摘要：Models in land change research are often chosen arbitrarily based on practical rather thantheoretical considerations. More specifically, research on land change is often based on a researchframework with three crucial elements – driving forces, actors, and land change – in an ad hoc and case-specific configuration. The lack of solid and widely applicable concepts about the conceptual link betweenthese three elements can negatively affect individual research projects and hamper communication andgeneralizations beyond the individual project. We present four basic models for linking land change withdriving forces and actors. These models are illustrated with examples from the research literature. Basedon the main characteristics of the models and practical considerations, we propose guidelines for choosingamong the four models for specific studies. More generally, we want to raise awareness that land changeresearch is especially demanding with respect to conceptual backgrounds and that conceptual considerationswill help improve the scientific quality of individual studies as well as their potential contribution towardsgeneric theories of land change
关键词：conceptualization; guidelines; land change modeling; land cover change; land use; model;selection; organizational heuristic
