Settlement Dynamics

The dynamics of settlements in an arid environment is simulated on a grid based on several factors: distances to roads and other settlements, water table height, and vegetation. Probability of new settlements are evaluated, and also the impact of existing settlements on the surrounding vegetation. We consider simple model cases and also a realistic scenario for settlements in the desert of Lavalle, in the west of Argentina.

The following images added the same type of vegetation in all the grid plus taking into account the distance between settlements (Fig. 1.a), the vegetation decreased each timestep by a defined rate, the settlements could be placed next to each other, but the degradation of the vegetation prevented that, the Fig. 1.c. shows the degradation of vegetation for the Fig. 1.a. In fig. 1.b, the simulation only takes into account the vegetation, the settlements are not bounded between them or with the road, in this case, the settlement can be placed in any point of the grid, except too close to another settlement because the degradation of the vegetation, the fig 1.d shows the degradation of vegetation.

Fig. 1: a) distance between settlements < 22.5km, constant vegetation in all the grid. b) Only takes into account a vegetation reduction rate. c) Degradation of vegetation corresponding to simulation shown in figure 1.a. . d) Degradation of vegetation corresponding to simulation shown in figure 1.b.

Integrantes y colaboradores

Emmanuel Nicolás Millán (UN Cuyo)

Julieta Aranibar ICB (UN Cuyo) - IANIGLA (CCT Mendoza)

Silvana Goirán ICB (UN Cuyo) - IANIGLA (CCT Mendoza)

Simulation code

Download link at the bottom of the page.