This paper presents an agent-based model of shifting cultivation that explains patterns of land use and forest structure beyond the extensive margin of agriculture. The anthropological literature is first examined in order to specify key aspects of farming group preferences vis-à-vis food requirements. Two existing theories of shifting cultivation are then addressed to motivate the present form...

Shifting cultivation remains an important land system in many tropical landscapes, but transitions away from shifting are increasingly common. So far, our knowledge on the social–economic and environmental drivers consequences of such is incomplete, focusing certain transitions, drivers, or regions. Here, we use archetype approach, validated through systematically identified literature, to desc...