The interaction of multiple processes of human settlement in a Mediterranean Island ecosystem

Abstract

A. This work develops a new, simple, transdisciplinary methodology for the linguistic modelling and analysis of complex man-environment systems for the purpose of facilitating management. Firstly a method is developed for the compilation of a descriptive model of one or many sectors, such as Agriculture, Tourism, etc. Together with appropriate research/administration/training proposals involving University and Government, methods are subsequently developed for transforming such data into analytical and decision making tools, mostly in chart form, related to each sector, for the practical convenience of the analyst and the manaeer of the sector concerned. Thirdly, methods are also developed for analysing aspects of the entire system (or many sectors of it) holistically, e.g. analysis of all structural changes, or all resource utilisation, or all external dependencies. Extensive examples are given of all the three methodologies are given with the aid of a case study of an actual populated area. B. The case-study is of human settlement phenomena on the Mediterranean island of Gozo in the Maltese archipelago. Linguistic models of certain sectors are given, including Tourism, Migration, and Water-Use; together with outline models of the remaining sectors. A sectoral analysis of the Water-Use sector is carried out, and also an extensive analysis of structural change in Gozo as a whole; these forms of analysis utilise the descriptive linguistic model as their starting-point.