Geography Commons^™

Readme Template For Geospatial Data, Alyssa Renteria

Library Faculty Research

A readme file provides descriptive information about a dataset, file(s), or software. The goal is to ensure that the files and data can be correctly interpreted by your future self or others when sharing or publishing data, code, or software.

Mountain Development In Nepal: Settlements, Infrastructure, And Economic Transformation, Keshav Bhattarai, Ambika P. Adhikari

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

As Nepal urbanizes, expands infrastructure, strengthens local governments, and explores deeper connectivity with India and China, climate change is increasing floods, landslides, heat, and water insecurity. Rapid internal migration, rising disaster risks, youth outmigration, and dependence on remittances are also revealing the limits of conventional urban development, especially in the mountainous region. The central challenge for Nepal is no longer just to accommodate growing towns and cities, but to build settlements that are safe, productive, environmentally resilient, and capable of sustaining long-term prosperity.

This paper argues that Nepal's urban future must be guided by a new development paradigm centered on …

Coastal Vulnerability Index Mapping Using Remote Sensing And Gis Techniques: A Comparative Study Of Oaxaca (Mexico) And Bali (Indonesia), Siti Aisyah, Mangapul Parlindungan Tambunan

Jurnal Geografi Lingkungan Tropik (Journal of Geography of Tropical Environments)

This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of two journal articles that assess coastal vulnerability using the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI), focusing on the State of Oaxaca in Mexico and the Province of Bali in Indonesia. The comparison covers the research context, data inputs, methodological frameworks, findings, and conclusions, while also highlighting the respective strengths and limitations of each study. Both regions applied CVI methodologies to evaluate areas at risk from sea-level rise, utilizing remote sensing data and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools at a regional scale. The outcomes of this research emphasize key parameters that significantly affect coastal …

Gis-Based Trail Accessibility Assessment At Lime Hollow Nature Center, Ashley Siergiej

Honors Theses

Outdoor recreation, such as hiking, is an important component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially in regions such as Central New York where natural areas are abundant. Hiking trails provide opportunities for people to connect with the environment, making it important that individuals of all abilities can access and experience these spaces. However, many environmental and physical factors can influence the difficulty and accessibility of hiking trails. This study evaluates trail accessibility at Lime Hollow Nature Center in Cortland, New York using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and field-based data collection. Field observations were collected along the Art Meadow Loop and …

Distribution Mapping And Modeling Of The Invasive Japanese Knotweed, Jossalyn Rogalski

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates the distribution of invasive Japanese knotweed across Michigan. This plant poses significant challenges to land management due to its rapid growth, environmental impacts, and difficulty of removal once established. Using geographic information systems (GIS), remotely sensed data, and secondary environmental datasets, this research maps current infestations and analyzes key factors influencing the species’ growth and dispersal, such as soil composition, hydrology, land use, and a range of environmental variables, including climatic (annual mean temperature, temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality), elevation, vegetation and hydrological indices (NDVI, EVI, NDWI), percent tree cover, and distance to roads. Spatial analysis …

Creating A Gis-Based Site Suitability Index For A Major Sports Stadium In Kansas City, Theodore E. Blair

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

There are many considerations taken when siting major sports stadiums. Most literature, though, has focused on the political and economic considerations, the negative outcomes of using public money for private projects. However, geographic considerations play a major part in deciding where to site a stadium. These considerations are wide-ranging and can change with the times. This thesis determines ten modern site suitability criteria, and with them, creates a site suitability index using GIS to determine and quantify more and less suitable areas for stadium development. It applies this index to the Kansas City area, as the city is currently in …

Riparian Ecosystem Condition And Impaired Floodplain Assessment In The Congaree River Watershed, South Carolina, Olusola-Ige O. Adetoro, Cuizhen Wang, Ayobami T. Salami, Olusegun O. Awotoye

Faculty Publications

Floodplain riparian ecological zones (FREZs) are transitional environments that facilitate interactions among hydrological, geomorphological, and environmental processes within aquatic and terrestrial systems. In the context of climate change, urban growth, and increased hydrologic modifications, these systems are experiencing accelerated degradation. This study employed a multi-criteria Riparian Condition Assessment (RCA) framework that combined the Riparian Condition Assessment Tool (RCAT) and a fuzzy inference system (FIS) to evaluate riparian corridor health in the Congaree River watershed, South Carolina, USA. Using 30 m LANDFIRE land-cover data, hydrologic segmentation (at 500 m reach scale), and transport infrastructure overlays, we quantified riparian vegetation deviation, land-use …

Developing A Range Prediction For The Imperiled Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Badius) Using Species Distribution Modeling, Noah Williamson

Honors Theses

The Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex badius) was once widespread and commonplace throughout the sandhills of the Southeastern United States, providing key ecosystem services, such as seed dispersal and soil aeration. Over recent decades, however, Florida Harvester Ant populations have declined in some areas. Current literature postulates that Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA), and the insecticides used to manage them, as well as further human encroachment onto their habitat, all likely contributed to Florida Harvester Ant population declines. Thus, to better protect these organisms, pursue data-driven conservation efforts, and guide management practices, more information about their nest site selection, as well …

A Student-Centered Gis Classroom: Second Chances And Real-World Practice Teaching Portfolio For Nres218 Introduction To Geospatial Technologies, Ran Wang

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This course portfolio documents the design, implementation, and reflection of NRES218 Introduction to Geospatial Technologies, an introductory undergraduate geographic information system (GIS) course. This course aims to integrate basic and applied sciences to help students develop spatial thinking and spatial analysis skills for proposing spatial science–oriented solutions. Instructional strategies emphasize experiential learning through structured laboratory exercises and outdoor field activities that connects real-world observation with GIS analysis. To support student learning and persistence, the course also incorporated flexible assessment practices, including second-chance exams. Reflection on student engagement and performance revealed that while these strategies were highly beneficial for some students, …

Between “The Favela” And “The City”: Exploring The Daily Geographies Of Carolina Maria De Jesus Using Gis, Sterling D. Quinn

Geography Faculty Scholarship

Geographic information systems (GIS) enable interesting visual and analytical engagement with personal narratives. I offer a case study by constructing digital historical maps of Carolina Maria de Jesus’s São Paulo as described in her 1950s diary entries from Quarto de Despejo (published as Child of the Dark in English). Examining 48 locations mentioned in the book, I show how GIS algorithms such as standard deviation ellipses and kernel density estimation can summarize geographies of daily activities in the personal, institutional, and professional realms, including in the informal economy. I also employ ideas from feminist cartography to put Carolina’s own words …

Improving Flood Risk Mapping By Incorporating Local-Scale Calibration Data Derived From Stakeholder Input, Jennifer M. Holifield, Wei Wu, Patrick D. Biber, Margo Posten, Dennis Mcgrury, Stephen C. Deal, Alexandria Hancock

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Globally, flooding is the most frequent and costly natural hazards, disproportionately affecting populations based on environmental, social, and economic factors. Understanding the spatial variability of flood risk as well as the respective flood drivers is essential for informing cost-effective mitigation strategies and enhancing community resilience. Here we mapped flood risk that combines flood hazards and vulnerability in an under-resourced coastal community prone to compound flooding. Our approach integrates stakeholder engagement with GIS-based analysis using open-access datasets.

We first developed an initial flood hazard map using an equal-weight combination of factors commonly associated with flood occurrence/prevention, including upslope area, impervious surface …

Gis Librarians' Involvement In Critical Information Literacy Instruction, Melissa Chomintra, Pete E. Pascuzzi

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Critical information literacy (CIL) is a theory and practice that considers the sociopolitical dimensions of information and knowledge production. As the field of geospatial information evolves, equipping librarians with the skills to critically engage with geospatial information becomes integral to facilitating informed research, promoting spatial literacy, and strengthening the accessibility of geospatial data for their user communities. To understand geospatial data librarians’ current involvement in CIL, librarians were surveyed to examine if they incorporate CIL into their instruction, how they incorporate CIL into their instruction, and what are the benefits and challenges of doing so. The survey gathered both quantitative …

China’S Influence Over The Mining Industry In Africa, Safa M. Altamimi, Reda Amer

Undergraduate Research Symposium

How much influence does China have over the international supply of minerals from Africa? The purpose of this research is to study China’s involvement in Africa’s mining industry and analyze its impact on US economic interests. China has traded and invested in many mining sites across Africa; However, I will be focusing on DRC, Zambia, and Zimbabwe for my research. Using ArcGIS pro tools, I will create and analyze a map that contains information about mineral deposits and facilities.

From Student Project To Research Agenda: How Libraries Facilitate Gis Education And Collaboration, Charidy Paige, Jeanine Finn

Library Staff Publications and Research

Geographic information systems (GIS) have been a tool and methodology deeply
intertwined with academic libraries since the initial efforts of ARL and ESRI to support the development of map librarians into geospatial data experts in the early 1990s.
Although GIS in libraries has been a source of successful collaborations, the demands are often overwhelming for library staff. Over time, the scale, formats, and methods of data sharing have evolved significantly, requiring skills beyond many traditional library competencies.

Analyzing Sea Level Rise Scenarios Impact On The Mobility, Infrastructures, Environment Of Abu Dhabi And Defining Solutions By Creating A Digital Twin Using Gis And Game Engine, Justine Sylviane Lucie Sarrau

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This dissertation is concerned with the potential impact of future sea level rise scenarios on the city of Abu Dhabi. With climate change, many coastal towns are at risk of experiencing this type of natural hazard. Currently, no precise scenario simulations have been developed, mainly related to the use of low spatial resolution elevation data. Additionally, the difficulty in understanding the real impacts persists when relying solely on traditional cartography and GIS methods. This dissertation mainly aims to take a further step by offering a new approach, which involves creating a real-time 3D simulation and dynamic flowing water. This is …

Locating Economic Enclaves In Denver, Colorado 1923 Using Historic Newspaper Advertisements, Jeremy Havens

The Geographical Bulletin

By mapping business advertisements found in various targeted readership newspapers published in Denver, Colorado from a century ago, it was hoped that business enclaves that existed at the time would be revealed. Addresses printed during the first week of May 1923 from three newspapers with targeted audiences (for Swedish speakers, African Americans, and Jewish readers), as well as those from a city-wide mainstream paper, were mapped. GIS tools were then used to locate clusters from the location points, which were used as evidence of enclave-type commercial districts. This method found two isolated clusters, one for businesses advertising in the African …

Mapping The Margins: The Anniston Civil Rights Trail Story Map As A Model For Participatory Public History And The Decentralization Of Historical Narratives, Mark J. Sciuchetti Jr., Jianping Coco Huang, Jennifer Green, Sarah Faulkner

The Geographical Bulletin

While commemorative narratives of the Civil Rights Movement often echo the oft-repeated names and stories of nationally recognized figures and sites of protest, localized histories—particularly those rooted in smaller communities like Anniston, Alabama, USA—remain marginalized in dominant public memory frameworks. In light of this, this article documents the creation and implementation of the Anniston Civil Rights Trail story map: a digital public history initiative designed to recover, interpret, and spatially contextualize ten key sites associated with Civil Rights activism in Anniston. Drawing on theoretical frameworks in geographic memory, counter-mapping, and participatory public history, the case study demonstrates how interactive mapping …

Analyzing Sea Level Rise Scenarios Impact On The Mobility, Infrastructures, Environment Of Abu Dhabi And Defining Solutions By Creating A Digital Twin Using Gis And Game Engine, Justine Sylviane Lucie Sarrau

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the potential impact of future sea level rise (SLR) scenarios on the city of Abu Dhabi. With climate change, many coastal towns are at risk of experiencing this type of natural hazard. Currently, no precise scenario simulations have been developed, mainly due to the use of low spatial resolution elevation data. Additionally, the difficulty in understanding the real impacts persists when analyses rely solely on traditional cartography and GIS methods. This dissertation aims to advance the field by offering a new approach, which involves creating a comprehensive dynamic 3D simulation with dynamic flowing water. This model, defined …

Schools As Geopolitical Spaces: Violence Against Education During The Bosnian War (1992-1995), Allyson Bachta

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Attacks on education have long been a feature of conflict, yet their strategic use by state and non-state actors remains underexamined. Despite global concern and growing documentation efforts by the international community, the motivations and patterns behind school attacks are not well studied. This project investigates the strategic use of such violence by Bosnian, Serbian, and Croatian state and non-state armed actors during the Bosnian War (1992-1995) and challenges the assumption that attacks on schools are simply collateral damage. Drawing from political and anti-civilian violence literature, this study situates schools as both symbolic and strategic geopolitical targets, targeted not only …

Assessing Coastal Vulnerability And Climate-Driven Migration Risk In West Africa, Wenzhao Li, Surendra Maharjan, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This study presents a GIS-based multi-criteria decision-making framework to assess climate-induced migration risk along the West African coast. We developed a comprehensive risk index that integrates environmental hazards such as flood frequency and socio-economic vulnerability indicators, including poverty levels, population density, and adaptive capacity. By utilizing datasets such as the Geocoded Disasters (GDIS) dataset, Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), Poverty and Adaptive Capacity Index (PACI), and the Population Exposure Index (PEI), the study identifies regions most susceptible to displacement. Results reveal that areas like Benin’s Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, and Akpo-Misserete are especially vulnerable due to high disaster frequency, substantial population exposure, and …

Analyzing Environmental Health: Air Pollution And Human Health Using Geospatial Data Science, Yanhong Huang

Geography ETDs

Air pollution from industrial emissions and wildfire smoke poses growing threats to public health. This dissertation employs geospatial data science to examine these challenges through three interrelated studies. The first study investigates the relationship between maternal residential exposure to industrial pollutants and low birth weight, identifying five chemicals as significant risk factors. The second study assesses the impact of industrial air pollution on lung and bronchus cancer survival, finding that exposure to 1,1,1-trichloroethane and cobalt is associated with reduced survival. The third study explores disparities in wildfire smoke PM_2.5 exposure and its association with asthma exacerbations. Results show disparities …

Evaluating The Evaluation Matrices: Integrating Spatial Assessment In Geospatial Ai Model Training And Evaluation, Fangzheng Lyu

I-GUIDE Forum

This paper examines the limitations of current evaluation metrics in GeoAI. Through two case studies on deep learning models—a building detection classification problem and a remote sensing image fusion regression problem—this paper demonstrates how traditional statistical evaluation matrices alone can be misleading in geospatial problems. The findings indicate that traditional metrics (e.g., RMSE, MAE) used in current GeoAI models can have difficulty capturing the spatial dimensions inherent to geospatial problems. This paper suggests that the model evaluation process in GeoAI should move beyond traditional evaluation matrices by integrating spatial thinking throughout the modeling pipeline—not only incorporating spatial accuracy in model …

Geospatial Modeling Of Winter-Related Property Damage In Arkansas, Braedyn Mcbroom

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Storm Data, a monthly publication by the National Weather Service with records of weather events, reports on property damage caused by natural hazards. Since 1996, the database has included winter-related events. While the property damage data is considered incomplete, no other unique, public datasets report winter-related property damage at the county level. From 1996 to 2024, Arkansas ranked #1 in winter-related property damage. To understand the factors that are driving property damage and potentially reduce Arkansas’ vulnerability to it, three groups separated by temporal periods, i.e., “2000” (01/1996 - 06/2005), “2010” (07/2005 - 06/2015), and “2020” (07/2015 - 06/2024) …

Urban Heat Islands Across Major U.S. Cities: ​The Relationship Between Surface Temperature & Socioeconomic Status, Sarah Irish, Eliza Hammari, Megan Green

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is a geospatial phenomenon prevalent across major U.S. cities which has significant implications for public health, energy consumption, and environmental quality. To better understand the impacts of UHI on various communities, we analyzed the correlation between surface heat temperatures and median household income across five large cities and three urban climates (arid, humid, and tropical) in the U.S.. We gathered data from the U.S. Census Bureau and other sources to create maps using ArcGIS Pro. Based on the maps and statistical analysis, UHI intensity is correlated with socioeconomic status. Further research is recommended to …

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: …

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 …

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 …

Potential 2050 Distributions Of World Terrestrial Ecosystems From Projections Of Changes In World Climate Regions And Global Land Cover, Roger Sayre, Charlie Frye, Sean Breyer, Patrick R. Roehrdanz, Paul R. Elsen, Kevin Butler, Clint Brown, Jill Cress, Deniz Karagulle, Madeline Martin, Florencia Sangermano, Regan L. Smyth, Terry L. Sohl, Nicholas H. Wolff, Dawn J. Wright, Zhouting Wu

Geography

The urgency to address ecosystem loss is paramount, as both land use change and climate change will continue to rapidly alter and degrade natural ecosystems and reduce the many services they provide. To support conservation actions that mitigate impacts from these dual threats, we have developed potential World Terrestrial Ecosystem (WTE) distributions for 2050 following IPCC best practice guidelines. This projection of ecosystem distributions builds on the previously released 2015 WTEs, a snapshot of the distribution and conservation status of 431 terrestrial ecosystem types defined as distinct combinations of 18 global climate regions, 4 global landform classes, and 8 global …

Mapping Glams: Creating A National Dataset Of Glams To Develop A Categorical Climate-Change Risk Assessment Scale, Edward Benoitiii, Jill Trepanier, Jennifer Vanos, Emily Fisher, Kaitlyn Bailey, Annie Waddell, Haley Moore, Mandy Hatman, Mary Sidwell, Symonne Russell, Virginia Seger, Paige Boutte, Amanda Latta, Zoe Mohammad, Kyriel Felton, Erin Deliman, Breanna Benson-Pearce, Wendy Johnson, Allyson Russell, Baillie Pretzer, Christopher Reeder, Melissa Mcconnell, Lisa Dahlke, Kaitlynn Melear, Lillian Bodi, Savannah T. Lyle, Zach Lannes, Gwen L. Wells, Benjamin A. Teincuff, Jason M. Straight, Tiffany Rockwell, Shane T. Manthei, Jennifer L. Benner

Faculty Publications

Introduction. The PROTECCT-GLAM project aims to assess and address climate risks for U.S. galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAMs). The project team began with creating a national dataset of GLAMs. Method. The project team used existing datasets that required different auditing and manipulation techniques to align its data. Following the data normalization, the master file included 77,960 entries. Analysis and Results. The project team used ArcGIS Pro to analyze a dataset of galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAMs) for risk from sea level rise, finding 16,877 GLAMs within 30 kilometres of the U.S. coast, with California, New York, Maryland, Florida, …

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 …