Publication Abstract

Diadromous species, which share their life cycle between fresh and marine waters, are valuable resources and iconic natural heritage. Due to their complex ecology, their management must go beyond the current sectoral, monospecific, and siloed approaches, especially in the context of the ongoing climate change that will alter and affect their population dynamics and the interlinkages between drivers of biodiversity loss.

The learning role-playing game, DiadESland, was developed with the aims of bringing together stakeholders to share a representation of the diadromous fish population dynamics in the face of climate change, considering ecosystem services provided by these species, and envisioning original management scenarios to support innovative policy guidelines. Game debriefing of 11 game sessions (123 players) were investigated through two thematic analyses and a Likert question analysis.

This experience was successful in supporting stakeholder engagement, communication, and learning about diadromous species. It would support policy development by providing insights into stakeholder’s requirements and needs, and by creating a common interest and discussion around the management of diadromous species on a large scale and in the long term. Interdependent population dynamics, impacts of climate and human activities, and importance of species through ecosystem services, crucial in designing the game, were concepts less mobilised during the debriefing or in the post-game questionnaire responses.

Patrick Lambert, Kizzy Beaumont, Margaux Herschel, Gilles Adam, Carolina Alonso,  Ilektra Athinaiou, Tea Bašić^*, Samuel Chaplais, Chloe Dambrine, Tara Gallagher, David Nachón, Ciara O’Leary C., Silvia Pedro S., Esmeralda Pereira, Camille Poulet C, Emma Rendle, Violette Silve, Matt Voller,  Matthew Woodard, Geraldine Lassalle, and Lynda Rodwell