Abstract
Most commons researchers have far focussed on a theme of resource overuse or overconsumption. In contrast, our objective is to address the mechanism of common pool resources (CPRs) declining or disappearing due to underuse, which has been understudied in the commons research field. Using two analytical concepts, ecosystem services and satoyama, and through a case study of Japanese semi-natural grasslands, we examine two themes concerning the underuse problem: (1) consequences of underuse and (2) causes of underuse.
As to aspect (1), many commons researchers would perhaps recognise that it is far from a tragic situation to underuse resource units from CPRs because no resources are depleted. However, our analysis showed that underuse sometimes has negative impacts on biodiversity and the ecosystem through complex socio-ecological system channels, thus bringing about a decline in resource units.
As to aspect (2), we identified three drivers that induce resource units to be underused: (1) demographic drivers, (2) socio-economic drivers and (3) institutional drivers. First, depopulation (especially in rural areas) can cause fewer human–environment interactions and therefore lower depletion of resource units. This situation contrasts with a normal assumption of traditional commons analyses, namely overpopulation triggering tragedy. Second, ecosystem services, especially provisioning services, are underused due to the declines in their economic function. On the other hand, conventional debates generally share a common presumption that resource units have a larger extent of economic value. Third, the ownership structure or property rights regime can bring about resource underuse, which anticommons theory has suggested, and our case study of Japanese semi-natural grasslands suggests that the tragedy outcome would possibly occur when institutions that prevent an anticommons tragedy are weakened and inactive through demographic and/or socio-economic drivers.