GIS and Field Ecology

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GIS and Field Ecology

• EVRN 460
• Rhonda Houser
• KU Libraries Scholar Services
• Fall 2009

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Outline

• Introduction to geographic information systems
• concepts, data, software
• Applications of GIS to ecology
• in general
• uses at KU
• field ecology uses
• Wrap-up
• jobs
• KU Libraries services

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GIS Capabilities

• Quantitative tool
• Multiple analyses
• Large data sets

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Geospatial Data

• spatial attribute
• information information

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What is GIS?
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Raster Data

• grid format, data in rows and columns
• better for spatial analysis
• continuous data- air photos, elevation data
• tiff, jpg, sid, grid

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Vector Data

• coordinate-based structure
• better precision
• points, lines or polygons
• coverages, shapefiles

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Vector Data

• POINTS
• LINES
• POLYGONS

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Vector vs. Raster
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Sources of GIS Data

• User creates
• User generates
• User obtains from other source

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• Projections- represent areas on Earths surface
  (3D) on a flat surface (2D)

Source National Geographic http//www.nationalg
eographic.com/features/2000/exploration/projection
s/
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Software
Commercial ArcGIS, MapInfo, FME, Imagine Open
Source/Free GRASS, SAGA, Quantum, Map Window,
uDIG, gvSIG, JUMP Google Earth, Google Maps,
ArcExplorer
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GIS Articles

• Search of BioOne 131 articles
• Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System
  Operations for Vegetation Mapping of Invasive
  Exotics
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• Range and Habitat Selection of African Buffalo in
  South Africa 
• Research and Monitoring Components of the
  National Estuarine Research Reserve System 

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GIS Articles

• Search of GeoBase 605 articles
• Development of an interactive embeddable
  geographic information system (E-GIS) for soil
  erosion prediction 
• Mapping the abundance of riverine fish
  populations Integrating hierarchical Bayesian
  models with a geographic information system

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GIS Articles

• Search of GeoBase gt5,700 articles
• Ecological characterization of bat species
  distributions in Michoacán, México, using a
  geographic information system 
• Prairie dog towns as islands Applications of
  island biogeography and landscape ecology for
  conserving nonvolant terrestrial vertebrates 

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• GIS Uses at KU in the sciences
• Geography
• Geology
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Environmental Studies
• Natural History Museum
• Biological Survey
• Geological Survey

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Plot GPS locations
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Elevation in Chiapas, Mexico

• Fieldwork to find new
• frog and salamander species

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Characterization of Ecoystems

• Inventory/ Display- track and visualize location
  of species, habitats, ecosystems
• Analysis/ Modeling- perform database and
  geographic queries

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'Midwest' Discovered Between East, West Coasts
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Jobs in GIS

• Private Sector- Google, ESRI, Garmin
• Government (local, state, federal)- City of
  Lawrence, Douglas County, Dept. of Health
  Environment, Environmental Protection Agency,
  Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey
• Academia- university libraries, research centers
• Non-profit- The Nature Conservancy, The Land
  Trust
• www.gis.com/careers/listings.html

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The GIS Jobs Clearinghouse
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www.giscareers.com
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GIS and Data Lab 105 Anschutz Library Rhonda
Houser data_at_ku.edu 864-1238
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GIS and Data Lab
Data- Access, Input and Analysis, Output,
Training
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You need to study more geography if you think...

• Andes is an after dinner mint
• The Balkans are alien people on Star Trek
• The Tropic of Cancer is a sunscreen lotion
• The Equator is a cartoon action figure
• A fjord is a Norwegian car