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Overview
Evolutionary models (e.g., genetic algorithms, artificial life), explored in other fields for the past two decades,are now emerging as an important new tool in GIS for a number of reasons. First, they are highly appropriate for modeling geographic phenomena. Secondly, geographical problems are often spatially separate (broken down into local or regional problems) and evolutionary algorithms can exploit this structure. Finally, the ability to store,
manipulate, and visualize spatial data has increased to the point that space-time-attribute databases can be easily handled.
Synopsis
Noting that users of geographical information systems (GIS) have not often applied the evolutionary modeling approach that is now common in many other fields, computer scientists and related scholars from Europe and the US explain the basics of the approach to GIS practitioners and researchers. They introduce the concept of evolution and evolutionary algorithms, describe the class of such algorithms designed to process spatial information, and present selected illustrations of applications. The treatment could serve as a primary textbook for courses in GIS, advanced spatial modeling methods, and information engineering, or as a supplementary text for computer science courses.
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