GI & IT for Mapping Our Environment

Nigel Trodd

Coventry University

In this lecture you will identify

reasons for mapping our environment sources & applications of geospatial data geo-information technologies contemporary mapping issues

What is…

a map?

je t'aime... une carte

a map is...

a representation of social, economic or

physical characteristics of built and natural

environments

a map is...

a method of communication

a database a tool for

spatial analysis

more than 5ive

marvellous

millennia of

map

making

tell me more…

one

two

three

why is spatial special?

allocating development funding in South Africa

inequalityrace

gender

spatial

… map it !

National Nutrition & Social Development Programme

Allocations in KwaZulu-Natal

Census district Urban / Rural

Actual %

Durban U 9.50

Maphumulo R 5.02

Pietermaritzburg U 4.34

Inanda U 4.22

Vulindlela U 2.76

Lower Tugela R 2.52

Msinga R 2.18

Hlanganani R 0.84

Camperdown R 0.00

So what?What can GI & IT

do?

Census district Urban / Rural

Actual %

Recommended %

Maphumulo R 5.02 8.27

Msinga R 2.18 5.65

Hlanganani R 0.84 3.21

Vulindlela U 2.76 1.80

Durban U 9.50 0.91

Pietermaritzburg U 4.34 0.77

Inanda U 4.22 0.68

Lower Tugela R 2.52 0.40

Camperdown R 0.00 0.20

economic dependency ratio

female illiteracy

... target poor and nutritionally most susceptible communities

Source: MacDevette et al. (1999)

uncertainties in GlobalXModels

GCirculationMs

GChemicalTransportMs

GBiogeochemicalMs

GVegetationMs

LUCC is serious not only because cumulative change can be significant, but also because it is likely to exacerbate, and may overwhelm, the effects of climate change.

Robinson et al. (1994)

Human activity modifies land use / land cover, affecting albedo, water & nutrient cycles, habitats and biodiversity.Impacts are geographically dispersed and progressive.

us.... and themsurveillance in society

Bam earthquake, IranDecember 2003 IKONOS image courtesy Space

Imaging

building GI solutions

contemporary issuesH20 H20 everywhere

Not a drop to drink

Taylor’s law of

geographical information

GeoDataGeoData

Taylor’s law

the need for geographical information tends to be greatest precisely where least is available

ANDAND

the vastly increased quantities of data do not make them any less imperfect, incomplete and error-prone

Paul Longley (1998)

education, education,

education(T Blair 1997)

location, location, location

(any estate agent anytown anytime)

you need knowledge and skills to understand…

strengths & weaknesses of geodata sources

techniques for spatial data integration and analysis

methods of communicating geoinformation

are you a globe-trotting-super-GI-hero?