A social and ecological assessment of tropical land uses at multiple scales: the Sustainable Amazon Network
Authors: Gardner Toby A. , Ferreira Joice , Barlow Jos , Lees Alexander C. , Parry Luke , Vieira Ima Célia Guimarães , Berenguer Erika , Abramovay Ricardo , Aleixo Alexandre , Andretti Christian , Aragão Luiz E. O. C. , Araújo Ivanei , de Ávila Williams Souza , Bardgett Richard D. , Batistella Mateus , Begotti Rodrigo Anzolin , Beldini Troy , de Blas Driss Ezzine , Braga Rodrigo Fagundes , Braga Danielle de Lima , de Brito Janaína Gomes , de Camargo Plínio Barbosa , Campos dos Santos Fabiane , de Oliveira Vívian Campos , Cordeiro Amanda Cardoso Nunes , Cardoso Thiago Moreira , de Carvalho Déborah Reis , Castelani Sergio André , Chaul Júlio Cézar Mário , Cerri Carlos Eduardo , Costa Francisco de Assis , da Costa Carla Daniele Furtado , Coudel Emilie , Coutinho Alexandre Camargo , Cunha Dênis , D'Antona Álvaro , Dezincourt Joelma , Dias-Silva Karina , Durigan Mariana , Esquerdo Júlio César Dalla Mora , Feres José , Ferraz Silvio Frosini de Barros , Ferreira Amanda Estefânia de Melo , Fiorini Ana Carolina , da Silva Lenise Vargas Flores , Frazão Fábio Soares , Garrett Rachel , Gomes Alessandra dos Santos , Gonçalves Karoline da Silva , Guerrero José Benito , Hamada Neusa , Hughes Robert M. , Igliori Danilo Carmago , Jesus Ederson da Conceição , Juen Leandro , Junior Miércio , Junior José Max Barbosa de Oliveira , Junior Raimundo Cosme de Oliveira , Junior Carlos Souza , Kaufmann Phil , Korasaki Vanesca , Leal Cecília Gontijo , Leitão Rafael , Lima Natália , Almeida Maria de Fátima Lopes , Lourival Reinaldo , Louzada Júlio , Nally Ralph Mac , Marchand Sébastien , Maués Márcia Motta , Moreira Fátima M. S. , Morsello Carla , Moura Nárgila , Nessimian Jorge , Nunes Sâmia , Oliveira Victor Hugo Fonseca , Pardini Renata , Pereira Heloisa Correia , Pompeu Paulo Santos , Ribas Carla Rodrigues , Rossetti Felipe , Schmidt Fernando Augusto , da Silva Rodrigo , da Silva Regina Célia Viana Martins , da Silva Thiago Fonseca Morello Ramalho , Silveira Juliana , Siqueira João Victor , de Carvalho Teotônio Soares , Solar Ricardo R. C. , Tancredi Nicola Savério Holanda , Thomson James R. , Torres Patrícia Carignano , Vaz-de-Mello Fernando Zagury , Veiga Ruan Carlo Stulpen , Venturieri Adriano , Viana Cecília , Weinhold Diana , Zanetti Ronald , Zuanon Jansen 
Published: April 2013

Science has a critical role to play in guiding more sustainable development trajectories. Here, we present the Sustainable Amazon Network (
Rede Amazônia Sustentável
, RAS): a multidisciplinary research initiative involving more than 30 partner organizations working to assess both social and ecological dimensions of land-use sustainability in eastern Brazilian Amazonia. The research approach adopted by RAS offers three advantages for addressing land-use sustainability problems: (i) the collection of synchronized and co-located ecological and socioeconomic data across broad gradients of past and present human use; (ii) a nested sampling design to aid comparison of ecological and socioeconomic conditions associated with different land uses across local, landscape and regional scales; and (iii) a strong engagement with a wide variety of actors and non-research institutions. Here, we elaborate on these key features, and identify the ways in which RAS can help in highlighting those problems in most urgent need of attention, and in guiding improvements in land-use sustainability in Amazonia and elsewhere in the tropics. We also discuss some of the practical lessons, limitations and realities faced during the development of the RAS initiative so far.