Coupling human and natural systems for sustainable development

We are living in a time that many people refer to as the Anthropocene.In the Anthropocene,drastically changing landscapes and climates have resulted in social and environmental crises,such as ecosystem degradation,freshwater depletion and biodiversity loss.Coupled human and natural systems (CHANSs) are integrated systems in which people interact with natural components,which can provide theoretical insights for sustainable development in the Anthropocene.CHANSs are complex adaptive systems because of their ubiquitous feedback,full of nonlinearity and chaos.With the progress of empirical,theoretical and modeling studies,the past two decades have witnessed a new phase of development in CHANSs,marked by a proliferation of frameworks for integrated research.An increase in the number of interdisciplinary programs has brought many integrated studies that successfully reve al new and complex patterns,processes,outcomes and feedback mechanisms from the holistic perspective of CHANSs.