摘要：Building models is an important way of integrating knowledge. Testing and updating models of social-ecologicalsystems can inform management decisions and, ultimately, improve resilience. We report on the outcomes of a six-year,multidisciplinary model development process in the sagebrush steppe, USA. We focused on creating state-and-transition models(STMs), conceptual models of ecosystem change that represent nonlinear dynamics and are being adopted worldwide as toolsfor managing ecosystems. STM development occurred in four steps with four distinct sets of models: (1) local knowledgeelicitation using semistructured interviews; (2) ecological data collection using an observational study; (3) model integrationusing participatory workshops; and (4) model simplification upon review of the literature by a multidisciplinary team. We foundthat different knowledge types are ultimately complementary. Many of the benefits of the STM-building process flowed fromthe knowledge integration steps, including improved communication, identification of uncertainties, and production of morebroadly credible STMs that can be applied in diverse situations. The STM development process also generated hypotheses aboutsagebrush steppe dynamics that could be tested by future adaptive management and research. We conclude that multidisciplinarydevelopment of STMs has great potential for producing credible, useful tools for managing resilience of social-ecologicalsystems. Based on this experience, we outline a streamlined, participatory STM development process that integrates multipletypes of knowledge and incorporates adaptive management
