Comparative Model Evaluation in LUCC Research

Capable approaches to assess the likely future of lands on various spatial scales, from global to local are required. The aim of integration was formulated 10 years ago in the LUCC Science Plan. An effort was made to structure 30 land use and land cover change models many out of them originating from Asia according to their spatial and temporal range as a first attempt to structure individual models or case studies. A simple scale time matrix proposed 9 classes from long range and long term to short range and short term. Models within the same classes are considered for comparative studies and thereby provide more information than for the purpose they were written for. However, when coming to the more detailed level, even “near ” models from time scale evaluation are far away from to be integrated. They are separated and LUCC community should develop simple modelling standards to make case studies comparable to each other in the future