Spatial Evolutionary Modeling

Abstract

Evolutionary models (e.g. genetic algorithms, artificial life), explored in other fields for the past two decades, are emerging as an important new tool for geographic information systems for a number of reasons. First, they are highly appropriate for modeling geographic phenomena; secondly, geographical problems are often spatially separate (broken down into local or regional problems), and evolutionary algorithms can exploit this structure; and finally, the ability to store, manipulate, and visualize spatial data has increased to the point that space-time-attribute databases can be easily handled. This book is meant to sere as a guide to the evolutionary modeling of spatial phenomena.