Agent Based Modeling in Land-Use and Land-Cover Change Studies

Huigen, M. (2003). Agent Based Modeling in Land-Use and Land-Cover Change Studies. IIASA Interim Report. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: IR-03-044

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Abstract

Agent based models (ABM) for land use and cover change (LUCC) holds the promise to provide new insight into the processes and patterns of the human and biophysical interactions in ways that have never been explored. Advances in computer technology make it possible to run almost infinite numbers of simulations with multiple heterogeneously shaped actors that reciprocally interact via vertical and horizontal power lines on various levels. Based upon an extensive literature review the basic components for such exercises are explored and discussed. This resulted in a systematic representation of these components consisting of: (1) Spatial static input data, (2) Actor and Actor-group static input data, (3) Spatial dynamic input, (4) Actor and Actor-group dynamic input data, (5) the model with the rules describing the rules, (6) Spatial static output, (7) Actor and Actor-group static output, (8) Dynamic output of Actor behaviour changes, (9) Dynamic output of actor-group behavioural changes, (10) Dynamic output of spatial patterns, (11) Dynamic output of temporal patterns.

This representation proves to be epistemologically useful in the analysis of the relationships between the ABM LUCC components. In this paper, this representation is also used to enumerate the strengths and limitations of agent based modelling in LUCC.

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