GIS-based Multi-criteria Analysis Research Articles

A GIS-BASED MULTI-CRITERIA ANALYSIS ON CROPLAND SUITABILITY IN BORNUUR SOUM, MONGOLIA

Abstract. Agriculture is one of the most critical sectors of the Mongolian economy. In Mongolia, land degradation is increasing in the cropland region, especially in a cultivated area. The country has challenges to identify new croplands with sufficient capacity for cultivation, especially for local decision-makers. GIS applications tremendously help science in making land assessments. This study was carried out in Bornuur soum, Mongolia. The goal of this study to estimate that best suitable area for supporting crop production in Bornuur soum, using a GIS-based multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and remote sensing. GIS-based multi-criteria analysis (MCA) has been widely used in land suitability analyses in many countries. In this research, the GIS-based spatial MCA among the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method has employed. The approach was enhanced for each criterion which as soil, topography and vegetation. The opinions of agronomist experts and a literature review helped in identifying criteria (soil data, topography, water and vegetation data) that are necessary to determine areas suitable for crops. The detailed cropland suitability maps indicate that 46.12 % is highly suitable for cropland, 34.68 % is moderate suitable, 13.64 % is marginal suitable and 5.56 % is not suitable. The MCA and AHP tools play an essential role in the multi-criteria analysis. Therefore, the results of these methods allow us to estimate an appropriate area for cultivation in Bornuur soum, Tuv province. The crop suitability method implies significant decisions on different levels and the result will be used for cropland management plan to make a decision. It is an integral role in agricultural management and land evaluation. Future research should further develop this method by including socio-economic (potential citizens for agriculture, current crop growth, water resource, etc.) and environmental variables (rainfall, vegetation types, permafrost distribution, etc.) to obtain specific results. However, it could be also be applied for a single crop type (mainly barley, wheat and potato) in Mongolia.

Depletion percentage and nonlinear transmissivity as design criteria for groundwater-level observation networks

Intensive use of groundwater for irrigation has depleted available supplies in many areas of the world. Depletion reduces well yields, which negatively impacts agricultural productivity and profitability. The impact of groundwater depletion on wells depends on the relative changes in saturated thickness (depletion percentage) and the rates of change in transmissivity during depletion (nonlinear transmissivity). In heterogeneous aquifers of variable saturated thickness, the impacts on wells vary in time and space. An observation well network designed to account for these spatiotemporal variations is a key part of achieving sustainable development of groundwater. This paper presents a framework for incorporating estimates of depletion percentage and nonlinear transmissivity into GIS-based multicriteria analysis for observation-well network design. The workflow includes (1) selection of criteria using stakeholder input, (2) assessment of data quality, (3) interpolation of hydrogeologic surfaces with prediction standard errors, (4) estimation of hydraulic conductivity values, (5) calculation of saturated thickness and transmissivity using 3 and 4 above, (6) mapping of well densities, and (7) normalization of raster values and calculation of a priority index map. The framework is widely applicable, but flexible to adapt to local needs. By incorporating depletion percentage and nonlinear transmissivity, the methodology can help management agencies prioritize monitoring locations in areas where future depletions could have the greatest impacts on well yields.

Comprehensive decision-strategy space exploration for efficient territorial planning strategies

GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis is a well-known decision support tool that can be used in a wide variety of contexts. It is particularly useful for territorial planning in situations where several actors with different, and sometimes contradictory, point of views have to take a decision regarding land use development. While the impact of the weights used to represent the relative importance of criteria has been widely studied in the recent literature, the impact of the order weights used to combine the criteria have rarely been investigated. This paper presents a spatial sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of order weights determination in GIS-based Multi-Criteria Analysis by Ordered Weighted Averaging. We propose a methodology based on an efficient exploration of the decision-strategy space defined by the level of risk and trade-off in the decision process. We illustrate our approach with a land use planning process in the South of France. The objective is to find suitable areas for urban development while preserving green areas and their associated ecosystem services. The ecosystem service approach has indeed the potential to widen the scope of traditional landscape-ecological planning by including ecosystem-based benefits, including social and economic benefits, green infrastructures and biophysical parameters in urban and territorial planning. We show that in this particular case the decision-strategy space can be divided into four clusters. Each of them is associated with a map summarizing the average spatial suitability distribution used to identify potential areas for urban development. We also demonstrate the pertinence of a spatial variance within-cluster analysis to disentangle the relationship between risk and trade-off values. At the end, we perform a site suitability ranking analysis to assess the relationship between the four detected clusters.

Erosion sensitivity mapping using GIS-based multicriteria analysis—case study of the semiarid Macta watershed, North-West of Algeria

The exponential rise in the natural risk related to the soil erosion and important impacts resulting in the human activities was strongly threatening the biological richness of different regions in Macta watershed located in the North-West of Algeria. This serious and complex situation has been an environmental concern in Algeria. Soil erosion depends mainly on a combination of factors such as climate (rainfall), topography, vegetation cover, type of soil, and land use (agricultural activities). The study aims are to develop a methodological approach, based on the combined use of geographic information system, remote sensing, and a set of multicriteria analysis methods such as analytical hierarchy process, PROMETHEE, dedicated to the soil erosion sensitivity mapping. The different factors are implicated in a geographic database as layers to make it easier for their implementation in a decision aid dataset such as alternatives and criteria. Results showed that the dominant classes of the fragility to erosion correspond to low and moderate levels and only less than 8% of the watershed was vulnerable to soil erosion. The analysis of the maps obtained under GIS environment for different parameters shows that the areas with a high vulnerability to erosion are located in the North-East (part of sub-watershed: wadi El Hammam, wadi Mebtouh, and wadi Fekan) and someone in the South (part of sub-watershed: wadi Taria, wadi Saida) and West (North of Mekerrela and Louza sub-watershed).

A spatial multi-criteria analysis approach for planning and management of community-scale desalination plants

The rapid deterioration of the groundwater quality in the Gaza Strip-Palestine has increased reliance on community-scale brackish-water desalination plants (CBDPs). However, the escalating numbers of CBDPs is associated with poor operation practices and exhibit various adverse impacts, while the existing regulatory framework of this sector is still lacking the necessary tools for identifying and mitigating these impacts. The current study employed a GIS-based Multi-criteria Analysis (MCA) approach to plan and manage the existing and proposed CBDPs in Gaza Strip, Palestine. The criteria account for the various possible effects including: level of chloride and nitrate in the groundwater, variation in the water-table depth, population density, potential production capacity of CBDPs and operation hours, distance to the pumping wells, sea shoreline, and point-source contamination sites. The results showed that the locations of around 53% of the existing CBDPs are unsuitable; and the CBDPs exhibit potential risks to the environment. The study revealed that 65% of the total area of Gaza Strip would be unsuitable for CBDPs operating in a capacity above the current average. This highlights the significance of regulating the operational conditions of the existing CBDPs according to their geographical location and considering different alternatives of supply-demand schemes.

Hospital Site Selection in Iskandar Malaysia using GIS-Multi Criteria Analysis

Hospital is one of the most important and beneficial public services in the world, therefore, these facilities should be located in a rational manner. Increasing the population of countries particularly developing countries and remote areas leads to the demand for new public health facilities and hospitals. No matter who provides the healthcare facilities, the most important issue is where to locate a new hospital to provide, both facility location and attractiveness. Hospital proper site selection has a vital role in hospital construction and management. From the aspect of the government and healthcare organization, appropriate hospital site selection will help optimize the allocation of medical resources, matching the provision of health care with the social and economic demands. From the aspect of the investors and operators of the hospital, optimum hospital site selection will definitely be cost-saving on capital strategy. On the other hand, establishing a hospital in urban districts has its own positive and negative consequences. The positive impacts of establishing a hospital in an area are that it increases property value in the neighboring periphery as well as improving healthrelated accessibility for the residents of that urban district. The negative impacts of establishing a hospital in an area are negative side-effects such as environmental contamination and inducing new waves of traffic flow. Then, the adjacent community is impacted by forms of increased traffic flow, increased emergency vehicle usage in residential areas. Therefore, in hospital site selection should be tried to reduce the negative impacts. Then, main aim of this paper is to select a site for the building of a new hospital in Iskandar Malaysia using GIS-based Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) with consideration of various factor criteria, and constraint criteria in order to balance the medical resource there.

Agro-Climato-Edaphic Zonation of Nigeria for a Cassava Cultivar using GIS-Based Analysis of Data from 1961 to 2017

To investigate the optimal cultivation conditions for cassava cultivar (TMS98/0505) in Nigeria, we employed agro-ecological zoning to delineate the cultivated lands. Using GIS-based multi-criteria analysis, we researched the influence of some meteorological and soil parameters on the clone cultivation. From the multiple-parameter climato-edaphic zoning map, an average yield of 26 t ha−1 was estimated. The dry Rainforest and southern Guinea Savanna account for 80% of the favorable zones. However, with irrigation, the cultivar would yield optimally in the northern marginal zones. Further, the significant climatic parameters are sunshine hour (t = 3.292, α = 0.0064) and rainfall (t = 2.100, α = 0.0575). Thus, the potentials of a location for cassava cultivation in Nigeria largely depend on the soil conditions, sunshine hour, and rainfall. Generally, the cassava yield correlates strongly (+0.88) with the suitability map. Considering future climate variability based on the annual rainfall data, we projected an average annual rainfall range of 565–3,193 mm between 2070 and 2099. Likewise, the projected range of daily temperature for 2046–2100 is 24.57–31.94 °C. Consequently, with currently allotted farmlands, Nigeria can double her current cassava production through soil fertility enhancement and irrigation.

Coastal vulnerability assessment using GIS-Based multicriteria analysis of Alexandria-northwestern Nile Delta, Egypt

This study intends to map the relative coastal vulnerability index (CVI) for the administrative governorates of Alexandria and adjacent Behera in the northwestern coastal margin of the Nile delta. In addition to other common environmental stresses, these governorates are under threat due to accelerated sea level rise induced from climate change. Of special interest is that the coastal margin of the study area is characterized by markedly constructing geology, morpho-dynamics and land surface topography that varies from low-lying (−3 m below MSL) to high land (~20 m height). Therefore, nine physical and geological variables influencing the vulnerability of the coast are used in this study, including land elevation, seabed/beach composition, beach type (dissipative to reflective), relative sea level, historical shoreline change, tidal range, significant wave height, shore protection measures, and land cover. Results obtained from performing multi-criteria analysis of GIS indicates that about 16.58%, 15.45, 42.03%, 18.16 and 7.78% of the shoreline is under very high, high, moderate, low and very low vulnerability respectively. Of great concern is that although the low-lying broad depression (−1 to −3 m below MSL) east and southeast of Alexandria is protected now by a combination of natural shore-parallel elevated ridges (up to 10 m) and artificial shore-parallel detached structures, it is likely to be accidently flooded by unexpected extreme storm or tsunami events at the lowest waterfront points.

GIS-based multi-criteria analysis for identification of potential groundwater recharge zones - a case study from Ponnaniyaru watershed, Tamil Nadu, India

Groundwater is one of the most vital natural resources; spatially varying in quality and quantity. Increased urbanisation and population creates tremendous pressure on the quality and quantity of the groundwater resources. In this study, Ponnaniyaru watershed of Cauvery basin was considered for this research. Geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) plays a vital role in preparing various thematic layers for targeting the groundwater potential zones (GWPZ). This study adopts the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Multi influence factor (MIF), multi-criteria decision-making approaches to determine the weights for the influencing factors. Weighted linear overlay analysis was carried out to determine the GWPZ. Further, the resultant GWPZ map has been reclassified into five different classes, namely Very good, Good, Moderate, Poor and Very poor. The results were validated with observed well-yield data, and the predictive precision for AHP and MIF was found to be 75%, and 71% respectively.

Suitability assessment using multicriteria spatial decision support system for the existing landfill sites of Chittagong City, Bangladesh

Solid waste management is a great concern in the urban areas of the developing countries. A sanitary landfill is an essential facility for efficient management of solid waste to control unpleasant odor, disease-spreading pathogens, and disposable mass. Chittagong, the second largest city in Bangladesh with an ever-increasing population, has three landfill sites within the metropolitan area. The sites are near the residential areas. The waste collection, transportation, and disposal techniques for landfilling are not well established in the city. As a result, solid wastes are randomly thrown into lowlands, rivers, streets, and open drains in an uncontrolled manner. Consequently, these waste deposits act as breeding ground of various disease vectors, such as rats, mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, and pathogenic microorganisms. The leachate also contaminates groundwater due to improper linear design of the landfills. Therefore, the human health of the city dwellers is at risk due to the contaminated environment of the city. In the present study, the suitability of the existing landfill sites of the city has been evaluated using GIS-based multicriteria analysis technique. The importance of relevant parameters required for landfill site selection has been determined using multicriteria weighted average method. Then, the individual map of each parameter was created and overlaid all maps of different parameters to assess suitability of the landfill sites in terms of suitability score using ArcGIS.

GIS-based multi-criteria analysis for offshore wind turbine deployment in Hong Kong

ABSTRACTThe search for suitable marine areas is a prerequisite at an early stage of any offshore renewable energy system project. This paper introduces a methodological framework for identifying the maritime areas the most appropriate to implement an offshore wind turbine farm in the Hong Kong bay. The framework is based on the combined use of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). At the first stage of the analysis, unsuitable areas for the deployment of an offshore wind turbine have been first identified. At the second stage of the analysis, eligible marine areas have been ranked using a MCDA and different scenarios. Finally, a cost analysis has been performed to refine the whole approach as well as a comparison to previous studies in the Hong Kong bay.

Provision of Convenient Play Space in a Densely Populated City.

The focus of this study is on examining sufficiency and quality of play space in a densely populated city from the spatial perspective. The study employed a three-stage multilevel mixed-method design using spatial analysis, user questionnaire, and site surveys. Provision of play space was assessed based on location, user perception, and proximity to residential areas and roads. The spatial distribution of play space was mapped and examined by applying GIS-based multicriteria analysis. Without considering play space provided by private housing estates, the study found a mismatch between children population and location of play space. The study also identified stair, slope, and sidewalk conditions as key issues of accessibility to selected playgrounds, even in districts with sufficient play space. Kowloon has limited play space of which a high percentage is inferior in terms of safety and pollution standards. Spatial analysis can help inform optimal locations for play space. Future studies should be based on more well-rounded and complete data to advise urban planning. Additionally, policy makers should focus more on quality standards of play space (i.e., openness, absence of pollution, attraction, safety, etc.) when planning as opposed to simply meeting the minimum area per person quota for open space.

GIS-based multicriteria analysis for optimal weather radar site selection

The development of a reliable methodology for the selection of optimal sites for weather radar installation is presented in this paper. The proposed methodology is based on the combination of geographic information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods. The Algerian central north region is selected as a case study. Six constraints and eight evaluation criteria divided into radar coverage, infrastructures and environmental and social clusters are considered in the decision model. The weights coefficients of the criteria are generated using an analytical network process combined with decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL-ANP) techniques. The produced site locations are then ranked by multi-attribute border approximation area comparison (MABAC) and the results are compared to those obtained using VIKOR, TOPSIS and COPRAS. The tool can be used by decision makers in the selection of future weather radar sites or the evaluation of existing ones for different geographical regions.

GIS-based multicriteria analysis for optimal weather radar site selection

GIS-based multicriteria analysis for optimal weather radar site selection

Modelling Of Food Hazard Susceptibility in Komatipoort, South Africa

Komatipoort, a small town located at the confluence of Komati and Krokodil rivers, is constantly being hit by floods which affect the residents of this small town as well as the farmers settling along the rivers. This study aimed at mapping the flood hazard and susceptibility through the integration of GIS techniques and hydraulic modeling. Due to inconsistency in the length of streamflow data in the different gauging stations, a Hydrological modeling HBV model, was utilized for modelling runoff in order to extend flow records at station X2HO32 for Komati River. Calibration was conducted using observed data from 1982 to 1993, giving an efficiency value of 65% and validation was done using data from 1993 to 1999, giving an efficiency value of 53%. Flood frequencies were analyzed and flood quantiles were determined at different return periods. HEC-RAS was utilized to simulate the hydraulic parameters of Komati and Krokodil rivers to obtain flood hazard maps. GIS-based multi-criteria analysis techniques were incorporated for flood susceptibility mapping. Hydraulic analysis showed that the floods mostly affect the farms and settlements along the rivers and a small part of the central business district is affected. Flood susceptibility mapping showed that the area is generally highly susceptible to flooding because of a combination of anthropogenic and natural factors.

GIS-based multi-criteria land suitability analysis for sustainable agriculture in the northeast area of Tadla plain (Morocco)

Assessment of soil suitability for sustainable intensive agriculture is an appropriate tool to select the land suitable for agricultural production with the least economic and environmental costs. This study was conducted to evaluate the agricultural soil quality in the northeast area of Tadla plain (Morocco) using geographic information system (GIS) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Six soil quality indicators, i.e., pH, organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, texture, salinity and slope were considered and performed in 60 subsurface soil samples. AHP method was utilized to identify the weight of each indicator from the pairwise comparison matrix. The weighted sum overlay analysis was then used to generate the soil quality map in a GIS environment, by overlaying both indicator weights and sub-indicator weights. The studied area was classified into four soil quality categories, i.e., poor, medium, good, and excellent, the percentage of each category is 1.12, 20.98, 61.07 and 16.83%, respectively. The results indicated that 1.12% of the study area has poor suitability for sustainable intensive agriculture due to their unsuitable texture and low salinity, while about 77% of cultivated soils are adapted to agricultural production. The above results could be useful for the management of agricultural activity.

Land Suitability and Insurance Premiums: A GIS-based Multicriteria Analysis Approach for Sustainable Rice Production

The purpose of this research is to develop a land suitability model for rice production based on suitability levels and to propose insurance premiums to obtain maximum returns based on the harvest index and subsidy dependence factor for the marginal and moderately suitable lands in the northern part of Bangladesh. A multicriteria analysis was undertaken and a rice land suitability map was developed using geographical information system and analytical hierarchy process. The analysis identified that 22.74% of the area was highly suitable, while 14.86% was marginally suitable, and 28.54% was moderately suitable for rice production. However, 32.67% of the area, which was occupied by water bodies, rivers, forests, and settlements, is permanently not suitable; 1.19% is presently not suitable. To motivate low-quality land owners to produce rice, there is no alternative but to provide protection through crop insurance. We suggest producing rice up to marginally suitable lands to obtain support from insurance. The minimum coverage is marginal coverage (70%) to cover the production costs, while the maximum coverage is high coverage (90%) to enable a maximum return. This new crop insurance model, based on land suitability can be a rational support for owners of different quality land to increase production.

Planning the next-generation biofuel crops based on soil-water constraints

Widely blended in the transportation fuels, biofuels have been generally regarded as indispensable components in the U.S. national energy portfolio. Although the current production of cellulosic biofuels has been staggering at pilot scales, it is expected that large-scale cultivation of cellulosic biofuel crops may occur when techniques for cost-effective bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol are available. However, it is still unclear if enough land is in existence to accommodate potential large-scale lignocellulosic crops development without negative effects on the environment and food market. The appropriate land use for the next-generation biofuel crops should be planned and allocated in a manner that the competitive use of land dedicated to food and energy production and other side effects could be minimized. This research proposes an approach of identifying the potential available land for planting switchgrass in the U.S. Midwest using a GIS-based multi-criteria analysis that combines soil and water constraint factors. The results showed that land areas of approximately 13.6 million ha are unsuitable for profitable food crops but available for switchgrass cultivation in 7 U.S. Great Plains states. The findings can assist decision-makers in formulating land use policies and related environmental management strategies.

Site selection of urban wildlife sanctuaries for safeguarding indigenous biodiversity against increased predator pressures

Biodiversity loss in urban landscapes is a global challenge. Climate change is a major driving force behind biodiversity loss worldwide. Using Wellington, New Zealand as a research site, the aim of this research is to show how the most suitable patches of vegetation in urban landscapes can be identified, ranked, and prioritised as potential urban wildlife sanctuaries. This is in order to protect vulnerable indigenous fauna from some of the indirect impacts of climate change such as increased predator pressures and the spread of diseases among urban fauna caused by rising temperatures. A GIS-based multi-criteria analysis of spatial composition and configuration of patches of vegetation was undertaken with reference to eight factors affecting the quality of habitat patches and accordingly fauna behaviours in urban landscapes. Results show that Zealandia, the Wellington Botanic Garden, the Town Belt, and Otari-Wilton’s Bush are respectively the most important urban sites for establishing pest-free urban wildlife sanctuaries in the study area. This research reveals that patch size should not be considered as the single most important factor for the site selection of urban wildlife sanctuaries because the collective importance of other factors may outweigh the significance of patch size as a single criterion. Lessons learned in the course of this research can be applied in similar cases in New Zealand or internationally in order to facilitate the process of site selection for the establishment of urban wildlife sanctuaries in highly fragmented urban landscapes suffering from rising temperatures and other climatic changes.

GIS-based assessment of sustainable crop residues for optimal siting of biogas plants

The assessment of biomass at high spatial resolution is critical to manage supply risks and to identify optimal plant sites for producing sustainable biofuels and co-products. The spatial variabilities in soil type, topography, climate, and crop management practices further require vast computational time and resources to estimate the availability of sustainable biomass for a large study area. In this study, we developed a GIS-based integrated predictive modeling platform to assess the availability of sustainable crop residues at high spatial (30 m) and temporal (2010–2022) scales. A GIS-based multi-criteria inclusion-exclusion analysis and facility location-allocation models were used to identify suitable sites, and optimal siting of biogas plants respectively with biomass delivered cost. The Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based predictive models were well suited to predict sustainability indicators (soil erosion SE- R2 = 0.96, soil conditioning index, SCI R2 = 0.98 and organic matter factor, OMF- R2 = 0.83) for assessing sustainable removal rates of crop residues (corn stover and wheat straw). The GIS-based integrated model was applied to the State of Ohio and found that about 4–13 dry Tg of crop residues can be sustainably available to build 1–25 regional biogas plants. A typical optimal biogas plant with a feedstock capacity of up to 500 dry Gg could be drawn from a transport radius of about 19–35 km with a delivered cost of 40–46 $ dry Mg−1. The temporal and spatial variations in assessing the availability of biomass largely affected the supply chain decisions and its delivered costs.