The Spatial Space

what role does gis play?

GIS plays a crucial role in understanding, managing, and conserving nature and the environment.

By integrating geospatial data, GIS enables the analysis and visualisation of complex environmental phenomena such as land cover, biodiversity, natural resources, and climate patterns. It facilitates effective decision-making for conservation efforts, land management, and environmental planning.

For example, GIS can be used to identify and map critical habitats for endangered species, assess the impact of urban development on ecosystems, and plan protected areas to preserve biodiversity hotspots.

GIS tools and spatial analysis techniques help scientists, conservationists, and policymakers gain insights into the interconnections between natural systems, make data-driven decisions, and implement proactive strategies for protecting and preserving our natural heritage for future generations.

how can you use gis in this context?

Here’s an example tutorial on using GIS within the environmental sector.

Analysing Habitat Connectivity using GIS

Objective: Use GIS to analyse and assess habitat connectivity for wildlife conservation purposes.

Requirements:

1. GIS software: Install QGIS (https://www.qgis.org) on your computer.
2. Geospatial data: Obtain datasets on land cover, protected areas, and species occurrence from relevant sources (e.g. local government portals, biodiversity databases, or conservation organisations).

Steps:

1. Launch QGIS and load the land cover dataset as a base layer. This dataset represents different land cover types such as forests, grasslands, and water bodies.
2. Add the protected areas dataset to the map. This dataset outlines regions designated for conservation purposes.
3. Import the species occurrence dataset, which contains information about the locations where a specific species has been observed.
4. Assess habitat connectivity using the “Cost Distance” tool. This tool calculates the least-cost path between different habitat patches, considering factors like land cover type or human disturbance.
5. Identify habitat corridors by applying the “Least Cost Path” tool. This tool helps determine the optimal routes that connect fragmented habitats, considering resistance values associated with different land cover types.
6. Analyse landscape connectivity using the “Patch Analyst” tool. This tool provides metrics such as patch size, edge density, and core area to assess the quality and connectivity of habitats within the study area.
7. Visualise the results on the map by applying suitable symbology to highlight areas of high habitat connectivity and potential corridors.
8. Generate a habitat connectivity report summarising the findings and recommendations for conservation actions, such as habitat restoration or the creation of wildlife corridors.

Additional Tips:

• Explore other spatial analysis tools such as “Buffer” and “Overlay” to assess proximity between habitats, identify areas with high species richness, or evaluate the impact of land-use changes on connectivity.
• Consider incorporating additional environmental data such as elevation, hydrology, or climate variables to enhance the analysis and gain a comprehensive understanding of the ecological context.
• Take advantage of QGIS plugins or Python scripting to automate repetitive tasks or extend the functionality of the software for more advanced analysis.

Resources:

1. QGIS Tutorials and Documentation: The official QGIS website provides tutorials, documentation, and user guides to help you learn and utilise the software effectively. Visit their website at https://www.qgis.org/en/docs/ to access these resources.
2. Natural Earth Data: Natural Earth offers freely available geospatial datasets, including land cover, protected areas, and other relevant environmental data. Access their data repository at https://www.naturalearthdata.com/.
3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF): GBIF provides a vast collection of biodiversity data, including species occurrence records. Visit their website at https://www.gbif.org/ to access their data portal and search for species occurrence datasets.
4. UK Environmental Agency: The UK Environmental Agency provides various environmental datasets, including land cover, habitats, and protected areas. Explore their data portal at https://environment.data.gov.uk/ to access relevant datasets for your analysis.

useful tools and further reading on using gis within nature and the environment

Useful tools when using GIS within nature and the environment

1. Buffer Analysis: The Buffer tool creates a specified distance around a feature, such as a habitat or a protected area. It is useful for assessing the extent of influence or impact around a specific location. For example, you can create a buffer around a wetland to determine the area that would be affected by potential development. Further reading: Buffer Analysis in QGIS
2. Intersection Analysis: The Intersection tool combines multiple layers to identify areas where they overlap. It is valuable for identifying areas of intersection between different environmental features. For example, you can intersect a land cover layer with a protected area layer to identify habitats that fall within protected zones. Further reading: Spatial Overlay Analysis
3. Cost Distance Analysis: The Cost Distance tool calculates the least-cost path between two locations, considering factors such as land cover or habitat suitability. It helps in analysing connectivity and evaluating potential wildlife corridors. For example, you can calculate the least-cost path between two fragmented habitats to identify the optimal route for species movement. Further reading: Cost Distance Analysis in ArcGIS
4. Patch Analysis: The Patch Analyst tool provides metrics to analyse the spatial characteristics of patches within a landscape. It helps in assessing habitat fragmentation, patch size, edge density, and other landscape metrics. For example, you can use Patch Analyst to calculate the number and size of habitat patches within a protected area. Further reading: Patch Analyst in ArcGIS
5. Species Distribution Modelling: Species distribution models (SDMs) are used to predict the potential distribution of species based on environmental variables. GIS plays a crucial role in SDMs by integrating species occurrence data, environmental variables, and spatial analysis techniques. For example, you can use MaxEnt or Random Forest algorithms to model the potential distribution of a species based on climate variables. Further reading: Introduction to Species Distribution Modelling

Further reading:

1. “GIS for Environmental Applications: A practical approach” by Xuan Zhu and Robert Mahoney: This book provides a comprehensive overview of using GIS for environmental analysis and decision-making. It covers topics such as spatial data acquisition, spatial analysis techniques, and environmental modeling. Link to book
2. “Geospatial Analysis: A comprehensive guide” by Michael J. de Smith, Michael F. Goodchild, and Paul A. Longley: This book offers an in-depth understanding of spatial analysis techniques and their applications, including those relevant to nature and environmental studies. It covers concepts, methods, and practical examples using GIS software. Link to book
3. Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) Conservation Resources: Esri provides a collection of resources and case studies focused on conservation and environmental applications of GIS. The resources cover topics such as habitat mapping, species distribution modelling, and landscape analysis. Link to resources
4. “Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Wildlife Management” by Joshua J. Millspaugh and Frank R. Thompson: This book explores the use of GIS in wildlife management, including topics like habitat analysis, species distribution modelling, and wildlife movement analysis. It provides practical examples and case studies illustrating the application of GIS in wildlife research and conservation. Link to book
5. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) GIS Tools: NRCS provides a range of GIS tools and resources for natural resource management and conservation. These tools cover topics such as soil mapping, watershed analysis, and land use planning. Link to NRCS GIS tools

overall

GIS plays a vital role in understanding and managing nature and the environment. By integrating geospatial data and analysis techniques, GIS enables the assessment of habitat connectivity, identification of critical habitats, and evaluation of environmental changes.

It helps conservationists, researchers, and policymakers make informed decisions for protecting biodiversity, managing natural resources, and planning sustainable land use. GIS also supports species distribution modelling, spatial analysis of ecosystem services, and the monitoring of environmental changes over time.

Through its spatial capabilities, GIS contributes to effective environmental planning, conservation efforts, and the sustainable management of our natural heritage.