This
course explores geospatial methods and modeling tools applied to conservation
analysis and management questions. We will use both ArcGIS Pro, 3rd party tools,
and other statistical software packages during the course and use a variety of
data forms: satellite imagery, GIS vector data, digital elevation models,
animal telemetry data, dynamic management polygons, etc. The class focuses
on applications, technical skill development, and written and graphical
summaries of the different projects.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
Locate, obtain, process, visualize, query and analyze different types of geospatial data within ArcGIS Pro.
Construct ArcGIS workspaces and models to perform processing, visualization, query and analytical tasks.
Use non-GIS programs such as MaxEnt, R, Portfolio, and MARXAN to construct habitat models, and design reserve portfolios, respectively.
Create compelling graphical images that summarize the analysis for different audiences, e.g. scientific, NGO, government.
Learn how to research and summarize current geospatial problems from the primary literature.
Given a rough sketch of a conservation or management problem, outline and execute an analysis with GIS and write a cohesive summary comprising of graphical, numerical, textual and visual information.
Course Format
This course is comprised of two weekly lectures along with two weekly labs. While the emphasis is on technical skill development, equally important is your ability to summarize a project and, when required, make a management or conservation recommendation. Accordingly we will be exposed to a variety of examples that will require multiple skills and gain experience with the current questions in conservation biology, and the current tools to answer such questions. During the course you will engage in a variety of activities including:
Participating in lectures and discussions on geospatial analysis
Planning and conducting GIS-based analyses relating to different management questions
Writing both short informal & long formal summary reports of these analyses
Writing short reviews of guest speaker presentations
Designing and executing a final project
Graded activities
We will provide you with a range of different labs over the course of the semester to ensure broad exposure to different systems and different conservation and management questions. As the semester progresses, you will be given fewer and fewer instructions concerning how to conduct the analysis and complete each assignment. Each lab will require a lab write-up: some 'informal' short write-ups and some 'formal' more detailed write-ups.
Short Lab Exercises
Lab Exercises: There will be roughly eight lab exercise assigned during the course. You will briefly and succinctly answer posed questions, or summarize the problem, your approach to solving it, and your results. While they are short, they need to be professional and not rough attempts to summarize the lab.
Review Paper: You will write a short paper (5-7 pages – double spaced) that summarizes at least three papers from the peer-reviewed literature that use GIS and/or geospatial analysis on a conservation or management topic of your choice. These should summarize the research or conservation problem faced, the methods they used, what you think of their techniques, and, given what you’ve learned in this class, how you think they could be improved.
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Course Project: You will be required to perform a geospatial analysis that goes beyond what is taught explicitly in lab exercises. A set of topics will be provided, or you can propose your own topic. Proposed topics, however, must be approved by the instructor.
Class Participation: In addition to general active participation in class discussions, I will request a various points along the course that you provide feedback on a guest lecture or evaluate a particular aspect about the course.
Grading
Assignment
Pct.
Problem sets (x5)
70%
Course project development
5%
Course project
25%
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