Integrated landscape modelling in India: Evaluating the scope for micro-level spatial analysis over temporal scale

Abstract

In the field of computational intelligence research, “modelling” has emerged as important tool when integrated with traditional interdisciplinary methods to address complexities involved in land-use planning at landscape scale. This paper examines the existing spatio-temporal models in Indian context to look into their suitability to be used in micro-scale sustainable landscape planning. The research is expected to enhance the understanding of need of landscape as a planning unit for sustainable land-use/land-cover development. It will focus on integration of biophysical agents of the system with human agents by incorporating detailed socio-economic conditions of a micro-landscape to enhance the pragmatism of computational model. LandSHIFT, a spatially explicit model that uses mid-to-long-term scenarios of land-use and land-cover changes involving multiple biophysical and socio-economic factors, has been considered to embrace scope for modification to use in Indian context more proficiently.