This thesis examines adaptive mechanisms that contribute to the resilience of resourcedependent societies to climate variability as a guide to understanding adaptation to future climate change. Previous research highlights the role of livelihood diversification and social capital in society's ability to manage change. However, little specific analysis exists of the conditions under which these mechanisms contribute to adaptation to climate variability. To address this, this thesis examines the contribution that livelihood diversification and social capital make to social resilience in the context of lake and wetland ecological systems faced with changing resource abundance due to climate variability. The study focuseso n the resilience of the lake-shorei nhabitants and ecosystemso f Lakes Kyoga and Wamala (Uganda) to past episodes of flooding, drought and climaterelated natural-resource fluctuations. Social data on livelihoods and adaptive strategies were collected using group meetings, a household survey (n=80), and semi-structured interviews in two lakeshore villages. The livelihoods approach and theory on social capital are used to compare household indicators of livelihood diversity, social capital and resilience. Physical data, from government departments and secondary sources, were used to describe variability in the lakes' climate and resources and relate adaptive mechanisms to the resilience of the linked social and ecological lake systems, using the concept of the adaptive cycle. The results indicate that households and societal groups adapt using several types of diversification and social capital, within the lake's linked social and ecological systems. The state of these systems, with respect to an adaptive cycle, and the nature of the climatic shock, can determine the contribution of different adaptive measures to resilience. The results emphasize the importance of removing barriers to different forms of livelihood diversification, promoting strong social capital within and between social groups, and building knowledge of the dynamics of social and ecological systems. An awareness of the processes and limitations of adaptation allows society to plan for current climate variability and future climate change