Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
3.4. Conclusion
The examples presented in this chapter illustrate the diversity of insights that can
be called upon to analyze change. We have proposed a grid of presentation based, on
the one hand, on the geographical level at which the question of the change is raised,
and, on the other hand, on the type of formalization of space and time. Table 3.1
summarizes the diversity of approaches and of combinations of approaches called
upon to answer each of the thematic questions. These approaches cover the three
categories of methods presented at the beginning of the chapter, namely analysis of
geographical data, spatial statistics and spatial modeling. According to the
objectives, it leads to the analysis of the evolution of an organization (section 3.2.1),
to the identification of the factors of change (section 3.2.2), to a representation of the
evolutions of spatial entities (section 3.3.1), or, finally, to the highlighting of the
change process itself (sections 3.3.2 and 3.3.3).
Follow-up
level
Formalization
of space
Formalization
of time
Section Example
Method
- archaeological
settlements
Spatial statistics
(geometric
center, ellipse)
Global
organization
3.2.1
- postal roads
- public
transport user
active
“Unfolded”
- Urban
hierarchy
Global
organization
3.2.1
support
“Unfolded”
Rank size rule
Gravity model
Clark's law
- Urban spatial
extension
Global
organization
3.2.1
active
“Unfolded”
- Change of
land use
Global
organization
Logistic
regression
3.2.2
active
“Folded”
- Settlements'
durability
Global
organization
Logistic
regression
3.2.2
active
“Folded”
- Population
dynamics of an
urban system
Clustering
analysis
3.3.1
Entity
support
“unfolded”
- American
cities'
specialization
Correspondence
analysis
3.3.1
Entity
support
“Unfolded”
- Evolution of
the
employment
centers
Decision tree
classification
3.3.2
Entity
active
“Folded”
- Change
of
3.3.3
Entity
support
“Unfolded”
Markov chain
land cover
Table 3.1.
Summary illustrating the diversity of cases
