Geographic Information Systems Users Research Articles

QGIS-based weighted linear combination plugin for landfill site selection: a case study in Tokat Province, Turkey.

Proper disposal of solid waste is crucial for the protection of natural resources and human health. However, increasing population and changes in consumption habits have led to a global increase in solid waste production. Therefore, a site selection process for solid waste management that takes into account environmental, economic, and social factors is needed. The number of open-source GIS (geographic information system) software programs used in site selection analysis is increasing day by day. QGIS software is an open-source GIS software developed by free software developers, with its popularity increasing with each new version and allowing for the development of plugins with the Python programming language. The shareability of plugins developed with QGIS software brings together open-source GIS users around the world for common goals. In this study, a plugin called "LANDFILL SITE SELECTION (LFSS)" was developed in the QGIS software environment for solid waste landfill site selection and a suitability map was created for solid waste landfill site selection in Tokat, Turkey, using this plugin. For this purpose, 14 evaluation criteria and 8 exclusion criteria were selected, the importance levels of criteria and sub-criteria were determined using the AHP method, and a solid waste landfill site selection suitability map was created using the developed plugin.

Understanding the Landscape of Usability Evaluation in Geographic Information Systems: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review comprehensively examines usability evaluation in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The study explores the importance of usability evaluation, common usability issues, and the role of usability evaluations in GIS design and development. The review reveals a critical need for more scientific publications of up-to-date GIS usability evaluations. It highlights the importance of usability evaluations in developing more user-friendly GIS applications. The findings underscore the need for improved user guidance and more intuitive design of GIS applications, particularly for novice users. The review also identifies several opportunities for future research, including developing usability guidelines for GIS, exploring new methods for analyzing GIS interactions and workflows, and considering GIS use over more extended periods. The findings have significant implications for GIS developers, users, and researchers, emphasizing the importance of conducting usability evaluations to enhance user satisfaction and improve task performance.

Geographic Information System (GIS) and Healthcare: An Overview

GIS (Geographic Information System) are computer-based tools used to visualize, analyze, accumulate and explicate geographic data. The determinants of health status are often correlated and analogous. Establishing GIS-based approaches and programmes can predict and analyze the complexity of web of causation of many health issues. GIS can be used to efficaciously investigate health along with its physical, social and cultural environments. Mapping functions of GIS can be used to plot health attributes for better visualization, exploration, and modeling of health patterns. GIS based healthcare helps in explaining and describing health outcomes, health disparities, healthcare access and how health care delivery can be improved. GIS can also be used to bring all spatial data under one umbrella of “Geo Data Bank” that could provide easy accessibility and help in better utility of healthcare services. In India, the adoption and use of digital spatial methods like GIS in the field of healthcare has lagged. However, the “Computer Aided Utility Mapping Project for six cities” in India is a significant benefit for the GIS users in the country which can be used by healthcare sector in the near future for the upliftment of healthcare facility. The primary focus of the paper is to provide details about benefits of using GIS-based analytical approaches in healthcare planning, the successes, challenges, remedies and future perspective of GIS in healthcare delivery. Keywords: GIS, healthcare planning, location allocation modeling, public health, spatial analysis, spatial epidemiology.

ReFuse: Generating Imperviousness Maps from Multi-Spectral Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery

Continual mapping and monitoring of impervious surfaces are crucial activities to support sustainable urban management strategies and to plan effective actions for environmental changes. In this context, impervious surface coverage is increasingly becoming an essential indicator for assessing urbanization and environmental quality, with several works relying on satellite imagery to determine it. However, although satellite imagery is typically available with a frequency of 3–10 days worldwide, imperviousness maps are released at most annually as they require a huge human effort to be produced and validated. Attempts have been made to extract imperviousness maps from satellite images using machine learning, but (i) the scarcity of reliable and detailed ground truth (ii) together with the need to manage different spectral bands (iii) while making the resulting system easily accessible to the end users is limiting their diffusion. To tackle these problems, in this work we introduce a deep-learning-based approach to extract imperviousness maps from multi-spectral Sentinel-2 images leveraging a very detailed imperviousness map realised by the Italian department for environment protection as ground truth. We also propose a scalable and portable inference pipeline designed to easily scale the approach, integrating it into a web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) application. As a result, even non-expert GIS users can quickly and easily calculate impervious surfaces for any place on Earth (accuracy >95%), with a frequency limited only by the availability of new satellite images.

Изучение почвенного покрова Чингирлауского района Западно-Казахстанской области Республики Казахстан на основе применения ГИС-технологий

Rational use and protection of soils in market conditions requires adequate application of new scientific and methodological approaches. One of such systems-analytical methods of organizing a soil cadastre is the combination of traditional ground-based methods with geographic information systems (GIS) technologies based on the widespread use of aerospace images of high resolutions. The totality of information necessary for mapping soil cover structures and their quantitative assessment is described in GIS databases. Data integration is implemented through a spatial and attributive component in the form of: the results of topographic and thematic maps. At the same time, the creation of attributive GIS databases involves the digitization of thematic maps linked in a single cartographic projection (which was a topographic map at a scale of 1:50,000). As results of the research, digital soil maps for the Chingirlau district of the West Kazakhstan region were created on the basis of GIS technologies, using the ArcGIS software products. It was established that within the limits of the Chingirlau district of the West Kazakhstan region, dark chestnut soils in combination with various soil combinations pre-dominate in the structure of the soil cover. They are formed on loess-like loams in the conditions of the dry steppe zone with a non-leaching type of water regime under fescue-grass, forb-grass-wormwood, meadowsweet-grass with wormwood plant communities. To improve the quality of generalized maps (district, regional, etc.), it is necessary to create objective automated methods for generalizing maps in a digital environment. A method for compiling a digital soil map using the ArcGIS soft-ware product, accessible to a wide range of GIS users, has been developed. To compile soil maps, it is possible to use any scanned cartographic bases, photoplans, and other raster materials. Based on the developed methodology, a large-scale soil map of the Chingirlau district of the West Kazakhstan region was created on the basis of soil maps of rural districts made using GIS technologies.

Determining the area corrections affecting the map areas in GIS applications

Abstract Nowadays, there are many area-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications such as real estate valuation, land tax, farming support and cost–benefit analysis. Areas used in such applications are calculated by means of two-dimensional plane geometry. However, the computed area value is not the exact area value in the terrain. In order to calculate the exact area value of a parcel, area corrections due to various factors must be taken into account. These factors are selection of projection, slope of the terrain, elevation of the terrain and scale of the map. Selection of projection and slope of terrain are available; elevation of the terrain and scale of map are not available in all GIS software. In this study, the effect of area corrections on the area value calculated from the map is examined with sample applications and the results are presented to the GIS users. According to the results, GIS users should select the equal area projection. In addition, scale of map, elevation and slope of terrain should be taken into account in the area calculation where land measurements are not possible.

Indoor Environments and Geographical Information Systems: A Systematic Literature Review

The increasing dissemination of geographic information systems (GIS) in recent years has broadened the availability and use of geospatial tools, mostly to analyze the spatial data of different territories. A territory can be viewed at different analysis scales, and some buildings are as complex as small cities, presenting the opportunity to use GIS to study the dynamics, patterns, and phenomena within a building. This study presents a systematic literature review of the relevant evidence focused on the utilization of GIS in indoor spaces. To this end, we searched in three scientific libraries following the PRISMA statement guidelines. All phases were analyzed independently by two of the authors and agreement between them calculated through the Kappa statistic. In total, 50 studies were included. A qualitative synthesis was performed, considering the assessment of data and heterogeneity of methodologies within the included articles. Subsequently, the studies were categorized into five groups: indoor management, indoor geospatial analysis, indoor positioning, indoor data acquisition, and indoor spatial data models. The results demonstrate that research on the use of GIS in indoor spaces is still emerging, despite its great potential to help and GIS users, data producers, researchers, or policymakers to improve their work, providing scientific evidence for decision support.

Building natural language responses from natural language questions in the spatio-temporal context

With the evolving research in geographic information system (GIS) owing to its ability to support decision makers in different fields, there is a strong need to enabling all users; specialists and non-specialists to profit from this technology. Although, the key impediment to non-specialists is the language to interact with the GIS and especially its embedded geographic database (GDB) which require SQL skills. In this paper we explore a new approach which alleviates nomad GIS users from any formatting effort by only using the natural language as a GDB communication mean. The process is generally two-fold: 1) formatting the natural language user query to be processed by the GDB engine; 2) translating the GDB retrieved answer to a text easily interpreted by all GIS users. The resulting implemented system was integrated to the OpenJump GIS and has been evaluated to give satisfactory results.

Assessing Geospatial Technology Implementation Capacity for Natural Resource Management Networks: A Proposed Framework

Using the U.S. National Trails System (NTS), we examined the adoption and implementation of geospatial technologies for natural resource management (NRM). Technology adoption is the decision to use geographic information systems (GIS), whereby implementation represents the delivery of that technical system. We used soft technology, or the human characteristics of user skill and experience, to understand the capacity for delivery of the technical system across the network. The inter-organizational structure of geographically dispersed network members, characteristic of the NTS, provided opportunity to evaluate and compare GIS use and users for NRM. We inventoried GIS adoption and implementation for 23 trail network groups to produce a geospatial technology profile (GTP) of the NTS. Based on the GTP, we developed a framework to calculate an implementation capacity index (ICI) for each network, and then compared network capacity to the level of user engagement (application intricacy) deployed. Results show that higher implementation capacity is not indicative of higher levels of user engagement. Outcomes demonstrate the value of geocollaborative tool evaluations, highlighting the benefits of an assessment framework based on type and use of GIS platform. As an advantage in the process of evaluation, our proposed framework assists networks with implementation strategies, balancing user abilities and mapping capabilities. Additionally, the proposed framework provides a foundation to refine GIS implementation assessment for NRM networks. Understanding the range of GIS technologies and applications used by multiple, geographically dispersed networks can further inform development and deployment strategies that mitigate barriers to successful GIS implementation in inter-organizational scenarios.

Visualisation of Spatial Data Uncertainty. A Case Study of a Database of Topographic Objects

The Database of Topographic Objects (DTO) is the official database of Poland for collecting and providing spatial data with the detail level of a topographic map. Polish national DTOs manage information about the spatial location and attribute values of geographic objects. Data in the DTO are the starting point for geographic information systems (GISs) for various central and local governments as well as private institutions. Every set of spatial data based on measurement-derived data is susceptible to uncertainty. Therefore, the widespread awareness of data uncertainty is of vital importance to all GIS users. Cartographic visualisation techniques are an effective approach to informing spatial dataset users about the uncertainty of the data. The objective of the research was to define a set of methods for visualising the DTO data uncertainty using expert know-how and experience. This set contains visualisation techniques for presenting three types of uncertainty: positional, attribute, and temporal. The positional uncertainty for point objects was presented using visual variables, object fill with hue colour and lightness, and glyphs placed at map symbol positions. The positional uncertainty for linear objects was presented using linear object contours made of dotted lines and glyphs at vertices. Fill grain density and contour crispness were employed to represent the positional uncertainty for surface objects. The attribute value uncertainty and the temporal uncertainty were represented using fill grain density and fill colour value. The proposed set of the DTO uncertainty visualisation methods provides a finite array of visualisation techniques that can be tested and juxtaposed. The visualisation methods were comprehensively evaluated in a survey among experts who use spatial databases. Results of user preference analysis have demonstrated that the set of the DTO data uncertainty visualisation techniques may be applied to the full extent. The future implementation of the proposed visualisation methods in GIS databases will help data users interpret values correctly.

Reconstructing historical journeys with least-cost analysis: Colonel William Leake in the Mani Peninsula, Greece

Due to the proliferation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software and the improvement of graphic user interfaces, least-cost analysis has become one of the most common tools in archaeological research for modelling movement across past landscapes. While more complex techniques and algorithms have been developed to address the theoretical limitations of least-cost analysis, many of these are not readily accessible to typical GIS users, due to either hardware limitations or a lack of in-depth training in the theory and methods of spatial analysis. Seeking a middle ground, we test a number of simple modifications to basic least-cost analysis using the Mani peninsula in southern Greece as a case study. We assess eight procedures for calculating least-cost paths (LCPs), defining cost based on a combination of slope and the location of pre-modern pathways. These procedures are used to generate LCPs for a well-documented journey made by Colonel William Martin Leake in the year 1805. Comparing the LCPs against Leake's detailed notes and “low-cost corridors,” we visually assess the reliability of each model and identify likely alternative routes. We conclude that a simple modification to basic least-cost analysis – incorporating a time-based algorithm along with traces of pre-modern footpaths and roads – can produce robust, reliable least-cost models in other archaeological contexts where traces of pre-modern pathways can still be detected.

Integrating spatial data analysis functionalities in a GIS environment: Spatial Analysis using ArcGIS Engine and R (SAAR).

Spatial data analysis (SDA) tools to efficiently handle and explore spatial data have become readily available. Although these SDA tools have their own strengths and purposes, they suffer from limited support in terms of a development environment offering easy customization and high extensibility, a strength of open source software. This paper presents a stand-alone software package for SDA in a geographic information systems (GIS) environment, called Spatial Analysis using ArcGIS Engine and R (SAAR), which provides an integrated GIS and SDA environment. A set of SDA tools in SAAR utilize functions in R using R.NET, while other tools were developed in .NET independent of R. SAAR provides an efficient working environment for both general and advanced GIS users. For general GIS users with limited programming skills, SAAR furnishes advanced SDA tools in a popular ArcGIS environment with graphical user interfaces. For advanced GIS users, SAAR offers an extensible GIS platform to help them customize and implement SDA functions with relatively little development effort. This paper demonstrates some functionalities of SAAR using census data for Texas counties.

Evaluating the Effect of Display Realism on Natural Resource Decision Making

Abstract. Geographic information systems (GIS) facilitate location-based decision making. Despite the improved availability of GIS software to non-professionals, training in cartographic design has not followed suit. Prior research indicates that when presented with map choices, users are influenced by naïve realism, a preference for realistic displays cotaining irrelevant, extraneous details, leading to decreased task efficiency. This study investigated the role of naïve realism in decision making for natural resource management, a field that often employs geospatial tools. Data was collected through a GIS user ability test, a questionnaire and direct observation. Forty volunteer expert and non-expert resource managers evaluated the suitability of different sites for a land management scenario. Each participant was tested on two map display treatments containing different levels of realism – a simpler 2D display and a more complex 3D display – to compare task performance. Performance was measured by task accuracy and task completion time. User perceptions and preferences about the displays were also recorded. Display realism had an impact on performance and there were indications naïve realism was present. Users completed tasks significantly faster on the 2D display and many individuals misjudged which display they were most accurate or fastest with. The results are informative for designing information systems containing interactive maps, particularly for resource management applications. The results also suggest that the order displays were presented had a significant effect and may have implications for teaching users map-based tasks.

Repercusiones producto del desconocimiento del sistema de referencia en la información geoespacial de Costa Rica: utilidad de los metadatos

El aprovechamiento máximo de la información geoespacial depende, entre otros aspectos, del conocimiento de su referencia geodésica, la cual es indispensable para poder convertirla y transformarla a otras referencias en caso de que sea necesario. En el caso particular de Costa Rica, existe una importante cantidad de información que está vinculada al datum convencional de Ocotepeque con sus respectivas proyecciones Lambert Costa Rica Norte (LCRN) y Lambert Costa Rica Sur (LCRS), y en la última década, la información nacional que se ha generado está referenciada al datum nacional oficial CR05 y su respectiva proyección cartográfica CRTM05 (Moya y Cedeño, 2016b). Las facilidades que ofrecen los Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG) propietarios o en versiones libres, constituyen una excelente herramienta no solo por la rapidez en los distintos procesos de la información, sino que, además, y quizás lo más importante, les brindan a los usuarios una enorme cantidad de resultados producto de sus múltiples capacidades de análisis espacial. Sin embargo, es indispensable que los SIG estén adecuadamente configurados, de manera que se pueda extraer la mayor cantidad de datos posibles con la certeza de que la información de partida está correctamente georreferenciada, o de que el proceso previo de georreferenciación es posible y correcto. Para esta tarea, es fundamental el conocimiento de los metadatos de manera de conocer el origen de la información. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es mostrarle a una gran cantidad de usuarios de los SIG, las posibles repercusiones que se tendrán por un inadecuado proceso de conversión y transformación de coordenadas.

Digital Data-Centric Geography: Implications for Geography's Frontier

The debate regarding geographic information systems (GIS) as tool, toolbox, or science still lingers in geography departments and among geographers. Analysis of geographic information is a vital component of decision making among business, governments, researchers, and academics. GIS users, geographers and nongeographers alike, use and benefit from problem-solving methods in numerous fields and contexts, making the use of GIS and the core competencies associated with using GIS a topic of intense debate. Complicating this ongoing discussion is the rise of data-centric approaches to research in geography that further expand the capabilities of spatial analysis and add to the expected knowledge of a GIS user and analyst. Building on a panel discussion at the 2016 American Association of Geographers (AAG) annual meeting, as well as informal dialogues on Twitter and other social media platforms that navigate this issue in academics and industry, this article explores how skills in research computing and programming operate in geography and GIS, especially given the rise of data-centric approaches to research in these realms. Some topics, like the costs and benefits of open and closed source software, are familiar from previous discussions in geography and GIS. Others, though, like the reward structures and recognition for computing skills or programming ability, have not been widely considered given the current landscape.

COĞRAFİ BİLGİ SİSTEMİ KULLANARAK YAYA YOLLARI ÜZERİNDEN ROTA OPTİMİZASYONU

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a system that allows geospatial and non-spatial data to be appropriately analyzed. GIS is important in terms of managing complex business processes such as reconstruction, transportation and infrastructure where geographical data are heavily used and improving time, cost and workforce constraints. In recent years, vehicle / pedestrian navigation services, GIS usage area and user diversity have become widespread especially in the logistics sector. The use of GIS has become increasingly popular during the analysis of the pedestrian / car navigation services to determine the route to be followed and the results are presented to the user with spatial reference. Digitization of maps with sufficient geometric and semantic accuracy in GIS pedestrian / car navigation services, storage and modeling of data related to vehicle and road status Provides integrated solutions that enable analysis and analysis with the required methods and algorithms. In this study, the advantages and benefits of route optimization through pedestrian paths were examined using Geographic Information System. Using the Vehicle Routing Problem algorithms in Camlitepe, Fakulteler, 50. Yil, Ertugrulgazi, Cebeci and Abidinpasa neighborhoods in Cankaya and Mamak districts in Ankara province as the pilot region, sequencing and routing studies were performed to reach the specified demand points of the distributor at the most optimal efficiency. The created rotation model is interpreted and aimed to set an example for public institutions and private sector companies in other distribution / collection service sector. Keywords: Vehicle routing problem, geographical information system, logistics, optimal productivity, pedestrian paths route optimization

Spatial distribution of child pedestrian injuries along census tract boundaries: Implications for identifying area-based correlates.

Census tracts are often used to investigate area-based correlates of a variety of health outcomes. This approach has been shown to be valuable in understanding the ways that health is shaped by place and to design appropriate interventions that account for community-level processes. Following this line of inquiry, it is common in the study of pedestrian injuries to aggregate the point level locations of these injuries to the census tracts in which they occur. Such aggregation enables investigation of the relationships between a range of socioeconomic variables and areas of notably high or low incidence. This study reports on the spatial distribution of child pedestrian injuries in a mid-sized U.S. city over a three-year period. Utilizing a combination of geospatial approaches, Near Analysis, Kernel Density Estimation, and Local Moran’s I, enables identification, visualization, and quantification of close proximity between incidents and tract boundaries. Specifically, results reveal that nearly half of the 100 incidents occur within roads that are also census tract boundaries. Results also uncover incidents that occur on tract boundaries, not merely near them. This geographic pattern raises the question of the utility of associating area-based census data from any one tract to the injuries occurring in these border zones. Furthermore, using a standard spatial join technique in a Geographic Information System (GIS), these points located on the border are counted as falling into census tracts on both sides of the boundary, which introduces uncertainty in any subsequent analysis. Therefore, two additional approaches of aggregating points to polygons were tested in this study. Results differ with each approach, but without any alert of such differences to the GIS user. This finding raises a fundamental concern about techniques through which points are aggregated to polygons in any study using point level incidents and their surrounding census tract socioeconomic data to understand health and place. This study concludes with a suggested protocol to test for this source of uncertainty in analysis and an approach that may remove it.

Measures and visualization methods of map projection distortions with the use of “python matplotlib library” as an example

Abstract The aim of the author of this article is to show the users of Geographical Information Systems how to present the distortions in a simple way. The intention of the author is also to popularize the knowledge in the scope of map projections and to inform the users of the maps that, despite all the advanced modern tools, an elimination of the problem, connected with the map projections and cartographical distortions occurring in them, has failed so far. The author presents a brief overview of the measures in the scope of distortions and methods of their presentation. It is also shown how the users can generate the maps, presenting a distortion by themselves. It is much easier to perform this type of visualization with the help of “matplotlib library”, basically everyone can compile such a map.

Targeting Disciplines for GIS Outreach Using Bibliometric Analysis

Academic libraries increasingly offer geospatial services to support the teaching and research activities of all university disciplines. Ironically, services tend to be most used by those who are already routinely using geographic information systems (GIS) in their research and similar activities. We present a workflow by which library-based GIS service providers can identify, connect, and foster relationships with potential GIS users who stand to benefit the most from their services. Potential users include those who are not currently aware of GIS and its potential contribution to their particular discipline. The workflow begins with a bibliometric analysis to assess trends in the usage of GIS across a variety of disciplines. The result of the bibliometric analysis is a categorized list of those departments that stand to benefit the most from GIS services, based on Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Library-based GIS service providers can partner with liaison-librarians who serve as “change agents” to bring geospatial services into those disciplines not involved with GIS. From this, GIS service providers and liaison-librarians can connect with “opinion leaders” within each department to help diffuse GIS throughout their discipline by helping to organize seminars where library GIS service providers can educate departmental faculty. The goal of this workflow is to help library-based GIS service providers identify and collaborate with faculty who stand to benefit the most from GIS services at the library.

Ten Years of Change: National Library of Medicine TOXMAP Gets a New Look

The United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) TOXNET® databases <http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov> provide broad coverage of environmental health information covering a wide variety of topics, including access to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA)'s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data. The NLM web-based geographic information system (GIS), TOXMAP® <http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/>, provides interactive maps which show where TRI chemicals are released into the environment and links to TOXNET for information about these chemicals. TOXMAP also displays locations of Superfund sites on the EPA National Priority List, as well as information about the chemical contaminants at these sites. This column focuses on a new version of TOXMAP which brings it up to date with current web GIS technologies and user expectations.