Geographic Information Sciences Commons^™

Mapping Racial Covenants In Stearns County, Mn, Jonathan D. Carlson

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Over the past year, CSB and SJU Honors students uncovered previously unknown racial covenants included in property deeds in Stearns county. Racial covenants prevent people of certain races from owning or occupying property, thus creating segregated neighborhoods. The Great River Covenants Project (https://greatrivercovenants.org/) was created to educate the public about this work. Using Geographic Information Systems, I created maps to show the location of the covenants and when they appeared in neighborhoods through the decades of 1920 to 1960.

Estimating Effects Of Tourism Using Multiple Data Sources: The Miranda Tool As Part Of A Spatial Decision Support System For Sustainable Destination Development, Tobias Heldt

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference

Planning for sustainable mobility and destination development in rural areas is increasingly important when tourism grows in numbers. A key to address the challenge of transformation and adaptation of local communities to mitigate adverse effects in seasonal peak hours like traffic congestion, power failure, waste management and sewage flooding, is to properly estimate the number of visitors to a destination.

The problem of estimating tourism numbers is a known challenge since, for example, guest nights statistics are in-complete and non-commercial lodging (sharing solutions) are increasing. Recently, the promising utilization of mobile phone data has emerged as a means to estimate …

High And Dry - Contextualizing Domestic Root Cellar Drains In Southern Ontario, Anatolijs Venovcevs

Northeast Historical Archaeology

The subterranean root cellar is the quintessential feature of rural nineteenth-century archaeological sites in Ontario and much archaeological, historical, and architectural research on rural farmsteads has focused on defining and understanding these structures. However, this work has neglected an important component of this feature – the root cellar drain. This paper contextualizes these features within their broader nineteenth-century ideals of drainage and goes on to tackle the topic with the use of statistical analysis on the associated geographical, social, and economic attributes. The discussion presents opportunities that are present from the vast quantities of historical sites that have been excavated …

An Interactive Web Map Of Historical Buildings Of Downtown Nacogdoches, Texas, Cari Mitchell

Undergraduate Research Conference

Objective: The goal of this project is to use GIS to create a product that allows users interested in the history of downtown Nacogdoches, Texas to explore descriptive and pictorial information about the present historical buildings within the area of interest.

Using Gis Applications To Monitor Post Ohio Train Derailment, Lillian Nix

2024 Student Academic Showcase

This research investigates the multifaceted impacts of the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment on February 3rd, 2023, with a specific focus on utilizing GIS applications for post-event analysis. The study aims to analyze the locations of soil, sediment, and water samples in relation to the landscape, as well as the potential effects on agricultural land use in the vicinity during the year prior to the accident and the year of the accident. Employing GIS overlay and spatial analysis techniques, the research constructs a visual representation of the data. This research aims to offer a comprehensive spatial approach and visual understanding …

Spatial Behavior Of Hospital Visits By Hand, Foot, And Mouth Disease Patients In Nanchang, China, Zeliu Zheng

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Hand foot mouth disease (HFMD) is one of the widespread transmissible diseases that target preschool children, especially in urban regions in East Asia. Understanding the travel patterns of the HFMD patients helps us understand how the spatial behaviors of patients vary across space and what are the underlying forces. It is essential for understanding the healthcare market and planning for resource allocation. Foremost, health behavior and outcome change significantly across geographic regions of various urbanicities (i.e., degrees of urbanization) due to the uneven distribution of healthcare resource. In addition, health studies in the U.S. often use hospital service areas (HSAs) …

Unearthing The Past: A Comprehensive Study Of Natural And Anthropogenic Changes At An Archaeological Site Through Hydrogeologic Connectivity Utilizing Gis, Mehlich Ii Phosphorus Extractant, And Ph, Dana L. F. Herren

Theses

This thesis aims to thoroughly analyze the Mehlich II Phosphorus Extractant and pH levels at the Bains Gap Village Site in Anniston, AL., while examining the impact of various environmental factors and human activities on them. Phosphorus is often used in archaeology as an indicator of human activity. Soil core samples were collected to analyze anomalies in phosphorus levels.

To establish any relationships, phosphorus and pH levels from soil cores were correlated with findings from past excavation units and features. The potential effects of hydrogeologic connectivity on soil phosphorus and pH levels were investigated. Geospatial technologies were used to manage …

The Ghanaian War Against Malaria: A Geospatial Approach To Malaria And Healthcare Access In Ghana, Emmanuel Aklie

Theses

This geospatial research project aims to analyze the complex factors influencing malaria incidence in Ghana, including healthcare access, cultural beliefs, and preventive measures. Using GIS mapping and spatial analysis, the study examines malaria distribution and healthcare facility locations to identify hotspots and access inequalities. Combining quantitative data from sources like Demographic and Health Surveys with qualitative methods like surveys and interviews, the project analyzes the relationship between malaria prevalence and vaccination rates, bed net usage, and cultural views on treatment. By taking a comprehensive approach focused on evidence-based insights, the research seeks to inform targeted interventions by the Ghanaian government …

Mushroom Composition Across An Elevational Gradient During The 2024 Wet Season In Mazumbai Forest Reserve, Tanzania, Christopher Brady

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mushrooms are key bioindicators that contribute greatly to ecological health, and their diversity is indicative of a healthy ecosystem. However, even with the vital role they play in ecological health, there are few studies which measure the diversity of mushrooms in Mazumbai Forest Reserve (MFR), Tanzania, Africa, and none which focus on diversity along the elevational gradient within the reserve (1300-1900m). This study measures the diversity and equitability of mushrooms growing in six elevational zones within MFR during the rainy season of 2024. A species checklist of mushrooms growing in MFR during the 2024 rainy season was created, tracking the …

Spatial Patterns Of Building Damages And Associated Socio-Economic Factors By Hurricane Ian, Md Zakaria Salim

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Literature shows that communities with different socio-economic conditions suffer from different levels of damage in disasters. In addition to the physical intensity of hazards, such disparities are also related to varying abilities to prepare for and respond to natural hazards. The study analyzes the spatial patterns of building damage in Hurricane Ian in 2022 and investigates the socio-economic disparities related to building damage. Specifically, this study employs NASA’s Damage Proxy Map (DPM2) to analyze Ian's spatial patterns of building damage. Then, it uses statistical analysis to assess the relationship between building damage and various physical and socio-economic variables at building …

Effects Of Social Media Use Disparities On Community Resilience To Disasters, Kejin Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the rapid development of social media, many researchers chose to use social media data to conduct studies of disaster resilience. This dissertation addresses three fundamental challenges related to social media use and disaster resilience analysis including: how the spatial analysis scale affects the results of social media use disparity and its impacts on disaster resilience; how different vulnerability and resilience measurement methods can generate very different results; and how social media use disparity can be identified to help improve the fairness of AI-based emergency rescue model development. Therefore, the first part of the dissertation measured the relationships between disparities …

“Urban Renewal” Surrounding Florida Solar Plants: A Study On Low-Carbon Gentrification, Megan Amber Grove

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Renewable energy and sustainable living are growing trends in Florida as the state “develops” rural landscapes and “redevelops” urban ones, resulting in neighborhood changes, including displacement of low-income and minority populations (LIMP). Solar energy has not historically been a root cause of such changes, but in recent years it has increasingly accompanied neighborhood development which prioritizes the interests of the elite and middle class. As such, it has become a contributor to “urban renewal,” which must be addressed to avoid future LIMP displacement. This study used geospatial and data science technologies and techniques to empirically explore and analyze urbanization and …

A 20-Year Ecotone Study Of Pacific Northwest Mountain Forest Vulnerability To Changing Snow Conditions, Todd R. Lookingbill, Jack Dupuy, Ellery Jacobs University Of Richmond, Matteo Gonzalez, Tihomir S. Kostadinov

Geography and the Environment Faculty Publications

Background: Global climate change is expected to significantly alter growing conditions along mountain gradients. Landscape ecological patterns are likely to shift significantly as species attempt to adapt to these changes. We evaluated the extent to which spatial (elevation and canopy cover) and temporal (decadal trend and El Niño–Southern Oscillation/Pacific Decadal Oscillation) factors impact seasonal snowmelt and forest community dynamics in the Western Hemlock–True Fir ecotone region of the Oregon Western Cascades, USA. (2) Methods: Tsuga heterophylla and Abies amabilis seedling locations were mapped three times over 20 years (2002–2022) on five sample transects strategically placed to cross the ecotone. Additionally, …

Integrating Multiscale Geospatial Analysis For Monitoring Crop Growth, Nutrient Distribution, And Hydrological Dynamics In Large-Scale Agricultural Systems, Olatunde D. Akanbi, Deepa C. Bhuvanagiri, Erika I. Barcelos, Arafath Nihar, Brian Gonzalez Hernandez, Jeffrey M. Yarus, Roger H. French

Faculty Scholarship

Monitoring crop growth, soil conditions, and hydrological dynamics are imperative for sustainable agriculture and reduced environmental impacts. This interdisciplinary study integrates remote sensing, digital soil mapping, and hydrological data to elucidate intricate connections between these factors in the state of Ohio, USA. Advanced spatiotemporal analysis techniques were applied to key datasets, including the MODIS sensor satellite imagery, USDA crop data, soil datasets, Aster GDEM, and USGS stream gauge measurements. Vegetation indices derived from MODIS characterized crop-specific phenology and productivity patterns. Exploratory spatial data analysis show relationships of vegetation dynamics and soil properties, uncovering links between plant vigor, edaphic fertility, and …

Low Elevation Coastal Zone (Lecz) Population Social Vulnerability And Risk: A Spatial Analysis Based On The 2015-16 National Family Health Survey (Nfhs-4) Of India, Paradorn Wongchanapai

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background & Problem Statement:

This study assessed social vulnerability and risk to hydroclimate hazards of Indian urban and rural populations in the Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ), a contiguous coastal area with elevations less than 10 meters. The LECZ is considered an at-risk area as hydroclimate hazards tend to be heightened. Moreover, being the most populous country in the world, any hydroclimate hazards that hit the LECZ would disproportionately impact a large number of Indian populations. Understanding the social vulnerability and risk of the LECZ populations can help mitigate and prevent potential adverse outcomes for the populations.

Importantly, this study …

Inventory Of Western United States Glaciers- 2020, Shrinidhi Ambinakudige, Bernard Abubakari

CAS Publications

The dataset employed for delineating glacier boundaries in the Western United States comprises a compilation of original Sentinel-2 images obtained from the European Space Agency's Copernicus website. These images were instrumental in generating the glacier inventory. Additionally, the dataset includes a Python and R script specifically crafted for processing and classifying Sentinel images. The outcome of this process is represented in an ESRI shapefile, which contains an inventory of glaciers extracted from Sentinel images.

Monitoring Of Caucasus Heritage Sites Facing Cultural Genocide, Peyton Edelbrock

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Microsoft Access To Sqlite Database Migration For Existing Forest Management Software: Methods And Considerations, Drue Kathryn Lindstrom

Masters in GIS Practicum Reports

Bioregional Inventory Originated Simulation Under Management (BioSum) is software from the US Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program. It is a complex analysis framework that models and evaluates forest management treatments across multi-decade timeframes. Originally written to work with Microsoft Access databases, BioSum is migrating to the use of SQLite as its database engine. The final module of BioSum, Treatment Optimizer, is the first one to be converted so the changes can be implemented incrementally. This practicum report outlines a workflow for converting the database engine of an existing program from Microsoft Access to SQLite with the example …

Gis-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis For Marine Energy Site Selection: A Case Study Comparison Between Puerto Rico And Hawaii, Sarah Hall

Environmental Studies Honors Papers

Geospatial information systems (GIS) enable easy visualization of geospatial data representing different criteria important for optimal siting of marine energy projects. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is a geospatial analysis method that facilitates the evaluation of multiple, usually overlapping, site criteria. While GIS-based MCDA has been used extensively for land-based renewable energy projects, limited research exists on its application to marine-based renewable energy projects. Similarly, most literature overlooks the integration of social or environmental justice data. This project applies GIS-based MCDA to conduct site selection analysis for two marine renewable energy (MRE) projects in Puerto Rico and Hawaii. The results for …

Evaluating Quoddy Region Archaeological Site Vulnerability To Sea Level Rise And Erosion Through The Integration Of Gis Modeling And Surveys (Data Files), Katelyn Dewater, Arthur Anderson, Gabriel Hrynick, William Kochtitzky

Geographic Information Systems Data Projects

Modeling coastal archaeological site erosion often depends on regional site databases that record sites accurately but with variable precision or do not define site extent. This case study examines the impact of sea level rise and erosion on 10 coastal archaeological sites in the Quoddy Region of Maine through the comparison of sea level rise models and field observations. Three sea level scenarios were modeled to predict the vulnerability of sites: current sea level, a 0.457 m increase (Low 2050 scenario), and a 0.914 m increase (High 2050 scenario), reflecting levels recommended by the Maine Climate Council for preparation efforts. …

A Study Of Multimodal Accessibility Equity And Spatio-Temporal Relationships Between Transit, Job Density And Modal Split, Seyedsoheil Sharifiasl

Planning Dissertations - Archive

In North American cities, the land use and transportation systems are associated with low-density, suburban-type urban development, where the built environment contributes to a mobility pattern that is extremely reliant on automobiles. Several studies in the past decades have documented noticeable and concerning patterns of unjust and unsustainable transportation in this context. As a result, for those population groups with limited access to private transportation, this form of urban structure is equivalent to limited access to opportunities, leading to various environmental and social problems. These problems exacerbate inequities in access to transportation, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. From a sustainable development …

Thematic Mapping Of Apidae Holdings Within The University Of Arkansas Arthropod Museum, Baylie L. Day, Ashley P.G. Dowling, Austin Jones

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Museum biological collections store species data that can be utilized in research on biodiversity, environmental change, invasive species, public health, and disease. The University of Arkansas Arthropod Museum, which began in 1905, houses over 750,000 specimens and has not yet been digitized. Making data publicly accessible via the internet makes the data available to the entire scientific community. The goal of this project was to create a digital resource to allow greater access to the University of Arkansas Arthropod Museum holdings. To do so, data from Bombus (bumble bee) and Xylocopa (carpenter bee) specimens were entered into a database in …

Spatial Analysis Of Socioeconomic Factors At Found Locations Of Orphaned Mammals In Champaign County, Illinois, Usa, Colleen Elzinga, Stephanie Heniff, William Sander, William Marshall Brown, Csaba Varga, Samantha Sander

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Young mammals make up a significant portion of animals brought into wildlife rehabilitation centers. Unfortunately, some of these presumed orphaned individuals are inappropriately removed from their native habitat. As such, there is a need for educational community outreach centered on the proper identification of orphaned wildlife that benefit from human intervention, while maximizing limited resources of rehabilitation facilities. This study evaluated found locations of common mammalian orphans presenting from Champaign County to the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic, Illinois, USA, between 2015 and 2020. The found locations of the orphans (99 Virginia opossums [Didelphis virginiana], 80 common …

Industrial Hemp Production And Potential Risks In Kentucky, Hoyeon Jeong

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Since the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2014 and 2018 legalized Industrial Hemp (Cannabis Sativa. L), interest in grain, fiber, and floral hemp production has seen growing pains. As an emerging crop, there is a research gap in the impact of weather and agronomic conditions on hemp production including THC (Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol) and pollen drift as risks in hemp cultivation. The first essay aims to measure the impact of weather and agronomic factors on hemp grain, fiber, and floral yields in Kentucky using a yield-weather model with information on field locations. The results show that heat conditions during the growing …

The Intersection Of Asset Management And Geographic Information Systems For University Facilities Maintenance, Andrew Westerlund Beland

Masters in GIS Practicum Reports

This project describes a proof of concept for developing a digital asset management system dashboard for water backflow assemblies at Portland State University (PSU) using a modified ESRI ArcGIS Online backflow solution. Asset management is crucial for optimizing the lifecycle of tangible assets, which ensures cost-effective operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. PSU manages over 250 backflow assemblies spread across the 50-acre campus and has traditionally relied on manual processes, which can lead to inefficiencies and potential transcription errors.

The system links spatial data with asset attributes for backflow devices, enabling field staff to update inspection results directly from mobile devices. …

Quantifying Structural Vegetation Change On Arctic Tundra: A Multi-Decadal Study Integrating Remotely Sensed Imagery And Traditional Field Measurements, Anna M. Moser

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Arctic regions have experienced an amplified rate of climate warming in recent decades, contributing to well-documented increases in tundra vegetation productivity. Satellite remote sensing has historically played a crucial role in detecting and quantifying trends at regional and biome scales; however, coarse resolution imagery has proven insufficient for capturing fine-scale variability in vegetation response. Considering the spatial heterogeneity of tundra vegetation, high resolution, plot-scale remote sensing observations are necessary. This study couples traditional field measurements with high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery and plane-based aerial photos to quantify changes in vegetation on the North Slope of Alaska over a 28-year …

Widespread Expansion Of Salt Marsh Pools Observed On Maine Marshes Since 2009 (Data Files), Katelyn Dewater, William Kochtitzky, Ruth Ellis, Paige-Marie Merrill

Geographic Information Systems Data Projects

Salt marshes contain standing water, which we refer to here as pools. We manually digitized salt marsh pools on 12 salt marshes in Maine (given as Name and corresponding ID number (see ID in Attributes)) in 2009 and 2021: Scarborough (1), Webhannet (2), Spurwink (3), Marshall Point (4), York River (5), Ogunquit (6), Brave Boat Harbor (7), Cousins River (8), Biddeford Pool (9), Little River (10), Goosefare Brook (11), Gooch’s Beach (12). Marsh extents were delineated with the Maine Natural Areas Program Current Tidal Marshes layer. All pools were digitized at a scale of 1:400 to 1:1000. Features were digitized …

Tiny Houses (Revisited): Geography Of Tiny House Villages For The Homeless In The United States, Yetimoni Kpeebi

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The increasing adoption of tiny house villages as a solution to homelessness in the United States (US) underscores the need for comprehensive tracking and documentation of their locations, physical attributes, and social characteristics. This is vital to assess their effectiveness, providing advocates and policymakers with the information needed to optimize outcomes, and ensure these initiatives truly benefit the homeless population. While initial efforts were made in 2019 to establish a database for these villages (Evans, 2020), this study represents an improvement by presenting an updated database that reflects the growing popularity of tiny house villages for the homeless. Building upon …

Essays On Public Finance And International Finance, Deepti Sikri

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The first chapter examines New York State's Fiscal Score Monitoring program to find the effect of two quality labels on school district outcomes: fiscal stress scores, reflecting the budget solvency, and environmental stress labels reflecting economic and demographic conditions. Using the NYS school district data from 2013-22, I employ the regression discontinuity design to find the effect of stress labels, in response to the political pressure on district finances, housing, and school outcomes. I find the effect of fiscal stress label is limited, leading to a decrease in the fund balance ratio and an increase in the tax rate. However, …

Assessment Of Spatial Distribution Patterns And Infestation Risk Over Time Of Spotted Lanterfly (Lycorma Delicatula) In New York State, Alanna Richman

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive treehopper native to Asia. It was first introduced to Pennsylvania in 2014, and as of 2020 it has expanded to New York state. Their preferred host tree is the invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), but they will feed on over 173 different plants worldwide. Preferred host species in New York state include agricultural vegetation such as grape vines and fruit trees. Positive Spotted Lanternfly site data collected by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets and iMapInvasives were analyzed using ArcGIS Pro to assess spatial distribution patterns. …