Geographic Information System Mapping Research Articles

Tracing the Historical Roots of Urban Transformation: The Case of Portoviejo, Ecuador

This paper examines the historical trajectory of Portoviejo, Ecuador, to address how urban planning often overlooks the significance of historical processes, leading to fragmentation and neglect of culturally important spaces. While urban transformation literature has explored the socio-economic, environmental, and infrastructural drivers of change, a gap remains in understanding the specific historical contexts that shape cities in developing countries. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring key moments in Portoviejo’s development, including its colonial foundation, natural disasters, and modernization efforts, and how they have shaped its urban form. Using a mixed-methods qualitative approach, the research analyses 63 historical documents and local archives, combined with Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping to trace urban growth and spatial reorganization. The findings reveal that Portoviejo’s development has been shaped by colonial policies, infrastructural changes such as the introduction of the railway, and natural disasters that led to urban fragmentation and informal settlements. The study highlights that understanding the historical trajectory of cities is essential for developing urban planning strategies that are resilient and contextually grounded. For practitioners, this research underscores the importance of integrating historical insights into planning processes to ensure development aligns with the socio-cultural identity and long-term resilience of cities.

Integrated geochemical analysis of urban and peri-urban soils: a case study of Lamia City, Greece.

The occurrence of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) and other chemical elements in urban and peri-urban soils impacts human health and quality of life, posing a challenge for geoscientists. This study investigated the soil geochemistry of Lamia City, focusing on identifying the geogenic and anthropogenic origins of elements. A total of 168 topsoil samples (0-10cm) were collected in April 2023, and the analysis included the near-total concentrations of 51 elements. Descriptive, correlation, multivariate statistics (i.e., Factor Analysis-FA and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis-HCA), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, and mineralogical analysis were employed to identify potential element sources. The results indicated that the elements in soils originated from geogenic, anthropogenic, and mixed sources. Geogenic origins are associated with ultramafic rocks (e.g., Mg, Cr, Ni, Co, Fe, Sc, Mn), carbonate rocks (e.g., Ca, Sr), and Quaternary sediments (e.g., K, Na, Ba, Tl, Be, Rb, Ti, V, Ga, and Rare Earth Elements-REEs); associations are linked to specific identified minerals. All applied statistical analyses reveal that the mobility of chemical elements in the urban and peri-urban soils of Lamia city is primarily affected by geochemical processes such as element substitution, chemical weathering, pedogenesis, adsorption, precipitation, evaporation, and organic matter presence. The P, Ag, Hg, Pb, Sn, Zn, Sb, Cd, Cu, and U were associated with anthropogenic influences, particularly in areas with high population density, heavy vehicle traffic, and intensive agricultural practices. Additionally, some elements (e.g., Ca, Cd, Cu, Mo, Mn, and Li) exhibited mixed origins. This integrated approach offers valuable insights into the spatial distribution and sources of PTEs in urban and peri-urban environments, providing critical information for environmental management and public health protection strategies.

Perceived tourism implicit conflict among community residents and its spatial variation

This study explores tourism implicit conflict and its spatial dynamics in rural China. It proposes that residents in different spatial structures within tourism communities perceive implicit conflicts differently. Data were collected through public participatory geographic information system (PPGIS) mapping and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that conflict perceptions vary by residential structures. Residents in core and peripheral areas experienced heightened economic and cultural conflicts. In contrast, those in expanded areas were more concerned with issues of tourism governance. The study also highlights two key spatial aspects of perceived conflict: internality, the overlap within their residential areas, and significant externality, which spreads across the entire ancient town. From a combined spatial and psychological perspective, this study proposes the concept of spatial relative deprivation to explain resident’s perceived tourism implicit conflict. This study affirms that qualitative-spatial analysis sheds light on socio-cultural phenomena, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of the underlying conflict mechanisms in a spatially explicit manner. The findings suggest that tourism planning should consider the intrinsic and micro-values of communities.

A study on ecological sustainable cities based on LCA-emergy-carbon footprint and geographic information system (GIS) approach

ABSTRACT Sustainable cities, as an effective response to global climate aberrations, have increasingly garnered the attention of researchers. However, due to the wide range of interpretations and applications associated with sustainable cities, diverse methodologies can yield starkly contrasting results. This paper adopts ecological and low-carbon perspectives to evaluate and discuss urban sustainability. The core of this investigation involves quantitatively measuring a city’s sustainability based on the lifecycle metrics of emergy and carbon footprint. The findings reveal that Yangzhou, recognized as a model ecological city by authorities, exhibits an emergy sustainability index below the standard benchmark (ESI = 0.02 < 1). GIS mapping reveals that the city’s largest ecological service system is situated in the northwest water region. Both the emergy and carbon footprint analyses indicate that urbanized areas exert a detrimental influence on the city’s overall sustainability. Additionally, the administrative authorities in Yangzhou have implemented proactive measures to transition the city towards sustainability. Currently, the impacts of clean energy adoption and urban wetland restoration are particularly pronounced. The application of lifecycle emergy and carbon footprint methods offers a holistic approach for urban managers, enabling sustainable urban planning that harmoniously integrates ecological emergy and low-carbon considerations. This approach is instrumental in the realization of sustainable cities.

Undrained Shear Strength Mapping of Al-Khalis Districts: A Geotechnical GIS Approach

A geographic information system is an integrated collection of computer applications and materials that it is employed to assess geographic relationships, model spatial processes, and analyze and arrange geographic data. The gathering, organizing, and analysis of geographic data are made easier with the use of a geographic information system (GIS). Information systems pertaining to geography Thus, it is employed in the gathering, examination, assessment, updating, and presentation of geographic data. This study dealt with Al-Khalis District, one of the five districts of Diyala Governorate. Al-Khalis District is in the western part of Diyala Governorate and the northern part of the capital, Baghdad, about 55 km north of the capital, Baghdad. 227 boreholes were collected for the entire governorate. The soil was classified, its properties were taken, and they were collected in an Excel sheet. After that, this data was entered into geographic information systems to produce clay shear strength maps. A very helpful soil map that can be used in all aspects through structural and engineering simulation is produced when GIS is used in conjunction with physical and strong geotechnical qualities. Building engineering facilities, roadways, and industrial structures may be made easier with the use of a GIS map. Additionally, it offers a strong tool for extrapolating developed regions. GIS soil maps are anticipated to positively influence the next geotechnical work. The results revealed a significant variance in shear resistance across the depths of the Khalis area, with the soil's strength ranging from weak to medium in the first layer and increasing downward with depth. So, we recommend not going for more than three multi-story buildings unless doing site investigation on the site and making sure it is suitable for that or using a pile foundation. This study aims to give geotechnical engineers and designers a first impression of the type of soil and help them quickly make decisions in terms of the type of foundations and the number of floors for multi-story buildings

A comprehensive decision-making approach for the application of biochar in agriculture to enhance water security: A GIS-AHP based approach

In the context of climate change, biochar application is a promising approach to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on agriculture. However, the selection of suitable biochar produced from food waste and optimization of loading rates to improve soil quality remains a significant challenge. This study explores the potential impact of biochar application using an integrated analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and geographical information system (GIS) approach. The study first aims to develop an AHP model to prioritize the appropriate biochar source and dosage for soil amendment. The different biochar sources considered are: peas pod shell, pistachio shell, and mixed vegetable waste. The AHP design evaluated the weight percentage of different types of biochar amendments ranging from 0 % to 8 % based on soil quality, nutrient analysis and water retention capacity. Furthermore, an integrated spatial analysis case study was conducted for fodder farms across Qatar using GIS mapping with seasonal variation to evaluate the impact of biochar on water management. According to the AHP decision making, 2 % mixed vegetable waste biochar achieved the goal with the highest priority score, with a value of 0.29, followed by 2 % pistachio shell biochar with a score of 0.22. This is attributed to the high water retention rate determined from the experimental study. The 2% biochar amendment retained 20 % more water compared to the 0 % biochar. Results from the GIS mapping identified priority areas for improving water retention and soil quality. The evapotranspiration maps for winter and summer generated using GIS provide valuable insights into the spatial disributio of biochar application across Qatar fodder farms. The outcomes may encourage policymakers and stakeholders to consider valorizing food waste into biochar.

Spatiotemporal trends and geographic disparities in spatial accessibility to maternal and child health services in Nanning, China: impact of two-child policies

BackgroundChina’s family planning policies have experienced stages of one-child policy, partial two-child policy, and universal two-child policy. However, the impact of these policy shifts on the spatial accessibility to maternal and child health (MCH) services for women and children remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the spatiotemporal trends and geographic disparities in spatial accessibility to MCH services in the context of two-child polices.MethodsThis study was conducted in Nanning prefecture, China, from 2013 to 2019. Data on the transportation networks, MCH institutes, the annual number of newborns, and the annual number of pregnant women in Nanning prefecture were collected. Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (Ga2SFCA) method was employed to measure the spatial accessibility to MCH services at county, township, and village levels. Temporal trends in spatial accessibility were analyzed using Joinpoint regression analysis. Geographic disparities in spatial accessibility were identified using geographic information system (GIS) mapping techniques.ResultsOverall, the spatial accessibility to MCH services showed an upward trend from 2013 to 2019 at county, town, and village levels, with the average annual percent change (AAPC) being 5.04, 4.73, and 5.39, respectively. Specifically, the spatial accessibility experienced a slight downward trend during the period of partial two-child policy for both parents only children (i.e., 2013–2014), a slight upward trend during the period of partial two-child policy for either parent only child (i.e., 2014–2016) and the early stages of universal two-child policy (i.e., 2016–2018), and a large upward trend in the later stages of universal two-child policy (i.e., 2018–2019). Spatial accessibility to MCH services gradually decreased from central urban areas to surrounding rural areas. Regions with low spatial accessibility were predominantly located in remote rural areas.ConclusionWith the gradual opening of the two-child policies, the spatial accessibility to MCH services for women and children has generally improved. However, significant geographic disparities have persisted throughout the stages of the two-child policies. Comprehensive measures should be considered to improve equity in MCH services for women and children.

Heavy metals pollution characteristics, source analysis, and risk assessment in soil based on Geographic Information System: A case study of a typical area in Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, China

Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, which was listed as World Natural Heritage, was suffering from increasingly serious heavy metal pollution. However, the existing research on heavy metal pollution in the area was almost blank. This study collected 115 surface soil samples from the local area and used inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to determine the content of local 12 kinds of heavy metals. Results indicated that mining the tungsten-beryllium mine has caused serious heavy metal pollution to the soil in nature reserves. It poses risks to ecology and human health that cannot be ignored. There was severe pollution of tungsten (W) (Igeo = 8.30) and beryllium (Be) (Igeo = 1.92) in the topsoil. Subsequently, applied the pollution index assessment, potential ecological risk assessment (PERI), human health risk assessment (HHRA), and positive matrix factorization (PMF) models in conjunction with geographic information system (GIS) mapping to systematically evaluate the potential hazards of heavy metals in an abandoned tungsten-beryllium, where located in Haba Snow Mountain Nature Reserve that’s the core area of “Three Parallel Rivers”. The PMF model and GIS mapping identified four factors, nature, transportation, mining, and miners living, as the main sources of local heavy metals. The HHRA results indicated no health risks in the study area, but the GIS mapping identified areas where there are. It is the gaps in the systematic study of heavy metal pollution in the core area of the “Three Parallel Rivers” that the results of the study supplement and provide reference data for controlling soil heavy metal pollution in tungsten-beryllium mining areas and valuable information for managers to develop pollution control and risk management strategies.

Geographic Distribution and Temporal Trends of Zika Virus Outbreaks in India (2016-2023): Insights From the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme Data.

Introduction This study examines the geographic distribution and temporal trends of Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks in India from 2016 to 2023 using data from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). The burden of ZIKV in India has risen due to its rapid spread and significant health impacts. Existing literature highlights seasonal and geographic patterns but lacks a comprehensive, long-term analysis specific to India. This study addresses this gap by analyzing trends over seven years to inform better public health responses. Methods A secondary data analysis was conducted using publicly available data from the IDSPon reported Zika cases from January 2016 to December 2023. Descriptive statistical methods and geographic information system(GIS) mapping techniques were employed to analyze the geographic distribution and temporal trends of ZIKVoutbreaks in India. The data were analyzed and visualized using R software version 4.3.2 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria), with heat maps and choropleth maps to identify hotspots, and line diagrams to identify temporal trends. Results Zika outbreaks predominantly occurred during the post-monsoon season, accounting for 47.62% (n= 10) of the total 21 outbreaks, followed by the monsoon season with 33.33% (n = 7), and summer with 19.05% (n = 4). Two deaths were reported during a significant outbreak in Madhya Pradesh in 2018. Temporal trends indicated notable spikes in cases in 2018 (131 cases) and 2021 (234 cases), with no cases reported in 2019 and 2020. The geographic distribution maps highlighted significant concentrations of ZIKV outbreaks in specific districts within Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala. Discussion The study identified seasonal patterns, with most cases occurring in the post-monsoon season. The geographic spread of the ZIKV was observed in eight states from 2016 to 2023. GIS identified three hotspots in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala. Conclusion The study highlights the need for heightened surveillance and targeted intervention preparedness during high-risk seasons. Enhancing testing facilities and data reporting systems could improve outbreak identification, management, and response.

Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the Study of Prostate Cancer Disparities: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: PCa is one of the cancers that exhibits the widest disparity gaps. Geographical place of residence has been shown to be associated with healthcare access/utilization and PCa outcomes. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are widely being utilized for PCa disparities research, however, inconsistencies in their application exist. This systematic review will summarize GIS application within PCa disparities research, highlight gaps in the literature, and propose alternative approaches. Methods: This paper followed the methods of the Cochrane Collaboration and the criteria set of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Articles published in peer-reviewed journals were searched through the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases until December 2022. The main inclusion criteria were employing a GIS approach and examining a relationship between geographical components and PCa disparities. The main exclusion criteria were studies conducted outside the US and those that were not published in English. Results: A total of 25 articles were included; 23 focused on PCa measures as outcomes: incidence, survival, and mortality, while only 2 examined PCa management. GIS application in PCa disparities research was grouped into three main categories: mapping, processing, and analysis. GIS mapping allowed for the visualization of quantitative, qualitative, and temporal trends of PCa factors. GIS processing was mainly used for geocoding and smoothing of PCa rates. GIS analysis mainly served to evaluate global spatial autocorrelation and distribution of PCa cases, while local cluster identification techniques were mainly employed to identify locations with poorer PCa outcomes, soliciting public health interventions. Discussion: Varied GIS applications and methodologies have been used in researching PCa disparities. Multiple geographical scales were adopted, leading to variations in associations and outcomes. Geocoding quality varied considerably, leading to less robust findings. Limitations in cluster-detection approaches were identified, especially when variations were captured using the Spatial Scan Statistic. GIS approaches utilized in other diseases might be applied within PCa disparities research for more accurate inferences. A novel approach for GIS research in PCa disparities could be focusing more on geospatial disparities in procedure utilization especially when it comes to PCa screening techniques. Conclusions: This systematic review summarized and described the current state and trend of GIS application in PCa disparities research. Although GIS is of crucial importance when it comes to PCa disparities research, future studies should rely on more robust GIS techniques, carefully select the geographical scale studied, and partner with GIS scientists for more accurate inferences. Such interdisciplinary approaches have the potential to bridge the gaps between GIS and cancer prevention and control to further advance cancer equity.

GIS based geostatistical modelling and trends analysis of groundwater quality for suitable uses in Dhaka division

Preserving the quality of groundwater has become Bangladesh’s primary challenge in recent years. This study explores temporal trend variations in groundwater quality on a broader scale across 18 stations within the Dhaka division over 35 years. The data set encompasses an analysis of 15 distinct water quality parameters. Modified Mann-Kendal, Sens Slope and Mann-Kendal tests were performed to determine the trend’s variation and slope. In addition, the spatial–temporal changes in the quality of groundwater are studied through Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and Piper diagram was applied to identify the unique hydrochemical properties. This is the first study conducted on this area using various trends analysis and no in-depth study is available highlighting the trends analysis of groundwater quality on a larger magnitude. In contrast, the correlation matrix reveals a high association between Mg2+ and SO42−, Na+ and Cl− that affects salinity and overall hardness at the majority of sites. The Piper diagram also demonstrates that the groundwater in Madaripur Sadar has major salinity issues. The analysis reveals a distinctive dominance of bicarbonate (HCO3−) ions across all sampling stations, with (HCO3−) equivalent fractions consistently ranging from 0.70 to 0.99 which can cause a significant impact on groundwater uses. This extensive analysis of long-term groundwater quality trends in the Dhaka Division enables researchers to comprehend the overall transition of groundwater quality for hardness related complications in future. Moreover, it can be a baseline study considering the valuable implications and future steps for sustainable water resource management in this region.

Developing accident frequency prediction models for urban roads: A case study in São Paulo, Brazil

The growing number of vehicles and the evolving behaviour of road users present new and additional challenges to road safety. Study on the variables that influence the frequency of crash occurrences such as road geometry, junction, speed and land use are needed as they have proven effects on the number and severity of crashes. In this paper, we identify and assess the variables, namely road geometry, vehicle speed, traffic volume, land use and junction type, and develop accident frequency prediction models for a main urban transport corridor in São Paulo, Brazil. Crash data was provided by the traffic management company of the city, other datasets were obtained from a mix of primary and secondary sources including roadside cameras, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and digital mapping tools. The studied road was segmented and the coefficients associated with variables in the segments were obtained using Poisson regression through a stepwise variable selection procedure. Two models with junctions density per type (access/km, T-junction unsignalised/km, T-junction signalised/km and crossroads/km) and junction density per merged type (signalised/km and unsignalised/km) along with land use per type (commercial and residential) are developed. The junction density and land use are found to be significant and positively correlated with crash frequency. The models were evaluated by statistical means for their accuracy of predicting the crashes, and validated with additional information obtained from field observation.

Observatório territorial em Bahía Blanca e Punta Alta, Argentina, como instrumento para la sustentabilidade

Bahía Blanca and Punta Alta are the most important urban agglomeration in the south of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, with 300 extensive farmers in their area of influence. In this semi-arid region, wind erosion affects human health in the city, due to suspended dust, and the sustainability of agricultural production, due to soil loss. Faced with this critical territorial problem, the Rural Extension Agency of the National Institute of Agricultural Technology Bahía Blanca has conducted out surveys and interacted with different actors to set up a Territorial Observatory of Local Sustainable Practices. This article aims to describe the levels of information generated in this process, which is still under development, and to assess its usefulness in recognizing transformations towards the use of sustainable practices in the territory. The study adopts an exploratory-descriptive design. Geographic Information Systems maps and the MESMIS method generated information layers. These were socialized and disseminated to contribute to understanding the territorial dynamics in the adoption of sustainable innovations and to reduce the margin of error in the decisions of public-private actors in the territory for its development and sustainability.

Arbovirus Transmission in Australia from 2002 to 2017.

Arboviruses pose a significant global public health threat, with Ross River virus (RRV), Barmah Forest virus (BFV), and dengue virus (DENV) being among the most common and clinically significant in Australia. Some arboviruses, including those prevalent in Australia, have been reported to cause transfusion-transmitted infections. This study examined the spatiotemporal variation of these arboviruses and their potential impact on blood donation numbers across Australia. Using data from the Australian Department of Health on eight arboviruses from 2002 to 2017, we retrospectively assessed the distribution and clustering of incidence rates in space and time using Geographic Information System mapping and space-time scan statistics. Regression models were used to investigate how weather variables, their lag months, space, and time affect case and blood donation counts. The predictors' importance varied with the spatial scale of analysis. Key predictors were average rainfall, minimum temperature, daily temperature variation, and relative humidity. Blood donation number was significantly associated with the incidence rate of all viruses and its interaction with local transmission of DENV, overall. This study, the first to cover eight clinically relevant arboviruses at a fine geographical level in Australia, identifies regions at risk for transmission and provides valuable insights for public health intervention.

National Database for Emergency Management (GIS based)

This study looks at the advantages of using geographic information systems for emergency management from two angles: the data management mode and the pre-warning signal emergency management requirements. This study discusses the need for geographic information systems in disaster management. This study explores the manifestation of the function graphics with one mining map, which comprises of the graphics data and characteristics data, the layer stack, and theme maps presenting, through the analysis of geographic information systems functions appropriate for pre-warning signals. It communicates with the conventional pre-warning signal system in order to present the pre-warning signal's outcome based on geographic information systems in the interim. Based on previous research, this study proposes a standard approach for pre- warning using geographic information systems. The project aims to create dynamic, multidimensional technical instruments for emergency management system implementation, as well as useful concepts for the development of pre-warning systems that are intimately related to actual places. Keywords: pre-warning, geographic information system, emergency management, and theme map

GIS mapping of agricultural plastic waste in southern Europe

The escalating use of plastics in agriculture, driven by global population growth and increasing food demand, has concurrently led to a rise in Agricultural Plastic Waste (APW) production. Effective waste management is imperative, prompting this study to address the initial step of management, that is the quantification and localization of waste generated from different production systems in diverse regions. Focused on four Southern European countries (Italy, Spain, Greece, and Portugal) at the regional level, the study uses Geographic Information System (GIS), land use maps, indices tailored to each specific agricultural application and each crop type for plastic waste mapping. Furthermore, after the data was employed, it was validated by relevant stakeholders of the mentioned countries.The study revealed Spain, particularly the Andalusia region, as the highest contributor to APW equal to 324,000 tons per year, while Portugal's Azores region had the lowest estimate equal to 428 tons per year. Significantly, this research stands out as one of the first to comprehensively consider various plastic applications and detailed crop cultivations within the production systems, representing a pioneering effort in addressing plastic waste management in Southern Europe. This can lead further on to the management of waste in this area and the transfer of the scientific proposition to other countries.

Recommendation System for Sustainable Day and Night-Time Cultural Tourism Using the Mean Signed Error-Centric Recurrent Neural Network for Riyadh Historical Sites

To accommodate user-specific requirements and preferences, a travel Recommendation System (RS) gives a customized place of interest. The prevalent research did not provide solutions to some essential situations for cultural tourism, including relevant time, environmental conditions, and stay places. Thus, the existing RS models led to unreliable cultural tourism recommendations by neglecting essential factors like personalized itineraries, environmental conditions of the cultural sites, sentiment analysis of the hotel reviews, and sustainable cultural heritage planning. To overcome the above factors, a day- and night-time cultural tourism RS utilizing the Mean Signed Error-centric Recurrent Neural Network (MSE-RNN) is proposed in this paper. The proposed work develops an efficient RS by considering historical data, Geographic Information System (GIS) map location, hotel (stay place) reviews, and environmental data to access day and night cultural tourism. First, from the Geographic Information System (GIS) map and hotel data, the historical and hotel geolocations are extracted. Currently, these locations are fed to Similarity-centric Hamilton Distance-K-Means (SHD-KM) for grouping the nearest locations. Next, hotels are ranked utilizing the Tent Mapping-centric Black Widow Optimization (TM-BWO) approach centered on the locations. In addition, using Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), the essential keywords from the historical geo-locations are embedded. In the meantime, the sites’ reviews and timings are extracted from Google. The extracted reviews go through pre-processing, and the keywords from the pre-processed data are extracted. For the extracted keywords, polarity is calculated centered on the Valence-Aware Dictionary for Sentiment Reasoning (VADER). Concurrently, utilizing the Reference-centric Pearson Correlation Coefficient (R-PCC), the timings of the sites are segregated. Lastly, for providing a recommendation of tourist sites, the embedded words, ranked hotels, and segregated timings, along with the pre-processed environment and season data, are fed to the MSE-RNN classifier. At last, the experimental evaluation verified that other recommendation systems were surpassed by the proposed approach.

Ideologies in Geospatial Futurism: A Computational and Critical Discourse Inquiry Into the ArcGIS and ESRI-Blogs

Geographic information systems (GIS) are ubiquitous building blocks of geosurveillance environments embedded in everyday social practices. This article builds on the literature on geomedia, the criticisms of GIS, and communicative spaces, to delve into the realm of GIS software and spatial analytics. The data corpus consists of ArcGIS and ESRI blogs on the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) site, which defines itself as the global market leader in GIS software, location intelligence, and mapping. This project assesses the impact of their discursive representations of the future and the societal implications of these views through an iterative process of computational and critical interpretive analyses—extending from LDA topic modelling to critical discourse analysis—to unveil the ideological underpinnings of a corporate-prescribed understanding of (GIS) future. The analysis reveals that representations of the future in the main blogs of the geospatial industry are deeply embedded in ideological principles that emphasise perceived indispensability and technosolutionism as the inherent belief that complex social, political, and economic issues can be solved primarily or exclusively through technological means. The article identifies the rhetorical and structural operations in a discourse that ultimately kidnaps any alternative futures. The geospatial industry’s representations of the future serve as ideological tools that shape perceptions about societal development and democratic conditions. The critical engagement with these representations contributes to understanding the role of GIS technology in the shaping of fair futures built on democratic public spheres in the digital age.

Mapping the Ecological Terrain of Stroke Prehospital Delay: A Nationwide Registry Study.

Delays in hospital presentation limit access to acute stroke treatments. While prior research has focused on patient-level factors, broader ecological and social determinants have not been well studied. We aimed to create a geospatial map of prehospital delay and examine the role of community-level social vulnerability. We studied patients with ischemic stroke who arrived by emergency medical services in 2015 to 2017 from the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines-Stroke registry. The primary outcome was time to hospital arrival after stroke (in minutes), beginning at last known well in most cases. Using Geographic Information System mapping, we displayed the geography of delay. We then used Cox proportional hazard models to study the relationship between community-level factors and arrival time (adjusted hazard ratios [aHR] <1.0 indicate delay). The primary exposure was the social vulnerability index (SVI), a metric of social vulnerability for every ZIP Code Tabulation Area ranging from 0.0 to 1.0. Of 750 336 patients, 149 145 met inclusion criteria. The mean age was 73 years, and 51% were female. The median time to hospital arrival was 140 minutes (Q1: 60 minutes, Q3: 458 minutes). The geospatial map revealed that many zones of delay overlapped with socially vulnerable areas (https://harvard-cga.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=08f6e885c71b457f83cefc71013bcaa7). Cox models (aHR, 95% CI) confirmed that higher SVI, including quartiles 3 (aHR, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.93-0.98]) and 4 (aHR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.91-0.95]), was associated with delay. Patients from SVI quartile 4 neighborhoods arrived 15.6 minutes [15-16.2] slower than patients from SVI quartile 1. Specific SVI themes associated with delay were a community's socioeconomic status (aHR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.74-0.85]) and housing type and transportation (aHR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.84-0.94]). This map of acute stroke presentation times shows areas with a high incidence of delay. Increased social vulnerability characterizes these areas. Such places should be systematically targeted to improve population-level stroke presentation times.

Spatial Analysis of Forest Fire Potential in Pangi Binangga Nature Reserve, Parigi Moutong District, Central Sulawesi

This study aims to analyze the potential for forest fires in Pangi Binangga Nature Reserve, Parigi Moutong District, Central Sulawesi, by utilizing geographic information system data and mapping areas based on fire potential. The research method involved field surveys and the analysis of primary and secondary data. Forest fire hazards maps were obtained from the analysis of Landsat satellite images that were classified to provide information on land cover, slope, distance from roads, and categorized based on predetermined weighting categories. The overlay process was conducted using Geographic Information System software. The main findings indicate that the area has diverse land cover, with reed grassland savanna having the highest fire hazards covering an area of 1203.78 ha. Very steep slopes cover 339.94 ha, and the distance from roads and settlements to the highest hazards point is 140 meters. These variables also influence the level of hazards. Implications of this study include the placement of forest fire prevention patrols, the use of weather modification technology, and post-fire support to restore ecosystems.