Geographically Referenced Data for Social Science

An estimated 80% of all information has a spatial reference. Information about households as well as environmental data can be linked to precise locations in the real world. This offers benefits for combining different datasets via the spatial location and, furthermore, spatial indicators such as distance and accessibility can be included in analyses and models. HSpatial patterns of real-world social phenomena can be identified and described and possible interrelationships between datasets can be studied. Michael F. GOODCHILD, a Professor of Geography at the University of California, Santa Barbara and principal investigator at the Center for Spatially Integrated Social Science (CSISS), summarizes the growing significance of space, spatiality, location, and place in social science research as follows: "(...) for many social scientists, location is just another attribute in a table and not a very important one at that. After all, the processes that lead to social deprivation, crime, or family dysfunction are more or less the same everywhere, and, in the minds of social scientists, many other variables, such as education, unemployment, or age, are far more interesting as explanatory factors of social phenomena than geographic location. Geographers have been almost alone among social scientists in their concern for space; to economists, sociologists, political scientists, demographers, and anthropologists, space has been a minor issue and one that these disciplines have often been happy to leave to geographers. But that situation is changing, and many social scientists have begun to talk about a "spatial turn," a new interest in location, and a new "spatial social science" that crosses the traditional boundaries between disciplines. Interest is rising in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and in what GIS makes possible: mapping, spatial analysis, and spatial modelling. At the same time, new tools are becoming available that give GIS users access to some of the big ideas of social science."

Urban land-use planning using Geographical Information System and Analytical Hierarchy Process : case study Dhaka city

Urban land-use planning, which is a useful tool for the sustainable development of a city, is a complex decision making process. However, the modern GIS technologies facilitate such complex jobs in two ways – (i) GIS allows to work with large numbr of datasets, (ii) a number of methods, techniques or models could be embeded in GIS for land-use suitability analysis. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), which is a kind of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) technique, could be used for urban land-use planning with support of GIS technology. The aim of this thesis is preparing urban land-use planning using GIS and AHP, where the case study is Dhaka city. Dhaka, which is one of the fastest growing mega cities in the world and is the capital city of Bangladesh, is facing acute pressure of increasing population and unplanned urbanization, despite, a number of planning interventions have been taken for the planned development of the city. Recent Detail Area Planning (DAP) for Dhaka city was a cumbersome job but brought little benefits. DAP primarily prepared a land-use plan at city scale using GIS technology. Although huge resources and times were used to build the GIS database, it had promlems on (i) specifying data requirements, (ii) ensuring quality database (having topological rules, elimination of sliver polygons etc.) and (iii) using the database for spatial analysis in view to make better planning decision. In this connection, this thesis tried to conceptualize a model to build geographical database for urban land-use planning to address first two problems and applied GIS-based AHP technique for more sophisticated analysis (problem-iii). After literature review and selection of the study area (Group-E of DAP), the study set a number of criteria through sharing experts’ opinions. Based on those criteria the collected GIS data was transformed into the Geodatabase, where the geodatabase was conceptualized using Unified Modelling Language (UML). Five experts’ opinions were shared and further literature reviews were done for calculating Eigen Values using AHP methodological operations. The Eigen Values show the degree of priority of the criteria. Using Eigen Values, raster criterion maps were prepared from data available in the geodatabase. These criterion maps were overlaid to develop a composite map which was later classified to prepare suitability map. The research result shows that highly suitable area (13%) should be used for urban residential zone; moderately suitable area (35%) should be designated as mixed use zone; low suitable area (42%) should be reserved for agricultural use and open spaces; and not suitable area (10%) should be protected from any types of activities except agriculture. The research approached an urban land-use planning at a regional scale. The research results were also validated with Detail Area Plan of Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan package in some order. Such validation concludes that Geographical Information System based Analytical Hierarchy Process can be applied successfully for preparing urban land-use planning at the regional level.Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is one of the fastest growing mega cities in the world. The city is facing acute pressure of increasing population and unplanned urbanization. Since 1959 a number of planning mechanisms have been formulated to promote planned growth of the city. But the city never experienced planned development. Current state of city development is quite unsustainable in nature. Urban land-use planning is a useful mechanism for sustainable city development. At the same time, land-use planning is a complex decision making process as such planning approach encompasses a number of socio-economic, physical and environmental criteria. Modern Geographical Information System (GIS) technology is very much helpful to incorporate these criteria and allow improved decision making process to prepare sustainable planning. Different Multi-Criteria Decision Making Models (MCDM), like, Analytical Hierarchy Model (AHP), can be applied fruitfully with the support of GIS to ease the complex decision making process of spatial planning, e.g., land-use planning. So, the aim of the thesis is to prepare urban land-use planning using GIS and AHP in context of Dhaka city. The thesis used both primary and secondary data. Experts’ opinions were shared to select the criteria for land-use planning and to fix the level of preferences of each criterion. The objective of selecting criteria and their level of preferences were to identify the suitability of areas for residential, industrial, commercial development and for protecting agricultural land. In this purpose, AHP technique was used so that the criteria can be selected easily in hierarchy order, the preferences level can be fixed with consistency and finally, the suitability of land-use can be ranked using GIS. The ranking of suitability allow deciding which land is more suitable for which category of development or for which development control. The research result shows that – The Highly Suitable areas are featured by vacant land, high elevation, no earthquake risk, and well connected with utilities and community services. Hard urban development can be promoted in these areas. These areas should be used for urban residential areas to facilitate new housing development. Moderately Suitable areas are featured by rural homestead, vacant land, existing residential use, high elevation, minimum earthquake risk, close to market places and connected with utilities and community services. These areas have been proposed as mixed-use area. This mixed-use area has potentiality of housing, commercial and industrial development. Low Suitable areas are predominated by agricultural and low lying flood flow zones. These areas should be free from major development. The lands here are close to fault lines. So, the places are also prone to earthquake risk. Here development controlling mechanism is earnest necessary. Agricultural lands should be protected as Bangladesh is facing acute shortages of agricultural land. However, as these areas fall within the Greater Dhaka Metropolitan Area jurisdiction, so, some parcels of land in these areas could be used for sports grounds, parks and other recreational open spaces as a requirement of city’s civic amenities. The Not Suitable areas are featured by agricultural uses, restricted areas (e.g. military camp) and high earthquake risk. Any type of use other than agriculture should be protected in these areas

The Effects of Impervious Surfaces and Forests on Water Quality in a Southern Appalachian Headwater Catchment: A Geospatial Modeling Approach

The water quality of streams is impacted by the land cover types that occur within their watersheds and stream corridors. Research has indicated that impervious surfaces (roads, roofs, and parking lots) exert significant stress on stream system health by increasing storm runoff and transporting pollutants into streams. Forests, on the other hand, serve to protect water quality by slowing runoff, which allows rainfall to percolate into the ground, and absorbing pollutants. This thesis research examined the effects of impervious surfaces and forests on water quality in the headwaters of the New River in Watauga County. Results demonstrated that these effects are clearly identifiable and statistically significant. Limiting the amount of impervious surfaces that occur within 100 meters of streams and establishing 50 meter forested stream buffer zones could improve water quality and help preserve stream system health

Early Cities or Large Villages? Settlement dynamics in the Trypillia group, Ukraine

This thesis investigates the development of the largest sites - megasites - in Europe during the Chalcolithic (4th millennium BC) and seeks to discuss their urban nature within the wider settlement context of the Trypillia group in modern Ukraine. The study brings together a number of different archaeological datasets and sources, including remote sensing, field survey and legacy data, into a single GIS-based interpretative framework. The assessment of the potential of these sources of information is carried out in order to establish a new field methodology, as well as a nuanced theoretical framework, for the study of the nature of megasites. Quantitative analyses are performed in order to describe trans-scalar patterns in the settlement data, and an interpretative narrative is proposed to explain these patterns and their relevance for the definition of the ‘urban’ nature of megasites. Concepts like ‘seasonality’ and ‘heterarchy’ are used to explain the development and the social organization of megasites, which are conceived as temporary gathering places where an ‘urban-like’ identity starts to develop. The results suggest that Trypillia megasites can be defined as ‘urban forms’ within their coeval settlement and social context, but in the long-term perspective of the last six millennia they are “only” large/overgrown villages. The contribution of this thesis is not only to the specific field of Trypillia archaeology, but it also provides new insights into the wider investigation of the origins of global urbanism

A Damage Assessment of Iraq’s Past: Archaeological Heritage Management on the Rania Plain in Iraqi Kurdistan

This paper advocates an increasing focus on damage assessment, monitoring and adaptation to the impact of urban development on archaeologically rich regions.As a case-study of the wider Middle East, this discussion focuses on archaeological strategies for damage assessment, monitoring and handling archaeological cultural resources on the Rania plain in the Kurdistan autonomous region of northeast Iraq. The pressures of modern development, with extensive infrastructure development, rapid expansion of population settlements and a hydro-electric dam, whose waters inundate a substantial proportion of the plain, make the recording of valuable cultural heritage a demanding task

Geographically referenced data for social science

"Die Autoren beschreiben in ihrem Beitrag den Mehrwert der Nutzung von Geodaten in den Sozialwissenschaften. Sie liefern vor allem eine Reihe praktischer Hinweise auf die Bezugsquellen von Geodaten. Beispielhaft legen sie dar, wie sich Geodaten mit Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP) kombinieren lassen. Der erste Teil ihres Beitrags enthält eine nähere Beschreibung von Geodaten und des Geographischen Informationssystems (GIS). Das zweite Kapitel beschäftigt sich mit den Zielgruppen und Nutzern, es erläutert die der Dokumentation zugrunde liegende Definition der Geodaten und zeigt die Vorzüge und Herausforderungen beim Einsatz von Geodaten in der sozialwissenschaftlichen Forschung auf. Das dritte Kapitel verdeutlicht anhand zahlreicher Beispiele das Potenzial von Geodaten als eine zusätzliche Informationsquelle für die empirische Forschung. Abschließend wird ein Überblick über verfügbare Geodaten in Deutschland und die am meisten nachgefragten Daten in den Sozialwissenschaften gegeben. Der Anhang des Beitrags enthält Internet-Links für Datenquellen, Hinweise zur verfügbaren GIS-Software und weitere Informationen." (ICI

Dynamic land use/cover change modelling

Landnutzungswandel ist eine komplexe Angelegenheit, die durch zahlreiche biophysikalische, sozioökonomische und wirtschaftliche Faktoren verursacht wird. Eine offensichtliche Art des Landnutzungswandels, die in den suburbanen Gebieten einer Metropole stattfindet, ist die Zersiedelung. Es gibt viele Modellierungstechniken, um dieses Phänomen zu studieren. Diese wurden seit den 1960iger Jahren entwickelt und finden weite Verbreitung. Einige dieser Modelle leiden unter dem Vernachlässigen signifikanter Variablen. Traditionelle Methoden wie etwa zellulare Automaten, Markow-Ketten-Modelle, zellulare Automaten-Markow-Modelle und logistische Regressionsmodelle, weisen inhärente Schwächen auf in Bezug auf menschliche Aktivitäten in der Umwelt. Das liegt daran, dass der Mensch der Hauptakteur in der Transformation der Umwelt ist und die suburbanen Gebiete durch Niederlassungspräferenzen und Lebensstil prägt. Das Hauptziel dieser Dissertation ist es, einige dieser traditionellen Techniken zu untersuchen, um ihre Vor- und Nachteile zu identifizieren. Diese Modelle werden miteinander verglichen, um ihre Funktionalität zu hinterfragen. Obwohl die Methodologie zur Evaluierung agentenbasierter Modelle unzureichend ist, wurde hier versucht, ein selbst-kalibriertes agentenbasiertes Modell für den Großraum Teheran zu erstellen. Einige Variablen, die in der Wirklichkeit die Zersiedelung im Studiengebiet kontrollieren, wurden durch Expertenwissen und ähnliche Studien extrahiert. Drei Hauptagenten, die mit der Ausbreitung von Städten zu tun haben, wurden definiert: Entwickler, Bewohner, Behörden. Jeder einzelne Agent beeinflusst Variablen; d.h. die Entscheidungen eines Agenten werden von einer Reihe realer Variablen beeinflusst. Das Verhalten der einzelnen Agenten wurde in einer GIS Umgebung kodiert und anschließend zusammengeführt, um einen Prototyp zur Simulation der Landnutzungsänderung zu erzeugen. Dieser Geosimulations-Prototyp ist in der Lage, die Quantität und die Lage von Landnutzungsänderungen insbesondere in der Umgebung von Teheran zu simulieren. Dieses agentenbasierte Modell zieht Nutzen aus der Stärke traditioneller Techniken wie etwa zellularen Automaten zur Änderungsallokation, Markow-Modellen zur Schätzung der Quantität der Änderung und einer Gewichtung der individuellen Faktoren. Eine detaillierte Diskussion der Implementierung der unterschiedlichen Methoden sowie eine Stärken-Schwächen-Analyse werden präsentiert und die Ergebnisse mit der tatsächlichen Situation verglichen, um die Modelle zu verifizieren. In dieser Arbeit wurden GIS Funktionen verwendet und zusätzliche Funktionen in Python programmiert. Diese Untersuchungen sollen Stadtplaner und Entscheidungsträger unterstützen, Städte und deren Ausbreitung zu simulieren.Land use/ cover change is a complex matter, which is caused by numerous biophysical, socio-economical and economic factors. An obvious form of land use change in the suburbs of the metropolis is defined as urban sprawl. There are a number of techniques to model this issue in order to investigate this topic. These models have been developed since the 1960s and are increasing in terms of quantity and popularity. Some of these models suffer from a lack of consideration of some significant variables. The traditional methods (e.g. Cellular Automata, the Markov Chain Model, the CA-Markov Model, and the Logistic Regression Model) have some inherent weaknesses in consideration of human activity in the environment. The particular significance of this problem is the fact that humans are the main actors in the transformation of the environment, and impact upon the suburbs due to their settlement preferences and lifestyle choices. The main aim of this thesis was to examine some of those traditional techniques in order to discover their considerable advantages and disadvantages. These models were compared against each other to challenge their functionality. Whereas there is a lack of methodology in evaluation of agent-based models, it was presumed to create a self-calibrated agent based model, by focussing on the Tehran metropolitan area. Some variables in reality control urban sprawl in the study area, which were extracted through the expert knowledge and similar studies. Three main agents, which deal with urban expansion, were defined: developers, residents, government. Each particular agent affects some variables, i.e. the agents‟ decisions are being influenced by a set of real variables. Agents‟ behaviours were coded in a GIS environment and, thereafter, the predefined agents were combined through a function to create a prototype for simulation of land change. This designed geosimulation prototype can simulate the quantity and location of changes specifically in the vicinity of the metropolis of Tehran. This customised agent-based model benefits from the strengths of traditional techniques; for instance, a Cellular Automata structure for change allocation, a Markov model for change quantity estimation and a weighting system to differentiate between the weights of the driving factors. A detailed discussion of each methodology implementation, and their weakness and strengths, is then presented, specifically comparing results with the reality to verify the models. In this research, we used only the GIS functionalities within GIS environments and the required functions were coded in the Python engine. This investigation will help urban planners and urban decision-makers to simulate cities and their movements over time

NEW ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES FOR SURVEY AND ANALYSISbOF AGROFORESTRY LAND: FROM LAND COVER CHANGES TO RURAL LANDSCAPE QUALITY ASSESSMENT

The general objective of this Ph.D. thesis is to explore the concepts and methodologies for investigating agroforestry land and rural landscape through the integration of historical and remote sensing geodata within a FoSS (Free and Open Source Software) approach; to provide more and more accurate data sets regarding land cover and to improve some mapping and data processing techniques commonly used in this research topic. The first part of thesis describes the different types of geodata used in the course of the studies and, above all, the techniques and methodologies used for their processing are illustrated. Starting from historical cartographies, we will go through aerial surveys and geographical maps up to the new remote sensing using advanced satellite observation technologies. In the second part, more specific issues were dealt in accordance with the general objective of the work have been defined. The issues were approached through case studies within the Basilicata Region where the intensity of the abandonment of the territory and agricultural surface is leading to the loss of many historical rural landscapes and with consequent problems from an ecological point of view due to the disappearance of many agroforestry systems.L'obiettivo generale di questa tesi di dottorato è quello di esplorare i concetti e le metodologie per lo studio del territorio agroforestale e del paesaggio rurale attraverso l'integrazione di geodati storici e telerilevamento con un approccio FoSS (Free and Open Source Software); per fornire serie di dati sempre più accurate sulla copertura del suolo e migliorare alcune tecniche di mappatura ed elaborazione comunemente utilizzate in questo ambito di ricerca. La prima parte della tesi descrive i diversi tipi di geodati impiegati nel corso degli studi e, soprattutto, vengono illustrate le tecniche e le metodologie utilizzate per la loro elaborazione. Partendo dalle cartografie storiche, si passerà ai rilievi aerei ed alle cartogrofaie classifche fino al remote sensing basato su immagini satellitari. Nella seconda parte sono state trattate tematiche più specifiche in accordo con l'obiettivo generale del lavoro. Le tematiche sono state affrontate attraverso casi di studio all'interno della Regione Basilicata dove l'intensità dell'abbandono del territorio e della superficie agricola sta portando alla perdita di molti paesaggi rurali storici con conseguenti problemi dal punto di vista ecologico dovuti alla scomparsa di molti sistemi agroforestali