Order and chaos in landscape: the role of suitability maps to plan sustainable development

Abstract

The role of suitability maps as produced by Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSS) is revisited under the perspective of sustainable development. A method using suitability maps as neutral models to measure the divergence from an ordered landscape situation is suggested. The concept of land use niche in landscape multidimensional space is introduced as the theoretical framework to support the method. Two case studies are presented in which suitability maps are used to measure the order of the landscape.