Land cover/use change modeling with CLUE-S

Introduction and model structure The Conversion of Land Use and its Effects modelling framework (CLUE) (Veldkamp and Fresco, 1996; Verburg et al., 1999) was developed to simulate land use change using empirically quantified relations between land use and its driving factors in combination with dynamic modelling of competition between land use types. The modelling approach has been modified and is now called CLUE-S (the Conversion of Land Use and its Effects at Small regional extent). CLUE-S is specifically developed for the spatially explicit simulation of land use change based on an empirical analysis of location suitability combined with the dynamic simulation of competition and interactions between the spatial and temporal dynamics of land use systems. More information on the development of the CLUE-S model can be found in Verburg et al. (2002) and Verburg and Veldkamp (2003).