying concepts: (1) systems thinking, (2) holistic thinking, and (3) an integrated approach at an operational level, according to the hypothesis that the chains of changes in linkages between water, energy, and food resources holistically and systemically affect the WEF nexus system, including natural and social systems, both temporally and spatially. This study is significant because it allows us to (1) develop the WEF nexus domain ontology database, including defining the concepts and sub-concepts of trade-offs relating to WEF for the replicability of this study; (2) integrate the qualitative ontology method and quantitative network analysis method to identify key concepts serving as linkage hubs in the WEF nexus domain ontology; and (3) visualize human–nature interactions such as linkages between water, energy, and food resources and their stakeholders in social and natural systems. This paper also discusses future challenges in the application of the map for a science–policy–society interface.
ISSN:2073-4441
2073-4441
DOI:10.3390/w10091245