Components

LuccME allows the construction of new models, combining elements of the previously defined Demand, Potential and Allocation components, designed according to ideas of the main models found in the literature. In LuccME, the components can be chosen and modified according to the needs of a given application and scale of analysis, and easily parameterized through a simple user interface. If the components not meet modeler needs, it is possible to implement a new one, using the existing ones as examples.

Current LuccME components are based on a Structural/Cross-section approach (Verburg et al., 2004), in which we define drivers which explain each land use pattern/structure (accumulated changes, using a single land use map as the basis). The Clue family models use this approach. For this type of models, LuccME organizes components into two branches (directories) which cannot be combined, for Continuous and Discrete Models, according to the type of the land use variables they use (percentage of a given land use class in a cell, or a categorical variable representing the presence of a class in a cell). In each of these branches, all components can be interchangeably used. New components added by LuccME users should respect this rule, placing interchangeable components in the same branch. For instance, if someone wants to develop transitional approach models (such as Dinamica), in which we define the potential and demand actually not for land uses, but for transitions between pairs of classes (e.g., pasture→agriculture, forest→pasture) and then allocate such transitions, a new upper directory should be created.

Currently available components in LuccME

For more information about components see Documentation and Examples.