Journal
GEOMORPHOLOGY
Volume 243, Issue -, Pages 130-146Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.12.024
Keywords
Graph theory; Network analysis; Spatial and nonspatial graphs; Geomorphic systems; Modelling
Funding
- Potsdam Research Cluster for Georisk Analysis, Environmental Change and Sustainability (PROGRESS)
- German Research Foundation (DFG) [HE5747/1-1, HE5747/1-2]
- European Union COST programme [ES1306]
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Applications of graph theory have proliferated across the academic spectrum in recent years. Whereas geosciences and landscape ecology have made rich use of graph theory, its use seems limited in physical geography, and particularly in geomorphology. Common applications of graph theory analyses of connectivity, path or transport efficiencies, subnetworks, network structure, system behaviour and dynamics, and network optimization or engineering all have uses or potential uses in geomorphology and closely related fields. In this paper, we give a short introduction to graph theory and review previous geomorphological applications or works in related fields that have been particularly influential. Network-like geomorphic systems can be classified into nonspatial or spatially implicit system components linked by statistical/causal relationships and spatial units linked by some spatial relationship, for example by fluxes of matter and/or energy. We argue that, if geomorphic system properties and behaviour (e.g., complexity, sensitivity, synchronisability, historical contingency, connectivity etc.) depend on system structure and if graph theory is able to quantitatively describe the configuration of system components, then graph theory should provide us with tools that help in quantifying system properties and in inferring system behaviour. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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