Geography Commons^™

Prenatal Exposure To Pm2.5 Concentration And Risk Of Preterm Birth In New Mexico; A Seasonal Pattern And Spatio-Temporal Modeling., Onyedikachi J. Okeke

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

This study investigates the association between prenatal PM2.5 exposure and preterm birth risk in New Mexico (2014–2021). Using descriptive statistics, time series models, and spatial analyses, findings show an average preterm birth rate of 14.87 per 1,000 live births, with moderate correlation (r = 0.727) between PM2.5 levels and very preterm births. While traditional models revealed no significant global effect, spatial methods such as Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) and Multiscale GWR uncovered strong spatial heterogeneity. PM2.5 effects varied by county (coefficients: -0.00154 to 0.00150), with clustering evident in 2018–2019 (Moran’s I = 0.155–0.174). Results highlight the limitations of global models …

Exploring Ballast Water As A Vector For The Spread Of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, Kathleen Beadling

Masters Theses

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) has led to high mortality rates of reef-building coral species throughout the greater Caribbean region since it was first documented off the coast of Miami in 2014. The pathogen is currently unknown, but it is suspected that ballast water discharge is a vector of disease transmission. As a step towards better understanding SCTLD transmission, this study aimed to identify locations of ballast water exchange that coincide with outbreaks of the disease. Spatial and temporal patterns of SCTLD outbreaks and ballast water exchanges conducted within 50 nautical miles of coastlines were explored using Density-Based Spatial …

Flood Risk Assessment In Humanitarian Contexts: A Remote Sensing And Gis Methodology Applied To Nyarugusu Refugee Camp, Tanzania, Carolyne Vincent Mbirika

Theses

Flooding is a global challenge, with effects mostly experienced in developing countries due to insufficient data for effective flood risk assessment and management. Refugee settlements are particularly vulnerable to flooding due to their remote locations, high population density, and temporary shelters, necessitating flood susceptibility mapping to effectively mitigate risks and minimize damage prior to flooding events. This study assessed flood susceptibility in the Nyarugusu refugee camp, Tanzania, through Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Analytical Hierarchy Process using remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approaches. The flood susceptibility map that resulted from this process categorizes flood-prone areas into three classes: …

An Analysis Of Green Water Footprint In Java Island Using The Cropwat Model, Emilya Nurjani, Anggun Nur Zahwa, Husnul Khotimah Setiacahyandari, Rofiana Budi Ayumi Sita Dewi, Isna Pujiastuti

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

Every human activity requires water, so if the water needs cannot be met from the natural availability of the region itself, then the water needs must be met from other regions. This concept is the basis for calculating virtual water flow and water footprint. Inequality or imbalance between the availability and demand for water in an area will make water a scarce commodity. From an economic point of view, it will become an economic good. This study aims to analyze agricultural water needs and the green water footprint in each region of Java Island. Calculate crop water requirements for the …

Expectations Versus Reality In New Cairo's Gated Communities: An Interdisciplinary Analysis Of Socio-Spatial Features, Ala'a Marwan

Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to introduce a new framework to identify the disparities between gated community residents’ experiences and real estate developers' visions towards the development. As New Cairo experiences significant growth, many residents are increasingly relocating to gated communities. It has become crucial to assess users’ expectations before moving and their lived experience post-moving to allocate the gaps between their expectations and reality, otherwise, the GC developments will grow apart from users’ updated preferences. The research focuses on the socio-spatial qualities such as accessibility to services and facilities, community interaction, and vast green areas between buildings for privacy, all of …

Gis-Based Student Geographic Data Mapping: Islamic University Strategy For Incoming Students, Hasna Tuddar Putri, Laiyina Ukhti, Mahdi Mahdi, Yuli Damayanti

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

IAIN Lhokseumawe is one of the Islamic universities in Aceh that is situated in a location conducive to attracting more students. Nevertheless, this has kept the number of students enrolling at IAIN Lhokseumawe. Over the past five years, the number of students at IAIN Lhokseumawe has fluctuated. The data indicate a need for more linearity in the fan and subscriber trends. Following the implementation of the promotional strategy, the outcome remained unchanged. Consequently, IAIN Lhokseumawe must re-examine the rationale behind student decision-making processes when selecting educational institutions. This approach will allow IAIN Lhokseumawe to develop innovative strategies to increase student …

Analysis Of Knowledge, Utilization, And Technology Adoption Of Digital Learning Resource By Geography Teachers In Sragen And Karanganyar, Indonesia, Wahyu Widiyatmoko, Ratih Puspita Dewi, Siti Azizah Susilawati, Muhammad Musiyam, Devi Nurhalimah, Muslihah Juwita Hapsari, Dias Aziz Pramudita

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

Digital competence is essential for all teachers, including geography teachers. This research aims to analyze the knowledge, utilization, and level of technology adoption of digital learning resources among geography teachers in Sragen and Karanganyar. This study is quantitative research with a survey design. The population of this study consists of all geography teachers in Sragen and Karanganyar, totaling 65 teachers, and this population is used as the sample. The variables used in this research are the level of knowledge, utilisation, and adoption of digital learning resources for teaching GIS material. Data collection was carried out using questionnaires completed by respondents …

Student’S Disaster Preparedness Of Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Using Learning Simulation Virtual Reality (Lsvr) Model, Andi Irwan Benardi, Sumarmi Sumarmi, Syamsul Bachri, Erni Suharini, Atta Ur Rahman, Sriyono Sriyono, Saiful Amin, Joshua Vincent Gerar Yametis

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Learning Simulation Virtual Reality (LSVR) model in enhancing disaster preparedness for Merapi Volcano and examines the relationship between disaster preparedness and student learning outcomes. Conducted with 120 students from two senior high schools located in disaster-prone areas near Merapi Volcano in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia, the research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group setup. Essay-based assessments measured learning outcomes, while surveys gauged disaster preparedness levels. The analysis utilized an independent sample t-test and descriptive statistics, revealing the LSVR model’s strengths in delivering innovative and effective content, appealing design, and …

Analysis Of Erosion Rates In North Jakarta For Predicting The Ages Of North Sunter And Pluit Reservoirs, Listyo Yudha Irawan, Ghairandi Al Abrar, Mohammad Tahir B Mapa, Adi Jafar, Shafi Noor Islam, Siti Nur Farihah, Febrian Eka Ardiansyah

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

The Pluit and North Sunter Reservoirs play a critical role in the city’s hydrological infrastructure, particularly in meeting the increasing water demands driven by population growth. However, continuous population shifts, deforestation, and changes in land use have led to sediment accumulation, affecting both water quality and the reservoirs’ operational lifespan. This study aims to evaluate the erosion rate and predict the potential lifespans of the Sunter Utara and Pluit Reservoirs. This research was conducted by integrating Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing using Sentinel-2 datasets and the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) method to calculate sediment accumulation. The findings indicate …

The Role Of Visual Analytics In Remote Sensing Spatial Data Interpretation, Iswari Nur Hidayati, R Suharyadi, Andhika Wisnu Pratama, Herdiansyah Herdiansyah

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

In remote sensing spatial data analysis, various methods are used to understand and evaluate the information obtained. The approach used so far is remote sensing visual analysis which offers various advantages compared to other methods. Visual analysis utilizes visualization techniques to facilitate the identification and interpolation of highly complex patterns of presented spatial data. The main advantage of this analysis is that it presents information that is easy to understand with an approach to spatial data interpretation elements. Another advantage of visual analysis is that it presents intuitive data that allows it to be analyzed quickly, observing relationships and changes …

Groundwater Conservation Zone Model To Support Sustainable Tourism In Coastal Areas: A Case Study In Parangtritis Village, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Sadewa Purba Sejati, Rivi Neritarani, Mohd Hairy Ibrahim

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

This study aims to determine the environmental characteristics in coastal areas and determine the groundwater conservation zone model in coastal regions. The research was conducted in Parangtritis Village, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta. The data includes aquifer types, aeration zone materials, and groundwater depth. The data was processed and analysed using Arc GIS Pro software version 2.5. The data were processed by plotting and spatial interpolation techniques to produce thematic maps of environmental characteristics, namely aquifer-type maps, aeration zone material maps, groundwater depth maps, and land use maps. The thematic maps that have been generated are then classified and scored. The classification …

Suburbanization As A Post-Industrial Essentiality: Revisiting Sweden's Miljonprogrammet, Colin Wood

Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal

Definitively speaking, suburbanization does not equate to post-industrialism in the same limelight as would urbanization and industrialism. However, anomalous cases, such as the one being discussed in this paper, tangentially interlink on a socioeconomic basis. In 1965, Sweden began construction of the Miljonprogrammet (Million Programme), where over the next ten years, over one million domiciles were built in a suburban setting leading to a mass diaspora of ‘slum living’ Swedish industrial workers. The nation’s renowned welfare state, built on a collaborative system between public and private sectors as well as federal and municipal actors, overlooked housing in its social …

Humboldt Geographic Issue 3

Humboldt Geographic

This collection of maps showcases the exceptional cartographic work produced by students at Cal Poly Humboldt over the past decade. At the core of the geospatial curriculum, cartography is not just a technical skill but a creative, analytical, and communicative practice that empowers students to visualize data, tell meaningful stories, and engage with the world through spatial thinking. The work featured in this journal represents various styles, formats, and topics, reflecting the rigor and innovation embedded in the department's cartographic training.

Spatial Implications Of Potential Treeline Campfire Restrictions In Selected Usfs-Managed Colorado Wildernesses, Rebecca Hippensteel

Masters Projects

High-elevation ecosystems in Colorado’s Wilderness areas are ecologically sensitive and particularly vulnerable to campfire impacts, which can damage vegetation, alter soil chemistry, and degrade wilderness character. This study presents a preliminary proof of concept evaluating the spatial implications of banning campfires at or above 11,000 feet—used here as a proxy for treeline—in twelve U.S. Forest Service-managed Wilderness areas. Using 30-meter resolution Digital Elevation Models from the USGS National Map and Earth Explorer, a raster-based analysis in ArcGIS Pro identified and quantified acreage above 11,000 feet. Across the twelve Wilderness areas, 268,601 acres were found to lie above treeline, representing an …

Evaluating Spatiotemporal Vegetation Index Variation To Detect Salt Marsh Dieback On The Georgia Coast, Emmanuella Bosompemaa Obeng

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Salt marshes, essential for coastal protection and carbon sequestration, are increasingly vulnerable to dieback events, threatening ecosystem resilience and vital services. Detecting these shifts early is essential for timely intervention. However, few studies have applied Early Warning Signals (EWS) to coastal marsh systems. Most EWS research has focused on lakes, forests, or climate tipping points, with limited application to salt marsh dieback in the southeastern U.S. Site-specific, long-term spatial analyses are also lacking, as prior work often examines short time frames or single disturbance events. This study investigates the spatiotemporal patterns of salt marsh dieback on the Georgia coast from …

Wildlife Distribution Mapping And Analysis In Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, Using Site And Satellite Imagery Data, Pinho Joaquim Munhequeira Mr

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

One of Mozambique's most important conservation sites, Gorongosa National Park has seen critical ecological changes over the past several decades resulting from climate variability, habitat loss, and political instability. This research integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing to examine the relationship between vegetation dynamics and wildlife population, and distribution. The main goals of this study are to evaluate the spatial distribution of particular wildlife species: buffalo (Syncerus caffer), elephant (Loxodonta africana), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), and zebra (Equus quagga), and determine the impact of vegetation density and land cover on their …

Assessing High-Speed Rail (Hsr) Policy And Politics In Washington State: Avoiding The Mistakes Of The Past, Landen K. Hashimura

All Master's Theses

While international standard high-speed rail (HSR) has yet to be successfully completed in the US, there is a national interest in the topic, as evidenced by recent federal initiatives to research HSR across various corridors. The Cascadia Corridor has been identified as a region with high potential for HSR, leading to an ongoing study in the State of Washington. Given the tumultuous history of American HSR development, the Cascadia HSR initiative needs to avoid the mistakes of the past. Two major contributing factors to this failure to build HSR are uneven political support for HSR and poor policy frameworks. Despite …

Modeling Recreational Risk Factors On The Landscape: A Predictive Gis Analysis Of Recreation Accident Response Near North Bend, Washington., Naomi S.J. Van Roon

All Master's Theses

Search and Rescue (SAR) teams in Washington respond to approximately 900 incidents annually, many stemming from outdoor recreation near Interstate 90 surrounding North Bend. This study utilized predictive GIS analysis to identify areas of concern within state lands, including Mount Si and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Natural Resource Conservation Areas, Raging River State Forest, and Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area. The predictive model was calibrated using SAR responses to hiking-related incidents between March and November from 2020 to 2023, and incorporated an analysis of risk factors influencing recreationalist incident probability. This research then developed a decision support system to aid land managers …

Sports Facilities, Trails, And Travel Cost: A Non-Market Valuation Case Study Of Parks In Montana, Clemens Walter Wilson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study applies the travel cost valuation method to urban parks in the State of Montana in an effort to determine whether parks with attributes related to exercise have greater value for recreationalists. By observing real recreation behaviour of urban park visitors through the use of cellphone mobility data, recreational demand for varying parks can be ascertained. To model recreational demand, the random utility model (RUM) and multinomial logit model (MNL) are leveraged to understand choice probabilities of parks, based on the attributes of parks, including sports facilities and trails. This study finds that there are positive and significant relationships …

Coupling Remote Sensing And Modelling To Monitor The Spatial Distribution And Trends Of Surface Temperature And Ice Thickness On Sub-Arctic Lakes, Gifty Attiah

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Lake surface temperature (LST), lake ice thickness (LIT), and lake ice phenology (LIP) play significant roles in the diverse regional processes of freshwater in cold regions. They offer direct indications of regional weather and climate conditions, and their interactions with the atmosphere impact climate processes. Furthermore, lake ice is valuable to northern communities, such as those in the Northwest Territories (NWT). Ice roads, including the longest ice road in the NWT, spanning over 80 lakes, are constructed during winter to haul goods to and from industrial establishments (e.g., mines) and for travel within and between communities. A significant challenge to …

Performance Of Acoustic Telemetry And Space Use Of Pallid Sturgeon In The Lower Platte River, Nebraska, Christopher F. Pullano

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) are centenarian, potamodromous, rheophiles that historically occupied the Missouri River and Mississippi River basins. Listed on the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1990, population declines are attributed to habitat fragmentation and degradation, as well as overharvest, and hybridization. A knowledge gap exists regarding the extent to which tributaries facilitate key life stages for Pallid Sturgeon. This study evaluated the capacity of acoustic telemetry to monitor the movements of Pallid Sturgeon in a shallow, braided tributary to the Missouri River. The specific objectives were to (1) evaluate the environmental variables influencing the performance of acoustic …

Impact Of Weather Systems On Uav Parameters Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Saif Aljuhaishi, Yaseen K. Al-Timimi, Basim I. Wahab

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Since drones cannot fly in any kind of weather, they are not safe for time-sensitive activities. The study examines how the passage of weather systems in Iraq leads to the ban on drone flights, and how these weather conditions impact the aerodynamic forces of the drone. Hourly climate data for the study area were obtained from ECMWF ERA5 and CAMS in NetCDF format for four climate stations (Erbil, Baghdad, Rutbah, and Basrah). A ScanEagle drone was chosen for this study. The Python programming language was used to perform mathematical operations to calculate the ban on drone flights. ArcGIS 10.8 was …

Explainable Artificial Intelligence To Interpret Spatially-Explicit Impacts Of Future Climate Change On Species Distribution, Lei Song, Amy E. Frazier, Peter Kedron, Diogo S. A. Araujo, Diyang Cui, Brian J. Enquist, Brian Maitner, Cory Merow, Gabriel M. Moulatlet, Efthymios I. Nikolopoulos, Patrick R. Roehrdanz

I-GUIDE Forum

Biodiversity is essential for maintaining ecosystem balance and functionality, providing vital services such as climate regulation. The rapid decline in biodiversity, driven by habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and climate change, poses significant threats to ecosystems. Climate change, in particular, is fundamentally altering habitats, leading to shifts in species distributions. However, existing research often lacks decomposed contribution analyses, particularly spatially, for a changing individual environmental attributes when modeling species distribution as an aggregate result of all factors and their interactions. Such analyses are crucial for identifying climate refugia and prioritizing conservation efforts. Taking endangered mammal species as an example, this study …

Statistical Downscaling Of Climate Datasets With Deep Generative Model And Bayesian Inference, Guiye Li, Guofeng Cao

I-GUIDE Forum

Facing the challenges of global climate change, precise and high spatial resolution climate data are crucial and in pressing need for scientific research and analysis. However, most existing datasets are only available with very coarse spatial resolution and demand large-scale resolution enhancement. Meanwhile, climate datasets own much more intricate textures than natural images. Statistical downscaling or super-resolution (SR) with the deep-learning-based generative model might be a promising approach to address these challenges. It is worth noting that a learned Bayesian reconstruction with generative models (L-BRGM) method was proposed recently. The proposed Bayesian deep learning framework employs a single pre-trained generative …

Communicating Uncertainty And Cataloging Bias In Spatial Data Science Education, Peter Kedron, Jiahua Chen

I-GUIDE Forum

Uncertainty is an unavoidable part of any spatial analysis, which makes quantifying and communicating uncertainty a requirement of any spatial data science study. However, current curricula leave students understanding the importance of uncertainty and concerned about potential bias, but without an actionable framework to improve their workflows or inferences. We propose a framework rooted in Bloom’s Taxonomy for introducing these concepts to spatial data science students.

Conducting Structure-From-Motion (Sfm) Modeling Of Freshwater Environments Using Unpiloted Aerial Systems (Uas): Challenges And Lessons Learned, Benjamin T. Fraser, Christine L. Bunyon, Russell G. Congalton

Faculty Publications

The pairing of Unpiloted Aerial Systems (UAS) and Structure from Motion (SfM) has provided new capabilities for modeling freshwater environments. Applications of UAS-SfM range from water quality monitoring to the mapping of aquatic vegetation. The models produced provide users with the ability to analyze features at ultra-high-resolutions and across scales not easily achieved through in situ sampling. Despite the demonstrated benefits of UAS-SfM in freshwater and other natural resource disciplines, there remain fundamental technical challenges in the modeling of environments with homogenous surfaces (e.g., water). In this research, the effectiveness of several image collection and processing approaches for the modelling …

Challenges Of Using More Precise Temporal And Spatial Resolution Of Remote Sensing Data For Surface Water Quality Monitoring, Ivan Rykin

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Monitoring river suspended sediment concentration (SSC) is critical for environmental challenges such as understanding the fate of thawed permafrost sediment and its impact on global carbon cycling. However, traditional SSC monitoring using Landsat imagery is limited by spatial and temporal constraints, particularly for narrow rivers in cloudy and/or snowy regions.

This study investigates the use of higher spatial (3 m) and temporal (daily) resolution satellite imagery from the PlanetScope constellation to estimate SSC in remote rivers such as those in the Arctic. I compare the performance of PlanetScope’s spectral resolution (4 and 8 bands) with Landsat 7. Merging data from …

Understanding Climate Change Adaptation And Gentrification Through The Framework Of Uneven Coastal Development In Keansburg, New Jersey, Zachary Paganini

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study examines the rapid acceleration of coastal development in the United States despite projections of climate change-induced sea level rise. Like no other developed country, the U.S. has transformed its fragile coastline into sites for leisure, consumption, and retirement. These spaces now face the prospect of more frequent and severe storms, as well as land loss and inundation, due to climate change. This dilemma has sparked debates around coastal resilience, adaptation, retreat, and climate gentrification.

While many studies seek to measure perceptions of climate change risk and vulnerability, this dissertation reverses the question by positioning risk perceptions as an …

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Hot Spots In Mississippi, Taylor Jansen, Elizabeth Dugan

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Abstract

Introduction. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the sixth leading cause of death in the US and approximately 10% of people 65 years and older have COPD. This study examines the association of geographic-level risk factors with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevalence using spatial-based analyses with the goal of identifying risk factors associated with county-level COPD and to identify communities at risk.

Methods. The study sample consisted of all N=82 counties in Mississippi and all data is reported at the county level. All measures were drawn from the 2023 Mississippi Healthy Aging Data Report. A hot spot …

Gps Accuracy Of Smartphones For Crowdsourcing Research, Derron L. Dike

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

ABSTRACT GPS Accuracy of Smartphones for Crowdsourcing Research Derron Dike Utilizing crowdsourcing with smartphones as a method for field data collection can contribute an array of data for scientific studies and land management applications. This study used crowdsourcing to examine smartphone built-in GPS performance for providing location-specific information with potential forestry applications. The usability of smartphones for GPS data collection in forestry studies or other practical applications is dependent on the level of accuracy required for those applications. A Smartphone Accuracy Trial was designed to test the GPS accuracy performance of current smartphones. Participants used the ArcGIS Field Maps application …