Evolution of land use-change modeling: routes of different schools of knowledge

• Published in: Landscape and ecological engineering Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 319 - 332
• Main Authors: Azadi, Hossein, Barati, Ali Akbar, Rafiaani, Parisa, Taheri, Fatemeh, Gebrehiwot, Kindeya, Witlox, Frank, Lebailly, Philippe
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.07.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture & agronomie; Agriculture & agronomy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Civil Engineering; Complexity; Constructivism; Environmental Management; Environmental planning; Epistemology; Evolution; Evolutionary biology; Knowledge; Knowledge school; Land management; Land use; Landscape Ecology; Landscape/Regional and Urban Planning; Life Sciences; Modeling; Nature Conservation; Origins; Plant Ecology; Positivism; Review; Schools; Sciences du vivant; Sustainable land use; Sustainable land use; Land management; Knowledge school; Modeling; Environmental planning; Land use
• ISSN: 1860-1871; 1860-188X; 1860-188X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11355-016-0311-9

Although much has been published on land use-change models (LUCMs), no study has comprehensively dealt with the evolution of land use models based on schools of knowledge. The primary objective of this paper is an explanation of the progress and growth of LUCMs concerning their main ontological, epistemological, and methodological origins. Five main paradigms, i.e., positivism, post-positivism, constructivism, participatory, and pragmatism approaches, are discussed in order to assess the current orientations of LUCMs. Given the complexities of LUCM components, the study concludes that one paradigm cannot adequately address all methodological aspects. Accordingly, it is necessary to combine quantitative and qualitative paradigms to create mixed-method approaches within a systemic framework. Such systemic approaches could shape the most probable future generations of LUCMs, which would be able to cope with the complexity of various subsystems, including biophysical and socioeconomic ones.