This is probably the first study that has used resilience, the adaptive cycle and panarchy as a major part of the conceptual foundation for the work. Resilience (as used here) has been explored in the literature for about 30 years, the adaptive cycle originated about 18 years ago and both have been integrated within the panarchy concept for only a few years. The authors combine these concepts with soft systems science conceptual modelling tools to review and assess the character of agricultural development from an integrated perspec- tive of economic, social and ecological changes over about 100 years. They then apply these methods in a strategic analysis of.
