Rafael Crecente

Economic, social and environmental impact of land consolidation in Galicia

Abstract This paper reviews the process of land consolidation in Galicia, Spain. Economic, social and environmental evaluation have been carried out, comparing consolidated and non-consolidated areas. It is easier to measure efficiency than impact at smaller scales, because of the lack of appropriate indicators or larger data records. Land use is considered an operative indicator at a larger scale, showing that land consolidation contributes to retaining farmland in agricultural use, although we observe changes in use from cropland to pasture land.

High performance genetic algorithm for land use planning

Abstract This study uses genetic algorithms to formulate and develop land use plans. The restrictions to be imposed and the variables to be optimized are selected based on current local and national legal rules and experts’ criteria. Other considerations can easily be incorporated in this approach. Two optimization criteria are applied: land suitability and the shape-regularity of the resulting land use patches. We consider the existing plots as the minimum units for land use allocation. As the number of affected plots can be large, the algorithm execution time is potentially high. The work thus focuses on implementing and analyzing different parallel paradigms: multi-core parallelism, cluster parallelism and the combination of both. Some tests were performed that show the suitability of genetic algorithms to land use planning problems.

A comparative analysis of cellular automata models for simulation of small urban areas in Galicia, NW Spain

Abstract Urban growth models developed in the second half of the 20th century have allowed for a better understanding of the dynamics of urban growth. Among these models, cellular automata (CA) have become particularly relevant because of their ability to reproduce complex spatial and temporal dynamics at a global scale using local and simple rules. In the last three decades, many urban CA models that proved useful in the simulation of urban growth in large cities have been implemented. This paper analyzes the ability of some of the main urban CA models to simulate growth in a study area with different characteristics from those in which these models have been commonly applied, such as slow and low urban growth. The comparison of simulation results has allowed us to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each model and to identify the models that are best suited to the characteristics of the study area. Results suggest that models which simulate several land uses can capture better land use dynamics in the study area but need more objective and reliable calibration methods.

An analysis of the effect of the stochastic component of urban cellular automata models

Urban cellular automata models have proved useful tools in urban growth prediction because of their simplicity and their ability to reproduce complex emergent dynamics. Complex emergent dynamic systems involve processes that are difficult to predict, in which randomness plays a key role. In view of the fact that randomness is particularly relevant to complex processes, the aim of this paper is to analyze the sensitivity of the results of urban cellular automata models to the different methods used to incorporate the stochastic component in the models. The urban growth patterns obtained using different stochastic components are analyzed and compared using a number of spatial metrics. The results show that the differences observed in the simulated patterns are sufficiently relevant to justify the need for this type of analysis, which allows for the selection of the stochastic component that best suits the dynamics of the area.

Calibration of an urban cellular automaton model by using statistical techniques and a genetic algorithm. Application to a small urban settlement of NW Spain

Cellular automata (CA) stand out among the most commonly used urban models for the simulation and analysis of urban growth because of their ability to reproduce complex dynamics, similar to those found in real cities, from simple rules. However, CA models still have to overcome some shortcomings related to their flexibility and difficult calibration. This study combines various techniques to calibrate an urban CA that is based on one of the most widely used urban CA models. First, the number of calibration parameters is reduced by using various statistical techniques, and, second, the calibration procedure is automated through a genetic algorithm. The resulting model has been assessed by simulating the urban growth of Ribadeo, a small village of NW Spain, characterized by low, slow urban growth, which makes the identification of urban dynamics and consequently the calibration of the model more difficult. Simulation results have shown that, by automating the calibration procedure, the model can be more easily applied and adapted to urban areas with different characteristics and dynamics. In addition, the simulations obtained with the proposed model show better values of cell-to-cell correspondence between simulated and real maps, and the values for most spatial metrics are closer to real ones.

Research Article: A GIS-embedded system to support land consolidation plans in Galicia

Land consolidation is a strategic instrument for rural planning and thus economic development in the Spanish region of Galicia. This paper describes an experimental system embedded in a GIS environment to aid rural engineers to develop land consolidation plans. The system supports all the stages of the plan and many functionalities are implemented as heuristic processes based on expert knowledge and advice. The overall aim is to overcome administrative and technical problems of traditional consolidation procedures. The system provides an integrated framework for the management of spatial and administrative consolidation information. It also includes optimization-based algorithms for the automated generation of multiple alternative parcel reallocations, as well as an environment to refine and objectively evaluate the proposed solutions. These key capabilities result in a powerful tool for decision making that dramatically reduces the time and cost of land consolidation plans. Pilot experiences in two consolidation zones of Galicia assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the system.

Assessing the attributes of high-density Eucalyptus globulus stands using airborne laser scanner data

This article presents an airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-based method to extract interesting stand attributes for forest management in high-density Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantations. An adaptive morphological filter (AMF) for classifying terrain LiDAR points in forested areas is used to classify LiDAR points; canopy cover (CC), number of LiDAR-detected trees per hectare (N LD) and individual tree height (h tree) were calculated using the canopy height model (CHM); and several statistics and metrics extracted from the CHM and the normalized height of the LiDAR data cloud (NHD) were incorporated into the linear and multiplicative models for estimating mean height (H m), dominant height (H d), mean diameter (d m), quadratic mean diameter (d g), number of stems per hectare (N), basal area (G) and volume (V). The height accuracy results of the LiDAR-derived digital terrain model (DTM), root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.303 m, revealed that the developed filter behaved well. The values of the RMSE for CC, N LD and h tree were 13.2%, 733.3 stems ha–1 and 1.91 m, respectively. The regressions explained 78% of the variance in ground-truth values for H m (RMSE = 1.33 m); 92% for H d (RMSE = 1.18 m); 71% for d m (RMSE = 1.68 cm); 73% for d g (RMSE = 1.66 cm); 49% for N (RMSE = 667 stems ha–1); 78% for G (RMSE = 5.30 m2 ha–1); and 81% for V (RMSE = 53.6 m3 ha–1).

A population-based iterated greedy algorithm for the delimitation and zoning of rural settlements

Abstract In this paper we present a Population-Based Iterated Greedy (PBIG) algorithm for delimiting and zoning rural settlements. Each cadastral plots is allocated to a category (traditional–historical, common or none) considering restrictions such as the characteristics of the existing edifications and the building density. Since the problem has multiple solutions, heuristic search algorithms, as PBIG, are a good strategy to solve it. Besides the resolution of the problem according to the requirements of the laws, our work explores also new methods of delimitation. The comparison between both types of solutions can help to improve the current methodology. The algorithm, implemented using the Java programming language and integrated into an open-source GIS software, has been tested in rural settlements with different morphological characteristics, providing adjustable solutions to the specific needs of each rural settlement.

Web-GIS tool for the management of rural land markets: Application to the Land Bank of Galicia (NWSpain)

Land abandonment and stagnation of rural markets in the last few years have become one of the main concerns of rural administrations. The use of Web and GIS (Geographic Information System) technologies can help to mitigate the effects of these problems. This paper pro-poses a novel Web-GIS tool with spatial capabilities for the dynamization of rural land markets by encouraging the transfer of land from owners to farmers through the leasing of plots. The system, based on open source software, offers information about the properties, their environment and their owners. It uses standards for handling the geographic information and for communicating with external data sources. This system was used as the basis for the development of SITEGAL, the tool for the management of the Land Bank of Galicia (www.bantegal.com/sitegal). SITEGAL has been operational since 2007 obtaining benefits for both administration and users (farmers and land owners), and promoting the e-Government.

A simulated annealing algorithm for zoning in planning using parallel computing

Abstract There is an increasing demand for tools that support land use planning processes, particularly the design of zoning maps, which is one of the most complex tasks in the field. In this task, different land use categories need to be allocated according to multiple criteria. The problem can be formalized in terms of a multiobjective problem. This paper generalizes and complements a previous work on this topic. It presents an algorithm based on a simulated annealing heuristic that optimizes the delimitation of land use categories on a cadastral parcel map according to suitability and compactness criteria. The relative importance of both criteria can be adapted to any particular case. Despite its high computational cost, the use of plot polygons was decided because it is realistic in terms of technical application and land use laws. Due to the computational costs of our proposal, parallel implementations are required, and several approaches for shared memory systems such as multicores are analysed in this paper. Results on a real case study conducted in the Spanish municipality of Guitiriz show that the parallel algorithm based on simulated annealing is a feasible method to design alternative zoning maps. Comparisons with results from experts are reported, and they show a high similarity. Results from our strategy outperform those by experts in terms of suitability and compactness. The parallel version of the code produces good results in terms of speed-up, which is crucial for taking advantage of the architecture of current multicore processors.