Landscape sustainability analysis: Methodological approach from dynamical systems

Sustainable development is a concept that has been maturing since its promulgation in Brundtland in 1987. Following a complex systems-based reflection that involves system dynamics, dynamical systems and viability theory, is proposed that sustainability is an emerging expression of the landscape, whose emergence results from the socio-ecological interactions of the landscape, so its analysis must be of a type systemic, incorporating the temporal transformation of all landscapes aspects, and not only portions of them, in addition, in this paper is explained that sustainability does not exist as a single state, but that there are sustainabilities and that, although its analysis is specific space, it should allow comparison with higher and lower spatial scales. In this way, a methodological approach is made from dynamical systems theory for sustainability landscape analysis. This perspective not only allows to recognize the trend behavior of a socio-ecological system in the landscape establishing its sustainability, but it is also oriented to decision-making, so, the management of sustainability indicators should not be done as if in the landscape were disconnected, causing possible deterioration of other indicators during the management, but through sustainability principles defined as indicators set satisfying constraints. In this way, the perspective from the dynamical systems theory allows the recognition of sustainability and guides on the decision making in the landscape.