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Complexity at Advancing Ecotones and Frontiers

Author

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  • George P Malanson

    (Obermann Center for Advanced Studies and Department of Geography, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA)

  • Yu Zeng

    (Department of Geography, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA)

  • Stephen J Walsh

    (Department of Geography and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

Abstract

Ecotones, such as advancing treelines, have been examined as complex self-organizing systems. Frontiers of human settlement may share some of their spatial characteristics, because they too include feedbacks between spatial pattern and process. Advancing frontiers of three study areas in the Amazonian region of Ecuador are analyzed with the aid of Landsat imagery to detect change. Power-law distributions of advancing deforestation are found, which are indicative of possible complexity. Alternative approaches in self-organized complexity, including self-organized percolation and the inverse-cascade model, and an approach to complexity involving optimization—highly optimized tolerance—are considered. Some combination of these, based on their common ancestry in percolation theory, might provide insights into population–environment interaction at settlement frontiers.

Suggested Citation

  • George P Malanson & Yu Zeng & Stephen J Walsh, 2006. "Complexity at Advancing Ecotones and Frontiers," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(4), pages 619-632, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:38:y:2006:i:4:p:619-632
    DOI: 10.1068/a37340
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lung, Yannick, 1988. "Complexity and Spatial Dynamics Modelling. From Catastrophe Theory to Self-organizing Process: A Review of the Literature," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 22(2), pages 81-111, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Minrui Zheng & Wenwu Tang & Akinwumi Ogundiran & Jianxin Yang, 2020. "Spatial Simulation Modeling of Settlement Distribution Driven by Random Forest: Consideration of Landscape Visibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-19, June.
    2. An, Li & Grimm, Volker & Sullivan, Abigail & Turner II, B.L. & Malleson, Nicolas & Heppenstall, Alison & Vincenot, Christian & Robinson, Derek & Ye, Xinyue & Liu, Jianguo & Lindkvist, Emilie & Tang, W, 2021. "Challenges, tasks, and opportunities in modeling agent-based complex systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 457(C).

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