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Which tool is best for modeling catchment-scale land use change?

I'm developing scenarios for my river basin's management plan and need to model how different policies might affect land use by 2050. I've seen tools like CLUE-S and Dinamica EGO mentioned, but it's unclear which is best suited for a catchment with mixed agricultural, urban, and forested land. I need guidance on selecting a tool based on data requirements, transparency of the model's rules, and ability to handle the specific drivers in my region.

 

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By Prajwal Sharma Answered 1 year ago

Having used several of these tools in consultancy, I'd base your choice on two factors: transparency and driver flexibility. CLUE-S is excellent for its simplicity and clear statistical foundation; it's great for initial scenario testing where the drivers (like distance to roads) are well-known. For more complex, patch-dynamic landscapes with forest transitions, Dinamica EGO is more powerful, as it uses cellular automata and allows for intricate transition rules. I recommend starting with CLUE-S to build your baseline and conceptual model, then moving to Dinamica if you need to simulate more nuanced, spatially explicit processes like diffusion or nucleation of changes.

 

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